Velvet Fire - Ashby Crime Family Romance

“I am excited, mostly. I went to college so I could help out my brother back in Opey, but honestly, I don’t know if I want to do that now. And I have like two weeks to figure it out.” Maisie shook her head and turned to me with a smile, pointing out which way I should turn before she spoke again. “Sorry. Why is it so much easier to talk to strangers about this stuff?”

“I don’t see any strangers around here.”

That pulled an expected laugh from her and hell, the sound was deep and husky, like she was always in a heightened state of arousal.

“Okay, virtual strangers then. Now you have to tell me a secret. Go.”

I could feel the weight of her stare on my face, the expectations pushed down on my shoulders, and I squirmed behind the wheel. I had plenty of secrets. Secrets weren’t the problem. Which particular secret to share with a virtual stranger was. I couldn’t tell her about the Ashby family, not now that I knew she was a temporary local who’d probably heard all the rumors—true and false—about my family. About me. I let out a breath and blurt it out. “I’m afraid of turning out like my old man.”

The words hung in the air, the silence folded in around them and I thought she wouldn’t say anything in response.

“That woman was your mother, right?”

“Yeah? Why?”

Maisie barked out a laugh. “I don’t know your dad or even know of him, but that woman back there would likely kill you herself before letting you turn out like him if he’s that bad.” She looked at me with sympathy. “Sorry if your childhood sucked. I had a crazy one myself.”

I liked that she didn’t immediately assume I was overreacting or that my old man was a decent guy. It made her seem more real, more than just a beautiful woman I’d met because of the biggest mistake of my life. “Maybe so, but it is what it is.”

“I don’t even know my father. Not his name or what he even looks like. Don’t remember my mom, either, because she died when I was a baby. My brother took care of me.”

“Damn, I’m sorry to hear that Maisie from Texas.”

Her smile was softer this time, sweeter too. “Thank you, Virgil from Glitz. My life is good. I have an amazing big brother and more aunts and uncles than anyone could ever need. My point is…who knows what DNA or genes I’m carrying around of my dad’s. At least you know who your father is.”

“Was.”

“Oh, sorry to hear that.” Maisie looked at me with sympathy on her face.

“No worries,” I grunted, thinking of all the destruction and damage left in his wake. “Knowing who he was just means worrying over shit I can’t change.”

“Bullshit,” she spat out and turned fully in the passenger seat to face me. “The fact that you’re worried about it means you probably already do a lot to avoid the fate you fear the most.”

I groaned. “More college talk?”

“Probably. Maybe even a little poetry,” she offered with a smile as she squeezed her forefinger and thumb together until they were less than an inch apart. “Literature is filled with stories of fathers and sons.”

I grunted again. “Is that so?” Who in the hell was this chick?

“It is, but you’re not ready to hear about it yet, and that’s fine with me.” She flashed another smile and turned to face the road ahead. “Tell me something else, Virgil. Tell me a song you only sing in the car when you’re alone.”

“I think I’d rather talk about my old man,” I told her, drawing another laugh from her.

“Oh, then I know this is gonna be a good one. Come on, tell me!”

I shook my head and laughed, wondering when the last time I enjoyed being with a woman outside the bedroom who wasn’t family.

“You’re a little relentless, you know that?”

“It’s one of my better qualities,” she said sincerely and motioned for me to give her the goods. “Now spill.”

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll make up something even better. Like Taylor Swift…oh, I know! You’re part of the BeyHive right?”

I frowned. “What the hell is a beehive?”

“Not a beehive, a BeyHive as in Beyoncé? Queen B?” She shook her head and let out a long suffering sigh. “Just how old are you?”

I cut her a glare a that pulled out another laugh, and I was hooked on the sound. “Old enough.”

She let out a shiver and a nervous laugh before pointing to a normal-looking family home in the middle of the block.

“That’s me. And that’s good to know,” she said and slid carefully from the car while I kept my gaze glued on those fantastic legs, dreaming about a time in the future when I could have them wrapped about my hips as I thrust into her, making her moan my name and writhe with pleasure.