Page 62 of Crave Me

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” she told him, trying to be discreet as she raked her gaze all over him.

“Damn, I guess that’s it for me then.”

“No. Not at all.”

“What?” Damien asked, surprised that she wasn’t going to dismiss him from his bad rep.

“Yeah, I mean, talk and rumors rarely match who people actually are. The three of us know that all too well, after all.”

“Damn, you’re something,” Damien said, drinking her in.

I rolled my eyes and redirected, telling her, “Thanks for coming, Ashley. I’m doing well, getting better.”

“Shit, I’m glad. I was so worried. It was all over the news… God.” She reached into her purse and held something out to me. “I got you this for while you’re getting better to take away the boredom and stuff. It’s one of those RPG games you like. This one is called Kingdom Come.”

I reached out and took it. “Perfect. This is really thoughtful.”

“What are friends for, right?” she said, smiling in that bright way of hers. “Besides, it’s the least I could do after how you helped me out with Billy.”

“Billy?” Damien asked, seeming far too curious.

“My ex.”

“Fucker hurt you?”

“A little. It would’ve been worse if Sebastian hadn’t shown up.” She smiled. “And his ninja girlfriend.”

“Ninja girlfriend,” Damien chuckled. “She’ll love that.”

Yeah, she would.

I frowned. How did he know that?

“So, I have a fitting to get to, but I wanted to make sure I dropped by and saw for myself that you were okay,” Ashley told me.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling out at her. “I’ll see you at group again soon.”

“Good. It’s not the same without you there.”

“Of course it’s not, Seb has a real presence about him,” Damien said.

“Well, it must run in the family then,” Ashley told him.

“Yeah?”

She looked him up and down. “Oh, definitely.”

They grinned at each other.

Then an awkwardness descended, and she waved nervously, then turned to go.

Damien just stood there watching her walk away.

Jesus Christ. “Get her number,” I whispered to him.

He bolted forward. “Ashley?”

She spun around and they almost collided. If it hadn’t been for his quick reflexes, they likely would have. “What’s up?”

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