Текст книги "Beautifully Loyal"

Автор книги: Nicole Edwards

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 25 страниц)

Chapter Nine

Sorry. Not at your beck and call.

Present day

Thursday, November 5 th

Ashlynn knew that Jase hadn’t been keen on the idea of going to Devil’s Playground on a Thursday night, but he hadn’t put up too much of a fight. On a normal day, she would’ve been content to hang out at home so they could get naked and work off some of the excess energy she’d stored up. But not tonight. Her adrenaline was free-flowing through her veins, leaving her edgy, and the last thing she wanted to do was be cooped up, even if the idea of fucking Jase made her pussy clench.

After he parked the Escalade in the underground spaces reserved for her family, Ashlynn waited for Jase to open her door and then allowed him to lead her into the building that housed Devil’s Playground Dallas. This particular club was their most popular by far, as were its sister locations in Las Vegas and New York. Although they owned several other clubs—most of them of the topless variety—this was the only one that Ashlynn frequented.

“You sure you wanna be here?” Jase asked as they made their way down the long, narrow hall that led to the club proper, passing several of the club’s security team on their way.

Rather than answer, she simply nodded.

Jase placed his hand at the small of her back. Sometimes Ashlynn wished he would take her hand, but he never did. The mere notion of holding hands seemed intimate to her, for whatever reason, yet the idea of Jase holding hers was something she’d wondered about. But they still had to keep up appearances since only a few people knew of her sexual interactions with Jase, and those were the four enforcers who backed him up. Since Leo, Teddy, Cowboy, and Derrick lived on her property and Jase slept in her bed, it was rather difficult to hide from everyone.

Granted, Max had never said anything, but she suspected he knew, as well, since he did have his entire house and the club wired with cameras. Not that she cared. She was a grown woman, and she did what she wanted, always had. Then again, if he ever chose to confront her, she wasn’t sure what she’d tell him. Truth was, it wasn’t his business.

A few minutes later, they were in the VIP section on the second floor, along with probably three dozen other people who’d passed the intense scrutiny of the guys who manned the door, plus paid a significant premium just to be there. The alcohol was free in that section, but considering how much these people were willing to pay for the chance to say they’d been there, it only seemed fair.

“He’s here, you know,” Jase informed her after taking a seat beside her on one of the crushed-velvet sofas in the back. The music wasn’t as loud up there, but unless they sat in the private seating in the back, it was still difficult to hear.

Ashlynn didn’t have to ask whom Jase was referring to. “I know.”

It was one of the reasons she’d wanted to come tonight. Ashlynn hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Leyton since last weekend when they’d been at Max’s. After Jase had informed her of the confrontation he and Leyton had had, she was hoping for one of her own. It seemed only fair that she would get the chance to tell Leyton how she felt, what she wanted, and what she needed from him. It didn’t help her cause when he performed his disappearing act whenever she was near.

Hence the reason she was there tonight. She knew Leyton would be at the club because Max was out of town. Her brother had called to let her know that he had to go take care of some business in Las Vegas and that Leyton would be handling things during his absence. Two whole weeks he was going to be out of pocket. Sometimes she wondered if these issues were merely his way of saying he needed a break. She got it. She really did.

Since she’d been involved in the family business from the ripe young age of nineteen, Ashlynn had become familiar with how things worked. Considering she was a female in a world generally run by men, she’d had to make a name for herself early on, which meant she’d paid her dues. Her days were generally spent making the rounds, talking to politicians, business owners, and a few others who needed small reminders of what they owed the Adorites.

For the most part, Ashlynn was responsible for the gun racket her family was known for. Although Max kept close tabs on it, was the one to bring in new business, Ashlynn handled it once it was established. They obtained, sold, and moved illegal weapons, and had established Texas as their territory, working directly with various gangs and cartels when necessary.

Ashlynn sometimes found it amusing that Max had ended up with Courtney. However, since Courtney’s family was in the business of protecting people, they really weren’t much different. From her point of view, Courtney’s family took on the business that came to them, while the Adorites went to the business where it was needed. The only significant difference was that Courtney’s family followed the letter of the law—mostly—and the Adorites didn’t know what that letter even was.

In the years that Ashlynn’s father had been holding the reins, they’d managed to maintain their position as the most ruthless organized crime family in the state of Texas, but when Max was old enough to step up, things had taken a drastic turn for the better. While Samuel had been interested in roughing people up in order to get them to do as he wanted, still old school in so many ways, Max had opted for a different perspective—although he was still known to fuck some people up when necessary. However, unlike Samuel, Max was a businessman, and they’d become quite profitable with the sales of guns, drugs, and yes, whores, all of which went on behind the front of the clubs. Honestly, Max was quite brilliant by choosing to handle his business that way.

Of course, they still had to keep a stronghold on their territory, which required a little blackmail and extortion, but seriously, it was business. Ashlynn didn’t have any preconceived notion when it came to what her family would do to maintain the power they’d worked hard to establish.

After all, she’d learned from the best.

Her father had been cruel with his teachings, forcing her to do things she would’ve otherwise never dreamed of, and only a couple of times, he’d attempted to make her do things she’d refused to do. Thankfully, Max had always been there to watch her back. Despite her out-and-out defiance on rare occasions, somewhere along the way, Ashlynn had convinced Samuel that she was capable of holding her own. And now that he was dead, it was as though a weight had been lifted, allowing her the opportunity to do things the way she wanted, not having to watch over her shoulder, wondering if she would be stabbed in the back by her own father.

That didn’t mean she could show any signs of weakness. She still had to prove to Max that she was worthy.

“Drink?” Jase asked as a waitress walked their way.

“Keep ’em comin’,” she told him.

When the waitress stopped in front of them, Jase ordered for her. Ashlynn was grateful because overindulgence on something was the number one thing on her to-do list for the evening. Unfortunately, she’d been hoping to overindulge on Leyton, but clearly he wasn’t going to show his face, though she knew he was aware she was there. Cameras lined the ceilings, were in every nook, every crevice. There wasn’t a single room—with the exception of Max’s office—that didn’t have a camera. Hell, even the restrooms were monitored, despite what went on in there. Her brother trusted no one, was always looking for leverage, and Ashlynn couldn’t blame him. She trusted a limited few, as well.

“When will Max be back?” Jase inquired as he leaned back on the sofa, his eyes scanning the place intently.

The waitress arrived, handing Ashlynn her drink and disappearing just as quickly. “He said probably two weeks,” she told Jase.

“He’s in Vegas?”

Ashlynn nodded, sipping her mojito and trying to relax. “He mentioned something about another casino. Some sort of financial issue, I think. You know Max, always lookin’ to exploit a weakness. He took Brent and Victor with him.”

“Brent’s actively involved now, huh?”

“Seems to be.” Ashlynn hadn’t expected Brent to ever get on board with the family business, but since their father’s death, he’d taken a keen interest. Max seemed to be relieved to have the help, and Ashlynn knew Brent would be a tremendous asset as long as he could stay focused.

“That’s why Leyton’s here?” Jase questioned.

“Yeah.” Leyton was the second-in-command, and he was responsible for stepping in when Max was out of pocket. The position had been reserved for Brent or Ashlynn, but Brent had made it clear he had no desire to be in charge. As for her, transferring into a role such as that one was not something she was interested in. Not now, not ever. Which was why she’d bypassed the opportunity and recommended Leyton.

“You plannin’ to talk to him?”

Ashlynn peered over at Jase, trying to read what he was thinking but not saying. As usual, his expression was blank. Did she plan to talk to Leyton? If she got the opportunity, she definitely would. What she would say to him, now that was another story.

“Looks like you might not have a choice,” Jase muttered.

Ashlynn scanned the room, looking for Leyton, but that wasn’t who Jase had been referring to. Leyton’s sexy-as-fuck right hand was making his way through the throng of people, his eyes narrowed on her as he approached.

“You’re lookin’ mighty fine tonight,” Rock said by way of greeting. The man was a charmer, and sometimes Ashlynn wondered why no woman had ever snatched him up.

“I could say the same about you,” she told him, allowing her eyes to rake over him slowly. It was no secret that Ashlynn appreciated a fine-looking man, and Rock damn sure didn’t disappoint. His mocha-colored skin covered a phenomenal amount of thick muscles, his ass looked as though you could bounce quarters off it, his smile was quick and sexy, and those dark eyes seemed to see right through her clothes. Oh, and his rough voice… Just hearing him speak made her think about hot, no-holds-barred sex.

Rock was hot, no doubt about it.

“Careful,” Rock said with a naughty grin. “You’ll make me blush. But that’s not why I’m here.” The way Rock’s eyebrows lowered told Ashlynn he was about to make a request and he hoped not to piss her off.

“So what brings you my way?” she asked kindly.

“Leyton wants to see you.”

“In Max’s office?” she inquired, not bothering to get up.

Rock shook his head. “Max’s penthouse.”

An intense flurry of sensation ignited in Ashlynn’s stomach. The idea of being alone with Leyton intrigued her, made her curious as to what he wanted. “Let him know I’ll be there soon,” Ashlynn informed Rock.

The other man knew better than to ask for specifics. Regardless of Leyton’s rank within the organization, Ashlynn had the respect of every person who worked for her family, and she took orders from no one other than Max.

“I’ll let him know.”

Ashlynn had no intention of running when Leyton snapped his fingers. As it was, she didn’t particularly care for the fact that she wanted to see him. She hated the feeling of wanting something she couldn’t have, didn’t want to want anyone. She should’ve been happy with what she had, but for whatever reason, there had always been something missing.

“You all right?” Jase asked, his voice low as he leaned in. “Need another drink?”

Glancing down at her glass, she realized it was empty. Nodding, she smiled at Jase, admiring how intensely attractive he was. With his slightly crooked nose—a result of too much fighting when he was younger—those crystal-blue eyes that glittered when he looked at her … oh, and yes, she couldn’t forget his naughty streak, he could melt the panties off a nun. Women’s heads always turned to Jase, especially when he was dressed like he was tonight—wearing a sexy black suit, crisp white shirt, and a stern expression that made men look away in fear. It didn’t hurt that he was armed and not making an attempt to hide it.

She suddenly wished they were the only two in the VIP room, because her body was craving his. Although getting him to fuck her senseless inside the club with so many people around wasn’t an option anymore due to heightened security, Ashlynn had every intention of taking advantage of him before the night was over.

And she figured her need for him would only be exacerbated once she had to face Leyton and whatever it was he wanted to talk about.

Chapter Ten

Ending it … once and for all.

Thirteen years ago

Leyton sat on his bed in his tiny, cramped bedroom—the only place he’d ever had that afforded him a small measure of privacy. Until they’d moved into this apartment, Leyton had slept on the couch, never having a room of his own. Not that there was much to it. The only thing he had was a twin mattress that sat on the worn, brown shag carpet, one old pillow, and a ratty blanket that he’d been using for at least five years now.

In front of him, a pile of pills beckoned him, calling his name, urging him to end it all.

He’d stolen the bottle of sleeping pills from the old woman in the apartment above theirs after he’d gone up to help her fix her clogged sink two days ago. Since then, he’d thought of nothing but them, seeking the solace they could offer.

The two black eyes he sported had kept him from going to school for the last three days, and he knew if he went back, he was going to be put in in-school suspension for ditching, but he’d prefer that to everyone talking shit. They didn’t know that he’d gotten the new bruises and the broken nose from his father’s last drunken rage, nor did he want them to know. It was easier to let everyone believe he spent all his time fighting, when it was actually far from the truth. Although, these days, he did manage to get a few punches in when his father railed on him, but more often than not, Leyton spent most of his time trying to prevent more broken bones since Carl had started using the nearest object to add to the beatings.

As he stared down at the pills, slowly moving them around until they were laid out in a neat row before him, Leyton counted them. If he had to guess, the old lady had just refilled her prescription or she didn’t take them often, because he counted out twenty-eight pills. Whether or not that was enough to kill him, he wasn’t sure, but he could only hope. He was only sixteen years old, and he was ready to put an end to it all. Ending his life seemed the simplest way to stop the pain he endured on a daily basis, to put an end to his bleak existence.

The only thing he had to look forward to was hanging out with Max, but recently, Leyton felt as though their friendship was so one-sided. Max was always there, always attempting to get him to go out and do things, but Leyton couldn’t let his best friend see the various bruises and burn scars he’d acquired, didn’t want him to know that his father beat on him for sport or used him as an ashtray when he felt like it. However, Max had grown increasingly suspicious, so Leyton had started pushing him away. The only friend he had, the only person who actually gave a shit about Leyton, and he couldn’t bear to share the horror of his life even with him.

Leyton felt like a coward for not standing up to his father, but no matter how many times he promised himself he’d fight back, it never seemed to work. He feared the next beating, wondered whether or not his father would eventually beat him to death. That certainly wasn’t the way he wanted to go, hence the sleeping pills.

A knock sounded on his front door, but Leyton ignored it. It was probably his neighbor, needing him to come fix something. Why she didn’t call the maintenance man, he didn’t know.

Picking up the glass of water he’d set on the floor beside his bed, he picked at the pills. If he took them now, he’d go to sleep and hopefully be dead before his father came home. Then he’d never have to see the bastard again, never have to endure another physical or emotional blow from him.

As he held the glass in his hand, he noticed the scars that dotted his arm. Those weren’t even the half of it. Most of the cigarette burns were on his back, some on his chest. The scars on his arms were mostly from the end of the lighter after his father would heat it with the flame, then hold it to Leyton’s skin as though it were a branding iron. He never went without a shirt, most of the time preferring long sleeves so that no one would notice and ask questions.

The knock sounded again, and Leyton closed his eyes briefly. Couldn’t the woman find someone else to take care of her shit? Didn’t she know he hated having to unclog her toilet or dig hair out of her drain? That wasn’t his job.

Taking a sip of the water, he stared down at the pills. It was now or never.

“Why are you ignor– Holy shit! What the fuck happened to your face?”

Leyton jumped, spilling water down his shirt. His eyes flew up to see a very concerned—possibly even angry—Max standing in the doorway to his bedroom. “What are you doing here?”

“Answer my question first,” Max demanded, crossing the room in three steps, his gaze sliding down to the bed, to the pills lying there. “What the hell are those?”

Leyton was embarrassed. “Nothing,” he snapped, reaching down to grab the pills, but Max beat him to it, sweeping them up, dropping a couple on the floor in the process.

“Are these…?” Max stared at the pills, then looked around the floor. Leyton saw the bottle at the same time Max did.

Once again, Max reacted more quickly, grabbing the bottle and reading the label. His eyes lifted, concern etched on his face as he stared back at Leyton. “What were you gonna do?”

Leyton didn’t answer. He couldn’t. Emotion bubbled deep inside him. Anger, fear, desperation. It coalesced into a churning, fiery pain that exploded in his chest. If Max would’ve waited just a few minutes longer…

Max stuffed the pills back in the bottle, grabbed the couple he’d dropped, and added them, as well, then set them on the windowsill beside the glass Leyton had deposited there before dropping onto the mattress beside Leyton.

“It’s time we talk,” Max said firmly. “And by talk, I mean it’s time you tell me what the fuck is going on.” Max pointed at Leyton’s face. “And you can start by tellin’ me who did that.”

It was dark by the time Leyton finished telling Max everything. The words had spewed forth, and he’d been unable to stop them. He’d told Max about his mother leaving when he was little, having to leave his friends in Fort Worth, about his father’s drinking, his drunken rages, the burns from lighters and cigarettes, his repeated abuse. He didn’t stop until he was too tired to talk anymore, and at that point, Max informed him that if Leyton wasn’t going with him, then he wasn’t leaving. Then, Max had taken the bottle of sleeping pills, poured them into the toilet, and flushed them right out of existence.

So now, as Leyton lay on his lumpy mattress in the dark room, staring up at the ceiling, Max was doing the same on the dirty-carpeted floor on the far side of the room. Leyton didn’t have a television, no radio, nothing to pass the time, so after they’d finished their conversation, Leyton had told Max he just wanted to go to sleep.

Easier said than done.

Sleep had evaded him for the longest time, but he must’ve dozed off, because he awakened to the sound of his bedroom door slamming into the wall and his father yelling his name. Leyton sat up just in time to connect with something hard as it smashed against his cheek with a sickening crunch. Leyton yelled, the excruciating pain in his head making him dizzy.

“Who broke the fucking front door? And where’s my goddamn beer?” Carl hollered. “I know I had two left. Did you steal it, you little fucking prick?”

Leyton tried to roll away, but whatever object his father was using made impact again, this time with his shoulder, sending shards of pain through his neck and down his arm. He heard the sound again, lifted his arms to cover his head, but before the object hit its intended mark, Max was there, shoving Carl backward.

“What the fuck?” Carl stumbled into the wall, his speech slurred as he rambled. Carl flipped the light switch, and the single yellow bulb flickered on. “Who the fuck are you?” Carl didn’t wait for an answer; he merely continued to babble incoherently. “I have the right to defend myself in my own goddamn house. I’ll kill you, too.”

“Put the bat down,” Max commanded, his voice harder than Leyton had ever heard it. The next thing Leyton heard was the telltale sound of a gun being cocked, followed by, “Now.”

“Fuck you” Carl spat. “Get outta my goddamn house!”

“Put. It. Down,” Max insisted, stepping backward to get closer to Leyton.

As he got to his feet, unable to use his arm because the pain was too intense, Leyton glared at his father. Carl’s face was ruddy, spittle trailed from his lower lip, and his greying hair was greasy and standing on end. But there was something else, something Leyton had never seen on his father’s face before.

Pure, unadulterated fear.

Leyton looked at Max, and then he understood why his father was cowering. Max had a lethal-looking gun—equipped with a silencer—aimed at Carl, his face cold and hard.

“Put the bat down,” Max said calmly, his eyes on Carl. “Leyton?”

“Yeah?” he rasped, his head pounding.

“You okay?” Max asked.

He wasn’t sure what the answer to that was. The shards of pain in his head had caused his vision to dim. His arm and shoulder throbbed. He stumbled but managed to use the wall to steady himself.

“I’ll kill you,” Carl said, hatred flashing in his red-rimmed eyes as he glared at Leyton. “Don’t think I won’t. You won’t have him to save you next time, I promise you that.”

It was in that moment that Leyton realized what Max’s destiny truly was. Leyton was aware of what the Southern Boy Mafia was, what it entailed, thanks to his friendship with Max, but part of him had always thought it was a myth. Mafia. Sure, Leyton admired the structure and the lack of fear they had, was even envious of the way people treated them, as though they should be feared. Looking at Max as he steadily held the gun on Leyton’s father, he understood everything clearly. He knew that this moment, depending on what happened next, would forever change his life. And yes, possibly Max’s as well.

“Leyton,” Max said, drawing his attention once again.

“Yeah?”

“I’m offerin’ you another way out. Right here. Right now.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Carl asked, drooling as he stumbled and grabbed the wall.

“Say the word,” Max intoned, ignoring Carl. “That’s all you have to do. You’ll never have to worry about this piece of shit again.”

“I’m the only family the shithead has,” Carl snapped.

Max’s hardened gaze slid back to Carl once again. “Not true,” Max stated, the words enhanced by his deadly calm demeanor. “You’re not his family. I am.” Max cocked his head slightly toward Leyton. “What do you want, Leyton? Because taking your own life isn’t the only way out. Not anymore.”

Leyton understood what Max was offering him. He’d never had anyone stand up for him before, and he knew if it weren’t for Max, he would probably be dead already—whether it was by his own hand or his father’s. For that, he was grateful.

And that was the reason he felt no remorse whatsoever when he told Max, “Kill him.”

One shot.

That was all it took.

Ashlynn was lying on her bed, playing on her laptop when she heard Max come in. Her bedroom door was open, so she stared out into the hall, waiting to see him pass by her room on the way to his. Something had happened, she’d realized that earlier when the phone had rung and her father had gone apeshit, yelling at Max. Eventually, he’d calmed down and told Max that he’d get it taken care of.

She didn’t know what it was, but she was glad to see Max had come back in one piece.

Closing her laptop, Ashlynn was about to run to him, ask if he was okay when she saw Leyton. He briefly turned to look at her, and her breath lodged in her chest.

His face…

God. It was…

“Are you okay?” she whispered, unable to keep from getting to her feet and walking toward him.

As usual, Leyton shook his head and then started down the hall. Ashlynn followed.

When he went into the guestroom he’d used on occasion, she followed him inside and shut the door behind her.

“What happened? Do you need a doctor?”

“No,” he snapped, his eyes sliding back to the door as he sat on the edge of the bed. “I’m fine, Ash. You need to go back to your room.”

Ashlynn knew that her father would go crazy if he caught her in there with Leyton, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. So, rather than leave the way Leyton wanted her to, she closed the distance between them. She came to stand directly in front of him, her hands coming up to his face, her fingers lightly grazing the bruised and swollen skin.

He hissed lightly, his eyes locked with hers.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You didn’t,” he replied, his voice low.

With that knowledge, she gently cupped his jaw and turned his head so she could inspect his face more closely. “Looks like your nose is broken.”

“I know.”

“You should see a doctor.”

Another head shake was all she got in response.

When he turned back to look at her, Ashlynn felt something strange deep inside herself. She’d known for a long time that she liked Leyton, that he was cute and she’d started wanting him to talk to her. She had tried to make sure she was around when he came over, but lately, he’d hadn’t been there. When she asked Max where he was, her brother told her not to worry about it.

But she was worried.

She liked Leyton. A lot.

Her friend Amanda had told her she had a crush on him. Ashlynn knew what that meant because her best friend had a crush on a boy and they’d started “going together.” That part was a little more confusing to Ashlynn because they never seemed to go anywhere together, but they said they liked each other.

“Ash,” Leyton whispered, drawing her attention once again. “You need to go back to your room.”

She had the sudden urge to kiss him, and she couldn’t seem to resist it. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his softly. He hissed again but didn’t pull away until she did.

With her lips tingling and something strange stirring deep in her belly, Ashlynn met his gaze.

“Go,” he commanded, his tone harder, his eyes narrowed on her. “You can’t be in here.”

“Why not?” Ashlynn didn’t understand. If she wasn’t mistaken, he had kissed her back. His lips had moved against hers, hadn’t they?

“Because I don’t want your brother to kill me,” he stated somberly.

Ashlynn frowned. Why would Max kill Leyton? They were best friends.

“Please,” he pleaded. “Just go. I’ll be fine.”

With her heart feeling as though it were going to break in two, Ashlynn nodded, then backed out of the room, never taking her eyes off him until the door closed between them.

“He okay?” Max asked, surprising Ashlynn when he appeared suddenly holding a bag of ice.

“I … uh…” Ashlynn looked at the door once more. “I think he needs to see a doctor.”

“Yeah,” Max said. “I know. He’s on his way now.”

Ashlynn nodded.

“Don’t worry, Ash. He’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

Touching her lips with her fingers, she nodded again and then turned and fled to her room. It was then that she knew for sure she had a crush on Leyton Matheson, and she was pretty sure he liked her, too, but it would be years before she even knew what she was supposed to do with that information.