by L. M. Reid
I nod slowly. “He has proof; photos that could destroy my career. God, Grayson, if anyone ever found out about this? My reputation, my license – everything I worked for would be gone.”
“That’s not going to happen,” he assures me. And I don’t know how he can do that, or why I believe him, but I do.
32
Grayson
My hand is fisted, just a hair away from the door. I hold it there, hesitating, trying to prepare myself for what is on the other side. Ashlynn. My Ashlynn in another man’s home. And not just any man, but the man I hate most in this world. My father.
She finally opened up to me the other day and let all the skeletons out of her closet. The things she had to endure as a child and as a teenager, it only made me admire her more than I already do. She overcame so much and made something out of herself. No way in hell am I going to let him take that away from her. So after we made love, we devised a plan. Unfortunately, the plan still consisted of her having to move in with him.
I am going to make this right. Then, I am going to make her mine.
With my plan in place, I knock on the door.
The door opens and my jaw drops. Ashlynn’s on the other side, her hair swept up, and the low cut dress a shade of pink that she would never wear. She reminds me so much of my mother when she was younger it’s staggering. He’s trying to change her, turn her into whatever it is he wants.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she asks in a hushed tone.
My eyes dart around ensuring that we’re alone. “I came to look for the documents we discussed the other day.”
“Grayson. You can’t just show up like this. He’ll…”
“Let me in,” I tell her.
“He’s expecting company,” she says.
I don’t care about his company or frankly about anything when it comes to him. Ashlynn is my priority. My eyes plead with her. “He doesn’t even have to know I’m here.”
Or he wouldn’t have if she would have just let me in and be on my way. No, she had to stand there arguing with me, making me stare as she licked her fucking lips until he walked up behind her. He places his hand in on her ass and my hands instantly clench into fists. I want to rip his hands off of her, kiss her into oblivion and stake my claim on her.
That isn’t going to get me what I need. Even more than before I am resolved to take this man down. What he did to my mother was bad enough. I will not let him do it to Ashlynn as well.
“Son, what are you doing here?” my father asks, his voice sounding much more chipper than I am used to.
“I was in the area and wanted to see if you wanted to have lunch, but Ashlynn says you two have plans, so maybe another time,” I reply. I step back needing to get away. The sight of them standing there together is too much for me. Even if it’s not real, it’s still unbearable to watch.
“Nonsense, come on in.” My dad wraps his arm around my neck and pulls me into the house. It’s my childhood home. I haven’t set foot in here in years. Every memory of what the home looked like as a child erased and replaced with whatever wife number three remodeled with.
I don’t know what I thought it would look like in here, but now I don’t even know where to start with my search. The room we walk past, the one that used to house his office now has a pool table in it.
“Some friends of mine are coming for lunch, Alec and Cara. Do you remember Alec?” he asks.
I nod. “I don’t want to intrude,” I tell him. “We can…”
“I want you to stay. Besides, I’m sure you and Ashlynn have some work to catch up on with the trial starting tomorrow.”
“We do,” I reply looking at her out of the corner of my eye. It’s not work that we need to catch up on though. “Would you mind if I stole her away now, before Alec and Cara get here?”
“Of course not,” he says. “Use my office. The Ivan Cole case, it’s going to be huge for us.” The entire conversation he’s speaking to me, as though Ashlynn isn’t even in the room. “Ashlynn, show Gray the way to the office.”
She walks past me silently and with my eyes inconspicuously trained on her ass, I follow.
One we reach the regal office, I close and lock the door behind me. Ashlynn turns to me and though her face is laced with irritation, she kisses me, her hands flat against my chest.
I pull back. I need to stop this before I can’t. I only have so much restraint when it comes to the woman.
“I’ve missed you Gray,” she says in an admission that makes my heart skip a beat. For a woman who doesn’t believe in love or relationships, she sure as hell is making one hell of an attempt.
I give in, because when it comes to her, there is no other choice. My hands pull her against me, my lips press to hers, and I lose myself in her. Fuck she feels amazing, tastes even better. Pull back Gray. Stop this before you get caught, before you fuck up your chance to save her from him.
“Christ, woman. Do you have any idea what you do to me?” My forehead rests against hers.
“I don’t know how much longer I can do this,” she says.
“That’s why I’m here; to find what he has on you and destroy it, once and for all.”
Begrudgingly, I step away from her and pull the top drawer on his desk open, then the next.
“Do you really think he’s just going to leave it out in the open?” she asks. “And don’t you think I’ve already checked.”
I pull something out of the draw and hold it up for her. “Actually, I was looking for these.”
She eyes the set of keys curiously.
“They’re for his safe. You know, a secure location where he would keep something like blackmail photos.” I wink and give her a smug little smile. “If I remember correctly, it has a two lock system. You need a key,” I dangle them in the air, “and a combination.”
“Okay,” she says slowly. “You’ve got the key, what makes you think you know the combination?”
I make my way around the room, searching for the safe. “Because if Elliott Cahill is anything, it’s predictable.” Except for the location of his safe it seems. Where the hell is it? “Any idea where the safe is?”
“In the game room,” she says with a laugh.
His old office, I should have known that. Fuck.
“Gray, I appreciate the effort, but,” she steps into me.“ Why don’t we make better use of our time?”
She kisses me, her hands threading through my hair. Good God this woman is amazing. So much so that I almost forget where I am and why I should be pushing her away.
Yes, I want to kiss her, but in order to be able to that more frequently, I need to get what he has on her and anything else I can find on him. Because if I’m being honest, as much as I need in that safe to get the photos, he has on her, I need to see what else he’s hiding that I can use against him.
“Promise me something,” I tell her.
Her kisses trail to my ear. “Anything,” she says as she nips at my earlobe.
“Keep the touching to a minimum today.”
“Jealous?”
“Insanely.”
“I’ll do my best.”
I hear the doorbell ring. Yay, Alec and Cara. This should be fun.
“Shall we?” I ask.
“Ugh, fine.” She walks to the door then turns back to look at me. “Are you coming?”
“Watching you walk in that dress? Damn near.”
I make my way to her and rest my hands on her waist and press my lips to her neck. I whisper into her ear, “This will all be over soon.”
33
Ashlynn
Cara pulls me in for a hug the minute she lays eyes on me. “I can’t believe you moved in. This is so exciting. Next step – marriage.”
The thought of marrying Elliott sends chills down my spine.There is nothing appealing about that in the slightest.
Grayson knows my secrets and he’s not judging me. He’s going to help me make them disappear. Then once I become partner, Grayson and I can
be together. Really together.
I plaster on a fake smile. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I say with a small laugh.
She pulls back, but her hand is still on my forearm, squeezing it.
“What the hell?” I ask because frankly, she’s stronger than I anticipated and her squeezing is starting to hurt.
I follow her gaze and see that Grayson just walked in the room. I bite back the smile that is desperate to emerge at the sight of him.
“Jesus, he’s fucking gorgeous,” she whispers. “My nipples are hard just looking at him.”
“Control yourself,” I say. I manage to refrain from including the part where I stake my claim and say he’s mine.
“Ladies,” Grayson says as he approaches us.
Control yourself, I remind myself too because fuck if the man doesn’t exude charm and sex appeal. He is sex personified and fuck if I don’t want him right now.
Cara extends her hand to him. “You must be Grayson. I’m Cara.” She says it with clear, utter, unapologetic flirtation in her voice. I get how she feels but can’t deny the jealousy that courses through me as he takes her hand in his and kisses it.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he says. “I don’t know how Alec got so lucky to land a woman as beautiful as you.”
I glare at him, but he only smiles in return. Not an ounce of regret on his face. Not that there needs to be, he isn’t doing anything wrong. He’s being friendly and charming just like he always is. The fact that it’s directed at someone other than me is making me jealous. And the only other time I have been jealous in my life is when I saw Logan with his now wife. But compared it this? That was nothing.
I roll my eyes at his antics and make my way over to the wet bar to pour myself a drink.
Within moments he’s behind me. Too close behind me considering Elliott is no more than a few feet away.
“You’re jealous,” he says with amusement in his voice.
“Hardly,” I reply coldly despite my body being on fire from him being near me. “And, you might want to back up.”
“Hardly,” he replies.
“Gray,” I scold, “we’re too close, don’t blow it now.”
I hear him groan. “Fine, under one condition.”
“And that is?”
“You, me, my place, tomorrow morning. A little pre-court rendezvous.”
His suggestive tone alone has me brimming with anticipation. “I think I can manage that.”
He laughs and takes a sip of his drink. “You don’t have a choice, Sweetheart.”
I raise my eyebrows encouraging him to continue, enjoying this little game we’re playing. It reminds me of when we first met, before we fell for each other and everything became insanely complicated. “Don’t I though?”
“Not if you want me to show up in court.” It’s a threat that I know he would never make good on. He would never leave me alone with Ivan.
“Well then, I better make sure I set my alarm,” I reply.
“For what?” Elliott asks as he approaches us.
“Just a little pre-court huddle and breakfast. It’s kind of a tradition Hal and I have and I just thought that since Ashlynn and I are working together, I would ask her to partake in it.”
Elliott nods. There is a pleased smile on his face. “I’m so glad to see you two getting along so well. Family is so important.” Grayson’s eyes widen as his father, who just insinuated that we were all going to be family, wraps an arm around his neck. “Come on, lunch is ready.”
Elliott and Grayson head to the dining room. I stay back watching them leave. Grayson’s shoulders are filled with tension, the proximity to his father and his father’s recent insinuation amplifying it I’m sure.
“Okay, no way is there nothing going on between the two of you,” Cara says as she skirts over to me.
“Keep your voice down,” I demand. I don’t confirm or deny her allegations. “You saying things like that – it could put me in danger. Elliott isn’t who everyone thinks he is.”
“Is that the line Grayson’s feeding you?” she asks. She puts her hands up in surrender. “I’m not judging. I would believe anything the man said, too.”
“Elliott is not Alec,” I tell her.
Grayson’s head pops back into the room. “Are you two going to join us?”
There is desperation in his eyes, he needs rescuing. Rather than continue to argue with Cara and potentially divulge even more information than I already have, I am more than happy to oblige.
“That depends, West,” I say, arms folded across my chest.
“On?” His trademark smug smirk is on his face.
“What are you willing to do for us in return?” I ask.
His grin widens. “Believe me, when it comes to gorgeous women, I am highly inclined to do anything they ask.”
“Good to know. You make opening arguments tomorrow,” I say.
Grayson’s head drops and laughter rings out. We had tossed a coin; let fate determine who was going to do the opening arguments. I lost. But now…
I walk past him and bump my hip against him. “You said anything.”
“I’m going to need a little more than you sitting across from me at a dinner table in return for that,” he calls after me.
But, I keep walking, smiling satisfied the whole time.
34
Grayson
I manage to get remotely dressed, my pants and my shirt still unbuttoned before I fall back onto my bed in exasperation. The last thing I want to do today is defend some guilty psychopath. I have real work that needs to be done.
The safe came up empty. What I need to save Ashlynn wasn’t there when I was so sure it would be. I don’t have time for this bullshit case, I need to find what he has on Ashlynn and what I know is out there on him. I don’t want her spending another night with him.
“Come on,” Ashlynn urges. “It won’t be that bad. You get to spend the day with me.”
“Oh yeah, that’s not bad at all. First, I have to defend a psychopath who’s guilty, and then I get to watch you cross and uncross those sinful legs of yours without being able to touch them? Sounds like a great fucking day.”
She straddles me, her hands taking mine and placing them on her thighs. The feel of her skin is like heaven. “Are you trying to kill me?” I tease her.
“Pretty sweet way to go, isn’t it?” she teases.
But it’s no joke. This woman could destroy me and I wouldn’t give a damn as long as I had her in the end. I watch as her head dips toward mine. As much as I want to kiss her, to throw her on her back and make love to her, I can’t. There will be no sweet kiss and then part ways. No. Every kiss with Ashlynn consumes me, turns me into a needy animal that cannot control himself. Kissing her now, it would only lead to one thing, us being late for court.
“Sweetheart, if I kiss you, we’re going to have to kiss the rest of the day goodbye,” I tell her.
“Am I that good?” she whispers next to my ear.
I run my hands further up her thighs and pull her against my hard dick.
“Better,” I reply. She nibbles on my ear. Fuck. “Move. Or we won’t be going anywhere.”
With a giggle, she moves off of me.
***
The first day of court is in the books. One less day that I have to work at defending a man I know is guilty. He sat there, next to me because no way was I letting him come within touching distance of Ashlynn, with a smug smile on his face. He knows he’s getting off. He knows we’re going to win this case. There isn’t an ounce of remorse or regret on his face, just sheer joy. Every time I looked back at one of the families of his victim’s my stomach churned.
As soon as court was dismissed, I bolted out of the courtroom and into a secluded hallway. I take a seat on the bench resting my head in my hands trying to keep the bile in my throat down. Fuck I hate everything about this.
I hear the soft click of heels getting closer and closer until they stop next to me. I can sen
se her body at my side before she rests her hand on my back.
“Gray, are you okay?” Ashlynn asks.
“He’s a fucking monster and I am in there helping set him free. No, I am not okay.”
“I know. Seeing the victim’s families – it makes me sick.”
“What’s going on here?” my dad’s voice says.
“Hi, Elliott,” Ashlynn says as she hops up to her feet and hugs him. “Grayson isn’t feeling well. I just wanted to make sure he’s okay.”
“Do you need a doctor?” my father asks with a fake concern in his voice.
“No, I’ll be fine. Something just isn’t agreeing with my stomach.” Like this case, or seeing her with you. No, nothing is okay right now, actually.
“What are you doing here, anyway?” Ashlynn asks. Good question. “I thought you were meeting with a client this morning?”
“And pass up the opportunity to watch my two best attorneys’ give their opening statements? Never.” My father looks in my direction. “Very nice of you to let Ashlynn in on your opening remarks.”
Normally, I wouldn’t let a comment like that go. Right now, my head is too fucked to really give a damn what the old man says.
“I’m going to go home,” I say out loud.
“Do you want me to drive you?” Ashlynn offers.
“No, I’ll be fine.”
I stand up to start walking away, but my father stops me, placing his hand on my shoulder. “I’m proud of you, Son.”
Sure he is. Saying he’s proud of me, it completely negates everything Ashlynn’s done for this case.
“Thanks.” I glance at Ashlynn. “I’ll call you later to discuss tomorrow.”
As I walk out of the courthouse, the fresh air that hits me fills my lungs and renews me – at least a little. Putting distance between me and Ashlynn is probably helping, too. I’m trying to be understanding, trying to hold onto the fact that she’s only with him because she has to be and that this will all be over soon. The fact of the matter is though, I still hate it. It’s slowly killing me inside. She’s worth it, every damn bit of it, but I can’t help my irritation at the situation.
