Burn (Breathless #3)(5)

“Yes, sir,” Johnny said.

Ash hung up and then leaned back in his chair, his mind working furiously. Then he rose abruptly, his phone to his ear calling for his driver to meet him in front of the office building.

He nearly ran over Gabe in the hallway.

“Ash, you got a second?” Gabe called when Ash continued down the hall.

“Not now,” Ash ground out. “Got shit to do. I’ll tag you later, okay?”

“Ash?”

Ash stopped, impatience simmering as he turned to look at his friend. Gabe’s brows were drawn together in concentration and concern gleamed in his eyes.

“Everything okay?”

Ash nodded. “Yeah, fine. Look, I’ve got to run. I’ll catch up later.”

Gabe nodded, but there was doubt in his eyes. No way Ash was sharing what was on his mind. Gabe had enough to keep him occupied with his wedding. Shit, that was tomorrow. Which meant Gabe probably wanted to talk shit about the wedding and the ceremony.

Ash stopped at the very end of the hall and called back to Gabe.

“Everything okay with the wedding? Mia okay? You need anything?”

Gabe paused at his office door and smiled. “Everything’s fine. Or at least it will be when the f**king ceremony is done and she’s mine. We still on for tonight? Jace is determined to throw me a bachelor party, which is not making Mia happy. I doubt Bethany is any happier, but he swears it’s just drinks at Rick’s and nothing that will piss either woman off.”

Damn it. Ash had forgotten about it all. In his preoccupation with Josie he’d put the wedding and the night out with Gabe and Jace solidly out of his mind.

“Yeah, I’ll be there. Eight, right? I’ll just meet you and Jace there.”

Gabe nodded. “Okay, see you then. Hope everything works out.”

Gabe was fishing again, but Ash ignored him and turned for the elevator. He didn’t have much time if he was going to make it to the art gallery before it closed.

• • •

Ash walked into the small gallery and quickly glanced around. It was apparent that this was a small dealer with not a lot of well-known artists displayed. He probably dealt with independent artists. Those yet to be discovered. Those displaying in hopes of being discovered.

His eyes settled immediately on a painting on the wall, and he knew without confirming that it was one of Josie’s works. It just looked like her. Bright. Vibrant. Carefree. He felt her when he looked at the painting. Saw her, remembered the way she smelled and when she’d smiled, those ocean eyes he could drown in. Yeah, it was definitely hers. He wasn’t wrong about this.

“Can I help you?”

Ash turned to see an older man smiling at him. He was dressed in a worn suit with scuffed shoes and wore glasses that drew attention to the lines in his forehead and around his eyes.

“Josie Carlysle,” Ash said bluntly. “You display her work here?”

The man looked surprised but then smiled again and turned, gesturing toward the wall. “Yes, I do. She’s good. Not focused though. I think it’s why she hasn’t caught on. She’s too all over the place and her style hasn’t emerged yet. One that’s identifiable, if you understand my meaning.”

“No, I don’t,” Ash said impatiently. “I like it. I like her work. Is that all you have, there on the wall?”

The man’s eyebrows went up. “No. Not at all. I have several pieces of hers. I only take a few at a time. I have to utilize the space to display what sells, and I’ve only sold one or two of her pieces, regrettably. I’ve actually cut back on the work of hers I display, just because it isn’t moving well.”

“I want them all.”

The surprise was still evident in the man’s face but he hurried immediately to the wall to take down the painting that had first caught Ash’s attention. It was framed. Not well, and he’d definitely replace the frame with something more worthy of her talent. But first he had to buy up all her work and let the man know that anything else that Josie brought in was his.

After a few minutes, the man had taken down the last painting and started toward the desk in front of the gallery. Then he paused and turned, a thoughtful look on his face.

“I have one more. In the back. She just brought it in two days ago. I didn’t have the space to hang it, but I didn’t have the heart to tell her no. Not when I’d already told her I wouldn’t be able to take anything else until I sold something.”

“I want it too,” Ash clipped out.

“Sight unseen?”

Ash nodded. “If she did it, I want it. I want every piece of hers you have.”

The man’s expression brightened. “Well, then. Perfect. She’ll be thrilled! I can’t wait to tell her.”

Ash held up his hand, halting the man before he went to the back to retrieve the painting.

“You tell her whatever you want, but you do not give her my name or any information about me. I want complete anonymity or the deal is off. Understand? Furthermore, I’m going to leave you my card. If she brings in anything else, you call me. I want whatever she brings in. I’ll pay you double for everything you currently have as long as you make sure she gets her cut. And I will find out if you stiffed her, so don’t even think about it. But that extra money also ensures I get first option on whatever else she brings you—and I will buy whatever she brings—so it would be in your best interest to let her bring in whatever the hell she wants.”