I knew reaching out to her again was futile, so I walked away towards the TV which Rory had turned down. Ash raised her head and looked around the room, her eyes landing on my quiet friend who’d seated himself in one of the armchairs. Her feet moved and before anyone could say a word, she was by his side. Rory didn’t stop her from sitting on the arm of the chair, nor her reaching for his hand and lacing their fingers together.
I blinked. Rory had never readily accepted human contact from another person without flinching or putting up a fight.
Has she done the impossible and brought him out of himself finally?
It didn’t matter right now. I had things to explain. Ones I wasn’t looking forward to.
“I’m just going to get straight to the point. The reason we were able to gain access to Russo’s party that night was because your mother helped us. She asked us to take you away from Frank.”
Ash was silent for a long moment, looking between the four of us like we’d thrown her under a bus.
“Why would she… how did she… I don’t understand. She told me to stay away from you that night.”
I frowned. Perhaps she said it to put Ash off the scent.
“She made us a deal via Nate after she found out he was a double agent by accident. She said she wanted you safe from Frank and I didn’t ask why, but now we know. You’re not Frank’s. The only reason we were able to take you from right under his nose was due to your mother facilitating it.”
I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated I even had to reveal this shit to her. We’d kept too much from her, but then again, we didn’t know back then she would be on our side.
“What I don’t know is why she went to Russo and told him where you were. Perhaps since I refused to let her speak to you, or maybe when she sent Viktor, he told her we were together. She’s why we had to go through that shit at the casino.”
Ash looked down at her lap. She still had her hand in Rory’s. He was stroking his thumb down hers.
“Why did you tell Nate to tell her you know the truth about me?”
I took a step towards her, unable to help myself. She looked so damn lost.
“To see what she would do. So maybe I could get the answers you seek from her. The whys and the hows.”
Her eyes flicked up to mine as she raised her head.
“You… I thought… oh. You did it for me.”
“I don’t like to deny you things, little girl. I love you and I want you happy.”
She rubbed her face.
“I don’t know what to do… she could betray me if I ask Viktor to keep her safe or she could die if I send her back to Frank. Neither of those outcomes are what I want. No matter what she’s done, I don’t want her dead. Frank has to die, but Isabella doesn’t. She’s not expendable. Not to me.”
Deep down, Ash knew what she had to do.
“You won’t get your answers if she returns to Russo. If Isabella leaves him, he’ll look weaker than ever. It’s a risk, but one that might be worth taking. I won’t tell you what choice to make, Ash. She’s your mother.”
As much as I disliked the woman, I respected Ash enough to leave the decision up to her. She didn’t have much choice when it came to Russo, but I had no real beef with Isabella other than her willingly throwing her own daughter to the wolves. I didn’t want my little girl getting hurt any further.
Ash tugged her phone out her coat pocket, which she hadn’t taken off when they came in. She fiddled with it before placing it to her ear.
“Hello… Sorry it took so long… No, I had to come home from the hospital… I want you to keep her safe. I have questions for her… Yeah… Okay, can I call you tomorrow and we’ll arrange something?” She shifted on the arm of the chair, clearly uncomfortable by the conversation. “Okay, yes… Goodnight, Viktor.”
She lowered her phone from her ear and stared hard at me.
“I hope I haven’t made a mistake.”
I closed the distance between us and cupped her face.
“We’ll deal with it either way, little girl.”
She sighed before she looked behind me at Eric and Xav, who were both still hovering by the door. I turned, dropping my hand and narrowing my eyes. Both of them looked like they’d done something wrong. I was instantly suspicious.
“What happened at the hospital?”
“Julian has a pulmonary embolism, blood clot in the lung. They’re treating him for it there for the next five days,” Xav said, rubbing his chest with one hand.
“So he’s going to be okay?”
“We think so…”
He looked away and Eric shifted on his feet, clearly uncomfortable.
“What are you two not telling me?”
I felt Ash’s hand on my arm.
“Julian knows who I am.”
Tension radiated down my body at an alarming pace. I stepped out of Ash’s hold because I wasn’t angry with her, I was fucking pissed off with Xav and Eric. They were meant to take care of her. That was the fucking agreement. The only reason I let her go with them was their promise to protect her and keep her well away from Xav’s psychotic father.
“You let Julian see her? You promised me you would take care of her. You fucking well promised.”
“We didn’t let Julian see her on purpose,” Eric said with a scowl. “It happened because Viktor called her so don’t you start with me or Xav over it.”
I took another step towards them, my ire growing.
“You put her in danger.”
Xav sighed and clenched his fists.
“Julian forced me to let him meet her properly. He knows why we have her… and about our relationship. Plus I have to fucking well be there for
