Ashton Scott

His expression tells me he’s not completely convinced I’m on board with all this. “You’re not ready to cut my balls off?”

I shake my head. “No, your balls are safe.” Smiling, I add, “You must really love me.” I can only imagine the strings he had to pull to achieve all this, and I know they wouldn’t have been easy strings.

“Lorelei, I’ve never loved anyone like I love you. There’s nothing I won’t do to keep you safe and happy.”

I’m so glad I can see his face right now. The love he’s just told me he has for me blazes from his eyes.

“I miss you so much. How long do you think you’ll be in LA?”

“A couple of weeks at least, maybe more.”

It’s not what I wanted to hear, but I knew to expect it. And my respect for Ashton only grows knowing he is choosing his friend over everything else. “Thank God we have FaceTime. I’m calling you tonight so you can talk dirty to me.”

Heat flashes in his eyes. “Wear something sexy for me.” He glances away from the phone for a beat before coming back to me. “I have to go. Jessica will send you all the info you need about everything we’ve discussed.”

“Thank you, Ashton,” I say softly. “I know we’ve had problems with me not being able to accept your help before, but I really appreciate it on this.”

After we finish the call, I think about how much has changed in such a short time. I truly am okay with Ashton having taken charge of this for me. Mostly because I know there’s no way I could have achieved everything he has, but also because I felt the shift in his attitude. He hadn’t expected me to be happy with his actions, which shows me he’s listened to everything I’ve said regarding our argument. It’s the listening that means the world to me. It makes me feel heard. And that’s a great place for us to start our future together from.

* * *

Just before lunch, Ashton’s father visits my office, venom shooting from every pore of him. I’ve found Gregory Scott to be an intimidating man on the best of days; this is a whole new level.

“I’ve just been on the phone with Marc Brentley, and it seems you’ve got your claws into my son,” he fumes, smoke practically billowing from him.

I square my shoulders and work hard to maintain my cool. There’s no way I’ll allow this man to talk down to me. “And how is that, Gregory?”

His eyes widen, and I guess my icy tone and question don’t impress him. Screw him. “He’s thrown an unfathomable amount of money at Brentley to get him to walk away from a business deal with me.”

I don’t know what he’s talking about. “What does that have to do with me?”

“I’m yet to get to the bottom of it, but I know it has to do with you. Brentley and I were developing Willow Street, and since you own a building on that street, I can only assume Ashton is trying to keep you from being forced to sell.” He stabs his finger in the air at me. “Make no mistake, no one fucks with me and wins. You will live to regret this, and so will my son.”

My thoughts are swirling with confusion as to why Ashton has done this. It makes no sense to me. But those thoughts are for later; right now I have to deal with his father.

“My grandmother always taught me if I don’t have anything nice to say, I should walk away. Well, I don’t have anything nice to say, and since this is my office, you need to be the one to leave.”

“Oh yes, the almighty Pearl Winters. She always did think she was above half of us in Sydney. She thought she could save those who shouldn’t be in business in the first place. Well let me tell you, she didn’t manage to save my loser brother. She wasn’t as good as she thought she was.”

I’m so stunned by the poison coming out of his mouth that I’m momentarily lost for words. And then they all come out in a rush. “I don’t suspect anyone has ever told you what an asshole you are. I imagine they all live in fear of you and what you could do to them if they were honest. Well, I’m not that person. You are a goddam asshole, Gregory. Between the way you treat your son and daughter, and the way you just spoke about your own brother, I’m surprised anyone has anything to do with you. But I guess money talks, and that’s the only reason why anyone speaks to you.” I take a step closer to him, angrier with each passing second as I think about the man he is. “Money doesn’t talk to me, so I have no interest in ever speaking to you again or trying to win your favour. And as for Ashton, I don’t have my claws in him, but he does love me, and when you love someone, you do things for them like he’s done for me. You wouldn’t understand that because I’m fairly certain you’ve never loved anyone in your life.”

He glares at me, his face turning red with fury. “Are you quite done, Miss Winters?”

I shake my head. “Not quite.” Pointing at the door, I say, “You need to walk yourself out of here and never come back.”

With one last filthy look, he stalks out of my office, leaving me shaking with anger and disbelief. I make myself a cup of tea and drink it slowly, calming down, before calling Ashton.

“Lorelei,” he murmurs, his pleasure at hearing from me evident in his voice.

Ashton’s pleasure is everything to me, because not only does it cause my own to flare, it helps centre me, reminding me I’m not alone in this world. I’m connected to him now. I’m his.

“I just had a visit from your dad. Did you know that my grandmother k

new your uncle?”

He doesn’t answer straight away. When he does, his tone is sombre. “I knew he rented a shop from her, yes. Why? What did my father want?”

I’m surprised we haven’t talked about this yet, but I remind myself we’re still getting to know each other. “He came by to tell me he’s not pleased I have my claws in you and that I won’t get away with making you ruin his plans for Willow Street. What’s going on, Ashton? He was furious in a way I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a man be furious.”