Page 51 of The Devils of Saint City

I nod in agreement, because I’m far too gone to argue. “What do I even say?”

“The truth, maybe?” He brushes her hair out of her face again, staring down at her. “That somewhere along the line we got in too deep, but if she’s willing, we want to start over.”

He’s right. To be fair, he almost always is, and yet he deals with my asshole, hard-headed ways anyway. I don’t know why he sticks around, but I’m thankful for him. “Okay.”

It’s all I got, and I know he won’t judge me for it.

“Can you, though? Can you start over?”

I wish I could say yes with my whole chest, but so far all I’ve done is fumble. “I want to try.”

“She’s gonna want shit from us, I’m sure. There’s no way shit stays the same and she just agrees to be happy about it.”

Her body starts kicking me out and I try to shove back in, but it’s no use. She’s too damn tight. “Can you take point on that conversation?”

“I can, but she’ll never believe you mean it unless you’re the one who says it.”

Fuck.

I knew he’d say that, and I know he’s right. Doesn’t make it any easier though.

I lean in to kiss her lips one more time, then inhale her delicious scent right under her ear. I don’t know if I’ll ever be what she needs, but something inside me is begging me to try.

Maybe it’s time I listen.

20

Manson

I shouldn’t feel so hopeful about the things Ash admitted, but I can’t help it. I think this is where the tide turns in all of our favor, but we have to go about it the right way. He’s not just going to apologize and treat her better because the sun rose the next morning, he’s going to need a push.

Without talking myself out of it, I make my way out of my room toward hers. If I can convince her to be sweet for a couple of days, there’s no way he doesn’t step up and prove to her he can be better, but if she snaps at him at every opportunity, he’ll cling to that mask he wears and pretend he’s unfazed. He’ll be the same asshole he’s been their whole relationship, and while I know it isn’t on her to kiss his ass, I know a little sugar goes a long way with that dick.

I’m in the middle of arguing with myself about what to bribe her with when I overhear her talking on the phone.

With one of her fucking clients.

It’s clearly the older one she told us about, the widower I’m supposed to have sympathy for because Rhea does, but all I feel is rage at the fact that she’s being overly sweet with another man.

“I love you.”

“I miss you.”

“It’s been too long.”

Blah blah blah.

She’s never spoken to us in such a soft, loving tone, and while I can admit that is allourfault, it still stings like a slap across the cheek.

She may never feel this way about us, but I can’t have her feeling this way about someone else either. She’s ours.

Asher’s door opens a second before I barge in there, and the look on his face tells me he overheard some of those sweet sentences as well, only he immediately tries to erase the murderous expression he was wearing.

So she doesn’t overhear us, I shove him back into his room and follow him in.

“How long have you been eavesdropping?”

“Probably as long as you,” I snap.

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