Chapter 33 Ella
ELLA
Declan: Are you ready for your prison break?
YES!
I’m almost there, little sis.
After three weeks of being stuck up in Asher’s penthouse with only a few outings for charity work, Declan and I are finally enacting our plan.
Thank the lord. It’s been a long three weeks, and with the hefty security protocols in place, I’ve been practically climbing the walls the last few days.
But today, Asher is busy with back-to-back meetings, so Declan and I are going rogue.
Asher will probably have an aneurysm when he finds out, but I can live with that if it means I get to do something productive for a change.
“Asher’s going to have my balls in a vice,” Declan says as he strolls through the front door of the penthouse.
“I won’t let him.” I say with a wink.
He chuckles. “If anyone can keep him from killing me, it’s you. I’ll just use you as a human shield.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
After what happened at the office and hospital, Asher completely pivoted on the idea of showcasing Greenspan.
No matter how much I’ve pestered him, he’s vehemently turned down my involvement in sharing Greenspan with the world.
Not because he doesn’t like the idea, but because he’s paranoid about my safety.
And I get it. But no one has made a move in the last three weeks, so if we’re going to do this, it needs to be now.
I can’t stay locked up in the penthouse forever, and putting Greenspan on the public map can go a long way to protecting it. Asher’s just being unreasonable.
Jenkins and Marie Flores, my new female bodyguard, look like they’re going to puke when I tell them the news that we’re leaving with Declan. They know they can’t say no to me, not unless Asher has specifically given them orders to, and he hasn’t. So I’m using that loophole and making a jail break.
Declan’s security joins mine, and the lot of us makes our way down to the garage.
As I look around at the group of people, it hits me how strange it is that any time I go anywhere now I have at least two people with me, if not more.
There is no longer such a thing as running a quick errand by myself, and I still can’t wrap my mind around it most of the time.
The drive to Greenspan is quiet and tense, as far as the security officers are concerned. Jenkins informed Robert that we left the penthouse, but we timed our departure with a very important meeting of Asher’s so that we could make it to Greenspan before he would be informed.
As soon as we pull up to Greenspan’s research facility on the outskirts of the city, Declan pulls out his phone and types out a text.
“It’s better if I let Asher know what we did directly, rather than having Robert deliver the news.”
I snort. “You’re acting like we broke the law.”
“Well, in the eyes of Asher’s law, we did.”
“He doesn’t own me; I can go where I want to.”
Declan’s face vacillates between amusement and hesitation. “Yeah, sure. We’ll go with that.”
“Just text him. If he has a problem, he can take it up with me.”
“Oh I know, and I’m counting on that. You’re the only one who can calm his wrath.”
I roll my eyes.
“Okay, I’ve got the text ready to go. Hold my hand while I send it, Ella.
” Declan reaches out, and I laugh again as I take his hand.
He presses send on his phone. When he’s done, he slips his phone in the inner breast pocket of his suit jacket just as security opens the car door.
“Well, let’s get this over with. If he does kill me, it was fun knowing you. ”
“Just get out of the car, you big baby.”
It’s hilarious to watch a six-foot-five-man squirm with unease, but I get it.
Asher’s wrath is not something most people fuck around with.
For instance, Kyle is realizing just how much he fucked up by threatening me with a gun.
I already knew he’d been denied bail to get out of jail while he awaits trial, but I just learned this morning that he’s been moved to a more secure facility than what his crimes justify, and he’s been given a state-appointed attorney whose case wins number at zero—all while the prosecutor and the judge are friends of Asher’s.
It’s looking more and more like it will be a miracle if Kyle makes it out of prison by the time he’s fifty.
Asher may not be quick to anger, but once he’s angered, he’s ruthless, cunning, and carries so much power and influence it’s almost scary.
I pat Declan on the shoulder to give him a little boost. “Don’t worry, Asher won’t hurt you, you’re his brother. Plus, you have two inches on him. Who would win in a fight?”
Declan smirks. “It would probably be a draw, because while I’m bigger and more athletic, Asher’s meaner and a sneaky fucker when he wants to be.”
“Okay, but he wouldn’t actually hurt you.”
“You obviously haven’t heard many tales from our childhood if you think that.
The number of brawls that happened in the Langford home is ridiculously high.
My mom finally put a doctor on retainer to come to our house for stitches and minor wounds so she could stop taking us into the ER and attracting attention. ”
“But you were kids then. You’re all grown up now.”
“Since when does that stop men from hitting each other?”
I snort. “Good point. But I pinky promise that I won’t let him hurt you.”
I reach out, and Declan takes my pinky in his.
We sort of cemented our partnership with a pinky promise the day Lucy stormed into Declan’s office and demanded that Asher compensate me with more money because the media attention I was receiving was so much worse than what we initially expected.
Pinky promises have been our little inside joke ever since.
“All right, let’s do this,” Declan says, stepping out of the car.
I follow him inside the building, and we’re met by a film crew from a big news outlet. Declan welcomes them, introduces me, and thanks them for coming. He explains how important Greenspan is to their family, and what a pet project it’s been for the Langfords for over three decades.
As we’re waiting for the research floor to clear out so we can start the tour, my phone buzzes with a text from Asher.
I thought I was clear that this tour wasn’t happening.
I smirk and text back.
And I thought I was clear that I know more about PR and marketing than you do and giving Greenspan attention will help protect it. I’m only looking out for everyone’s best interests.
And what about your best interest? What happens when Yegor and Sergei see this news special with your face all over it?
I’m already on their list, and they’ve already come for me, this won’t change anything.
I’m on my way. You and my idiot of a brother had better prepare. I am not a happy man right now.
You can take it out on me in the bedroom.
Matthew texts me.
Well, you did it. He’s about to burst a blood vessel. I hope you have a plan.
My plan is sexual favors, the old tried and true. It can’t possibly fail.
Normally I would tell someone to try again with how angry Asher is right now, but I can’t deny you hold some sort of sexual spell over him. Maybe you’re a witch.
I’m definitely a witch. A sex witch.
Prepare to cast your spell then, witch. You’re going to need a good one.
True to his word, Asher arrives thirty minutes later with fire raging in his eyes. As soon as Declan spots him marching toward us, he grabs me by my shoulders and hauls me in front of him.
“Okay, little human shield, do your duty and protect me.”
A laugh bursts out of me, and Asher’s eyes are near searing as he and Matthew come to a stop before us.
“What’s up, Brother?” Declan says too casually. “I thought you had meetings today.”
“I’ll deal with you later,” Asher growls.
“No, you won’t,” I snap. “Because you’ll have to go through me.”
Asher blinks as he lowers his head to look at me.
An almost smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth as he notes the fact that I’m standing between him and Declan.
Even with heels on, Asher is at least five inches taller than me, so I’m obviously not much of a threat.
But that doesn’t stop me from squaring my shoulders and doing my best to look intimidating.
He looks at Declan, then back down at me. “I knew the two of you becoming chummy with each other would cause me problems.”
“Well, too bad for you. We’re besties.”
Asher’s nostrils flare slightly. “You already have three best friends.”
“You’re right, and Declan is one of them.”
“I meant Maya, Zahra, and Lucy.”
“Maya is technically my sister, so she doesn’t count as a best friend anymore. Lucky Declan here now gets to claim the third spot.”
“That’s me, lucky number three,” Declan says from behind, but also above me, since my head is somewhere under his chin.
Asher lets out a long, slow, annoyed breath. “My brother is not one of your besties.” He spits the last word like it’s poisonous.
“He is so, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“I can when he goes against my orders and puts you in jeopardy.”
I cluck my tongue. “No one is in jeopardy. We’re just having a nice little tour with the news outlet, and we have plenty of security with us. You can join us on the tour if you’d like.”
He gives me an unamused look. “How thoughtful of you to invite me along.”
I step forward and snake my arms around his waist. “I know, right? And just think, when we get home, we can do whatever you’d like to alleviate your stress.”
“Ew, I did not need to hear that,” Declan says.
Asher shoots a glare at him over my head, but I take his chin in my hand and turn his focus back down to me. “Consider this an IOU. Although technically, I am a free person to go where I want when I want, so I don’t actually owe you anything. But I’m willing to owe you because I like you.”
He snorts. “You like me?”
“Definitely. And I’ll like you an extra amount tonight after we do this tour.”