Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Ash’s eyes came to the camera again, and I saw the desperate plea in them before he managed to shutter it.
“You know what she’s after, Ash. Figure out how to give it to her fast, and I’ll get you outta there.”
“Thank you,” she said softly, looping her arm around his. “I realized something this morning as I was picking out my dress.”
“Oh? What was that, darlin’?”
“I don’t know what your favorite color is!”
Ash laughed and glanced down at her blue silk dress. “Lucky for me, you wore it.”
“Say it, Ash,” I growled.
“I love blue,” he added quickly.
“Really? That’s amazing! It’s my favorite, too.”
“Just keep talking now that you’re holding the purse,” I instructed him. “As soon as you’ve given her all the sounds she needs for the voice key, I’ll page you for an emergency.”
He gave me an almost imperceptible nod, then launched into what was probably the longest conversation he’d ever had. Other than in the courtroom, Ash was a man of few words. But Cynthia needed a passphrase recorded in Ash’s voice to get into his servers. She had a tech guy on the payroll, and he’d told her all she needed was the specific sounds, and he could piece them together to fool the lock.
“Just a few more. Try to fit bench, moon, trigger, and warrant into your answers. That will give her everything.”
“That should be easy,” Wizard said drolly.
“Not fucking helping,” I muttered.
Ash managed to get in a couple of those words, then found others that would give her the final sounds she needed.
I sighed. “Got it. Give me five minutes.”
After making a quick call, I began cleaning up the equipment we’d brought to the suite so we could tap into the surveillance at the hotel where the fundraiser was being hosted.
“Elias Prescott?”
I glanced at the monitor to see one of the waitstaff standing in front of Ash, wringing his hands and giving him a sympathetic frown.
“Yes?”
“Sir. I’m…I’m so sorry to have to tell you. The hospital just called. Your father…he collapsed, and they’re rushing him into surgery. Your mom is asking for you.”
Ash’s brow slammed down, and he quickly handed Cynthia her bag before digging his phone out of his pocket. “Dammit. I turned it off.”
He looked at Cynthia, who was wearing a mask of horror and sympathy.
“Darlin’, I—”
“No! No!” she said with an understanding smile. “Go. I’ll be absolutely fine. Go be with your mother.”
“I—” He shook his head. Then he squeezed her hand and whispered, “Thank you.”
Wizard started a slow clap as Ash rushed out of the ballroom.
I rolled my eyes. “I’d be gone when he gets here if I were you.”
He grinned and continued helping me pack up.
“My dad in the hospital?” Ash scoffed as he stormed into the room, yanking off his bow tie. “You couldn’t have come up with anything better? Do you know how fucking hard it was to pretend I cared?”
I shrugged. “Best I could think of to get you out fast while making sure she knew you wouldn’t be home tonight. In an hour, send her a text to check in and let her know you’ll be there for at least twenty-four hours.”
“And if she calls the hospital?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at me.
“What? You think we’re new at this shit?”
Ash deflated. “Right.”
We’d set up a “private hospital” where Cynthia would be able to call and check on his dad’s condition. There was even an address in case she decided to take it that far. It was guarded by a couple of our enforcers, dogs, and an electric fence. For the privacy of the patients, of course.
Ash’s dad was actually on a ship with some donors who’d lost power and communication for the moment. It would probably be repaired by morning…assuming things went as we expected tonight.
Ash stripped out of the tux and pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Then he turned to Wizard with a scathing expression. “You and I need to have a talk, brother? Because if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to get your ass handed to you.”
“He’s just trying not to think about the woman who won’t give him the time of day,” I answered.
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” Wizard groused as he closed up the last case and put it on the trolley we used to cart it up from our van.
“Violet and I have no secrets. You think she doesn’t know what’s going on with you and Thea?”
“We’re not talking about this,” he barked before slamming open the door and pushing the cart through it.
“Touchy,” Ash joked.
“Talk to me when you’re dealing with your own stubborn woman,” I replied.
He scoffed. “Not gonna happen.” He pointed at the tux balled up on the floor. “You, King, and Blaze got fucking lucky. Probably have the only three sane women in the world.”