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“Ben will be fine.”
“She’s not the one I want to hurt.” Ben pointed at Ash. “My dad always hated my friendship with you. He said a Raven couldn’t be trusted. Boy was he right.”
I didn’t understand why he’d say that. I couldn’t remember my father ever saying anything bad about the Raven family, although I did get the feeling that the friendship was tenuous between our fathers. Like it was a situation of keeping your friends close, but your enemies closer. Was that why my father said he disinherit me if Ash pursued a relationship with me?
“He was so fucking right. You’ve screwed me. You’ve screwed my sister. You happy now, you asswipe?” Ben finished.
“I’m not happy, Ben. I was wrong to betray you, but my intentions with Beth were always pure.”
“God, I can’t even imagine what you’ve done to her. I remember the shit you used to say you did to your girls in college. I’m sick to my stomach to think you’ve done that to my sister.”
Ash glanced at me, probably wondering how I’d react to having his sexual history paraded in front of me.
“Ben, Ash hasn’t done anything wrong with me,” I said. “Stop making it sordid. You don’t like it. We get it. Now get over it and go to bed.”
“The club… you fucked me over the club too.”
“No. If you’d bothered to be a part of the negotiations, you’d know where that number came from. And clearly you accepted it.” Ash looked at me again. I nodded that Ben had known about and accepted the number, although he’d balked at it.
“We agreed to half.” Ben spat.
“We did. That includes half the costs of running the place, which you haven’t invested in for two years. I ate that expense, Ben. Plus, I had to hire someone to manage the place, increasing the expense. I’d be happy to give you the numbers. And if you want full half, then you owe me back some of the money I’ve funneled into the business the last two years that you haven’t.”
I closed my eyes, wishing this would all stop. “Ash, please.”
“I’m not leaving until he’s calm.”
“He won’t calm down while you’re here,” I said.
“No, don’t leave yet, Ash. I haven’t kicked your ass yet like you deserve.”
“Oh, for goodness sake, Ben. Give it a rest,” I said, getting tired of the both of them. “You pretend I’m some little delicate child, but you’re the ones who are acting childish.”
“I have every right to be pissed,” Ben said. “You know I do.”
“You can feel betrayed, but what I do with my body and with whom isn’t your business,” I said again.
“He was my fucking best friend. You don’t do that.”
“You’re a selfish ass,” Ash said to Ben. “This isn’t all about you. I get that you don’t give a fuck about me, but do you care about Beth?”
“Of course, I do.”
“About her happiness?” Ash prodded.
“You don’t make her happy. You left her. Left her high and dry. The scandal had my father shipping her off to Europe to live with our mother.”
“Scandal?” Ash looked at me.
Panic filled me, as I worried Ben would mention Hannah. “He just worried Princeton was too close to you to keep us apart, I’m sure.”
“You don’t even know the half of it…” Ben staggered back.
With his hands on his hips, Ash glared at my brother. “So, tell me, Ben. What don’t I know?”
And with that, I was sure my world was about to end.
19
Ash – Friday
I had suspected that something was up with Ben. I’d even wondered if he was sick. But I hadn’t guessed he was a drunk. Yes, he’d been quite the partier, and did enjoy imbibing at the club, but I’d rarely seen him drunk, and certainly not like this. He wasn’t just drunk; he was pissed at me.
“Ben!” Beth said so sharply, she had me jumping as well as Ben. “You’ve said enough, don’t you think?”
“He’s still here, isn’t he?”
I sighed, knowing it was a waste of time to try and reason with him, and yet, I couldn’t not make an effort. “Ben, seriously man, I regret the way all this happened. Leaving Beth. Not telling you. I know I betrayed you. You trusted me with Beth and you feel like I let you down.”
“You fucked her! Jesus you were fucking her when I walked in tonight. Even drunk, I could see that. I wish I could unsee it.”
“I never forced her. She’s a grown woman who can make her own decisions, and I’m so glad she chose me. Ben, really, it’s not just about the sex. I care for her.”
“It’s no use, Ash,” Beth said, moving in front of me to look at him. “Ben, honey, you should go to bed. I’m fine and Ash is leaving. We’ll talk more in the morning.”
