Fever (47 page)

more worried than ever because he’s disappeared.”

“That sucks,” Ash muttered. “What an asshole.”

“Maybe he’s trying to do the right thing. Between you and me, his feelings for her were not

brotherly. She doesn’t know that, but then, she’s so naïve about shit like that. She saw him as a

brother. I know that absolutely. She didn’t have feelings for him beyond that. But he, on the other

hand, saw her as a woman. A woman he wanted, and he didn’t like it too much that she hooked up

with me because that took her away from him. So I figure he’s either sulking and doesn’t want to see

her knowing he can’t have her, or he’s actually trying to do the right thing and bow out of her life so

she can move forward and be happy. Problem with that is, she’s worried and she misses him.”

“Sucks for you, man,” Ash said.

“Yeah. I want her happy, and in order for that to happen, she needs to know that Jack is safe and

taken care of.”

“So what are you going to do?”

Jace shrugged. “Hell if I know. I have Kaden and Trevor keeping an eye on things. What I don’t

want is him showing up to see Bethany when none of us are around. I don’t trust him. Not after that

shit he pulled.”

Ash’s brows furrowed. “What shit? Are you talking something specific or just his normal bullshit

of popping in and out?”

“I didn’t tell you,” Jace murmured. “I’d forgotten you didn’t know all the crap that went down that

day it all went to shit and I thought I’d lost her for good. Jesus. Talk about a total cluster fuck.”

“What the hell?”

Jace sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Jack showed up at her apartment when I’d taken her

back by there on my way to work. I got a call from Kaden that Jack was there. So I go over there, only

she’s no longer there and I find his backpack in her apartment and it’s full of drugs. We’re talking

several Gs worth of shit.”

“What the fuck?”

“Yeah. That was my reaction too. So then Bethany comes home and I was an asshole. Lost my shit.

Said a bunch of crap I didn’t mean. Made her feel like she had nothing. She took off before I could

stop her. So I spent the rest of the afternoon losing my mind because I couldn’t find her. Then I got a

call that she was back at the apartment, only when I get there, she’d already bolted again. Then the

doorman at my building calls to say that she’s at my place but she wouldn’t come in and she was

standing in the fucking rain freezing her ass off.”

“Holy shit,” Ash murmured.

“Oh, it gets worse.”

Ash lifted an eyebrow.

“Yeah, apparently when I decide to be an asshole, I go all the way.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Yeah, I get to my place, relieved as shit that she’s still there. Only she’s standing in the rain,

crying her eyes out and she tells me it’s over and that I’m bad for her.”

Jace had to break off and collect himself because the memory of that day still burned too bright in

his mind. Of what he’d almost driven her to. It still had the power to knock him to his knees. He could

have so easily lost her. All because he was so fucking obsessed with her that he lost all reason

around her. His instinct was to hold too tight, to lay down the law and to completely take over.

“She was so upset by our earlier argument—and this I didn’t know at the time, but our good friend

Jack, a man who’s supposed to care about her, had brought the shit she used to be hooked on to her

apartment. A little gift for her, apparently.”

“Oh hell no,” Ash growled.

“She told him she didn’t want his shit but he left it there and so when she got back to her apartment

after walking around in the rain crying her eyes out over the shit I’d said to her, she almost took a pill.

Had it in her mouth, about to swallow, when she realized what she was doing and so she dumped the

entire bottle down the sink.”

“Good for her,” Ash murmured.

“Yeah. She’s strong. She thinks she’s weak but she’s fucking fierce.”

“So what happened then?” Ash asked.

“She was so devastated by what she’d almost done that she went straight to my apartment to break

things off. She was prepared to go back to her old life because at least then she knew who she was

and what she was. She didn’t think she was good enough for me. And she couldn’t take the emotional

strain of our relationship any longer.”

“Christ, man, that sounds heavy. I’m sorry.”

“Looking back, it was probably the best thing for us. It forced me to listen to her and I also learned

about her past and the shit she went through and why she’s so fucking loyal to Kingston. But it was as

hard as hell at the time and it still scares the shit out of me when I think of how close I came to losing

her.”

“You’re in love with her,” Ash said quietly.

“Hell yes, I’m in love with her. Isn’t it obvious?”

“No, I mean she’s really it for you. I admit I had my doubts, but she’s the one, man. I’m happy for

both of you. And I’m sorry I gave you such grief in the beginning. I owe Bethany one hell of an

apology.”

Jace gave him a crooked grin. “Yeah, she’s it for me. I would have never thought it possible to fall

in love with a woman as fast as I fell for her, but Jesus. It was like being hit by lightning. The best and

worst feeling in the world. It’s no fun being this gone over a woman and feeling the uncertainty of

knowing if I don’t play it just right I’ll lose her.”

“Yeah, no thanks,” Ash said sourly. “Guess I’ll be the only one remaining who adheres to the ‘play

hard and live free’ motto.”

“Asshole. Just wait until it happens to you, man. Gabe and I will be laughing our asses off.”

Ash snorted. “Don’t hold your breath.”

“So what’s up with the family from hell? Why they still giving you shit?”

Ash sighed. “Don’t really want to talk about them. Ruins my day.”

Jace continued to stare at him expectantly.

“Just same old shit. Apparently the dear grandfather isn’t feeling well. He’s convinced he’s going

to kick the bucket any day. Never mind he’s been saying this shit for years. And his wish is to have

his dear, loving family with him on his deathbed. Mom and Dad are just worried that if I don’t come

to heel they’ll be cut out of his will and so they’re on my back wanting me to come to family dinners

and play nice with the rest of the clan. Self-serving leeches, all of them.”

Jace winced. “Sorry, man. That sucks balls.”

“You’re telling me.”

“You tell them to go fuck themselves?”

Ash went silent and dropped his gaze.

Jace immediately sat forward. “You did tell them to go fuck themselves, right?”

Ash sighed. “I like the old man. He’s the only one who ever gave a fuck about me. If it was just

Mom and Dad and my siblings, yeah, I’d tell them to fuck off.”

“Jesus, you’re going to do it, aren’t you? You’re actually going to play nice with them for him?”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do yet,” he muttered. “Haven’t decided. I’ve been invited to

dinner next week. Granddad is going to be there. The whole fucking family will be there.”

“I’ll go with you,” Jace said quickly. “Gabe will too. And Mia.”

Ash looked back up at him, fierce love reflected in his green eyes. “You know I love you guys.

You’ve always had my back. I’ll never forget that. But you and Gabe have Mia and Bethany now. I

don’t want either of them—or you and Gabe—exposed to my nest of vipers.”

“That’s bullshit,” Jace cut in impatiently. “We’re your family. You’re
real
family. And family

doesn’t leave family to deal with this shit alone.”

“I’m a big boy now. I can deal with their bullshit. I’d rather Mia and Bethany not be exposed to

their manipulations. They’re malicious on a good day. Can you imagine what they’d do to Bethany if

they knew about her past? They’d rip her to shreds without a thought. Do you honestly want that for

her when things are still so new between you?”

Jace slowly shook his head. “No, I don’t. We don’t have to bring her. I can go with you and leave

her at the apartment. Or I’ll have Mia spend the evening with her. I just don’t want you going without

someone at your back.”

Ash stood. “I appreciate that, man. More than you’ll ever know. But some things I have to do on my

own. This is one of them. I’ll go. Make it clear they can’t fuck with me like they used to. I’ll make an

appearance for Granddad, but the rest of them can kiss my ass.”

“Okay, but if you change your mind you know Gabe and I will be there with you, no questions

asked.”

“Yeah, I do know. And thanks.”

Ash started to walk to the door and then he turned. “Want me to check with my people and see if

Kingston has borrowed any more money or gotten into shit over his head? I can put out some feelers

and see if anything comes back. Might even figure out where the fuck he’s hiding.”

Jace hesitated and then finally shook his head. “No. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. I don’t want to

ever be in a position where I lie to Bethany, and if I knew Jack was in trouble, I’d definitely lie to

her. I wouldn’t want her involved in any way. It’s better if neither of us knows.”

Ash nodded. “Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.”

“Will do, and Ash? Let me know how things go, okay? We’ll get together after your dinner with the

family from hell. You, me, Gabe, Mia and Bethany. We’ll have dinner.”

“Sounds good. See you around.”

Jace watched as Ash walked out, his chest heavy. He didn’t miss any part of the threesomes they

used to indulge in, but he did miss that connection with Ash. It was twisted, but they’d been friends

who shared damn near everything for a lot of years and now suddenly things were very different.

Hell, he hadn’t even seen much of Ash since meeting Bethany. He and Gabe both had been focused

on the women they loved, which meant Ash had solidly been pushed from the tight circle he used to

occupy a huge part of.

His office line rang and he picked it up. A few minutes later, he was swearing and striding into

Gabe’s office.

“What the fuck is up with the Paris deal?” he demanded. “I just got a call that two of our biggest

investors have pulled out.”

chapter thirty-seven

Bethany picked up the phone when it rang and uttered a hesitant hello.

“Miss Willis, Mr. McIntyre is here. Shall I send him up?”

Her pulse sped up. Jace wasn’t home yet and it was past his usual time. Maybe Ash thought he’d be

here already?

“Uhm, sure,” she replied.

She wiped her hands nervously down her jeans and then castigated herself. Ash had been the

epitome of polite and nice ever since the night she’d had sex with him and Jace. There was no reason

for her to work herself into knots every time she had to face him.

A few moments later, the elevator opened and Ash stepped out.

“Hello, Bethany,” he said, offering her a warm smile.

“Hi, Ash. Jace isn’t home yet.”

Ash frowned. “Damn. Thought he’d be here. I needed to give him a folder. Deal’s going south on

us. He may have been tied up at the office longer than I thought, trying to straighten this shit out.”

Her brow crinkled. “It sounds bad. Is it?”

He smiled. “Nothing we can’t handle. Shit like this happens all the time. Just another day at the

office.”

“Come in. Don’t just stand there. My manners are horrible. Why don’t you sit in the living room?

I’m sure he’ll be here shortly. Would you like some hot chocolate? I was just making some.”

“Sure,” he said, walking farther in. “Going to have a cup with me?”

She smiled, relaxing under his easy charm. “Yeah, go sit and I’ll grab us both a cup.”

She puttered around the kitchen, heating two cups and mixing in the chocolate. She sweetened hers

and paused, not sure how Ash liked his. Oh well. She shrugged and made his like she preferred hers.

Then she carried the cup into the living room and handed him his.

“Thanks, sweetheart.”

He stared at her over his mug as she took a seat in the armchair a good distance from where he sat.

“So how you doing?” he asked quietly.

“I’m fine,” she said brightly.

He gave her a look that clearly said bullshit.

She sighed. “I’m good, really. Worried about Jack. Which is stupid, but I can’t exactly control it. I

guess I just feel guilty because I have so much now and he still has nothing.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call a free place to live nothing,” Ash said dryly.

Her shoulders heaved. “You’re right. And I think that’s what pisses me off. Jace really went out on

a limb for him. And he did it for me. I know Jace hates it. He has every right to. But he did that for me

and he did it for Jack because he knew it would make me happy. And it pisses me off that Jack is

being so stupid about it.”

She scowled, realizing she really
was
angry. She’d been so buried in worry and anxiety that she

hadn’t really delved into the fact that she was mad at Jack for being so dismissive of all Jace was

doing for him.

“He could at least let me know how he’s doing, you know?” she continued, becoming more pissed

by the minute.

“Yeah, he could,” Ash agreed. “But, honey, listen to me. You have to stop wasting so much