He says something unintelligible under his breath before another sigh. “Do you think I can just let go of the past that easily? For fuck’s sake, Tom. I changed my last name just so my clients didn’t have to be associated with my family.”
“That doesn’t change who you are,” I snap back, shaking my head. “Just because you took your mother’s maiden namedoesn’t mean it changes who your brother is or how he impacted Winter. You knew all of that, and you still inserted yourself in business you had no right to.”
“It’s myjobto be part of any PR for you,” he counters gingerly. “So itismy business. Everything about the events pertaining to you and your image is where I need to be. I meant what I said before. I don’t want to see her dragged through the mud if she’s associated with you in a negative way. You and I both know what the vultures can do if they see her around you. Her life is hard enough without all the press you can add to it. She got enough of that after the trial.”
So, is he looking out for her? If he knew exactly who she was when I asked about her, how long did he know she worked for Janel? How long has he been keeping track of what she’s doing?
“You knew she was working there, didn’t you? That’s why you chose Starrs Strategy.” It’s posed like a question, but I don’t need confirmation; I already know the truth. “How long have you been keeping tabs on her, Ash?”
Once again, he pauses. Which means it’s probably been for a long time. “Since after Adam was sentenced,” he admits. “I needed to know she and her sister were okay. When I found out she’d gotten her degree in a public relations field, I knew she’d probably wind up at one of the few agencies in the area.”
“She could have left town,” I point out.
“But she didn’t,” he replies tightly. “She chose to stay because her roots are here. I knew she would stick around because her sister did the same. They’re all each other have. Being here keeps them close to their parents.”
The fact that he’s thought about this pisses me off. Because he knows so much about the girl I’ve wanted to learn more about since she walked into the conference room with a giant coffee stain across her chest. I knew somebody with that much to prove had to have gone through something unimaginable. I saw rightpast the facade she’d been wielding because it’s so similar to mine.
Our pasts are our biggest motivators, and our trauma is our weapon. The problem is, we usually use those against the wrong people.
“My parents spent the first few years of Adam’s incarceration in denial,” Ashton admits to me solemnly. “They didn’t want to believe their son left two people to die. Eventually, they accepted it. And years later, they chose to never acknowledge it, as if it would go away. But it was never going to. Not for Winter or her sister, Kourtney. Not for the rest of their family either. I refused to pretend as if it didn’t happen. Sue me if checking in on her and making sure the girls are okay is a bad thing. Nobody else did. From what I can tell, not even their extended family put that much effort in. After the news stopped reporting on it, very few people acted as if they cared.”
Winter never mentioned anything about extended family, so it must be true. If it were really only her and her sister, I could see why Ashton would want to keep an eye on them. He’s older, with more money and authority. But how much of that did he use to help them?
So, I ask the question I don’t want to. Because then I’ll have to figure out if I’m willing to tell Winter the truth or if I’ll be just another person who lies to her. “Did you have something to do with her getting that job?”
He’s had connections in the industry long before I came into the picture. He’d been new to the scene around the time of his brother’s hit and run, but he would have known the key players. And it washimwho suggested the success rate of Janel’s firm with sensitive PR cases like mine. If he played puppet master to line all of this up, he’s used us for…what exactly? To make himself feel better or to make Winter better? To get good karma points?
Ashton is silent.
“Ashton,” I growl. “Did you—”
“No,” he finally says roughly. “I’d made somesuggestions, but Scott also had a hand in where we took our business. The fact that Winter worked at Starrs Strategy was more of a bonus. She’d be getting good money from the deal because we were offering a bonus for discretion and fast work.”
Winter doesn’t want handouts. If she finds out that someone associated with her parents’ killer gave her this opportunity, I’m not sure she’d handle it well.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I internally groan.
“Everything I’ve done is for her benefit,” he tells me coolly. “It’s never out of ill intentions. Care to explain why you’re this invested in the matter? Why you keep biting my head off over this girl?”
This time, it’s me who’s quiet.
“Thomas, I swear to God. If you laid a—”
“What?” I cut him off through gritted teeth as I slow at the intersection that leads to Hoffman’s house. “If I laid a hand on Winter, what would you do? Quit? Bitch me out? Tell on me to Janel? Go ahead. Finish that sentence.”
It’s a dare.
A challenge.
A warning.
Because we’ve both done fucked-up things.
I was drawn to her feisty attitude and broken spirit because like calls to like. Ashton has been drawn to her because his family is the one who caused it.
We’re not the same. We just have vested interests in the same girl.
“If the wrong people hear about myvested interests, it would hurt her more than help her,” I remind him. “So if you step in,it isn’t going to help. If you eventhinkabout removing her from this event—”
