Page 8 of Midnight Revelations

Yeah, the evidence of his marking was currently trying to trickle down my leg.

“Ash, I wasn’t expecting to see you.” Papa looked furious.

“I have business here for Dad tonight. You should have let me know you’d be here and I would have arranged a few contacts for Lucrezia. Unfortunately, I’m on a flight out tonight.”

His words relaxed Papa but stabbed me in the heart. I had hoped to spend time just chatting while he held me. Ash’s gaze moved around the room before me nodded to a guy.

“Sorry, business calls. Have a pleasant evening.” He moved away and I felt his loss.

“I assume from your reaction that you don’t like Ivan,” Papa said in a low voice.

I sighed from the depths of my weary soul. “He seems very nice, but I want what you and Mama had. Would you have settled for an arranged, loveless marriage?”

“I can keep finding suitable men until you find one to love.”

“And if I find one myself?” I met his troubled stare.

“We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Until then, you will remain the baby of my family.” His hawk stare landed on me. “Are you feeling well? You’re very flushed.”

That was from my orgasm and the fact that my insides were still trembling with the aftershocks. “I have a headache starting.”

He nodded absently. “You have been very busy lately.”

“Perhaps I should go and lie down,” I suggested, sliding my arm through his. “Francis can see me to my room.”

Papa patted my arm. “Maybe Ash should do more in the business and give you more time at home to work on your designs.”

“Papa, you know as well as I do that everyone wants to meet the artist. I rarely make an appearance and do spend all my time at home.” I reached up and kissed his cheek. “If you don’t want me to leave, why do you keep trying to marry me off?”

His smile was sad. “I cannot live forever, little one. I must do what I can to protect my girls.”

“Well you’re still alive, so we’ll worry about that another day. Now I’m going to lie down while you put the world to rights.”

My eye caught Ash. A woman was clinging to his arm and peering up at him. I wanted to storm across the room and drag her away from him by her fake blonde hair. There was no way those breasts were real either.

Papa laughed beside me. “Those boys find a woman everywhere they go in the world. I doubt they will ever settle down.”

I didn’t want to tell him that Xavier had a pregnant girlfriend back in England.

“Boys will be boys.” I laughed.

Papa watched me intently, as if trying to gauge my reaction to seeing a woman clinging to Ash. I refused to give that to him because I knew Ash was playing the same game as me.

“Night, Papa.” I kissed his cheek and noticed Francis moving into position to walk with me to our suite.

“I see Ivan was the latest suitor,” he said, watching me on the way up in the elevator.

“Just when I’m trying to establish my business. How convenient,” I muttered.

My room felt too big, but it gave me a place to think while Francis wandered into the living area to watch TV. I lifted my phone from my bag.

Me:You better not be flirting with that blonde bimbo.

I threw it on the bed and flung myself beside it until it pinged, and then I pounced on it.

Ash:Jealous? You better not be in the shower.

Me:I have no one to wash my back.

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