We exit on the second floor, walking out onto the top of the grand staircase. The sound of someone sniffling gets our attention, and we both look down over the balcony at the foyer below. I watch Charlotte stiffen out of the corner of my eye when she spots Ashtyn walking up to Haidyn. He looks like he’s going to ignore her until she calls his name.
“Haidyn?”
“What, Ashtyn?” He sighs heavily. Either he’s had a long morning, or he doesn’t want to be bothered by her.
Ashtyn goes to give him a hug but stops when he crosses his arms over his chest. Instead, she lowers her voice, softly speaking to him, and she nods a few times before rubbing tears from her face.
This bitch!
I can’t stand her. I feel like there are several reasons as to why I don’t like her, but the main one is because I know what the Spade brothers went through for her. If she had protected them instead of running, their lives would have been different. They wouldn’t have been tortured for six months. And shooting Saint? What was the point in that? She was willing to kill him to save herself. If you ask me, that’s not a woman who is in love.
Charlotte wraps her hands around the railing as Haidyn’s phone rings. He pulls it out of his pocket and answers. “Hello?” His deep voice carries up to the high ceilings, and he gives her his back. Ashtyn understands their one-sided conversation is over. I smile at how disappointed she looks that he chose anyone else over her.
“Do you trust your husband?” I ask, turning to face Charlotte.
“Absolutely,” she answers without hesitation. Then her brows pull together, like she’s confused about why I asked her such an absurd question or possibly how I know they’re married. But even if I didn’t already know that information, the diamond on her finger gives it away.
“Do you trust Ashtyn?” I dig.
She nibbles on her bottom lip for a second before she responds. “She’s been in their lives for a long time, but I know my husband. And”—she gives me a confident smile—“he would never do anything to hurt me.”
I don’t want to put thoughts in her head, but I also know how these whores work. “Let me share a little insight with you, Charlotte.” I step into her, and her smile drops. “Even though your husband isn’t currently sticking his dick inside her, that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t slide it in herself if he were to give her the chance.”
She reaches down and places her hand on her flat stomach, and I sigh. “You’re pregnant.” I should have known. That’s what the Lords do—knock up their Ladies as soon as they can. Of course Haidyn is no different. Guess I don’t know everything.
Charlotte smiles at me. “I am. Ashtyn was there for me when I needed someone. Plus, she’s been through a lot.”
“We all have,” I add. “That’s not an excuse to be a cunt.”
She places her hand on my shoulder. “I know they have a past, but I’m his wife. His future.”
I admire her level of trust. I wish I could have that with someone. Kashton might say he loves me and wants to marry me, but our future isn’t going to be the same as Haidyn and Charlotte’s. I’ll let him think he can heal me, but I know he can’t. You can’t undo as much damage as I have. Love isn’t the answer to everything in the real world.
We both stand silently, watching Ashtyn make her way up the grand staircase. She doesn’t see us until she reaches the platform. Ashtyn gives us both a big, fake fuck-you smile. Well, that’s how I see it. It may be more of aI hope you just didn’t see me trying to hug your husband like he’s my own.
“Hey, ladies,” she says. “Eve, right? I saw you at the reception.”
She tries to act like we didn’t sit at the same table that evening. I skip the small talk. “I’m here to see Saint. You know where he is?” I ask.
She glances from me to Charlotte then back to me, tilting her head to the side as if she’s not sure whether to believe me. She’s probably wondering why the fuck I’m here. Did I stay the night? Why would I want to talk to Saint when it’s clear I’m fucking Kashton?
After a long second, she finally answers. “If he’s not in the office, he’s down in the basement.” Swallowing nervously, she adds, “Need me to get him for you?”
I wave her off. “I’ll find him.” Give her a dose of her own medicine. Maybe I plan on sucking his dick under his desk, or maybe I plan on letting him fuck me in the elevator. Or maybe I want him to bend me over his desk so he can fuck my face while Kashton pounds my pussy from behind. Who knows? The choice is mine.
After a long second, she finally speaks. “Okay. Let me know if you need anything.”
I ignore her, but Charlotte smiles before Ashtyn disappears down the hallway and out of sight.
“It was good to see you, Eve. Hopefully I’ll see you again soon.” With that, Charlotte goes the opposite way.
I take the grand staircase down to the first floor. Haidyn is placing his cell in his pocket. “Might want to rein that in,” I suggest in passing.
“Excuse me?”
I come to a stop and face him. He looks like he wants to ask me what the fuck I’m doing here, but he already knows—his brother.
My stare drops to his wedding band before I meet his eyes. “The woman you let hang on you who isn’t your wife.”
