‘I trust him.’ I took Ashton’s hand in mine. ‘He’s my husband.’
Daniel looked like he wanted to argue, but I didn’t give him the opportunity. ‘Doesn’t matter what you ant to do. Doesn’t matter if you’ve already done it. I’m not interested in hearing the rest. You lied. Repeatedly. That’s enough. You’re not staying. You’re not my friend. That part’s over.’
I turned without waiting for a reaction.
‘Priya!’ I called out. ‘Get his termination sorted. Now.’
‘So that’s it?’ Daniel stood where he was. ‘I tried explaining everything, but you never believed in the first place. You called your friend, but you never ant it!’
He stepped forward, only two feet, but too close.
Ashton shoved him back. ‘Whatever you were after, stay the hell away from her. Don’t co near either of us again.’
Then he turned, still holding on to . ‘Let’s go ho.’
I nodded.
Behind us, Daniel shouted, ‘Mirabelle, just because I lied a little, you’re throwing out? I didn’t do anything wrong!’
I didn’t look back.
***
I showed up at the studio around eleven, dragging myself up the stairs with one hand pressed against my lower back.
My legs felt like rubber, and I was still sore in places I wasn’t going to na.
Last night, I’d told Ashton I was heading to Yvaine’s for the evening, said she needed help with sothing and it couldn’t wait.
Of course, Ashton didn’t buy a word of it.
The man made call her on speaker.
Yvaine tried to play along but made a ss of it.
Ashton listened to about three sentences before he hung up the call.
He turned off the lights, stripped, climbed into bed, and used his fingers and tongue until I was pushed to the edge.
Right at the mont when I was about to climax, the bastard rolled off , told I looked exhausted, so he’d let rest.
Then he pretended to close his eyes and sleep.
Two seconds later, I was straddling him and begging.
And he still said no with a straight face, like so smug, infuriating monk.
In the heat of the mont, I said so things which I now regretted deeply, such as revisiting my battery-operated boyfriend.
That set him off, and he pushed until I scread into the mattress and cursed him every way I knew.
That only made him go harder.
And longer.
I passed out around four.
I hadn’t planned to co in today, but with Daniel gone, I figured Priya couldn’t handle everything solo.
As soon as Ashton left the house, I hauled myself into a cab and ca straight here.
Priya popped out from behind the counter.
She dropped her voice. ‘Dan ca in early.’
I stopped. ‘What?’
Dan, as in Daniel, as in the guy I fired yesterday?
Priya said, ‘Earlier than . He said sothing about the site needing a back-end patch only he can do.’ She looked conflicted. ‘Then he pulled the contract and told we can’t terminate without cause.’
My face fell.
After everything that had happened, he still had the nerve to show up here and act like it was business as usual?
Footsteps pounded down the stairs.
Daniel appeared with an amnesiac grin.
‘Morning!’ he chirped.
I didn’t smile. ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’
He walked right up to . ‘I’m not quitting. You’re swamped. It’ll take you ages to find a replacent. Why not keep the guy who already knows how everything works?’
I crossed my arms. ‘That’s not your problem.’
He gave this pathetic, kicked-puppy look, mouth turned down, eyes all wide.
‘Co on, Mira. We were friends. You really want to pretend none of that ant anything?’
I sighed. ‘I did consider you a friend. Until you lied. I don’t want you here anymore.’
‘I didn’t lie,’ he insisted. ‘You just never asked about my family, and it never ca up. I explained everything last night. I didn’t do anything to hurt you.’
‘You’re Rhys Granger’s brother. That’s enough. Just seeing your face makes my skin crawl.’
‘I’m not exactly on his side. I’d love to see him buried in debt and living under a bridge. Enemy of your enemy and all that. Shouldn’t that make your favourite person?’
I stared at him.
He kept going. ‘I could strip his whole empire, drag his reputation through the dirt. Wouldn’t that cheer you up?’
I raised my hand. ‘Stop. He ans nothing to . You want to screw him over, do it on your own ti. I don’t care.’
‘Fine. Truth is, I’m starting at Granger Developnt next week. You won’t have to fire , I’ll leave on my own. Just let help until then. The studio’s a ss, I’ve got nothing better to do, and you don’t even have to pay .’
I wanted to scream, or throw sothing.
Logic and emotion warred within .
Logic said he hadn’t done anything technically wrong, and being Rhys Granger’s brother wasn’t his fault.
Emotion said, to hell with logic, I don’t like his face!
Still... I glanced at Priya, and the heavy bags under her eyes.
I rubbed my temple. ‘Fine. Stay. It’s only for a few days anyway. But until you start at Granger Developnt, I’m not coming in.’
If I couldn’t kick him out, I’d vanish.
There were no urgent sketches due anyway, and no need to see his face.
As I turned to leave, Daniel’s voice jumped up behind . ‘So it’s or you? Seriously?’
I didn’t break stride. ‘My husband’s the jealous type.’
I shut the door behind .
I had no idea where I was going.
I thought about swinging by Yvaine’s cake shop; she’d opened a new one downtown.
Before I could decide, Ashton rang. ‘Why aren’t you in bed?’
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