DECLAN
“So how does wife pussy compare to girlfriend pussy?”
Ash looks up at me from his computer, pure shock etched across his face.
“No time.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “What are you even doing here?”
“Had some business in the area. Thought I’d drop in. See how that juicy as—”
“I fucking dare you to finish that sentence.”
“Damn, I just got the craziest déjà vu. Didn’t we have this exact conversation when you were too chicken-shit to admit you had feelings for the girl who ghosted your ass?”
“That girl is my wife now, so if you thought I was possessive before, it’s a hundred times worse. Fuck, man, I don’t even know. It’s like I want to be inside her from the time I wake up until I fall asleep, and then all night too. Is that…normal?”
I go to open my mouth, but he cuts in.
“Don’t answer. I don’t know why I just told you that, of all people. It’s not like you’ve ever even fucked the same woman twice.”
If only he knew.
I keep my mouth shut. It’s better if he thinks I’m still a manwhore.
I’ve kept the facade going for long enough that I almost believe it myself sometimes.
The lies come so easily now. And no, to answer his question, it probably isn’t normal, but is loving someone with your whole being ever normal?
At least he gets some of that love back.
Try wanting to be connected to someone in every way and not even being able to hear their voice.
“You fuck ‘em more than once, they cling to you like Saran Wrap, man,” I finally mutter, only because he expects me to say something like that. “Although it sounds like you’re the clingy little bitch in this relationship.”
Ash grits his teeth, irritation blooming across his face. “Do you have a point in being here?”
“Can’t a guy congratulate his best friend on getting hitched?”
“This is your idea of congratulating me?”
“I was going to take you out for a beer, but not with that attitude.”
He glances at his phone. “It’s ten a.m. Why aren’t you at work?”
“I have the day off.” I leave out the part where I have every day off for the foreseeable future.
Getting fired by my own father wasn’t on my to-do list this morning, but the prick had other plans.
I knew the second he texted me to come directly to his office at eight that it wasn’t going to be good, but I thought it would be another one of his performance evaluations—code for an hour of him berating me, telling me how much of a fuck-up I am, and that I’m disgracing the Astor name.
Don’t get me wrong, that is what happened, but instead of his usual “do better” sign-off, it was “you’re done here.
” This is on the heels of him kicking me out of his house.
Not that I need the job or the house anymore, but he doesn’t know that.
Still, it’s going to make my plans to bring him down that much harder.
I glance over at Ash, and he’s giving me that look like he can see into my brain. Since we were kids, he’s always been able to tell when something is off, which, let’s be honest, is often.
“So, beers at The Tap Room?” I ask, hoping to cut off whatever line of questioning is brewing in that head of his.
The irritation bubbles back up. Good, it worked. “You want me to go across town for a beer? I’m at work, Declan. Not all of us get to play hooky whenever we feel like it.”
I wince because he could not be further from the truth, but I know he’s just picking up what I’m putting down.
The truth is, I’m in way over my head with this Skylar situation.
I need his advice, but I’ve never been good at asking for help.
Plus, there’s the issue that he has no idea what actually happened between us all those years ago.
At least I assume she never told him because I still have all my limbs intact.
Ashton Tyler can’t fight for shit, but something tells me he’d figure it out if he knew what I said to her that day.
He knows something went down because we obviously stopped talking, but he’s never pushed either of us on it.
I thought if we had a couple of drinks, it would soften the blow of the whole “I married our best friend who I haven’t spoken to in six years at your wedding reception” thing for the both of us.
“Damn, marriage has made you grumpy, dude,” I say, making my way to the door of his office.
“It’s not marriage. It’s you,” he counters.
I don’t know what I did to piss him off, but clearly I’m not wanted here.
Pulling open the door, I stop when I hear him sigh.
“Declan, wait.” He gets up from his desk and walks over to me. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to come out that harsh. I guess…I just wish you could have come to the after-party so we could have celebrated at an appropriate time.”
I glance back, and he looks truly apologetic. That’s the thing about Ash. He never stays mad for long.
“I understand why you left,” he goes on. “I mean, I don’t totally get it, but that’s your deal.”
Well, I guess now is as good a time as any. “I was at the party,” I admit, watching as his forehead creases.
He blinks. “What?”
“I changed my mind and came back.”
“But I didn’t see you.”
“I was on the patio with Skylar.”
His eyes widen before narrowing. “Excuse me?”
“Listen, Ash. I’m going to tell you something, and I need you to remain calm.”
“What the fuck did you do, Declan?” On the outside, Ashton is as non-threatening as it gets.
His appearance screams ‘sweet boy next door,’ like he’ll take you to the fair, knock over a bunch of milk bottles, and win you a stuffed chipmunk or some shit.
For the most part, that’s who he is. But mess with someone he loves, and he transforms into another person entirely.
A person who wouldn’t hesitate to ruin your life while you’re sleeping.
He’s not a violent man. I’ve only seen him physically fight twice.
Once was when Allie’s estranged father came back into town last year, and the other was when I confronted him at a party when we were teenagers.
He got his ass handed to him both times, but right now he’s looking at me like he’s the bull and I’m a bright red flag.
“Did you know you can get married online now?” I ask. Nothing like jumping right into it. “What a time to be alive.” I flop down in the chair opposite Ashton’s desk.
He blinks a few times, slowly, letting the information sink in, and I see the exact moment it hits.
His jaw sets as he lets the idea bounce around in his head before a skeptical grin spreads across his face.
“You almost had me, Astor.” He wags his finger in the air a few times.
“Nice job. Now get out of my office so I can actually get some work done.”
Letting out a deep chuckle, I stand, reaching out to grab his arm, pulling out of his office and down the hall. I don’t bother knocking as I rip open the door to Skylar’s office and shove him inside. “Tell him.”
Skylar looks up from her computer, a scarlet blush creeping up her neck as she hollows her eyes.
Her mouth opens and then promptly closes again.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the moment Ashton’s gaze locks on her finger.
The one in the cast with the ring on it.
He looks back at me, and I cock my head to the side, flicking my tongue out to play with my lip ring.
The “I told you” isn’t necessary at this point.
“What the fuck?” he whispers more to himself than to either of us, like he’s trying to figure out a difficult math equation.
“It was a drunken mistake,” Skylar rushes out.
“He was being a smug asshole as usual, and I wanted to mess with him, but it went too far.” She stands up and rounds her desk, gently brushing her fingers against Ash’s arm.
I hate that she’s touching him. It makes me want to throw her over my shoulder and bang my fists against my chest.
“We’re getting it annulled. It’s not a big deal,” she says.
That jolts him from the trance he’s been in for the last ten seconds. “Not a big deal?” he snaps. “You two haven’t been able to be in the same room in six years, and now you’re fucking married? Please explain to me how that’s not a big deal.”
“We’re fixing it,” Skylar reiterates.
“Do you even know anything about annulments, Sky? They don’t hand them out like candy.”
“I have it handled, Ash. Seriously.” The blush is gone from her cheeks, replaced by anger.
“That’s what you’ve been saying for weeks, Skylar. And you know what? I don’t buy it anymore. Clearly, everything is not fine.”
He crosses the room, bringing his hand up to his forehead as he mutters to himself.
I stand back and let them have this moment.
She’ll hate me even more for telling him, but I needed to.
I have too many secrets already. Plus, he knows how I feel.
We’ve never discussed it since the night I kicked the shit out of him for stealing something that should have been mine, but I know he knows.
There’s the smallest possibility that once the shock wears off, he’ll realize that this was inevitable.
“Ashton, I promise. It will be. Let’s go back to work, and we can talk more later.” Her voice is soft and soothing, a sharp contrast to the tone she usually takes with me.
He doesn’t seem convinced, but he walks to the door anyway. “Okay,” he whispers. “But this isn’t over. I’m done sitting back and watching my two best friends spiral.” Before he leaves, he looks in my direction. “You are a fucking dead man, Dec. I hope you know that.”
“Name the time and place, tough guy. I’m happy to remind you what my right hook feels like.”
Ash rolls his eyes, blowing out a frustrated breath before walking out of the office, leaving me alone with a fuming Skylar.