Page 130 of A Dirty Business
“Is he involved?”
Ashton didn’t answer that, and that was an answer by itself.
“I thought you had cops on your payroll.”
“We do, and the longer you stand here talking to me, the higher the probability that your name will get on a list that you do not want it to be on. So.” His eyes flashed again, and he leaned in. “To further save everyone’s energy and potential lives, you need to choose. Either be with Trace—and I mean it, let it be known—or leave him the fuck alone. You got me?”
I understood, but I was concerned about other matters right now. I moved to the side, looking for our booth and finding everyone’s attentionright on us. Guess we hadn’t moved far enough out of their eyesight.
Kelly’s eyebrows were pulled in, the ends of her mouth turned down.
Molly’s eyes were big, bulging out, and she looked ready to start walking our way. Justin had a hand on her arm, his other arm blocking Kelly too.
Muttering a curse, Ashton let out a savage growl and was heading right for them.
I was right behind him.
The two guys moved forward, looking like they were going to meet Ashton, but seeing me next to him, they eased back a step.
Ashton let out a small laugh before turning his gaze to Justin, then to his hand on Molly’s arm. “Hands off. Now.”
Justin released her, his eyebrows shooting up.
Molly jerked to the side a few steps, her other hand coming up to rub where Justin had been holding her, but she didn’t look in pain. Her own eyebrows were bunched together, her gaze jumping from Ashton, to Justin, to Ashton, to me, and back to Ashton. One of the guys I’d noticed moving in with Ashton earlier stepped up to her, touching her other arm lightly. He bent down, saying something to her, and with a small nod and another look toward Ashton, who was watching the whole thing, she headed off with the guy.
What the hell was that?
But Kelly had moved forward. “What’s going on? Jess, where’d you go?”
“She—” Ashton started, but a hand was on my arm, from the other side, but this time, I recognized that hand.
I glanced up, seeing Trace’s gaze skim over me. He had the same hard look on his face that Ashton did, and he eased me back behind him. “Go with my men.”
“But—”
“Please.” He indicated the same guy who had pulled Molly from the group. She was handed off to a different guy, and this guy was coming back for me.
Suit guy. I pegged him as security, noting the bulge on his side from the holstered gun.
I made my choice. I moved forward. “No, Trace.”
“Jess.” His jaw clenched.
“No. Not while Kelly is here.”
He touched my arm, pulling me back away again. Kelly’s head stretched at an angle, trying to see us, but Ashton and the security guy stepped in, fully blocking her.
Trace’s hand moved to my waist, and he stepped in, the front of his body grazing mine. “Please. So I don’t worry about you.”
“I’m armed.”
“I’m aware, but I am trying to save you from making a decision you might not want to make.”
Ashton’s warning. I had to choose. It registered then what Trace was doing. He was still trying to hide me from the other guys, but he didn’t understand. The decision was done.
I touched his chest. “She’s my best friend. She’s my only sister. I’m not leaving.”
His eyes were a whole storm, and he clipped his head. “Fine, but you’re mine. I won’t pretend otherwise.”
