Velvet Fire - Ashby Crime Family Romance

Her smile softened to the one reserved only for family. And Thomas.

“My son. Love you.” She kissed my forehead and straightened before she turned on stockinged feet and left me alone in the library.

With too much booze and too many fucking memories. After a night like tonight, I knew couldn’t escape the memories. The flashbacks. The dreams. So I picked up my phone and found Maisie’s name with a smile.

Ma said to get laid and all good Irish boys listened to their mothers.

Chapter Eighteen

Maisie

“Why did you choose this place again?” I was being an asshole, but Midnight Mass was about the last place I wanted to be right now. Well, here or Bullets & Beer, or pretty much anyplace there was a chance I might run into Virgil.

Bonnie sighed across from me and sat back, folding her arms as she aimed a hard stare my way. “Because I haven’t seen you in like a week. Which I might add, is longer than I’ve gone without seeing you since we met, and I figured it was because of him.” She smiled smugly, so proud of her deduction. “Seemed like this was a good way to guarantee some face time with my bestie.”

She wasn’t wrong, but Bonnie wasn’t completely right either. “I’ve seen Virgil a few times, but I called you and you didn’t call me back. I guess things have improved with Wyatt?”

Bonnie’s smile slipped and her shoulders rose and fell in a frustrated shrug.

“Guess again. I haven’t seen him in more than a week. We got into a fight the day after graduation because I wouldn’t blow him.” She shook her head, cheeks reddening as she looked at me with hurt in her eyes.

“Said it’s the least I could do since I wouldn’t sleep with him. Can you believe that?”

“Hell yeah, I can believe it.” The guy was a first class jerk and my girl deserved better. “He’s a dick. Want me to castrate him?”

“Will I go to hell if I say yes?” When it came to matters of the soul, I could never be sure whether or not Bonnie was joking so I shook my head.

“Nah. From what Father Eric said, Jesus was friends with all kinds of people, and I think a girl protecting her beliefs and her virtue is exactly the kind of chick he’d be down with.”

Bonnie tossed her head back and laughed, unaware that the melodic sound drew the stares of at least five guys.

“Thanks Maze. You’re the best.”

Before she could say more, a server finally stopped to take our order and it was a familiar face.

“Hey, ladies, what can I get ya?” The gorgeous creature smiling down at us was Colby, the hot bartender from Bullets & Beer. It wasn’t proof but I was starting to suspect that he was a bit more than professional waitstaff for Virgil’s family.

Bonnie’s eyes went wide at the coincidence, and I shrugged, ordering the appetizer platter for two. “And another Guinness, thanks.”

As soon as he was gone, Bonnie leaned in, her eyes as big as saucers.

“That’s the guy from the nightclub, right?”

I nodded. “Yep.”

“That’s not weird to you?”

Hell, yeah it was, but Bonnie was a worrier, and the last thing I needed was for her to start fluttering around me like a mother hen. “It’s not uncommon for people in the service industry to have more than one job, Bon.”

“Right,” she said, dropping her head in embarrassment. “I didn’t even think of that. Maybe Wyatt is right, and I am a snob.”

“Girl, please. Be grateful you don’t know about that part of the human existence. That’s nothing to feel bad about.”

She nodded and looked around Midnight Mass as if she was searching for someone. “Why aren’t you gushing about Virgil? I know you’ve seen him.”

“I have. Other than some really great orgasms, there’s not much else to gush about.” I told her about our three almost dates and how he’d run off to take care of business each time.

“So that’s it? You guys are done?”

I nodded because that seemed like the easiest answer. “I wasn’t ready for it to be over so soon, but he’s got a lot on his plate that leaves no time for anything but a quick fuck.”

“Maisie!”

I laughed at that chastising tone of hers.

“Sorry, I mean a quick lay. Better?”

She nodded primly. “Much better. Thanks.” Her eyes turned wide and stormy at something over my shoulder and I fought the urge to turn and look.

“Are you sure you’re done with Virgil Ashby? Because he just walked in and his eyes haven’t left you for one second.”

That explained the change in the air around me but I didn’t share that part with Bonnie. “Not surprising since his family owns this place too.”

“He’s coming this way,” she whispered, panic creeping into her voice.

“And he’s not alone.”

I refused to turn around and when Virgil stopped at our table, looking sexy as hell in dark jeans and a gray Henley, I did my best to appear uninterested. A total fucking lie, but a girl was entitled to her secrets. His midnight blue eyes ate me up and I did the same, barely suppressing the urge to lick my lips at how tasty he looked.