Page 175 of Little Sunshine

Yes.

That.

Ash had given me the reassurances I needed, but it was his turn to demand them. “Why’d you call me Ash?”

“When you didn’t answer my texts or call, I was scared you’d already been caught. Then I went down to this mysterious space to find you covered in blood. I was freaked. And when I did it here, it was because I was still freaked and needed to know you weren’t about to get taken away from me.”

“I fucking dare anyone to try.”

“What about the guy today? Won’t he just go to the cops?”

He shook his head. “He knows we have footage of him assaulting the server first. And if you think the cops don’t know what happens in the back rooms, alleys, or basements of casinos, you’re wrong. They know and don’t care.”

With that settled, I finally let the happiness sink in.

Only it wasn’t just warmth. There was also stickiness.

At the way the tee clung to my chest and what was rapidly drying on my face, I asked, “Any chance you’re going to let me go upstairs to shower this off?”

“Not a bet I’d make.”

I didn’t think so.

Chapter 29

…Must Come Down

MILA

My life after Ash came into it was already good. But in the weeks since I’d found out about the other side of him, and the last bit of his restraint disappeared?

It was a dream. Better than anything I could’ve imagined.

Ash loved me. Actually, loved may have been too weak of a word, but it was the best one I had.

Not only was my love life perfect, but I also had friends. Actual friends.

Okay, I had Juliet. But she had to count as like ten friends in one because she was so good.

And beyond all of that, I had big plans for the future. Exciting plans. I’d never really allowed myself to make those before, even in a pipe dream kinda way. In some part of my mind, I’d relegated myself to a lifetime of working at The Roulette or similar places. Imagining anything better had seemed pointless.

Not anymore, though.

With so much good, only one person could mess it up.

And, unfortunately, she was headed right for me.

My eyes scanned the hallway near Moonlight’s food court, looking for familiar faces. Other than Elliot, there were none.

After all the years of Veronica trying to hide that she was old enough to have a daughter, something was karmic in the fact I didn’t want anyone there to know she was my mother.

For a couple of weeks, she’d texted daily, but when I never responded, she’d given up. I’d assumed she’d moved on. But as she hustled over like the IRS was on her tail, I saw my luck hadn’t completely changed.

Elliot clocked her as a threat and stepped to block me before she got near.

“Get out of the way,” Veronica said, her voice pitched high with panic.

Elliot never had to act as more than a precautionary sentry.

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