Page 25 of Senator

I opened my liquor cabinet, poured two fingers of scotch and handed the glass to Ashur. Yes, it was the ass crack of dawn, but this was a heated situation.

“You’re still in love with her.”

He threw back the alcohol and set the tumbler on the island. “I don’t know.”

“Liar.”

He snorted. “Maybe.”

“I say more than maybe.”

He remained quiet for a few seconds, staring at the open door, and then said, “Do me a favor.”

“What?” I folded my arms and stared at him. “I’m not kicking Tara out of my house.”

“Go check on her.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “I…she was right. I’m a bastard. She didn’t…” He paused and blew out a deep breath. “Go make sure she’s okay.”

“Ash, you’re a good guy, no matter what you want people to believe.”

“Keep that information between us. I have a reputation to uphold.”

I nodded and left the room to find Tara.

As I passed the library, I heard the distinct sound of sniffles. I paused and quietly opened the door. Tara stared toward the river through the open balcony doors. Tears gleamed in her eyes, but there was also a hard edge to her face.

It was unusual to see the woman known as the Commander in her international work as anything but poised and always in control of her emotions. Ashur shouldn’t have made it sound like she used him to land a bigger fish. He was hurting, and Tara was the collateral damage.

“Tara. Are you okay?” I walked up and took a seat beside her.

She shook her head. “I’ve faced the worst of humanity and negotiated against the most hardened of criminals without flinching or letting their opinions or actions wound me. And here I am, letting a few choice words from someone who I left years ago make me feel like I’m a selfish, self-centered whore.”

“Ashur is a hard man. He had to be, with a father like his. But he’s a good guy.”

“It doesn’t excuse his behavior.”

“You’re right. But there is a lot of history you have no clue about.”

“Believe me, I know. I’m part of it.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. The wounds both Tara and Ashur nursed still festered, and I was the last person to give advice. My love life was a mess of its own.

“Maybe coming down this weekend was a bad idea. I should have expected Ashur to make an appearance. Especially after I stood him up in New York. I didn’t have the stamina to handle any meetings after the fallout from the No Bride project.”

Well hell, I was a dumbass. I should have suspected that Tara was the one who missed the meeting with Ashur. The tension between them was wrapped in way more than past hurts.

“I’d hoped that after all these years if we ever met again…” she paused, “…we could move past what happened when we were kids. I guess I was completely wrong. Seeing him hurts so much, Jaci. I’m thirty years old and haven’t gotten over the pain of something that happened when I was eighteen.”

“I’m glad you’re here. Sam and I missed you. Plus, you needed the break before you collapsed from saving the world.”

“What good are all my efforts if people constantly remind me of how I fucked up?”

“If it makes you feel better, you’re the only person I’ve ever seen who ruffles Ashur’s feathers, and I’ve known him for almost fifteen years.”

Ashur was hard and ruthless when it came to his business dealings. He kept his emotions under a close-fitting grip, which made him seem like a cold, calculating bastard. He used this persona to his advantage, letting others make their opinions of him.

She gave a tight smile and continued to gaze at the river.

“He never came after me, Jaci. He believed the crap his father told him. He should have known I was lying when I said that I’d never loved him. He never questioned why one minute I was head over heels for him and the next I was walking out the door. What was I supposed to do? I either left Ashur or let Minesh Kumar destroy my family. He’s a billionaire. My parents are simple middle-class people who couldn’t afford to lose their careers.”

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