Burn (Breathless #3)(77)

Ash held up his hand. “I won’t come to dinner. No way I’ll expose Britt to that. Or Josie. And where I go, she goes. That’s in stone.”

Seeing that she might be making headway, his mother leaned forward eagerly. “You don’t have to come to dinner. But meet with him, Ash. You can put a different spin on Brittany leaving. Tell him whatever you want. Tell him we’ve reconciled. Just do whatever you have to in order to convince him not to cut us all out of his will.”

“Jesus,” Gabe spat. “This is pathetic.”

She sent Gabe a chilling look so full of hatred that Ash recoiled. What the hell was wrong with these people? How on earth had he come from these two self-absorbed malcontents?

“I’ll call the old man,” Ash offered.

Gabe shook his head in disgust.

“But that’s all I’m doing,” Ash continued. “And I’m telling you now, this shit stops. If I hear of you coming near Britt or Josie, if you make another appearance at one of my hotels, my office building and especially my home, I’ll yank the rug out from under you so fast that it’ll break your neck. Got it?”

She nodded quickly, her eyes filled with hope. Desperate didn’t even begin to cover it. The fact that she’d humbled herself enough to beg for anything from him told him just how desperate and afraid she was.

He should walk way. Should wash his hands of the lot of them. But they were his family. His blood. Even if he never wanted a familial relationship with them, the idea of them being destitute left a bad taste in his mouth.

“Get out,” Ash said. “I’m done with this. I’m not letting you ruin my evening.”

“Thank you, son,” his father said in a quiet voice. “This means a lot to your mother. To me. And to your brothers as well. Tell Brittany . . .” He broke off with a sigh and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Tell Brittany I love her and that I miss her and hope she’s doing well.”

Ash nodded and then looked pointedly at the door.

His mother, evidently satisfied that she’d won this round, whirled and stalked away, her nose in the air.

When Ash turned back toward the elevator, Gabe was staring at him, a grimace twisting his lips.

“Christ, man, that sucks. I knew they were bad, but until I saw that, I just had no idea.”

Ash shrugged. “How’s the saying go? ‘You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family’?”

Chapter twenty-five

Josie followed Bethany and Mia who followed Caroline and Brandon to a private room located above the dance floor. Though you could see out to the floor below, Brandon assured them that no one was able to see into the box, so they were afforded complete privacy.

“I’ll be back to check on you in a little while,” Brandon said to Caroline as he brushed a kiss over her lips.

Caroline flopped onto the comfortable couch next to Josie. Mia took the other side of Caroline and Bethany perched on the arm.

“So you’re moving to Las Vegas,” Mia murmured.

Tears filled Caroline’s eyes. “Yeah. Brandon wants to get married before we go. We have six weeks to find a place to live there, get married and move out there before he starts his new job. Mr. Wellington is being fabulous about everything. He’s paying for relocation and also helping with the down payment on the house. He’s very serious about Brandon and wants him to consider this a long-term position. He’s doubling Brandon’s salary so we won’t have to worry about money and I have plenty of time to find a job out there.”

“That’s wonderful, Caro,” Mia said softly. “But I’ll miss you terribly.”

“We all will,” Bethany amended. “Girls’ night out just won’t be the same without you!”

Caroline hugged them both and then rose. “I’m going to head to the ladies’ room and see if the others are coming. I’ll also snag the waitress and tell her we all want another round. Be back in a flash.”

Mia watched her best friend go with an unhappy frown. When Caroline left the room, Mia sighed.

“Damn, I’m going to miss her.”

“I know,” Bethany said. “So will I. But you still have us, Mia.”

Mia looked up and smiled and then impulsively reached for both Josie’s and Bethany’s hands to squeeze.

“Okay so we’re alone now and I have to admit, Josie, that Bethany and I are bursting with nosy questions about you and Ash. I hope we don’t offend you but we’re dying to know all the details!”

Josie laughed. “I don’t mind. But I’m afraid you’re in for a disappointment. There’s nothing really exciting about our relationship.”

Mia snorted. “You’ll forgive us if we don’t quite believe that. The first thing you have to tell us is just how good he is in the sack. I suppose Bethany already knows, but I have to admit, I’m curious!”

Then she promptly clamped a hand over her mouth, her eyes rounding with horror.

“Oh my God, Josie! I’m so sorry!” A low moan escaped and Mia buried her face in her hands. “I’m so stupid. I swear. Gabe and Jace are always telling me how I just blurt out whatever I’m thinking without any consideration for what I’m saying.”

Josie smiled wryly. “It’s okay, Mia. Really. I know about Bethany and Ash.” She glanced over at Bethany to see the other woman was even more mortified than Mia. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes were mirrors of discomfort.