Текст книги "Be My Temptation"

Автор книги: Rachel Brookes

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Be My Temptation

Copyright © 2015 Rachel Brookes

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to any person, living or dead is purely coincidental. Any actual places, products or events mentioned are used in a purely fictitious manner. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various places/products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission and is by no way sponsored by the trademark owners.

Editing / Proofreading: Jennifer Sell Editing and Proofreading

Cover Design: Wicked By Design

Photography: Perrywinkle Photography

EBook and paperback Formatting: Champagne Formats

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Other books by Rachel Brookes

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty -One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

About The Author

Other Books by Rachel Brookes

The Breathe Series

Just Breathe

Breathless

Breathe Again

The Crawford Brothers

Be My December

Four years earlier

JESUS CHRIST, SHE WAS tight.

The more I edged in, the tighter her body squeezed my cock, which inevitably sent pleasure spiraling through me. The feeling of tightness, combined with her tiny whimpers, were like music to my ears, and acted as the perfect melody for the act I was about to perform. This moment started with a fleeting glance across the bar, a connection of our eyes, and the offering of a smirk; the same smirk I’d been known to use to get into the pants and apartments of girls plenty of times before.

I wondered if the look across the bar tonight was when she thought what was happening started. She would be sorely mistaken if she did. I had noticed Ashlyn Hart long ago. Ashlyn Hart was the stunning, blond-haired girl with the insane green eyes and kissable lips that grabbed my attention the start of freshman year. I first noticed her in the library, surrounded by books. Her glasses were sitting on the edge of her nose, and she was chewing on the end of a pen. Her blonde hair was piled on the top of her head, with loose strands surrounding her face, and she looked completely in her zone. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.

Yep, I certainly noticed her for all the right reasons, and tonight was no different.

Tonight was the first night in God only knows how long that I succeeded in getting my older brother Ky to leave the seclusion of our apartment. He didn’t even fight me, which was surprising. The moment we arrived at our local bar, he started downing beers, while I started scoping out the other patrons, looking for some fun for the night. It seemed that fun would come in the form of Ashlyn Hart, and my eyes latched onto her fiercely.

She was toward the back, standing close to the guy I knew was her older brother, Austin. They were in a serious conversation, his hands on her shoulders, and she was looking up at him with wide eyes and a worry-filled face. Rumor around campus was that Ashlyn was from a well-off family from the West Coast, but she didn’t have much to do with them. Apparently, she’d fled for the East Coast as soon as she finished high school, and was here under a scholarship, which could explain why she always was studying. Although Austin was five or so years older than her, he would randomly come and visit, and I had seen her out with him a few times.

As soon as I saw her dodge her way through the crowd and head to the bar, I swooped in. She was a beautiful girl, and since I was a guy with an overactive imagination and a cock that really liked beautiful girls, she was definitely on my radar. Ashlyn was unique and refreshing. And though she hid behind her glasses and oversized clothing, her eyes, flawless face, and womanly curves that would be dangerous to any guy’s libido, grabbed a tight hold of my attention.

Tonight, my plan was to test the waters, to see if she could be my fun for the night. I stepped up beside her at the packed bar as she waited to be served, and that would be the first of many times she’d shock me for the night. When Ashlyn greeted me by name, offered me a flirty smile, and gave me the indication that she was just as willing to test the waters as I was, it left me completely floored. Where had this sassy woman been hiding? My interest skyrocketed, and I needed more. As we drank beer, I bought pizza for us both and she showed me another side of her, a side that had been hidden in the books and sweaters. Austin, her brother, had gone long ago, and at that moment all I saw was her. I wanted was all of Ashlyn Hart, and it would seem that she had plans to give me all of her.

Now as she was wedged below me, looking up at me with the widest and most eager eyes I had ever seen, I couldn’t believe my luck. Her face was flushed, her lips were parted, and her tits rose with every deep breath she took. She was a fucking delight to look at. My hands cupped her face and, with eager intent, my lips fell to hers as I feasted on the perfect pout that was previously covered with bright-red lipstick. I had been craving this moment for a long time, and I wasn’t afraid to admit that. I didn’t know what got my attention most; whether it was the innocent look she had going on, which she completely obliterated tonight, or the fact that I never actually saw her with any other guys or girls. She was a one woman show—a woman of mystery, and I would make it my mission to discover who she was.

“Fuck me, you’re so tight,” I said with a moan against her neck as I shifted my hips higher and attempted to push further into her slick wetness.

Her whimpers increased, and her nails dug into my back, grating their way down to my ass with every tiny movement I made. Everything spun around me the moment I hit a barrier inside of her.

She couldn’t be.

“Please don’t stop,” Ashlyn begged softly.

I tore my face from the confines of her neck, and my eyes met pleading green pits of desire that flickered with anxiety.

She was a virgin.

There was no way in hell I was doing this. No fucking way. I had never taken a girls virginity, and I wouldn’t be starting tonight. I shifted, and slowly began pulling out, but halted when her hands gripped my naked ass and held me in place.

“I don’t deserve this,” I whispered into the electric air as I avoided her gaze.

“Josh, do you really think I would have come here, kissed you like I’ve never kissed a guy before, gotten naked, and let it go as far as it has if I didn’t want it?”

“Do you really want your first time to be with someone you barely know? I have wanted inside you from the moment I saw you, and it’s because I’m just a guy who wants to fuck. You deserve romance, candles, and the whole shebang for your first time.”

Her face twisted as a smile graced her lips and her eyes softened. “You bought me beer and pizza.”

“Fucking hell, woman. Buying you beer and pizza does not entitle me entrance to your virginal pussy.”

“Can you please stop saying virgin?”

“But you are a virgin; a sexy as fuck virgin, but still a virgin.”

“Why are we even having this conversation?” She rolled her eyes, spitting the kind of sass that I was quickly learning was fucking incredible for my libido.

My gaze roamed over her face, and I found a woman who wanted exactly what I could give her. She tempted me from the very moment I laid eyes on her, and the confident woman now writhing beneath me was a woman I had never seen her portray before. The oversized sweaters, the glasses that sat on the edge of her nose, and the top knot she always sported were long gone. Now I was witnessing a sexy woman who wanted to give me her greatest gift. Her eyes burned with desire, and her lips were swollen from my earlier attack.

“Fuck!” I groaned and buried my face in her neck. Why was I even hesitating? If this was any other girl, I would have fucked her hard and fast and she would be on her way home, so why was I hesitating? I moaned as Ashlyn started lifting her hips and moving her body. My cock, with a mind of its own, found her hot, eager pussy, but soon I was reminded of what was at stake when I once again hit the barrier.

I pulled out quickly and slid off the bed with a huff.

As I reached the door, I twisted back to look at her. She was stunning, and seeing her in my bed, naked and glorious, was crazy to comprehend. She had gone from being a one-night stand to someone who wanted me to become a forever memory. You always remembered the person who took your virginity. Fuck, I remember exactly who took mine when I was seventeen. Did I want to be a forever memory to Ashlyn Hart?

I shook my head and rushed out of the room with only one thing on my mind.

I’d give this girl romance.

As I scrounged around the living room for candles—why the fuck Ky and I had candles was anyone’s guess—I heard movement coming from down the hall. The layout of the apartment allowed me to see into my bedroom, so I turned and saw Ashlyn sitting up on my bed, pulling on her shirt and fixing her hair.

Something in me switched as I began witnessing the loss of sassy Ashlyn, and I refused to allow her to leave. Everything about tonight had shifted, and now all I had was a carnal need to give her everything she wanted and then some.

“Do not cover yourself, Ashlyn. Lie back down, keep that shirt off, and be ready for me.” I knew I was being bossy, but I couldn’t let her leave. Her eyes shot wide, and her head whipped around to look down the hall at me. Thankfully, she wasn’t offended by my harsh tone. As if in slow motion, her hands disappeared behind her back and unclasped her bra, letting her plump tits bounce in freedom, before she slowly lay back down. Fuck me dead, she was a vision of stunning beauty. I rushed around frantically, and finally found what I was looking for.

“What are you doing?” Ashlyn asked softly, her eyes following my every move as I entered my bedroom and closed the door behind me.

Without responding, I switched off the lights, and in the darkness stumbled my way to the dresser. A glow permeated the room as I ignited three vanilla-scented candles. Her shocked gasp rang through the room, and my eyes slammed shut at the intensity of the situation. What the fuck was I doing?

“Josh.” Her voice was so delicate that it sounded like it would shatter if I didn’t acknowledge her.

I slowly turned to face her, and then crawled on the bed until my body covered hers.

“I’m not taking your virginity without giving you a little piece of romance, Ashy.”

That would be the first time I’d use her nickname, and that would be the first time she would slowly take hold of my heart.

I woke to a delicious ache throbbing between my thighs, and a heavy arm over my naked stomach. I was on my back, my legs entwined with another’s, and warm breath tickling my neck. I was completely and utterly satisfied.

My mind was alive as I reminisced about every detail of the night before. Everything was so clear and concise, and locked so tightly in my memory bank that there was no chance I’d ever forget it. I’d handed my virginity to Josh Crawford on a platter, and he took it like it was his last meal.

With a subtle move, I turned my head until I was face to face with him. His eyes were closed, leaving his long lashes to caress his cheeks, and his even breathing told me he was still in a deep sleep. The lips that had devoured every inch of my body continued to taunt me as my gaze lingered over him.

Last night, after he brought the candles into the room, he climbed onto the bed and hovered over me. I would never forget the look that filtered over his face in those few seconds before his lips fell back to mine. He looked at me like I was the most precious commodity; like I was a gem that he wanted to discover and keep for eternity. It shocked me.

Josh spent the next thirty minutes kissing and caressing my body with his fingers, hands, and mouth, until he thought I was ready. I was a panting mess. In one swift move, he pushed deep inside of me. I didn’t know what to expect. Yes, it hurt, but only for a brief moment. Then I felt my body tremble with delight, and it felt like a thousand fireworks were set off in one go.

I knew of Josh, but I didn’t know Josh. Does that make sense? I admired him from afar. He was dangerously sexy, and he’d wreaked havoc on my body and thoughts for months, even though he had absolutely no clue. His eyes reminded me of pots of melted dark chocolate, his lips were luscious, and he always had the just-got-fucked hair going on. His reputation around campus was that of a legend. I knew he slept around; I had overheard plenty of girls talking about him, and just how well-endowed he was, but that didn’t stop me. If anything, it encouraged me. The question was bound to circulate: why did Ashlyn Hart give Josh Crawford, practically a stranger, her virginity? The answer was simple: my virginity was mine to give.

I wanted spontaneity, I wanted craziness, and I wanted someone who knew what they were doing. My life had been so structured and mapped out that I wanted to be in charge for once. I wanted to make the decision. I knew their virginity was a huge deal to some people; those who waited their whole lives to find that special someone to share it with. But I was never that girl. Judge me as you will.

I slowly lifted Josh’s arm from my naked stomach and held my breath as he scrunched his face and shifted in bed. After sliding out, I stood completely naked next to him and waited. Now that would be an awkward good morning—him finding me naked and staring at him. Once he settled, I moved quickly and skirted his room, grabbing my panties, bra, jeans, and top, which Josh had thrown around. I dressed in a hurry, threw my hair into a crazy-ass bun on the top of my head, and snuck out of his room, but not before giving him one last longing look. I was free. Or so I thought.

I gasped loudly. My clutch fell from my hands and crashed to the floor as I rounded the hall and came face to face with Ky Crawford. Not only did he wear scruff better than most men, but the same could be said for the sweatpants that were hanging loosely on his hips. I knew who Ky Crawford was. Everyone knew who Ky Crawford was. He was the key witness against Jeremy Davis, who was charged and later convicted of attacking and raping Eden Rivers. He was also the guy who had been destroying himself ever since.

His head jerked up at the sound of my clutch colliding with the floor tiles, and shock covered his face as his eyes ran over me.

“I’m sorry, I was just leaving,” I said in a rush, crouching down to salvage my things while humiliation took over.

He crouched down beside me, and I cringed as he started to help pick up my lip gloss and loose change. “You stayed here?”

“Um, yes. With Josh,” I stammered, then jammed the last of my things into my clutch and rose to my feet.

“Well, fuck me,” he said, amusement hitting his words as he joined me on his feet.

The small talk was making me flustered. Two attractive Crawfords in one day was too much for any girl to endure. “Sorry to bother you. I was just leaving.”

“I’ve seen you around campus. You’re in some of Josh’s classes.” Ky stepped away and headed to the kitchen. He moved straight to the coffee maker, switched it on, then pulled two mugs from the overhead cupboard. My eyes trained on him, and when he poured two steaming-hot, freshly-brewed coffees for him and Josh, I knew I had to get out of there. To say I was shocked beyond comprehension when he handed me a mug was an understatement.

Well, this was completely weird and unexpected. I lifted the coffee to my lips and sighed as the hot liquid flooded my veins and helped push aside the exhaustion that was quickly gripping my still-humming body.

I looked at him over the top of the mug before I asked, “Do you provide coffee to all the girls your brother brings home?”

His smile replaced the confused look I saw earlier. “He never brings girls back. Consider this a celebratory coffee. I think little Josh Crawford may be growing up.”

Nervous laughter left my body as I tried to cover my shock. Josh never bought girls home, but here I was. I stammered as I said, “It’s just a one-night thing. He’ll probably never see me again.”

“You can’t be missed. I’ve seen you around campus. I’m pretty certain every man with a functioning cock has seen you.”

I choked on my coffee at his blatant disregard of subtlety. “You Crawford boys aren’t afraid to say what you really think, are you?”

“Over the past six months, I’ve learned that you just have to say what you think. Screw the consequences, because you don’t know if you’ll ever get the chance again.”

I watched as his eyes lost the sparkle and darted away from mine. Suddenly, the urge to offer this stranger comfort took over, and I decided to provide a little humor to get the sparkle back, so I took Ky’s advice and laid it out for him. “Last night your brother rocked my world and bought me pizza and beer. And now you’ve made me the best coffee I’ve ever had. I might just get used to the Crawford brothers.”

He clinked his mug against mine and smiled. “My brother would be an idiot not to keep hold of you.”

“Well, yeah, I’m clearly a catch.”

And that was the first time I thought of Josh like that.

Present day.

I SWIRLED THE GLASS of whiskey around as I sat at the bar of Delights with Duke, my high school best friend, and the guy who liked to call himself my wingman. An unnerving feeling sat in the pit of my stomach, and even the scantily-clad women around me weren’t grabbing my attention like they usually would. However, I knew I wouldn’t end the night unsatisfied.

This was our regular Friday night jaunt. We would meet up for a late dinner, and then head to Delights where we’d either stay and drink stupid amounts of Whiskey, or leave with the women each of us picked up for the night. Random pussy and high-priced liquor were my usual extra-curricular activities on the weekend, and it seemed tonight would be no different.

The moment I stepped into the bar, a petite little redhead sauntered up to me, and I knew I’d be sinking into her by the end of the night. I didn’t know what it was about women in gentlemen clubs, but for some reason they lost all of their inhibitions and started flaunting the fuck out of themselves to get your attention. It may sound like an asshole statement, but I was guaranteed to get laid.

“Man, where’s your head at?” Duke asked from beside me.

Ten days was a long time to be separated from someone you spoke to every day. Ten days of no contact from Ashlyn made me anxious. Ashlyn’s phone was always with her. She was always texting or emailing, so the fact that I hadn’t heard from her wasn’t normal.

I was not going to start divulging my thoughts about Ashlyn to someone like Duke while we were sitting at a bar surrounded by tits and pussy. Fuck that. So I did what he was expecting, I started talking about my plans for the night.

“What else would I be thinking about, asshole? I’m thinking about what I’m going to do to that redhead. Fuck, I thought she was one of the girls, but apparently she’s a bridesmaid.”

Duke diverted his gaze from mine and looked at the redhead across the bar. “Jesus Christ, you’re a lucky prick.”

I smirked into my whiskey, pleased that I seemed to distract him for now.

Call me a womanizer. Call me a male slut. Call me a man whore. I’ve heard them all before, and I know I’ll hear them again. Mom had all but given up on the idea of me settling down, and my older brother Ky liked to put shit on me about my revolving door of women.

Did I have my reasons for not wanting a relationship? Hell yes, I did. Were they common knowledge? Nope. My plan was simple: keep doing what I do. It was straight and to the point, plus my cock received regular action. What could be better?

Duke muttered something about seeing a woman who’d gotten his attention, before disappearing into the crowd, and I knew I wouldn’t see him again. I flipped my phone over in my hand as my mind headed straight back to Ashlyn. I threw back the rest of my whiskey, then swiped open my phone and clicked onto the Facebook icon. She wasn’t texting, she wasn’t calling, but there was no way Miss Facebook herself wasn’t updating her status from Australia.

I typed her name in the search bar and smiled as her overly-excited face appeared on the screen. Fuck, she was stunning to look at, with long blond hair—the type of blond that lightened in the sun—cascading down her back, eyes that were the lightest of green and twinkled every time she smiled, and her lips—fuck her lips—that were pouty, pink, and enticing. I tore my eyes from her profile picture and looked at her latest status.

Officially on vacation and ready for an adventure. #Downunder #EdenWaterMyPlants

Her page was devoid of any recent updates, and the last status was from two weeks ago, which happened to be the day before she left for Sydney. Frustration roared through me. It would seem that Miss Facebook had officially disappeared.

Even when she wasn’t in the country, she was taking up my thoughts. I had a redhead giving me yes-you-are-going-to-fuck-me eyes from across the bar, yet Ashlyn fucking Hart had decided to wiggle her way into my thoughts and make herself known.

We had our night; one that connected us, embedded her into my life, and vice versa. I took her virginity, and she was the only girl I could say that about. She gave me her innocence, something no one else would ever own, and for that I felt more connected to her than I had to anyone else. Our night was definitely one of firsts. She slept in my bed. A bed I had never shared with another woman, and I wrapped her delicious curves in my arms all night, refusing to let go. When I awoke the morning after to an empty bed, I thought that was it. I thought I’d never see her again, that it was just a one-night stand, and she had gotten what she wanted. I’ll never forget the feeling of regret that hit me at the thought of not getting her number or organizing to see her again. She was the first girl that had made me consider something so unlike me. I wanted to see her again, I was desperate to delve into that gorgeous pussy again, but the universe fucked me over. That morning was the beginning of the intense friendship Ky and Ashlyn would share. It was the morning I saw the brother I thought I’d never see again. He was laughing for the first time in a long fucking time, and it was all because of the gorgeous blond whose scent still lingered on my skin. It was then that I made a decision that has haunted me continually for the past four years.

But the past was the past, and I couldn’t let those what-ifs slip into my mind. What-ifs were worse than regrets. I could deal with regrets, because at least I tried. What-ifs were the possibilities I never had the balls to pursue.

The redhead slid onto the stool beside me, placing her hand suggestively on my upper thigh, and soon I was brought back to the now.

“You want to get out of here?” I focused my attention squarely on the redhead and decided that Ashlyn was an adult and could do whatever the hell she wanted. I had no right to her.

With a lick of her lips and a flutter of her eyes, I got my answer, and I was leaving with my entertainment for the night.

Six hours, two rounds of fucking, and a hand job later, I was sneaking out of a swanky hotel suite in the city and climbing into a cab to head home. The sky transformed into a burst of purples, with glimpses of orange. As usual, I was leaving before the awkward morning after talk, and the rejection I would cause when making it clear that I was a one-night man.

Why was I a one-night man? Because the woman who tormented my thoughts, who clawed her way into my heart, who I craved like the perfect drug, was someone I stepped away from years ago. My greatest regret, my biggest sacrifice, my ultimate temptation. The reason? It was something I held close to my chest.

As the morning sunshine beamed through the clouds and hit the inside of the cab, I rested my head on the window and sighed. Exhaustion overtook me. I was getting too old for this shit, but I knew it wouldn’t end any time soon. This was who I was. As my apartment building appeared in the distance, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

“It’s early,” I said with a groan after swiping across the screen and answering my brother’s call.

“You home?” Ky’s annoyingly alert voice echoed in my ear.

I looked at my watch as it ticked over to eight A.M.

“First, why must you call me so early? And second, it’s Saturday morning, of course I’m not home. I’m in a cab now, almost home.”

“You’ve been out on pussy patrol again? At the rate you’re going, your dick is going to fall off.”

It was far too early for this conversation. “Thanks for putting that visual in my head.”

“Tell him I’m going to find him a nice girl.”

Oh great, he had me on speaker.

I settled back into the seat and closed my eyes. Matchmaker Eden was on high alert. I loved her to death, and would do anything for her, but being set up on a blind date with a nice girl, as she so lovingly stated, was something I refused.

“You hear that? Now you’ve not only got Mom on your case, but you have Eden trying to set you up. You know what she’s like when she gets an idea in her head. You’re in trouble, little brother.”

“Christ,” I mumbled as the cab pulled up to my apartment building. “Control your woman.”

“Did he just call me woman?” Eden shrieked.

“I’m hanging up now.”

I shoved my phone into my pocket, handed the driver some cash, and stepped out of the cab. Upon entering into the foyer, I gave the building’s long-standing maintenance man an inaudible grunt hello and made my way to the elevator. A shower, a gallon of water, and my bed, would feel like winning the fucking lottery. As I made my way to the eighth floor, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my unanswered text messages. Every time I checked my phone I hoped to see Ashlyn’s name. But it was never there. Where the fuck is she?

When I finally stepped into my apartment, I was overcome with relief. I threw my keys on the coffee table and collapsed onto the couch in a heap. My head dropped into my hands, and I felt my eyes slowly begin to close. Soon enough, a headache decided to take hold. Whether it was a hangover headache, a lack-of-sleep headache, or a you’re-too-old-to-be-doing-this-shit headache, I didn’t know.

“Yep, you have the I-just-fucked-and-regret-it look all over your face.”

My heart hammered in my chest, and I swear I jumped a mile off the couch as the sound of Ky’s taunting tone hit me unexpectedly. My head flew up from the confines of my hands, and I spun around on the couch to find Ky standing in the foyer wearing a shit-eating grin that screamed pure arrogance.

Running my hands through my messy hair, I narrowed my eyes at him before I spoke. “What the hell are you doing here?”

He threw his head back and laughed, then headed into the kitchen like he owned the place. I looked at the ceiling briefly in frustration, before hurling myself off the couch and joining him. He threw me one of the bottles of water he had taken from the fridge, and I quickly opened the cap, then downed half of it in one go. The relief was immediate.

“So, why are you here at eight fucking A.M.?”

“Eden is checking on Ash’s place before we head out for breakfast. I thought I’d come check on my little brother.”

My interest immediately piqued at the mention of Ashlyn.

“Have you heard from her this week?” I probed before lifting the bottle of water to my lips and sighing in relief as the coolness flooded my throat.

“She sent an email last week when she arrived in Sydney, but that’s it. Eden hasn’t heard from her either. I still can’t believe that asshole is back in her life.”

Ky and Lachlan were friends in college after Lachlan relocated from Sydney. They were tight. Ky thought it was a perfect scenario to have Lachlan and Ashlyn dating, because he could hang out with them both. It was six months after Ashlyn and I spent the night together that she met Lachlan. They were together for two years before he left without a word, and left Ky and I had to pick up the pieces of a shattered Ashlyn. Ky cut all ties with Lachlan and vowed to destroy him if he set foot back in the states.

To say we were shocked when he recently reappeared after two years would be an understatement. Ky was furious and I was pissed off, but Eden talked Ky down from beating the shit out of Lachlan, while I watched like a hawk. Why Ashlyn decided to give him another go, I had no fucking clue. Ky, however, had developed some kind of amnesia, brought on by being completely pussy whipped by Eden, because he seemed to give them his blessing. By the time he came to his senses, it was too late. Ashlyn had already reopened herself up to Lachlan, and that was where we found ourselves today; with her and Lachlan on the other side of the world, while she completely ignored all of our calls and texts.

Knowing that Ky and Eden hadn’t heard from her either didn’t sit well with me. My stomach churned at the thought. I was about ready to suggest we jump on a plane and bring her home, but what reasoning did I have? She was with the guy she chose to be with, and who was I?