“I just,” I croaked, forcing the truth back down. “I don’t know what to do. I feel so out of sorts, Ash.”
One minute I was fine, and the next, all I wanted to do was get lost in him.
The smile he gave me was sad but devastatingly beautiful. “I don’t need anything from you.”
A shrill ring shot through the truck, and I dropped into his lap with a yelp. His arm wrapped around me as we eyed the screen.
Murphy calling.
“Shit,” he muttered.
In one smooth movement, he had the middle console flipped up, and I was back in my seat. He fished his phone out of his pocket, shut the truck off, and put the phone to his ear. “Doss,” he answered as he got out of the car.
Angel, you stupid woman.
The voice, toxic and unrelenting, played in my mind like a broken record as I watched the man I’d been quietly falling for pace back and forth in front of the truck. He paused and ran a hand through his hair. Then he let his arm fall, his back to me, and I watched as his spine straightened, his body freezing.
“Uh-oh.” I pushed open my door and hopped down. “Is everything okay?” I asked, coming to his front.
He was looking straight ahead into the endless pine trees, his jaw tight, eyes alert. “Right,” he clipped. “I’ll be up theretonight.” He pocketed his phone and looked at me, regret etched into his features. “I have to go to the office tonight, beautiful.”
My gut twisted, something selfish wanting to take control. “I heard,” I said, touching his scruffy cheek. “Are you able to come to Margie’s first?”
He pressed a kiss against my palm, holding my arm up as he grabbed me around the waist, pulling me to him. I landed against his hard body with a soft whimper. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss that.”
“Thank you,” I whispered. “I don’t think I could make it without you there.”
My confession hovered in the air, and his eyes grew soft. “Let’s get you inside, yeah?”
Seven hours later.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Margo sighed from my passenger seat.
“I think it’s sweet,” Carrie noted from the back seat, pulling her snow-blond curls into a bun. “When’s the last time we’ve hada dash of romance in Astoria? Oh, that’s right…when you and Hayes were fucking in secret.”
My eyes nearly popped out of my head, and I twisted in my seat. “Wait, what?” I asked, gaping at Margo.
She blew a bubble, the mint green circle covering her face. It popped, and when it was all back in her mouth, she held up her hand and started counting off. “First of all, it was a one-night stand. Second of all, you got to witness it when all the bullshit settled—”
“I wouldn’t call your crazy ex kidnapping you bullshit,” Carrie said, pursing her lips.
“He kidnapped you?” I breathed, my stomach twisting.
Margo’s head fell back against the seat. “Yes. Yes, he fucking kidnapped me, his men shot Jake, and then he took me to some mansion in Seattle in an effort to win me back.”
“Wait—Jake was shot?” I wheezed out.
“He’s fine,” Carrie said, giving me a reassuring look in the rearview mirror.
I blinked, my own trauma struggling to resurface, and focused on Margo. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. Are you okay? Do you need anything?”
Her green eyes hit mine and she gave me a smile. “I’m good, babe. Don’t worry about me. I got to confront my abuser that night. I whooped his ass. Hayes and the guys had to pull me off him, actually.”
Carrie sighed. “I’m still sorry I missed that.”
Margo brought up her knee, resting her elbow on it as she blew another small bubble. “I hope you know that Ash probably already knows you’re here.”
“What?” I gasped.
