Chapter 25
Would I Lie to You
Asher cradles me in his arms from behind as I lean into the breakfast bar, picking at my fresh berries and Greek yogurt Cruz fixed me. He kisses my cheek then steals one of the strawberries and pops it in his mouth. “Morning, princess.”
“Morning.” I smile back at him. This is our routine now.
It’s comfortable, the kind of life I could get used to with my boys.
It’s been a week since the fire at Jagger’s warehouse, and he’s been in damage control ever since, but the rest of our life has simmered down.
I think as long as we’re in this place together, life is good.
And I know we can’t live locked away from the real world forever, but at least we haven’t had any drama to contend with.
It’s given me time to heal, and as much as I wouldn’t tell the boys, it’s given me this time to fall for all of them harder than I want to.
But it’s the little things they do for me.
Movies we watch together, workout sessions in the gym, and family meals.
I feel so connected to all of them in a way I never have before with anyone.
“Sloane has a few last-minute things for you to work on today for the club opening.”
“Okay. I’ll get on it after breakfast,” I say a little sadly. I’m so excited for Sloane that the club opening is finally happening, but I just wish I could be part of it.
“Don’t pout. Cruz and I are still working on Jagger, you’ll be a part of it somehow.”
“It’s okay, Ash, I know it’s dangerous. I don’t want to put any of you in unnecessary danger all because I miss the club and Sloane.”
He kisses my cheek. “I’ll still see what I can do. Maybe after this meeting Jagger will be a little more pliable.” He laughs.
I glance at him. “What meeting?”
He gives me a guilty look like he’s already said too much. “Just Stryker business, nothing for you to worry about.” With that he leaves me alone to finish my breakfast, passing Cruz on his way to the room they’ve set up as an office at the front of the house.
Cruz goes about making a couple of coffees as he hums some tune I don’t know. He’s awfully happy today. Must have been his early-morning session in the gym. He hands me a coffee, watching me intently.
“What’s the boys’ meeting about?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.
His lips curl. “Some business deal Jagger is trying to secure. It’s going to cost him big, but the sacrifice is worth it.”
I stare back at him, puzzled. “Is he purchasing another club?”
His hand comes to my chin, his other hand lacing into my hair. “He doesn’t need another club, baby, he’s got his hands full already.” His lips meet mine, and he kisses me like he wants something from me.
I pull back, not enjoying the way they all still keep shit from me.
It wouldn’t be all that hard to let me into their world properly.
But since he’s going to tease me with cryptic shit, I’m going to keep my legs closed even though I know what he wants this morning.
“Thanks for breakfast.” I kiss Cruz’s cheek quickly as I stand.
He grabs my hand. “Where are you sneaking off to?”
“Nowhere. I’m just going to take a quick shower. I’m all sweaty after that dance session. I’ll be back soon to get a start on that work for your sister.”
He grins cheekily, his eyes lighting up. “I’ll come with you.”
“Come on, Cruz, can I have five seconds to myself?” I huff.
He considers me. “Nope, you know the rules. Besides, Jagger and Asher are busy, and I want you all to myself for a second. You know it’s torture watching you dance while I try and work out.”
I’m about to say “well, good, it’s what you deserve today,” when I’m interrupted by a loud knock at the front door. Goosebumps immediately rise over my arms.
He glances toward the front of the house then back to me, and his eyes say what the fuck. Not like this place has visitors ever. “Maybe Mal or security. Go get started on that shower and I’ll be right there.” He races off to answer the door.
I’m not in so much of a hurry. I know it’s strange to have a knock at the door, we’re in the middle of nowhere and no one has come to visit us out here except Ricky in that first week and Georgina when I needed my hair sorted.
The only other person with access is Sloane, and if it's her, I want to see her.
I finish packing away the butter and then stack the dishwasher while I wait to hear who it is.
A loud bang sounds, like the heavy front door swinging open, then clambering, and the wall vibrates through the front of the house, making me jump. What the hell?
“Fuck you, Jagger,” comes Sloane’s furious voice. “Where is he, Cruz?”
It’s only Sloane. My racing heart slows a little. But then I realize what she said. She’s pissed at Jagger.
The office door opens. “What the hell, Sloane, I’m in the middle of a meeting,” Jagger snaps back at her.
I peer around the corner to find Sloane, with her guard Onyx, and Jagger, Cruz, and Asher.
Jagger and Sloane stare each other down.
Her hands are on her hips, and she looks like she’s about to tear his head off.
She shoves him in the chest. “Daisy deserves to know why her family is hunting her down. Fucking Valentine, I should have known killing him was never going to be enough. He knew what he was doing all along, stopping his brothers from getting their hands on all of Moretti Media in Italy and controlling her at the same time. She’s trapped forever. ”
“Keep your fucking voice down,” he growls back at her.
“She’s in the shower,” Cruz tells him.
I pop back out of sight. What the hell? I’m trapped because of Moretti Media?
I don’t get what Sloane is going on about, but the fury in her voice has me on edge instantly.
I can hear them moving closer, so I scurry into the walk-in pantry and close the door.
I shouldn’t be eavesdropping, I know it, but this seems too important to miss.
Besides, it’s about me, and I won’t find out otherwise.
“You’re overreacting, we have this handled.” Jagger matches her intensity, his voice harsh.
Something clatters on the kitchen counter, and I know they’re super close to me.
“She doesn’t have to be trapped. That’s why you need to leave this shit to us,” Cruz backs him up.
His words make my heart sink. I guess I always knew Jagger was willing to do whatever it took.
That’s why he’s the boss man. But knowing Cruz is also keeping shit from me hurts more.
“If you three aren’t willing to tell her the truth, I will,” spits Sloane, the anger in her voice palpable.
“I know your heart is in the right place, sis, but you don’t always know best. This time you need to stay out of it,” Asher hisses back at her, a cruel edge to it that I don’t recognize.
Oh, dear God. Asher must be with them as well.
Pain explodes through me. All three of them are keeping something from me.
Sickness sinks to the pit of my stomach like a lead weight.
What on earth does she mean, tell me? I fucking knew they were hiding stuff from me.
It was all too easy, their protection, them falling for me.
That damn card game to determine who should marry me. I should have seen through it.
“What are you going to do? We both know how dangerous this is now that her brother knows she’s not dead. He wants her married to that motherfucker Leone Russo so he can take over a massive share. This is bad for all of us,” Sloane says.
Sounds like a fist slamming down on the wood counter. “It’s handled,” Jagger yells, his voice vibrating through the room.
“How?” Sloane asks, sounding more desperate.
“She’s going to marry Asher,” Cruz announces. “Problem fixed.”
My whole body goes rigid. I try to breathe, but it feels impossible. I should have known there was more to all of this than just keeping me safe or them having fallen for me.
There’s silence for what feels like forever. “She will never forgive you for this. I don’t care what your reasoning is. I will never forgive you for this. You manipulated her into marrying one of you to placate Alex, have you lost your fucking minds?”
“It’s the only way to keep her safe,” Cruz snips. “We’re not out here having some fucking party at her expense. Her family did this to her, not us.”
Sloane’s laugh is bitter. “And make sure you get everything you fucking want in the process. You have gone too far this time.” Heels click along the floor. “You have two days to tell her the full truth or I will.”
“Where are you going?” Asher calls after her, sounding desperate.
“To fix yet another problem my immature brothers have caused,” she mutters, her voice getting farther away.
“It’s fucking handled, don’t go meddling, little sister. I…” Jagger calls after her, his voice cutting off as he gets farther away from me.
My legs go out from under me, and my heart hammers so hard I think I’m going to have a heart attack and die right here on the floor of the pantry.
Alone. I don’t know what the hell to do.
I put my trust in them. I fell for them, and all along they were manipulating me to get something they want. I bury my head in my hands.
When I know the other two are gone, I creep out and make my way to the shower. I don’t want them to know what I heard. It doesn’t fully make sense to me yet, but one thing is for sure, I will get to the bottom of what they’re keeping from me.
A minute after I turn the shower on, Cruz appears in the doorway, a cheeky grin on his lips, like nothing just happened. The way they can lie to me is unnerving and heartbreaking.
I pretend to be washing my hair, not wanting to engage with him. I wish I was as good a liar as they are and I can just act normal.
When his hands land on my bare skin, I freeze.
“What’s wrong, baby?” He nuzzles his face in my neck, kissing my shoulder, his hard cock poking into my ass telling me exactly what he has in mind.
Fucker. He’s lying to me, and he just got found out, and instead of running to me and begging for my forgiveness, telling me all the truths like his sister told him to, he’s going to act like nothing happened and screw me.
Sickness churns in my stomach. “Nothing,” I lie. “You took a while, I’m ready to get out.” I turn and rinse off the conditioner. “Guess I will leave you to it,” I mutter, stepping out of the shower, trying my best not to give away the pain I’m in.
He gives me a funny look then captures my wrist, tugging me back under the spray with him. “Stay a little longer. I’ll make it worth your while.” He presses me into the cold tile wall, his body impossibly close.
I can’t look him in the eyes or I’ll crumble, so I fix my gaze on the water streaming from the showerhead. “I have some work I need to get done for Sloane,” I whisper, so damn close to tears it causes pain to choke up my throat.
His hold on me tightens. “You’re lying to me, something’s up.”
My heart constricts. How can he read me so well when I clearly have no clue about him? “Maybe it’s you who’s lying to me, acting like you’re into me,” I throw right back at him, so close to giving my snooping away. I know I need to escape his clutches before I screw myself over.
His head tilts, and his tongue runs over his lip piercing. “Someone feeling a little insecure this morning? Does my baby need me to show her how into her I am?”
“No, Cruz, I need some space.” I shove past him and grab a towel. When I hear the water shut off, I make a quick shuffle for my room, drying myself off and throwing on a bra and dress in record time, before heading into my walk-in closet for some panties.
Cruz cuts me off. “What’s the rush, little darlin’?”
“I have shit to do, Cruz.” I stare up at him, not sure how to get out of this mess.
They all read me too well. I can’t hide my emotions from them, but I have to dig down deep and try.
Because if I don’t get to talk to Sloane and find out what the hell is really going on here, I’m screwed.
Her threat of two days to tell me isn’t going to do shit.
They just don’t care. They have me where they want me, trapped with them.
His hand skates under my skirt, feeling my bare ass cheek.
I suck in a deep breath, trying with everything I have not to push him away and start screaming at him.
If they know I heard it all, they will be likely to lock me up in this place, then I’m never going to free myself from this shit.
I need to get out of here, someplace where they could be distracted and I could slip away. Like tonight’s club opening party.
He squeezes my ass, and I know he’s trying to read me. Trying to get some sort of reaction.
I lean into him, inhaling deeply to find my calm.
Why does he smell like home and not deceit?
Is my gut really that off that I can’t see the truth right in front of my face?
“I’m sorry I was pushing you away, I’m just stressed.
Sloane needs some last-minute things done for the game event tonight at the opening of their new club, and I don’t want to mess it up.
It’s just so hard to do it all from here.
I wish I could be at the club, you know.
I just miss it, and it really would make things easier.
” I bat my eyelashes just to sweeten the deal.
His lips drop to my neck, and he nips his way down to my shoulder. “Come back to the shower with me and I will see what I can do about getting you some time down at the club today.”
I push back from him a little. “Really?” I force a smile, nearly laughing out loud at myself. This is how they do it, lie through their teeth. I’m really becoming one of them.
He shrugs. “I’m sure Asher wants to be part of it as well. He lives for that place.” Both his hands slide under my ass, and he collects me up, walking through to the bathroom with me. “There will be some way we can get you there for opening night.”
“Jagger will never go for it,” I mutter, glad I had that conversation with Asher this morning.
He lifts me and impales me with his cock, pressing me into the tile wall. “You leave Jagger to me.”
He screws me like he always does, making me feel so damn close to him it kills me. How can I be in love with three men who are using me? How could I be this stupid?