I slapped Ashton’s hand before he could get to his phone.
‘Okay, no. Let the cops deal with it. You’ve already gone full Godfather once tonight.’
I wasn’t saying I didn’t want Rhys to suffer.
I did.
I just wasn’t willing to risk Ashton catching a charge for it.
When they dragged him off, Rhys already looked half-dead—blood all over his mouth, shirt soaked like sothing out of a bad cri doc.
‘Rhys isn’t worth going to prison for,’ I said to Ashton, in case he got the wrong idea again.
He exhaled heavily. ‘Fine. I’ll leave the police to handle it. How’s your wrist?’
I rotated my wrist and winced. Damn Rhys and his gym strength.
I didn’t say anything, but Ashton saw the sweat beading at my temple.
‘Right. Hospital. Now.’
I grumbled, ‘It’s not that bad. I’ll live. It’s late. Too much trouble to go to the hospital.’
‘I’ll drive.’ His voice left zero room for debate.
I still didn’t move, and he added, ‘What, you waiting for to carry you?’
That did it.
I sprang up like my arse was on fire. ‘Nope. I’ve got legs. Watch use them.’
He walked ahead, paused like he was thinking about taking my hand, then didn’t.
Downstairs, he slid behind the wheel and drove us to a private hospital minutes away.
I figured he probably played poker with the owner or sothing, because the second we pulled up, there were nurses and a doctor already waiting outside, clearly expecting us.
The X-ray showed no broken bones, just a nasty soft tissue injury.
Translation: it hurt like hell, but I wouldn’t be needing a titanium wrist anyti soon.
While the doctor dabbed a minty-slling ointnt onto my wrist, Ashton stood behind .
I couldn’t see his face, but judging by the way the doctor was sweating through his white lab coat like the air con didn’t exist, Ashton was probably looking murdery again.
He pulled out his phone and started walking away. ‘Excuse .’
‘Are you calling your assistant?’ I craned my neck to look at him.
He paused at the doorway. ‘Why’d you ask?’
‘If you’re calling to arrange for Rhys to... you know.’ I glanced at the doctor.
‘Are you telling not to do it?’ His voice hardened.
‘No, I’m telling you... be discreet. Make sure you don’t get caught.’
He might have smiled. ‘Got it.’
Once the doctor finished, we didn’t hang around.
Just a quick wrap-up and we were back in the car.
I could feel the tension rolling off Ashton like heat from a busted radiator.
After a few blocks, he snapped out of it.
Glanced over at like he’d only just rembered I was there.
‘Rhys isn’t going to let this go,’ he said. ‘He’s not gonna handle your marriage that well. You can’t stay at Oakwood.’
I stifled a yawn. ‘What? He’s not a serial killer. He got arrested. He’ll back off.’
Ashton drumd his fingers against the steering wheel. ‘You read the news? People kill their exes all the ti now. What if he’s got so undiagnosed psycho streak? You wait until he sets your flat on fire or slashes your tyres, and then what?’
I shivered.
The images of Rhys slapping in his penthouse over Catherine’s mug, of him dragging down the hallway earlier tonight, slamd right back into my brain.
Maybe Ashton had a point.
‘It’s just... I literally just moved in. Paid three months upfront, can’t get my deposit back. And finding another place is going to be a total nightmare.’
We stopped at a red light.
Ashton turned to , face smooth, voice dipped in just enough honey to raise suspicions. ‘You could move in with .’
I blinked. ‘Move in with you?’
I wasn’t sure if he was kidding or just temporarily lost his mind.
This was a contract marriage.
No feelings, no funny business, and definitely no playing house.
The plan was to stay out of each other’s way until the divorce.
‘That’s... probably not a great idea,’ I said slowly, trying to tell him it was a stupid, stupid idea without using the actual words.
He caught the look I shot him and let out a dry laugh.
‘Relax. I’m not trying anything. It’s just safer. And I’m not exactly emotionally invested in this relationship, so there’s zero chance I’ll suddenly fall for you or whatever.’
Charming.
But honestly, the more indifferent he sounded, the more reassured I felt.
A man too cold to flirt was a man who wouldn’t try to get into my bed.
Plus, wasn’t he still saving himself for his precious lost love?
Living with him might just be glorified flat-sharing.
I was still hesitating when he added, ‘Besides, living together helps with my situation. With my grandfather, you know.’
‘Right. How’s he doing?’
Green light.
He turned back to the road. ‘Much better. I showed him the marriage certificate. Worked like magic. He actually got out of bed that day.’
‘Glad to hear it.’
‘I told him you wanted to et him. Grandpa said yes. He’s feeling so much better now, he even wants to check out of the sanatorium and co ho. If he sees living there alone, wifeless...’
‘Ah, I get it. Alright, I’ll move in.’ Then I added, only half-joking, ‘Hope you don’t snore.’
He smiled. ‘I don’t.’
‘Wait. I’m slamd at work this week. There’s a project deadline I can’t miss. I’ll move in after that, once the dust settles, cool?’
He nodded. ‘That’s fine.’
As we pulled up outside Oakwood Apartnts, he spoke again.
‘My grandfather’s turning eighty soon. There’s going to be a big party. The entire Laurent family has to be there. You’ll co with .’
I nodded. ‘Sure. I’ll go with you. They know I’m your, um, wife, right?’
‘Right.’ He glanced at , smirking. ‘But I didn’t tell them about our... arrangent. As far as they know, we’re madly in love. Might have to act the part.’
‘Got it. I can act.’
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