Page 53 of Midnight Revelations

My mind snapped back to when Michael grabbed me in the corridor on my way to use the toilet before we left. At first I thought it was Ash, but his touch was wrong and my body screamed a warning before my mind caught up. One hand grabbed my breast and the other between my legs.

What do you have that allows you to lead my brother around by the dick? Maybe I should take you for a ride myself to discover the secret…

I had struggled, but yet again I was shown that brute strength was greater than my pitiful survival ability. His groin ground into my ass, and my only weapon was my stiletto heels that I stamped into his foot. When he released me, I grabbed his testicles as Catarina had instructed me long ago, pulling and twisting them as he collapsed against the wall, his arms flailing as he tried to fend me off.

I had made a beeline straight to Xavier, and Jordan almost ran from the room in the direction I had entered. Michael had already made his escape, although now it appeared Ash was the one who caught up with his brother.

The elevator opened on my floor and I stepped out, shaking my head to clear the memory. There were two apartments per floor, except the penthouse which sat alone in its splendour. A faint scent still hung in the air, and I knew it was Ash’s aftershave since it was engrained in my soul.

I stood in the hallway, unsure what to do. Before my courage failed me, I wandered over to the apartment that wasn’t ours and knocked on the door. It swung open a few minutes later. Ash glared down at me, his jaw fixed and his eyes angry.

“What?”

This was a really bad idea because I was clueless how to deal with an angry Ash. I peered up at him. “You didn’t have to fight your brother because of me,” I replied quietly.

“Good to know, maybe start with that next time you tell me one of them is stalking and hurting you.” He was an impenetrable fortress, a stranger who made my stomach twist in apprehension.

“Whatever, Ash. I just wanted to let you know that I didn’t want you fighting with your family over me.” I turned and started to walk to my apartment.

“What is it that you want, Lucrezia?” he demanded. “You seem to be playing the victim when technically you’re the villain.”

His words shocked me enough to spin around. “I’m the villain?”

“That’s right. I told you to trust me and not what you saw over the coming weeks. Instead, you believe the first fucking thing you read about me and fling it back in my face.”

My eyes widened. “I wasn’t the one having sex against a window,” I grated out.

“Neither was I, but why let facts get in the way of a good rumour?” he snapped. “Have a good life.”

He slammed the door in my face. I stood in the middle of the hall, anger building deep inside me. Who the fuck did he think he was? I stormed over to his door and banged on it with my fist. It swung open and I was faced with a furious Ash.

I poked my finger into the centre of his wide chest. “You don’t get to be a fucking asshole to me,” I said, rage washing over me in waves. “I ignored the first photos of you with Poppy hanging off your arm every night in London. I gave you the benefit of the doubt. The only man I’ve ever seen with your shade of blond is you, so excuse me for being pissed that some bimbo was impaled on my boyfriend’s cock as he fucked her against a window for the entire world to see.”

He didn’t move a muscle, just continued to watch me with that intense stare. “My brother Aaron has the same hair colour as me,” he replied in an icy tone. “He was the one impaling Poppy on my window.”

My mouth fell open in shock.

“I asked you to trust me, Lucrezia. You knew there was a threat against you that I was trying to neutralise. Yet, you decided to believe the first nasty little rumour that was presented to you.”

“I didn’t—”

He cut me off with an angry wave of his hand. “I don’t care anymore,” he bit out. “I’ll get Jay to liquidate our contract when the wedding is over. Goodbye, Lucrezia.”

He slammed the door again, and I felt like the villain in our story. I stood there totally dumbstruck. I had felt so vindicated in my hurt, when all he had been doing was protecting me. Suddenly, a huge expanse opened in front of me and I wanted it to swallow me whole. I’d acted like a brat, and the hurt in his eyes earlier hadn’t been caused by his family, it had been put there by me.

I’d promised to trust him.

I’d vowed that I would have faith in him.

I’d failed Ash.

Slowly, I made my way to my apartment and let myself inside. My room was cold and lonely, the bed too big, and my heart empty. I sat on the side of my bed and wallowed in my own misery. Ash had done everything he’d promised that he would and I acted like a child. Even tonight, I had used Ivan to make myself feel better and hurt Ash in the process.

Since I couldn’t sleep, I changed into my pyjamas and sat in the living room overlooking the city. The world continued to turn around me while I languished in misery. Papa arrived about an hour later.

“I thought you were tired,” he said, coming to sit with me.

“I was, and then my mind decided that it was too hyper for sleep.” I smiled and continued to stare out the window. “At times like this I miss having Sofia and Catarina with me.”

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