“Too late.” Her voice takes on a teasing lilt that makes my dick very, very hard. “You can’t deny it, Win. You loooooove me.”
“Oh, fuck off, Ash.”
She laughs and goddammit, I laugh too. After she digs around in her purse, she fishes out a bag from the candy store. As soon as she opens it and the car is filled with a familiar scent, I groan.
“Bought you a present, boyfriend.”
“I’m through with those things.”
“Liar. Open up.”
Annoyed, but not really able to deny them, I part my lips. She pushes a gummy bear into my mouth, her fingers exploring, just begging to get trapped between my teeth. I bite down, giving her what she wants. When I’m sure I’ve left an indentation in her flesh, I release her fingers and suck as she pulls them away. The gummy bear remains on my tongue mixed with her unique taste.
“I bought Caroline some of these too since you love them so much.” She puts one of the gummy bears in her mouth. I crave to stop at the next light, crash my lips to hers, and steal it right off her tongue.
“You bought my mother candy?”
“As a thank you. For the spa day.”
“I’m pretty sure it was meant to be a threaten-the-maid-away-from-her-rich-boy day, but whatever, Ash. You see things for what they’re not.”
She waves her middle finger in front of my face, and I have the urge to bite it. “Sure, it may have started that way, but I grew on her. I have that way about me.”
“No kidding,” I gripe. “It’s hard to get rid of you once you have your claws dug in.”
Ignoring me, she continues. “Besides, I figured her out.”
“This should be good. Please. Do tell how you figured my mother out. We’ve only been trying our entire lives.”
“Then it should be obvious to you.” She feeds me another delicious-as-fuck gummy bear. “She is like one of those crazed bears in the forest. Scary and imposing. Hackles always raised and claws bared.”
“I’m sure she’d love this comparison. Perhaps you should weave it into the conversation next time you see her.”
“Because she’s protecting her young,” she continues with a sigh. “She’s scary because she has to be. You Constantines may be terrifying bears—”
“Keaton says we’re lions,” I interject.
“Whatever. Big, scary beasts. Probably the highest on the food chain, yes?”
“Not probably. Most definitely.”
“Your arrogance is suffocating me. Can we open a window?” she deadpans and then shakes her head as though annoyed. “But it doesn’t mean you’re not hunted, Win. Everyone is out to get you. Like the Morellis or that stupid Meredith.”
Or whoever killed Dad.
I grit my teeth and nod. “So? They never succeed.”
They did with Dad.
“Doesn’t mean they won’t ever. Regardless, because of this, Caroline has to always be ready to defend you all. To protect you at all costs.”
“And how did this help you with my mother since you have it all figured out?”
“I did my best to impart to her that I’m not a threat to her children, especially you. That I’m an ally.” She feeds me another gummy bear. “Team Constantine all the way.”
“Hmm.”
“Yeah, hmm.”
“Don’t get your hopes up,” I tell her. “Mother may have been caught off guard by you.” I certainly was. “But she’ll regain her bearings and come back swinging. I hope you’re ready to have your life flayed open.”
“That happened the moment I sat on your desk and let you do filthy things to me,” she sasses back. “I have nothing to hide.” But the slight shift of her hazel eyes says otherwise.
My thoughts drift to earlier this evening after Perry and I dealt with the triplets. Nate texted me a warning, hinting that we had a mole within our ranks. He told me that if I’d ever get my head out of my ass and check her call log on her phone, maybe I’d realize this. At this point, his efforts to put a wedge between me and Ash rankles me. However, seeing the flicker of unease in Ash’s gaze has me paying attention more closely, a seed of doubt planted and growing deep in my gut.
“For the record, I didn’t do anything filthy that first day,” I say, giving my head a slight shake to clear it. “Just spent some time up close and personal getting to know a little about my investment before I went all in.”
“All in?” She grins at me. “I knew you were in love.”
“Go to hell, Cinderelliott.”
“Been there. Rode shotgun with your mean ass. Have the T-shirt.”
I gun the engine, flying past several cars before turning into a parking garage. The engine echoes like a jet taking off inside the garage. There’s an open space near the doors to the building where the restaurant is, and I whip into it. Once I park, I climb out, inhaling the lingering exhaust fumes from Perry’s orange hotrod. Ash gets out of the car and straightens her short dress before pulling her purse strap over her shoulder.