Ashton shakes his head. “No, but I have a meeting with him about it tomorrow.”
“Good.” I turn my attention back to Sebastian. “Security on Sydney’s building is installed?”
He nods. “Nothing unusual so far. They have a new employee, but I doubt he’s anyone we need to worry about.There is something, though. I keep thinking about what she said a few days ago, about a traffic incident. It scared her. I want to investigate it more, check the police reports from that day. I’ll update if I find anything.”
“Great.” I dismiss them with a wave. “And children, let’s play nice. I’m sick of the bickering during these meetings.”
Ash gives me a sarcastic salute as he and his brother stalk out of the room.
23
ASHTON
I can’t fucking believethis. I kick a rock on the sidewalk, watching it bounce down the path in front of me. Sebastian. She’s pickingSebastianover me.
Fuck, I want to punch something. Something with glasses.
Tony’s club is just around the corner from Sydney’s shop, and one of my favorite food trucks—Sabor de Corazón—should be parked nearby today. She’d loved the place when I’d taken her there for our date, right? Maybe I’ll stop by on my way back, pick up some lunch for her. Sure, she wasn’t exactly thrilled the last time I swung by her work, but she’s got to eat sometime, doesn’t she?
The more I think about it, the better the idea sounds. The best way to someone’s heart is through the stomach. Everyone knows that. Doc would never do something thoughtful like bringing her lunch. Sure, Alec will be pissed if he finds out I went to see her, but he’ll get over it. And who says he even has to find out? He doesn’t need to know, doesn’t?—
“Ashton?”
I freeze mid-step, my foot hovering above the pavement.
I know that voice. Cold. Elegant. I recognize it immediately, and that’s how I know, before I even turn around, who will bethere waiting for me. Even before I see her seated at an outdoor table, head tilted to the side as she watches me, face blank.
Annika.
She’s older—more woman than girl, now—her platinum blonde hair cut shorter than I remember. She sits with her back perfectly straight, hands folded on the table in front of her. She looks out of place here, with her designer dress and emerald earrings, sitting at a plastic outdoor table with graffiti drawn on it, an abandoned napkin fluttering by on the wind.
My mind turns to static, seeing her. And yeah, I should be thinking about how she betrayed us, how she nearly got us all killed. How she was like a little sister to me, before she chose her father over us. How she broke my little brother’s heart, crushed it beneath her Louboutin heels like it was nothing.
I shouldn’t be stepping closer to her, when she stands up. I shouldn’t be reaching for her.
And I sure as hell shouldn’t be wrapping my arms around her, pulling her in tight against me and breathing, “Fuck, I missed you,” into her neck.
But I do.
Annika goes rigid. For a few seconds, she’s nothing but stone, cold and unyielding. Then her muscles ease, her arms circle me, and she lets herself fall into the hug.
It doesn’t last. She never was the touchy-feely type, on the best of days. All too soon, she’s pulling back, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her ivory-colored dress, mouth twisting in distaste as she steps away from me.
“That was stupid, Ashton,” she chides, her voice low but sharp. “Calling me. You have no idea if my phone is being monitored. Or what I would do. This could be a setup. I could be luring you into a trap right now.”
Suddenly wary, I glance around at the crowd around us. “Are you?” I ask, not bothering to hide the concern in my voice.
Her gray eyes soften, just a touch. “No, Ash. I’m not.”
“What are you even doing here?” Annika doesn’t belong here, not in Fortune City. She should be home, should be back in Empire. He doesn’t let her out of his sight like this.
She raises a single, perfectly manicured eyebrow. “You’re the one who called me. Remember?”
“Yeah, but…” I struggle to explain. “What are you doinghere? Right now? How the hell did you know I’d be here?”
“Oh. That.” She almost smiles. A smug, pleased look settles on her face, softening her features. “I knew your little gun runner would go straight to you after he turned down our offer to buy him out. You should have a chat with him about his public email calendar. I knew he scheduled an appointment with you before you did, Ashton.”
I grin. I can’t help it. I’m fuckingproudof her. “God, look at you. All grown up,” I say. I like the short hair, like the way it complements her sharp features. It makes her look like someone you don’t want to fuck with.
