Page 44 of All That Glitters
“Why? Why are you willing?”
“Because maybe it’ll keep my brother out of the wall and out of the hospital. Maybe it’ll help you or at least it’ll give you someone else to take it all out on.”
“Fuck your brother, too.”
“Fuck everyone. Including yourself, Ashton.”
“Without mercy.”
“Get over yourself. You’re not the first one to be wrecked, on purpose or not, and you won’t be the last. You got out. With help, yes, but you still got out.”
Her ire was a sight to behold. She might not fight me, but she would fight for me. Helen wasn’t weak and she wasn’t one to back down when backed into a corner. She wasn’t afraid of me.
“Your body is working, healing. Others in this sport haven’t been so lucky. Go back to therapy or go to anger management… But get your head out of your ass, and deal with your shit so you can get back in a car and win again.”
“Why Helen of Troye… I didn’t think you had that kind of fire inside you.”
“Ash…”
I stood toe to toe with her, as close as I’d been to her on the terrace earlier.
Christ… Had it only been a few hours ago that we were alone together, albeit a different type of current running between us?
I reached for the strands of hair hanging over her shoulder.
“Are you really willing to take the place of your brother? Are you really willing to accept me this way? Are you really willing to take it all?”
“If it helps you, yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you need someone and if no one else is going to give it to you and if you’re not going to seek it from anyone else, then I’ll stand in for whatever you need.”
Her willingness made sense and at the same time, it didn’t.
She was a business woman. She wasn’t prone to impulsiveness and giving in to what I wanted to do to her was impulsive. But I wasn’t going to give her a chance to think about it. I wasn’t going to give her even the fraction of a second to think about it.
I wouldn’t let her back out or change her mind or come up with conditions of her own, except that I not go after Hale.
What would it feel like to be loved the way she loved?
What would it feel like to be cared about the way she cared?
She was human and likely one of the best humans I’d ever known.
“The cottage. Tomorrow afternoon. Do you remember where the turn is?”
“I think so, but I don’t want to nor plan to go traipsing through your family’s property in search of it.”
“I would never do that to you.”
“Really? You’re willing to do other things, but not that? How kind of you.”
I’m sure my smile did nothing to reassure her. “The turn is about a quarter mile up the road from the main driveway. It’s a sand and gravel path. There’s a gate and I’ll leave it open for you. Big enough for one car. You’d never see it if you weren’t looking for it. It’s not visible from the house, either. No one will know. You’ll remember it once you see it.”
“I have a meeting until two. I’ll see you at three.”
She turned away and walked out, her steps echoing across the highly polished floor. I followed her.
