Page 22 of One More Song

Ash holds me. Captures me. And his mouth silences my whimpers as I slowly come down from the high. And when I do, the world is spinning.

“You okay?” he asks, pulling back slightly, cupping my jaw. His face is blurry, but I can see the concern in his eyes.

“No.” I shake my head, my stomach rolling, and I barely have time to push away from him before I’m doubled over, spilling the contents of my stomach.

Chapter Eight

Ash

I don’t knowwhat Ember’s playing at, and the thing is, I don’t think she knows either. She’s all torn up, that much is for certain. I hold her hair as she finishes.

Groaning, she lifts her eyes to mine. “I’m so sorry.”

I give her a wry smile. “Let me get you some water. Sit down, I’ll be right back.”

“Tell Millie you’re taking me home.”

“You don’t want Granger to—”

She cuts me off. “No. I don’t want Granger.”

Hope blossoms in my chest and I feel like I’m fifteen fucking years old. I need to get a grip. “You’ll be okay out here?”

She nods, sliding to the gravel. Her dress hitched so high up her thigh it should be illegal. “Just come back quick.”

I take one last look at her before heading back inside the bar. A deep need to take care of Ember surges inside of me and I can’t remember the last time I put someone else’s needs before my own. Too damn long.

Her friends are at the bar, but I scan the room for mine first. “Hey,” I say, a hand on Synn’s shoulder. “I’m gonna take Ember home. She isn’t feeling so hot.”

“Thought she was on a date?” Synn says, jaw clenched. He knows me so damn well.

“Yeah, the date’s over. I’m gonna get her home in one piece.”

Synn snorts, eyes dark. “You never change, do you?”

“Let’s not do this, not here, in public,” Saint says, coming between us. He’s always the mediator of the group and usually it annoys the fuck out of me. But right now, it’s a relief. I don’t want to fight - I want to get back to Ember.

“Let’s talk tomorrow,” I say, stepping back. “Trust me on this, okay?”

Synn shakes his head, doubting me, and I know why. He has no reason to trust me after I fucked everything up, getting us here. Almost destroying the career we worked so damn hard to build.

I’ve always been good at breaking things.

Turning from them, I look for Ember’s friends. They are still at the bar laughing, and I give them a sharp nod. “Looks like I’m gonna take Ember home tonight. No ill will here, she just isn’t feeling well.”

Granger frowns. “I don’t mind, I can give her a lift.”

“We’re headed to the same place,” I say. “I really don’t mind.”

“Where is she?” Millie asks.

“Outside, by the car.” I’m gonna keep this short and simple. Won’t mention that I nearly fucked her against the brick wall outside, looking out at the graveyard, it would have been dark and dirty. Wrong.

I’m glad we stopped but hell, I wanted her to sink down on my thick cock and have her hold on to me for dear life. I wanted to look in her eyes as she came.

My muse and my penance.

The thought is fucked up, even I know that. She never asked to be my Hail Mary and she sure as hell deserves more than me.

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