Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 100680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“Really, don’t worry. I’ll sort it all out.”
“But I’d be happy to help—”
“Leave it, Aston,” he said firmly, looking annoyed. “Thank you.”
She closed her mouth. Right. She got it. This wasn’t any of her business. And this is what she got for sticking her head out.
Should have just minded her own business.
She knew there wouldn’t be a hint of hurt on her face. She’d learned a long time ago not to show any pain.
All that did was enable someone to use your pain against you.
Instead of arguing, she turned on her heel and headed back to her desk.
All she had to do was let this go.
Easy-peasy.
When she reached her desk, she groaned inwardly to find Gretchen leaning against it. Gretchen was Dayton’s spoilt, slightly selfish daughter. She was a real estate agent who worked for her dad, marketing and selling his residential construction projects.
Why was Gretchen here? It wasn’t like they were friends. Aston couldn’t have friends. They could make you vulnerable.
And it put them at risk. She couldn’t put other people at risk.
She was trying to be a better person.
However, Gretchen just didn’t like to hear the word, no. Her dad doted on her, so she was used to getting her own way.
What would it be like to have a parent who actually cared about you?
“Hi, Gretchen.”
“Aston, where have you been? I’ve been waiting ages.”
Gretchen tended to exaggerate.
“Sorry, just checking something with your dad.”
Gretchen waved her hand in the air. “Whatever. I need you to come out with me this weekend.”
“Um, what?”
“Come on, it will be fun. We’ll go to Glory.”
Glory?
“Isn’t that the nightclub that Maxim Malone owns?” Aston asked as if she didn’t know the answer. Because once she’d known his name, she’d looked him up online.
“Yep. It’s the hottest club in the city. And Maxim Malone is the most eligible bachelor in the state. LadyB did a whole article on him last month.”
Yeah, she’d seen that too.
LadyB was a gossip website that Gretchen loved. Last time Aston had looked at it, she’d thought it seemed kind of bitchy and rude.
“I’d love to be on her gossip column,” Gretchen said with a strange light in her eyes. “I’ll see if I can get us some passes. No way am I lining up to get in”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to get some, you know so many people. But I’m not sure that I—”
“You’re right. I’ll figure it out and be in touch. Bye!”
She walked off before Aston had the chance to tell her that she didn’t actually want to go.
Drat.
So much for that backbone.
Gracen’s gasp of horror made him wince.
Awesome. Now Maxim was going to be in trouble with Victor for upsetting his girl.
“What happened?” she asked as she moved toward him, her hand rising as though to touch his face before she seemed to think better of it.
Victor’s girl was a sweetheart. Kind and caring, she was almost the opposite of his largest brother. Victor was enormous. He used to get into the boxing ring regularly and win. Most people were terrified of him, either due to his size or the reputation he’d earned as Regent’s enforcer.
But when it came to Gracen, he was a complete marshmallow.
“Would it help if I said you should see the other guy?” he asked with a grin.
She glared at him. “No, it would not. Did you get into a fight? Who hit you?”
“You gonna beat them up for me, little sister?” he teased. “Defend my honor?”
“You think I won’t?” She scowled up at him, her hands on her hips as she tapped her foot. “Explain.”
“What’s going on out here?” Victor walked into the foyer from the kitchen. His gaze went to his girl first, taking in her agitation. Then he moved his gaze to Maxim. “Why are you upsetting Gracen?”
“I’m not upsetting Gracen,” he said as he stepped into the house. The house he’d grown up in.
Fuck, he’d hated this place when his father was alive. It had been cold and terrifying.
It hadn’t gotten much better if he was honest. The only reason he came here was because of his family.
He didn’t know how Regent could stand living here. But he knew that part of it was tradition.
The head of the Malone family had always lived here.
“He is!” Gracen countered.
Maxim gaped at her. “Are you trying to get me killed? I thought you liked me.”
Victor strode toward him, a scowl on his face. “What did you do?”
Fuck!
“Nothing! I didn’t do anything!”
Gracen stepped between them, and Victor glanced down at her, his whole body softening.
“Baby, out of the way. I need to give him a beating for upsetting you.”
“No, you don’t. I’m upset because someone hit him and he won’t tell me who!” Gracen said.
“What happened?” Regent walked into the foyer and Maxim sighed.
“I knew I should tell you all that I was sick,” he muttered. Only, then he would have missed out on Gerald’s cooking and Gracen’s dessert. He knew she would have made him his favorite.