I can already hear her mind ticking over, trying to figure out how to bullshit her way out of this, and I’m not entertaining any of it. “Do you remember those shares of your family’s company that I own? The ones I bought when your reputation was on the line because of the shit your father had gotten himself into?”
“Yes. Why? Where are you going with this?”
“I saved you back then because I cared about you. You’ve taken that care and you’ve crushed it to the point where I don’t want anything to do with you again. On top of that, you hurt the woman I love. No one does that and gets away with it. If you ever so much as look at Lorelei the wrong way, I will dump every last one of those shares. If you ever kiss me again, I will dump those shares. And I will make sure the world knows I did it because they’re a bad investment. No one will touch them again, and your family will lose everything. You will lose everything you care about.” I pause before adding, “Are we clear?”
My father thinks marrying Cassia and me off is a good idea because he believes her family is wealthy. What he doesn’t know is it’s my money keeping their company afloat these days. Old money doesn’t last if it’s not looked after properly, and her father made one too many bad investments.
I don’t miss the venom in her voice when she responds. “You’re late to the party, Ashton.”
“What party?”
“The one where your girlfriend ambushed me at my gym and made a scene in front of everyone. She’s already threatened to take me down if I keep chasing you. It seems you two are made for each other.”
I can’t deny the pleasure I feel at the thought of Lorelei taking a stand against Cassia. This is a clear sign that she’s fighting for us.
“You didn’t answer my question,” I push her. I’m way past ready to end this call, but I need to ensure we’re on the same page first.
“Yes, we are fucking clear. And let me just say what an asshole you turned out to be. I’m glad to be rid of you.”
“I haven’t changed. I was always an asshole. The difference is that only certain people bring it out in me, and you turned out to be one of those people.”
I end the call and exhale a long breath. Thank fuck that’s done. Now I can focus my attention on people who matter to me.
Ten minutes later, I walk into the hotel restaurant and search for Josephine. She waves at me from a table near the window, and I make my way over to her.
Standing, she greets me with a hug and a kiss to my cheek. Holding my arms, she
says, “God, you look good. You get better looking every time I see you.”
The same can be said for her. She’s a beautiful woman, but Josephine’s beauty comes from the way she moves with ease. With a laugh and flick of her long, blonde hair, she can catch the attention of every man in the room. She modelled throughout her teens and twenties, and has always had the kind of confidence that draws people in.
I smile. Just being in her presence helps settle me. She has that effect on everyone she meets.
We sit, and after I order a bottle of wine, I ask, “How have you been?”
She leans back against her chair and crosses her legs. “Really good. I can’t believe it’s been a year since we’ve seen each other. I’ve mostly been busy with the agency. And doing some travel.” Her eyes sparkle as she adds, “And love. I’ve been trying to find that too. You’re going to have to share your secrets with me about how to do that.”
This surprises me. Josephine has never wanted to settle down. She’s a free spirit and likes to share herself. “How’s that going? Any candidates?”
She opens her mouth to speak, but quickly closes it. A few moments pass before she finally shares with me, “Jack and I tried again for a little while. I’m guessing he didn’t tell you.”
That doesn’t surprise me. While she broke Jack’s heart once, and he swore he’d never go there again, he’s impulsive. My friend lives life in the moment and goes with the flow. If he’s feeling it, he follows it, without thinking through the consequences.
Our wine arrives and I drink some while eyeing her thoughtfully. “He didn’t. Although I’m assuming it ended amicably this time, I’m wondering, did you cheat on him again?”
She whistles lowly. “That’s harsh, Ashton.”
I arch a brow. “Not really. It is your signature move after all.”
Taking a sip of wine, she nods. “Fair point. But no, I’m a reformed cheater. I’m serious about wanting to find someone to spend my life with. Jack realised he didn’t want to be that man, so we parted ways. And yes, it was amicable.”
“Really? He ended it?”
“Of course he did. He’s in love with another woman.” She leans forward, her eyes boring into mine. “Surely you know that?”
“Fuck,” I mutter. Jessica.
“Does he have a shot with her still?”