Chapter 50 Asha
ASHA
Iwasn’t in the mood for cocktails and laughter, but I’d be damned if I let Rook ruin my night. So I fixed on a brave face that felt as fragile as my heart and slid into the back of the town car.
Finn took the seat beside me, a quiet wall of muscle and ink. In the front, the driver and another bodyguard—Liam, freshly shipped from Ireland—were deep in a debate about rugby.
I stared out the window and watched the city lights muddle as I blinked back tears.
“You okay, Mrs. O?” Finn’s voice was low, barely above a whisper.
I gave him a weak smile. “I’ll be fine.”
He studied me for a beat longer, like he wanted to press, but not with two sets of ears in the front.
I guessed the masks were off and Finn knew my marriage to his boss was a lie.
The town car pulled up outside a low-lit wine bar that looked as if it had stepped straight out of the roaring twenties.
Inside, brass fixtures glinted under warm light, and the air hummed with soft jazz.
It was busy but not overcrowded, with groups of stylishly dressed twentysomethings mingling at the bar and tucked into curved leather booths along the walls.
I’d meant to make a beeline for the bathroom to check my mascara, but the girls spotted me before I’d even taken two steps.
“Asha!” Daisy squealed, weaving through the crowd to throw her arms around me. She tore herself away to look me over. “Girl, that dress is incredible.”
Beth followed with a wide grin and a hug just as fierce. “I’ve missed your face.”
I gave her a squeeze. “I’ve missed yours, too.”
My chest loosened. Daze and Beth were my safe place, and tonight I needed them badly.
Finn and Liam drifted farther along the bar, striking up easy conversation with the bartender. This was one of the Beasts’ places, and these were Rook’s people. The security, the staff, and probably even the customers were vetted.
“Here.” Beth handed me her almost-full margarita. “Catch up. We’re already on our second.”
“You’re an angel.” I gulped half in one go.
“Shut the front door!” Daisy grabbed my left hand so hard my shoulder popped. “What is that?”
Well, that hadn’t taken long.
Beth crowded in. “That can’t be real.”
I winced. “It’s not fake.”
Beth choked. “You’re engaged?”
“Worse. Married.”
“Married?” my friends said at the same time.
Daisy gasped. “Bad Sugar Daddy put a ring on it!”
“Kinda. It’s a long story.” I downed the rest of my drink and waved the bartender over.
Beth shook her head. “Why does it feel like I’ve missed twelve months of your life in two weeks?”
“To be fair, it’s been a hell of a two weeks for me, too. Remember McHottie, my one-night stand?”
The girls nodded, both of them wearing puzzled expressions.
“We’re married. Fake married. It’s a visa thing. Rook was about to get sent home to Ireland, and he offered me a stupid amount of money to marry him so he could stay. I couldn’t refuse.”
That was the best cover I could come up with for marrying someone I barely knew. Especially since last time we were out, I’d sworn off men and marriage and declared I’d spend the rest of my life happily free of both. My besties would be less shocked if I’d joined a convent.
I scanned for the bartender again, desperate for another round, but he was busy serving someone at the far end of the bar.
“Who do you have to screw around here to get an espresso martini?” I muttered.
Beth tilted her head. “You feeling okay? You’re a bit pale.”
“Just a headache,” I said, brushing it off, but I wished I could tell the girls about my argument with Rook and how upset I was over it.
I’d accepted that being with a possessive man who was used to getting everything he wanted at the snap of his fingers would be trying. But I hadn’t expected Rook’s betrayal to arrive so swiftly and brutally.
He’d hidden everything from me. Sierra. The extent of the trafficking ring. That he’d been hunting the Soul Collector without me. What had he thought would happen when I found out?
I supposed he’d been too busy fucking me these last two days to give it much thought.
Ugh. I was such a fool.
“Back up a second.” Beth narrowed her eyes. “McHottie is your bad sugar daddy?”
“Unfortunately. He’s like, a billionaire or some nonsense. And he might be nice to look at, but he’s a total pain in the ass. Literally the bossiest, most stubborn person I’ve ever met. He’s making me live with him, and he won’t even let me take this ridiculous ring off.”
Daze swirled her cocktail straw. “And this is the same man with the magic peen? The one who made you question if you could ever go back to regular dick?”
“His dick status is irrelevant since I’m never sleeping with him again.”
The bartender finally arrived with three espresso martinis, a bottle of water, and two Advil tablets still sealed in their blister pack.
“Courtesy of Mr. O’Connell.” He smiled and returned to serving customers.
“Mr. O’Connell?” Beth gave me a curious glance.
I nodded. “That’s the Irish demon-husband.”
Daisy snatched up a martini, swapping it out for her empty glass. “Guess his magical powers aren’t limited to his dick. He’s also a mind reader.”
I almost snorted. More like deranged stalker.
I wasn’t sure how Rook had heard me mention the headache or espresso martinis, but I turned off my phone in case the microphone was hacked.
Beth folded her arms. “I don’t care how hot or rich he is; if he’s being mean to you, I’ll find the overgrown leprechaun and kick his ass all the way back to the Emerald Isle.”
“I love you for saying that, but I can handle him. We have a deal, and once I see it through, I’ll wipe my hands of him for good.” I pointed out a group vacating a booth across the room and handed Beth my drink. “Grab those seats for us. I’m going to the bathroom, and I’ll join you in a minute.”
On the way to the ladies’ room, I approached Finn and Liam.
“He can hear every word I’m saying.”
They stared at me blankly.
“How?” I demanded.
“Don’t know, ma’am,” Liam replied.
Finn touched his earpiece. “The boss says to take the Advil.”
I slammed one hand on my hip. “You can tell your boss to stick the Advil up his ass!”
I carried on toward the bathroom. In the corner of my vision, Finn pushed away from the bar and fell into step a few paces back.
“Wait,” Finn called out when I reached the door. “Let me check inside first.”
“Fine.” I waved him ahead.
Ten seconds later, he reappeared and held the door. “It’s clear.”
I paused before entering. “Please, Finn. I just want a night with my friends without Rook being an uninvited party to the conversation. How is he listening?”
He glanced at the ceiling. I did the same. Only one camera in the hallway, and it was behind Finn.
He pulled out his phone and typed something on it. “Like Liam said, we don’t know.”
He showed me the screen, keeping it low in front of him so the camera couldn’t see. It read: Dress is bugged.
Good man.
“Thanks for nothing.” I gave Finn a concealed thumbs-up, then went into the bathroom to see if I could get rid of the bug.
Rook hadn’t bought the beautiful dress to spoil me. He’d only bought it so he could spy on me. It wasn’t enough that he could watch me through the bar’s cameras; he had to hear every conversation, too? That gangster son of a bitch.
In the stall, I gave myself a pat down, starting at the bodice. At the waist, my fingers found a small, hard lump in the lining, no bigger than a shirt button. That had to be the bug.
The problem was, I’d have to shred the dress to get it out, and I wasn’t walking out of here looking like I’d been mauled by a tiger.
Dammit. I was stuck with Rook eavesdropping.
I paced the stall. “I know you can hear me, you infuriating sack of shit, so listen to this. You’ve gone too far tonight. I ought to poison you. I ought to smother you in your sleep with a—”
“Um…” a woman’s voice came from the next stall. “Did I stare at your man too long or something?”
I winced. “Sorry, honey. Not you. Just sending my husband a voice note.”
“Oh.” She let out a relieved chuckle. “That makes way more sense.”
Maybe she was stuck living with a scheming mobster, too.
After collecting my wits, I left the restroom and almost ran into Finn.
He stepped back to let me pass. “Everything okay?”
“Peachy.”
“I don’t suppose we can leave now?”
“Not a fucking chance.” I walked over to the booth and slid in beside Beth.
“Feeling better?” she asked.
“Yeah. Where’s Daisy?”
“Ordering shots.”
I glanced toward the bar to find Daze tottering back in her three-inch heels, not only with a tray of shots but with three guys in tow, all of them built like brick shithouses.
Rook would have a coronary if they joined us.
Maybe it was for the best if he died of natural causes. No cover-up required.
“Guess what I’ve got,” Daisy said in a singsong, placing the tray on our table.
Beth folded her arms. “By the looks of it, all the ingredients for a regrettable night.”
“Don’t be a party pooper. I want you to meet my new friends, Sergei, Dimitri, and…” Daisy bit her lip.
“Kirill,” said the one who reminded me of Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy, minus the greenish skin and red tattoos.
“Kirill! Of course, sweetie. How could I forget the name of a big ole slab of man meat like you?” She grasped his shoulder, giving it an appreciative squeeze.
“Someone’s been working out. They’re on vacation all the way from Belarus.
” Daisy cupped her hands around her mouth and stage-whispered, “I think they’re loaded. This is top-shelf tequila.”
“What happened to girls’ night?” Beth asked.
Daisy gave Beth a hard stare and jerked her chin toward the tray like the expensive drinks explained everything. I’d rather chug Lysol than make small talk with the ogre gang, but at least hanging with them would piss Rook off.
Daisy and her group of giants squished into the booth, and Belarusian Drax ended up beside me.
I glanced to where my bodyguards were seated. Liam was on the phone, looking like his ass was getting chewed out, and Finn was already on his way to our table.