Rush(74)
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded, too shaken, too wrecked to say anything at all. Anything she said wouldn’t make a bit of sense anyway.
He opened the door and got out and a moment later came around to open hers.
“You’re staying over again,” he said as they walked toward the entrance.
It wasn’t a request, but there was none of the usual arrogance in his voice. He said it matter-of-factly as though there were no other conceivable possibility. But then he looked at her, and brief uncertainty—so brief she wasn’t even sure if that was what she saw—flashed in his eyes.
But she nodded, confirming his dictate.
“Of course I’ll stay,” she said softly.
They rode up the elevator and as they stepped off, he pulled her back against him, using his body to block the doors.
“Wait for me in bed,” he said in a husky voice. “I won’t be too late.”
She leaned up and brushed her mouth across his lips. “I’ll wait.”
There was immediate satisfaction in his eyes. Then he nudged her forward and stepped back into the elevator so the doors could close.
chapter twenty-two
Not surprisingly, the venue for drinks was at Rick’s in Midtown, a popular gentlemen’s club where Gabe, Ash and Jace were regular visitors. Jace and Ash were already there when Gabe strode into their VIP suite, and there were two waitresses flirting heavily with Jace and Ash. Their gazes immediately snapped to Gabe, interest flaring in their eyes.
He dismissed them with a glance, tersely ordered his drink, and they scurried away.
“Bad day?” Ash asked when Gabe took his seat.
He wanted to laugh. Bad day didn’t begin to cover it. It was one for the record books. He didn’t think twice about sharing. Jace and Ash were the only two people he ever trusted with anything personal.
Gabe grimaced. “Dad came to the office today wanting lunch.”
“Shit,” Jace muttered. “Sorry, man. I know that sucks. How’s your mom doing anyway?”
“I had dinner with her over the weekend. Had to drag her into the city. She’s been at that monstrosity of a house licking her wounds. I’d even thought to talk her into selling the house and moving into an apartment in the city. Though I guess that’s probably not going to happen now.”
Ash lifted an eyebrow. “Why?”
Gabe let out a long breath. “Dad’s decided he fucked up and he wants Mom back. That was the reason for lunch today.”
“Holy shit,” Ash said.
Jace frowned. “What the fuck? He’s fucked his way through half the gold diggers in Manhattan. What is he thinking?”
“According to him he didn’t fuck any of them and they didn’t mean anything.”
Ash rolled his eyes. “Wow. That’s the lamest line in the book.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Jesus, your day did suck,” Jace muttered. “First your dad and then Lisa.”
“Yeah. Mom’s been blowing up my phone bitching about all the women my dad’s been seen with. Now she’ll be blowing up my phone over Dad’s latest brain fart.”
“You want them back together?” Ash asked curiously.
“I never wanted them apart,” Gabe said in a dark tone. “I have no idea what the hell possessed my dad. It sounds like total bullshit when he tries to explain it. I don’t think he even knows what the hell happened. So yeah, I’d like to see them back together, but I want them to be happy, and if he’s going to pull this kind of stunt down the road, I’d rather they just quit now and call it good. I don’t want my mom going through that all over again.”
“Yeah, I hear you,” Jace said.
“So speaking of reconciliation,” Ash said casually. “What the ever-loving fuck was Lisa doing in your office?”
Gabe’s jaw tightened and his teeth ground together. The very last thing he wanted was to discuss Lisa, but he also knew his friends were going to be curious. They’d been there when Lisa had left him. They’d stood by him when she pulled her crazy-ass shit. It was only natural they’d be concerned when she started sniffing around again.
“Did you kick the crazy bitch out and tell her to fuck off?” Jace asked with a scowl.
Gabe chuckled, his mood lightening. He could always count on Jace and Ash to shoot straight.
“I made it clear I had absolutely zero interest in rehashing the past.”
“She wants money,” Jace said darkly. “I made a few calls. She’s already gone through most of the settlement, and the alimony payments you fork out every month are barely keeping her head above water.”
Gabe’s eyebrow lifted. “You checked up on her?”