ChapterForty-Six
Ashley
“It feels like I’ve never really known my dad,” Jase says when we’re alone in bed that night. Chad was with us for a while, but he’s gone to sleep in his own bed now. Ares has been sullen since Eric confirmed The Bulls angle is a seemingly dead-end. My heart hurts for him, and I hope we get a breakthrough soon. He is losing hope of ever finding his sister.
“Not if he’s been wearing so many masks.” I tuck into his side, and his arm slides around my naked body.
“I feel foolish. Like I should have known.”
“I get it, and I’d feel the same way,” I say, tracing circles on his chest with the tip of my finger. I stay away from the healing brand on his chest. “But at least you know he was trying to protect you and he’s not the coldhearted bastard you’ve always believed him to be.” I sit up, staring down into his gorgeous face, sweeping my fingers across his cheeks. “And the best news of all is he’s on our side. He’s known some of what Carter was planning, and he’s already made his own chess moves.”
Jase had a long talk with his father before we left, and they got a lot of stuff out on the table. Eric isn’t privy to everything Carter has done or planned, but he knew enough to formulate his own plan. He has his own trusted men within the Luminary inner circles, and he’s been infiltrating the separatist movement for some time. All of this will help after Carter is eliminated and we’re trying to root out his supporters.
“I wish my father and James weren’t sonoble.” He curls his fingers into little air quotes. “Carter plays dirty, and you need to fight dirty with dirty.”
“I don’t disagree,” I say, laying my head down on his arm and snuggling back into him. The instant my bare flesh meets his, my libido wakes up again. I’m insatiable these days, it would seem. “But your father’s argument has merit. We can’t present as the better alternative if we’re sinking to Carter’s levels, and James had already taken plenty of risks with his actions. He couldn’t risk more.”
Their plan had been similar to Carter’s. They were working to build evidence against Carter and Salinger and were planning to use it to oust them from the board and replace them with their heirs. They weren’t aware of the Ares connection, and they hadn’t been planning on using me. But they were too late and too many steps behind Carter because he got there first.
“My father deserves an Oscar for the way he handled Carter yesterday.”
“Truth,” I say, sliding my leg in between Jase’s. “He played it perfectly, and I think Carter fully buys into it.”
“Let’s hope so.” Jase rolls me onto my back and moves over me. “But enough Luminary talk.” He pushes my legs wide with his knee as he grins down at me. “Now it’s time to give my wife her private Christmas gift.” He waggles his brows as he slips two fingers inside me to check I’m ready for him even though he knows I always am.
As he slides his cock deep inside me, a content sigh escapes my lips, and I forget everything Luminary as my husband makes love to me.
* * *
The days that follow are strange. The official Luminary announcement is now public, and everyone knows about the new Sloth and Pride & Wrath Luminaries. Gossip is rife about Salinger and Manford being arrested, Salinger’s heir and family being locked up, and the shocking death of Cleo Carter for high treachery.
Knight came over with our youngest sister, Paisley. She is super sweet, and we clicked instantly. I look forward to getting to know her. Daria and Kylo were a no-show. Knight cringed telling me they refuse to have anything to do with me, in part because they blame me for the circumstances of their mother’s death. Which is grossly unfair, but whatever.
Carter gave them an altered version of the truth. Of course, he did. We told Knight how it really went down, but Jase insisted I omit the part where I attacked their mother and the sick things she hurled at Chad before her demise.
I don’t like keeping anything from my brother, but Jase made a valid point. What I did had no bearing on her death. Carter killed her, not me. My siblings don’t need her reputation tarnished any more than it already has been in recent times. And why risk damaging my burgeoning relationship with my brother by revealing something that ultimately made no difference to the outcome?
So, I kept that part to myself.
It seems obvious now that Carter let us rescue Chad on purpose. It explains why he didn’t show up at our townhome afterward. I’m betting he hoped we would kill his wife and save him the trouble. It would have been a win-win for him. Get rid of her like he wanted and have something additional to hold over our heads. I’m glad we didn’t give him the extra ammunition and he had to kill her himself. I doubt my brother would have been willing to overlook me murdering his mother.
Knight is now firmly on our side, and he’s promised to keep tabs on his father and let us know of anything he overhears or any suspicious activity.
I still don’t know what went down between him and Bree because I have barely seen my bestie. Between training sessions with Vincent, attending Luminary training and meetings with senior Sloth officials about the transfer of responsibilities to Jase and me, sessions with Carter as he outlines how things are going to work, fielding calls from nosy assholes, and avoiding the funny looks people are throwing our way, we have had minimal downtime. Most nights, I flop into bed exhausted.
But I’m determined to talk to her today. Today is my dad’s funeral, and we have cleared our schedules so I can give my dad the send-off he deserves.
Chad and Jase support me through the church ceremony, and they flank me at the graveside as I finally succumb to my grief and sob my heart out. Ares hovers near me, but he’s been keeping his distance, and I don’t know where his head is at. Richard holds Mom upright as she wails and sobs and clings to him in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. I don’t know what to make of it. My parents may not have been in love, but they shared a genuine friendship, and they were a good team. I want to believe Mom is sincere, but I’m having a hard time with her recently. Everything just seems so…fake.
Our townhome is crowded with people when we return. Bree and her mom organized all the food and ensured we were stocked up on drinks. Jase heads into the kitchen to see if he can help, and Chad goes off to fix me a drink. Ares headed straight for the bathroom when we arrived.
“Ashley,” my beautiful cousin Sydney calls out to me as I step foot in the living room.
She looks happier and healthier than the last time I saw her. With her slim figure, long blonde hair, and stunning face, she is turning heads as she walks toward me. Living independently in Europe obviously agrees with her. I know she was back in the US for the holidays, and she changed her return flight so she could attend Dad’s funeral. I appreciate that so much.
“How are you holding up?” she asks when she reaches me. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Tears prick her eyes as she pulls me in for a hug. “I can’t believe it. I loved Doug. He was always so kind. He took an interest in me in a way my own father didn’t. I always loved that about him.”
“Where is your dad?” I ask, easing out of her embrace and scanning the room for Herman Shaw.
