Page 37 of Moonlit Thorns

My stomach bottoms out. He holds my gaze, not looking guilty or repentant.

I know who Madeline Ridgeway is. Everyone in the state knows. She’s a gorgeous socialite who could have easily been a model and is often photographed on the arm of the most rich and powerful men in the country.

And now she’s going on a date with Asher this Friday.

Tears prick the corners of my eyes. I hate that he can probably see them, but he doesn’t react. Probably thinks I deserve them for being so stupid as to think there could ever be anything between us—even if it was purely sexual.

“I’ll make sure she knows.” My voice sounds hollow to my ears.

He nods then stands from his desk and leaves the office.

We don’t talk much the rest of the week, and when we do, it’s strictly work-related. I’ve erected my own walls and am cold whenever I have to deal with him, but he either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care.

When he leaves the office an hour early on Friday, telling me he has to go get ready for his evening out, I want to stab him in his eye with my pen, but instead, I smile and tell him that I hope he has a good time.

Once he’s left the room, I silently scream and fall back into my chair, defeated.

He knew. He knew if we messed around, I wouldn’t be able to handle it, and I hate that he’s right. Jealousy seethes inside me at the thought of him doing to Madeline Ridgeway what he did to me in the middle of that maze.

For the next hour, I do my best to focus on work and not on where Asher Voss might be sticking his dick tonight, but it’s near impossible. When my workday is done, I can’t get out of there fast enough. All I want is to go have a nice hot bath in my room and relax while I read my latest book. Escaping into a fictional happily ever after sounds perfect because I’m clearly not close to finding my own.

After I stand, I push my chair into my desk and stomp toward the door, whipping it open and plowing into a hard chest. I stumble back, blinking and looking up at Asher dressed in a tuxedo.

Damn it. I did not need this visual to add to my jealous musings this weekend. He might look better than I’ve ever seen him. His hair is slicked back, he smells divine, and he oozes power and sex appeal. Madeline is going to be all over him tonight, I have no doubt.

“I forgot my phone on my desk.” His gravelly voice does something to my insides. But then I remember that she’ll be the one hearing it tonight, not me.

“Better grab it then. Don’t want to be late for your date.” I push past him and out of the office.

Screw him. I won’t allow Asher Voss to hurt me ever again.

Chapter

Eighteen

ANABELLE

The moment I’m permitted to leave Midnight Manor, I do, driving past the iron gates as they slowly swing open.

I know that tonight is the night all the expensive cars stream through town and onto the manor grounds, and weeks ago, I had debated sticking around to see if I could suss out what was going on, but after everything that happened this week, I’m no longer interested. In fact, I’ve decided I don’t give a shit what Asher Voss is up to. I don’t even want to think about the man at all.

Tonight, I need some good news. I want to go home and see if my mother has made any progress in the past week. Maybe the shock of my father’s death is finally wearing off, and she’s ready to deal with her grief.

I pull up to the estate and rush inside, out of the June heat. It’s not terrible yet, but I sigh when the cool air greets me.

“Hello?” I call.

“In here,” Luke answers from the kitchen, which is weird because he’s never been known to cook a meal in his life.

I find him sitting on the counter, sipping a beer by himself.

“Where is everyone?” I ask.

“Grandmother is visiting with a friend. She said to apologize that she missed you but that her friend is only in town for the weekend.”

I wave him off. It’s no big deal. I actually think it’s good that she’s getting out rather than being cooped up here all the time. Before my father passed, she was a social butterfly.

“And Mom?”

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