CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR ASHTON #2
She was blinking rapidly, some wetness shining before she folded her head down, scurrying into the room. She closed the door, the fan turned on, and I cursed. Things were so fucked up right now.
I pushed the intercom button. “Avery.”
His voice sounded from the other side of the door. “I’m here.”
I opened it, seeing him standing back, but his face was guarded. “Your companion’s items are in the car, as well as your items. I’ve received word that your other guest is about to be dropped off as well. Should they turn back to meet you when that’s done?”
“I want Marco and Remmi out of here.”
He nodded. “Yes. I can arrange for an ‘emergency’ to occur. CO 2 alarms can be finicky sometimes.”
I hid a smile. Avery was very good at his job. “Thank you.”
We both heard the flush from the bathroom.
Molly came back, drying her hands. Her head was still folded down, her shoulders hunched down as well, but she glanced up and braked abruptly at seeing both of us regarding her. “Ready?”
I felt Avery’s attention, but I didn’t look away from Molly. I couldn’t, for some reason. “Yes. I’ll be right there.”
She blinked again a few times before nodding, her head folded back down, and she skirted around me. I still felt Avery’s gaze. “Would you like an espresso for the ride back? I think we’d have time for me to make one.”
“Oh, no. Thank you, though.”
They started down the hallway, but I sent Avery a text on his phone.
Me: Make the espresso anyways. Thank you.
I saw him check his phone and glance back, giving me a nod.
After that, I went to have a private word with my cousin.
Marco was ready, leaning against the bar in the main floor’s library. He had a drink in hand and another was poured and sitting on the corner. “Made you a beverage for the trip back.”
I took it and threw it against the wall. It whizzed right past him, but Marco knew me. He didn’t flinch, didn’t even blink. He just lifted his own glass, the ice clanking as he took a long and deliberate sip. “Feel better now that that’s out of your system?”
Fuck him. I advanced, taking his drink out of his hands, and this time, I smashed it down on the desk, right behind him.
He cursed, jumping away, shaking his hands of any liquid. “Jesus Christ! You’re insane, Ashton.”
“You brought Remmi West here. Here! Are you fucking her?”
He was reevaluating me, his eyebrows pulling down. “Yeah. Why is that such a problem?”
I grabbed him now, yanking him away from the desk by his shirt, and I pulled him close, growling in his face, “Because she’s a walking tsunami and her father just died, you idiot!
” I threw him against the nearest wall, and as he hit against it, I was there again.
Catching him. “She’s here in the Walden compound.
Even Trace doesn’t know where this place is and you brought her here? Here?!”
He was frozen, and the blood was starting to drain from his face. “No—”
“Yes!” I snapped. “She’ll put a tracker in the house. She’ll have a second cell phone. I don’t know, but she’ll figure it out, and again, her father was just murdered. She doesn’t know what he did, and Remmi is uncontrollable. She’s unpredictable. You know what she did to Jess Montell.”
“I thought her father was presumed missing.”
“You know better.” I glared at him. “You know who made him go missing.”
“That’s—”
“She’s a loose cannon.”
He shoved me back. “You brought someone here too. And who was that, by the way? She’s not your flavor of the month.
You don’t get like this with those women, and you’re not this worked up just about the compound being at risk.
You don’t even like this place. You only come here if you have to.
I know you, Ashton.” His face was moving into my space now.
He was going on the offense, but I held my ground.
“You’re forgetting how much I know you, too, and that puta isn’t—”
My hand moved in a flash, choking him off as I wrapped it around his throat and held him against the wall. I tightened it. “Don’t ever call her that.” Another squeeze. “You hear me?”
He couldn’t speak, but he pushed me away enough so my hand slipped away.
“Jesus, Ashton!” He bent over, coughing.
“Yeah.” He looked back up, rubbing at his throat.
“I’d say I got that one right. Whoever she is, she ain’t worth this shit.
” Still bent over, he motioned between the two of us.
“We’re familia, and are you forgetting how much family we’ve lost? You’re going to turn on me?”
I stepped in, close. “You should really stop underestimating my intelligence.”
He paused, jerking back up, but he didn’t comment. He only regarded me, a flicker of wariness showing.
“I want you and Remmi out of here within the hour.”
“But—”
I began walking for the door. “That’s not a request. Cut her loose once you get her back to the city.”
“You can’t tell me who to fuc—”
I stopped at the door. “Yes. I can .”
He stared at me, measuring me.
“Both are orders.” I tilted my head to the side. “It would be very stupid of you to challenge me.” That was it. That was all. If he did, he’d learn. If he didn’t, I had no doubt he’d still learn at a later date. Marco was officially on my watch list.
Avery had a small cup waiting for me as I went past him into the garage.
I took it, pausing.
“She was quiet, but she took the espresso.”
I gave him a slight nod. “Thank you.” We both turned as Marco was coming out of the library. He paused, taking us in before he headed down the hallway, disappearing from sight.
“Your hand is bleeding.” He handed me a towel as he said that.
I took it, grimacing because I hadn’t even noticed.
Avery was watching as I wound the towel tightly around my palm. “I’ll put a first aid kit in the back seat before you leave, and I’ll clean the office right away. Do I need to plan my ‘emergency’ tonight?”
“Notify me if they don’t leave within the hour.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then do the plan.”
He nodded, beginning to leave.
“Avery.”
He stopped. I was watching where Marco had gone. “Watch him on the monitors until he leaves.”
“Consider it done.”