Page 85 of Beyond Rosy Irish Twilight

“What do you want?”

“I don’t know. I’m happy with you.”

His shoulders stiffened as he stared at me. “Do you not want me going after your father?”

“I don’t want something bad to happen. You’re all doing illegal stuff and I’m scared that it’s all going to blow up in my face. After what’s already happened, I don’t think I could handle it if something went wrong.”

He sighed heavily and pulled me into his arms. I could easily sink into his touch as if we had been together for years. From the very start, I felt safe in his arms. I didn’t want to risk losing that.

“I can’t just walk away, Jade. What I do is bad, but there are men out there selling women and children. I can’t let that continue. It’s gotta stop.”

“But you can’t stop everyone.”

“No, but I can try to help. That’s why I signed onto this job. If I back out now, we’ll never be safe. Your father has connections that we could never run from. The only way to get out alive is to end this.”

I closed my eyes, hating his answer. It made sense, but I didn’t want to think there was no way out for us. “How long will it take?”

He was silent for a long time, and that was all the answer I needed. We might never get out of this. And the longer we were entangled in this mess, the less likely it was we’d come out unscathed.

31

ASHER

I didn’t like walking back into Ambrose’s house with Jade, especially knowing what he’d done to her. But we needed to keep up appearances for the time being. I had a plan in place that would possibly make things more difficult for Jade now, but in the end would help us achieve our goals faster.

I nodded to the guard at the door as we headed inside. With my arm wrapped possessively around Jade’s waist, she looked more like a trophy that I refused to let go, and she played the part well. For as long as possible, I wanted Ambrose to think that I was taking care of her, but had no real feelings for her. Distance between us would keep up the appearance that I was more interested in business.

“I’m going to see my mom,” Jade whispered as Ambrose walked into the hallway to greet us.

“We’re not staying long,” I said in a commanding tone.

Ambrose’s eyes showed with approval, not that I gave a shit about what he deemed right. He could shove it up his ass, and I couldn’t wait for the day I would take him down and make Jade forget he ever existed. No matter what she felt, I wasn’t about to let her go anytime soon. We were married for better or worse, and that would last for the rest of our lives.

“Asher,” Ambrose said, watching his daughter walk up the stairs. “Why don’t we talk in my study.”

It was a command, made clear when he turned around without another word. His guard stepped up beside me, as if he would usher me there himself if I didn’t move. I glared at the man and followed my scumbag father-in-law down the hall.

“So, you called this meeting,” he said as he sat behind his desk. “What’s on your mind?”

“I want to move forward with our plans.”

“And what about the threat? Have you neutralized it?”

“Not yet, but we’re getting close.”

“What makes you think now is the time to move?”

I shifted in my chair. I’d discussed this with the guys last night, and we’d come up with numerous ways to handle this particular situation. But this was the easiest way to move our plan forward.

“I want to draw out the threat. We have reason to believe that since the attacks were on Jade that this has to do with you. A show of power between the two of us is the best way to protect both our organizations.”

“And my daughter,” he added.

I purposely left that part off, but nodded. “Of course.”

He leaned back in his chair and studied me for a moment. “And who do you think this threat is coming from?”

“Based on the fact that Jade tried to inform on you, I’d say that it’s Ebarardo Zavala.”

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