21. ASH
21
ASH
I woke before Eve so I could surprise her with breakfast. Before she entered the kitchen, I had bacon, sausage, and hashbrowns on the go. Her chair is pulled out, and our place settings are on the table.
“Right here, sweetheart.” After a quick embrace, I push her chair in as she took her seat.
“So, you can cook.” She looks at all the food I'm making. Eve's face lights up with a smile.
“I have to impress you.” I flip the bacon, standing back so the grease doesn’t hit my bare skin.
Eve comes over and stands behind me, her arms wrapping around my chest. “My love, unfortunately, you need a shirt to cook bacon.” I feel her lips press down on my back in a pattern.
I gently lift her hand to my lips and press a soft kiss onto her skin. “Sit back down.” I swoosh her away, and she retakes her seat.
I flinch as my phone vibrates loudly on the table. Sasha had texted me multiple times last night and left a couple of voicemails that I’d ignored this morning. Looking back at the table, I notice Eve holding my phone.
“Sasha?” I ask.
“She desperately wants to speak with you.” Eve extends my phone toward me, holding it in front of me.
“Once this deal closes, I won’t ever have to talk to her again.” I turn my phone screen over. I’ll deal with Sasha after.
“How long were you together?” Eve's eyes are fixed on my phone as she asks her question.
“Six years.” I turn back to the stove before any of our food burns. “We were engaged.”
There’s silence coming from where Eve sits. I plate our food and bring it to the table.
“You can ask me anything you want.” I sit down and pull my chair closer to her.
“She’s just so… different.” Her fork clinks against the plate as she absentmindedly picks at her food.
“From you?” I smile, reaching for her leg. “No one is like my Eve.”
“I don’t want you to be alone with her… if I can ask that.” Her eyes meet mine.
“I will try my best. You don’t have to worry about me wanting her.” I lean in and kiss her cheek. She turns her face toward me, and our lips touch. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She brings her hand to my face and plays with my scruff. While I’m kissing her nose, my phone vibrates again.
“Answer it.” Her touch is soft yet firm as she cups my chin.
I grab my phone and answer, putting the call on speaker. “What, Sasha?”
“Why aren’t you answering my many texts and phone calls, Ash?” Sasha’s voice is raised, clearly upset that I’d been ignoring her.
“What’s going on?” I place the phone on the table and start eating; Eve remains beside me, breathing quickly, while Sasha talks.
“Your father is overstepping. He’s calling people and trying to fix prices for debts he doesn’t have the money to pay. It’s fucking up my negotiations.” Sasha's voice shakes as she rants.
“That sounds like him. I thought you had a plan to keep him at bay.” I stuff more bacon in my mouth.
“Are you eating?” Sasha asks.
“It’s morning, so yes. I’m having breakfast.”
“It’s a little late for breakfast.”
“I was up late last night.” I wink at Eve and she smirks.
“I hope this doesn’t have to do with that child you hired as a secretary.” Sarcasm drips from her voice.
I put my fork down, my heart racing and my hands clenching. Sasha will not disrespect Eve. “Eve is off-topic.”
“Fine. Your father wants to meet today, so hurry and eat. I made a reservation for noon,” Sasha says.
I sit back in my seat and put my fork down. “Where?”
“I texted you. See you soon.” Sasha ends the call abruptly.
At first, I stay silent, the peaceful morning with Eve shattered by Sasha and my father.
“I want to go,” Eve says in her tiny voice.
I breathe in deeply. Eve wasn’t ready to meet my father, not that she ever could be. I'd rather wait until there's no deal hanging over our heads. Not to mention my father's favor to Sasha. “I’m not—”
“I’m going,” Eve interrupts with a more forceful voice. She eats her food and avoids my gaze.
“Eve, I’d rather you not meet my father. Maybe when this is all settled.” I shake my head, knowing I’m lying to her, but it was to protect her.
“Do you love me?” She stops eating and turns all of her attention on me.
“Of course I do.” Didn’t she understand I was doing this because I love her? “He’s not a good person, Eve. I don’t want you on his radar.”
“I’ll be fine. There’s nothing you can say to stop me, Ash.” Eve pushes her plate away from her.
Our perfect morning ruined. The day I’d planned for Eve and me, also done with. “Okay. But they can’t know we are together. Not yet.”
“Agreed.” Eve nods.
“Just take notes, like you usually do. I have to keep it professional so you can’t get mad at me.” I lay out the ground rules.
“Got it.” Eve nods her head. “Can I ask you something?”
I pause, afraid of what she could want to know. “Yes. You can always ask me anything.”
“What about your mom? You’ve never mentioned her.” Eve’s voice is soft and caring.
“We don’t speak much. She never really wanted to be a mother, I guess.” My mother was someone I didn’t speak about. I held no hard feelings for her; she struggled with three boys, and my dad was always off with other women.
“Does she live close?” Eve’s eyes soften.
“No, she’s overseas. Has been for years.” I gather our plates from the table and scrape our leftover food into the garbage.
“When did you see her last?” Eve’s body is turned to face me.
“Babe, I really don’t want to talk about this. I need to get into a certain headspace to meet my father.” My shoulders slump forward, and my brain wants to shut off. Was this deal really worth all this stress? I just wanted to fuck off for the day with Eve and show her things she’s never experienced before. Seeing her happy was a high for me.
“I’m sorry.” Eve approaches me and forces herself between me and the chair, settling on my chest with a tight squeeze.
I drape my arms around her and hold her tight. We haven’t showered yet, but she smells incredible. What I wouldn’t do to just carry her off to bed for the day. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
We rock back and forth for a few minutes, my phone buzzing again on the table, breaking our sweet moment.
“Fuck!” I pull away from Eve, my anger rising at the unwelcome interruption of our moment. I pick up my phone and see my brother's name flashing on the screen. “What?” I answer angrily.
“Didn’t sleep well?” Hardy says.
“I did. It’s just this morning that’s fucked me over.” I pace back and forth, running my hand through my hair.
“Sasha, talk to ya?” Hardy laughs.
“How did you know?”
“I’ll be there too. Don’t worry, it's not only your day that’s fucked,” Hardy says.
“Why the fuck couldn’t he just stay away a few weeks longer?”
“Watch out for Sasha,” Hardy says. “I’m sure she has something to do with our father being here.”
This all makes sense now. She’s playing with me again, but why? I glance back at Eve, wishing there was a way to stop her from coming to the lunch. “I will. See you soon.”
I hang up the phone. “Hardy. He’s been beckoned there too.”
Eve retreats into my arms. “When lunch ends, we will have the rest of the day to do whatever.” She cocks her head to the side and nods to the Kinbaku kit on the dining room table.
“You ready for me to dominate?” I rest my forehead on hers. Our eyes connect, and she bats her eyelashes at me.
“Yes. But easy at first.”
“We’ll create a safe word for you.” I kiss her lips and grab her ass, moving her closer to my body, debating if we have enough time for one more romp. It would sure improve my mood.
“It will be hard not to touch you.” She stands on her tiptoes and kisses me back.
“I can’t give away my secrets. It will all be a surprise.” I grab the hair at the nape of her neck and pull her head back, kissing her delicate skin.
She lets out a slight moan as my kisses intensify, and my hand slips under the T-shirt she’s wearing. Her skin is so soft.
I can’t help but smile, thinking of her bound tightly by rope. The things I want to do to her.