Fake Vow (For Now) (Big Men of Blue Mountain 2)

“It’s not illegal, Rose. Taking pictures isn’t illegal.”

“Just like carrying drugs for someone else but not selling them myself isn’t illegal.” I roll my eyes. “You don’t think a court would definitely name me as an accessory? I feel like an idiot for not seeing it in the first place.”

Slowly, he nods. “You know, I had hopes that you weren’t like your mother. She was a stupid, unfaithful whore who couldn’t keep her legs shut. That’s why I left. I’m not even sure you actually are my daughter, but I decided to be kind. I decided to give you a chance to help me.

“But you’re just as ungrateful as she was. You’re not getting a cent from me and don’t bother calling me for shit. You’re no longer my daughter—if you ever were.”

He storms back past me, slamming the door hard enough to shake the walls.

The things he said were calculated to hurt me. But they missed the mark. Maybe they would have cut deeper if he’d ever actually been in my life. He abandoned me and my mother—I already knew the details of their split and if there was unfaithfulness, it was not on my mother’s side. And after asking for help with one thing, he’d tried to stab me in the back a second time.

I’m not going to miss him.

But that doesn’t stop the tears from pricking my eyes and building so that I’m crying in the middle of my kitchen. I know that the tears aren’t really for him. I’m exhausted and raw, all my emotions still at the surface waiting to ambush me.

I wish that I was back up the mountain with Asher. Even though it’s the middle of the afternoon, there’s a chance that I would be losing myself in his arms at this very moment. I wouldn’t have to think—just feel.

But it’s his fault that this even happened in the first place. If he hadn’t made me take new pictures, my father would have just been frustrated that he couldn’t find anything wrong and moved on to the next thing.

And yet, if I hadn’t given in and fucked him in the first place, he never would have discovered my identity. So maybe it is all my fault.

It doesn’t matter either way. Without the money, I’m done. I can’t work enough to make the kind of money that I’d need for the tuition, and no company in the world will give a loan to me with my credit. Not after everything that I spent to bury my mother. I’m still paying it off years later.

I get a glass of water to replace the hydration from my tears, which I can’t seem to stop. I’ll drop out in the morning. Take a leave of absence. There’s no way I have the energy for it right now and it’s too close to the end of the day anyway to make a difference.

No, tonight’s going to be an eat my feelings and watch sappy movies night.

I fulfilled my side of our deal. Asher will be expecting me to come back up to the lodge so we can agree to the annulment. But I can’t bring myself to care about the annulment anymore. I have enough to pay for a quickie divorce and save myself the heartache.

After what happened, I know the second I see him I’m not going to be able to resist him. The charm, his body, and the way he looks at me with tenderness even through all the bullshit. And that would hurt more than not seeing him again. We had a clean break and some amazing sex in the bargain. That would have to be enough.

So why are my tears coming down way harder than when my dad slammed the door in my face?

12

Asher

Rose doesn’t come back.

I didn’t exactly expect her to appear the next day. But maybe the day after. Hell, I expected to wake up to her breaking down my door to force me to give her the annulment that I promised.

But three days go by.

And then four.

Suddenly it’s been a week since she left and I’m going fucking crazy. Where is she? Why hasn’t she come back? Why can’t I seem to sleep through the night anymore because I keep waking up, reaching for her, and then finding myself alone?

The only thing we have on file for her is the fake name that she gave us, and a matching email address which is now bouncing back everything I send. I’m so desperate to hear from her that I actually consider calling Gary just to get her contact information. I even went as far as checking up on him. The bastard. He’s an idiot, and he’s going to get what’s coming for him. Especially if I find out that he’s reneging on our deal.