I almost laughed.
Three of us? It’s five of us.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“I could if you tell me.”
I shook my head. No one would understand. Not really. How could they? We just worked and that was that.
“It’s all of us. All of us and her. Make of that what you will.” I sighed, hating I even had to admit this to him. “Is that enough? Are you going to keep your mouth shut?”
“What reason would I have to tell a soul?”
I turned around and glared at him.
“You have every fucking reason. As if you give a shit about what happens to me. You’d sell your own fucking soul if you had one.”
He smiled at me in that fucking manic way of his. It made my skin crawl.
“If you look at my record, I’m an exemplary prisoner. No fights. No trouble. I have no interest in involving myself in the petty squabbles of the world outside. And I have no reason to reveal your secrets either.”
I gritted my teeth.
Liar.
“What else do you want?”
No fucking way that was it. No fucking way at all.
“I want you to be here during my cancer treatment. This is the first time I’ve been outside the prison walls in twelve years. The only reason you’re here is because you feel obligated to be. Well, let that obligation extend further.”
I clenched my fist.
“And what else?”
“Let me meet the girl properly.”
Quinn was going to crucify me. As if I had a choice in the matter now. Taking any chances when it came to Julian was too much of a risk.
“Fine.”
His smile grew wider. I hated him for it. Hated everything about the man lying in that hospital bed. That’s when Eric appeared around the curtain.
“We need to go. Like right now.”
He looked a little stressed and I knew something had happened. Something involving Ash and Viktor.
“Where’s Ash?”
“Here.”
“Bring her in.”
Eric’s eyes widened, eyebrows shooting up.
“Why?”
“I’ll explain later, just bring her in… please.”
I hated myself for this. Would Ash understand? Would she forgive me for having to put her in Julian’s path?
Eric disappeared for a moment before reappearing with Ash. She looked nervous and unsure of herself. I put my hand out to her and she came willingly.
“Angel… this is Julian… Julian, this is Ash.”
She looked up at me, her face full of confusion, but then she turned to Julian and gave him a nod.
“Hello Julian.”
Eric’s gaze burned into me. As if I had a fucking choice here. I had no choice at all.
“Come closer, love, let me see you.”
I almost growled at his words. She was not his fucking love. She was mine. I wrapped an arm around her, my possessiveness of my girl overriding my common sense. Ash looked up at me again, those blue eyes telling me it was fine. Could I love this girl any more than I already did? She slipped out from under my arm and moved a little closer to Julian, her steps cautious.
Julian looked her over, his eyes gleaming. It made me want to fucking deck him. Ash was ours. Fucking ours. Jesus, I sounded like Quinn and his possessive bullshit. What the hell had gotten into me? It had to be Julian. He set me on edge.
“I see why those boys can’t stay away. I bet you keep them on their toes.”
That was fucking it. I closed the distance between me and Ash, pulling her away and shoving her at Eric. Julian didn’t get to leer over my fucking woman like she was fair game. I’d never allow him within three feet of her ever again. Never a-fucking-gain.
“There, you’ve met her. Happy now?”
He gave me a sharp nod.
“Don’t forget, I expect you to attend my treatments.”
“I know,” I gritted out. “We have to go.”
I didn’t let Eric or Ash say goodbye, dragging them out of the ward with me after nodding at the guards. If either of Ash or Eric wanted to say anything, they didn’t. I think they realised I was seriously pissed off and how much seeing Julian had affected me.
When we got in the car, I sat in the back and looked out the window with Ash next to me whilst Eric drove.
“What the fuck was that about?” he asked after a few minutes.
“It’s called blackmail, E. Did you forget what Julian is like?”
I could see him shaking his head.
“Quinn’s going to kill us.”
We could only hope for a quick and painless death, but knowing Quinn, that would never happen. He’d draw it out nice and slow.
“Too fucking right he is. What’s the rush, anyway?”
“We’ll talk about it when we get back,” Ash put in.
I eyed her for a moment. She looked tense and her eyes betrayed her inner turmoil. What the fuck had happened between her and Viktor? There was no point asking since she’d tell all when we got back.
What a fucking shitshow this day had turned out to be. I couldn’t wait for it to be fucking done, but something about the way Eric and Ash were acting told me it was a long time before any of us would be getting any sleep.
Fuck.
Chapter 3
The moment Ash, Eric and Xav walked into the house, the atmosphere darkened. It was like a black cloud hanging over the three of them as they trudged into the living room where Rory and I were. I stood up immediately and went over to Ash. She looked like she might break apart any second.
“Little girl,” I breathed as I crushed her against my chest and buried my face in her hair. “Please believe me when I tell you I’m sorry and I love you.”
She stiffened.
“Why are you apologising?”
“You won’t like what I have to say.”
She pulled back, her eyes narrowing.
“Today has already been one fucked up mess. Are you going to make it worse?”
“Probably.”
Ash stepped away from me and looked at her feet.
“Get on with it then, I need to get back to Viktor even though I have no
