Page 51

“Please, Zarina,” he pleaded through gritted teeth, softening a little. “Please.”

I sighed, shaking my head.

For fuck’s sake.

It wasn’t Theo’s fault.

It wasn’t him that I should’ve been mad at. I knew exactly who would’ve given the order for him to bust in here, and I knew that the poor bloke probably had a hundred things he’d rather be doing than following me around.

“Fine,” I snapped, gathering my bag and drowning the last of my drink. “I’ll come with you.”

“You sure, Captain?” Bull side-eyed me.

I put my hand on his arm for a moment, nodding, and he stepped out of the way, clearing the path for me to get out of the booth.

Theo’s face was scrunched and crumpled with confusion and anger, eyes darting between me and the men.

I stopped in front of Ashe and exhaled. “Sorry,” I shrugged.

He smirked, tucking a stray hair behind my ear before letting his finger run down the side of my jaw. Every move he made was slow, calculated, even as it ran down my neck and the column of my throat, setting the nerves in my spine alight.

“It’s okay, darlin’,” he smiled that lop-sided smile. “I’ll see you later.”

“Likefuckyou will.” Theo stabbed a finger in his direction.

Ashe’s eyes lifted from mine to Theo’s, head tilting to the side.

“You don’t get to make that decision, mate.”

“Yes. I do, actually.” Theo huffed. “So why don’t you just leave her alone?”

Ashe exhaled one beat of stirring, antagonistic laughter.

“Why don’t you fuckingmakeme?”

Bull’s hand was around my bicep after that, tugging me out of the crossfire as Theo closed the space between him and Ashe in a long stride.

Ashe didn’t flinch though, and stayed planted with his arms crossed around his chest. They were basically nose to nose, chest to chest, sizing one another up and seeing who would back down first.

“Enough!” The woman behind the bar shouted.

Ashe’s jaw ticked, but he didn’t move.

“I won’t have tomakeyou.” It was Theo’s turn to laugh, finally taking a step back and shaking his head. “Don Antoni will deal with you himself.”

“Ah,” Ashe nodded now, chuckling as he sat lazily back down in the booth and sprawled out. “Well do tell him that I look forward to a visit. If he wants my address, he can get it off his sister,” he motioned towards me with a jut of his chin.

“Ashe,” I warned, but had to press my lips together to stop from laughing.

“Vikki,” Ashe motioned with a raised hand to the woman behind the bar. “A bottle of Captain Morgan for the lady, please.”

I arched a brow.

“Just in case,” he added in a whisper with a wink in my direction.

“What the hell are you doing?” Theo frowned, shaking his head in confusion as the woman quickly brought me a brand new bottle of Captain Morgan rum.

“Hey,” Ashe put his hands up in mock surrender. “Happy wife, happy life, right?”