I nodded curtly. “Good-night.”
Without another word, I left the club and stadium behind.
CHAPTER 16
Ashton
Despite the number of people at the game, the parking lot was desolate as I walked to my car, the disarming of my alarm the only sound. I climbed in and started the ignition. My knuckles were still bloody and raw.
“Fuck,” I yelled, slamming the palm of my hand into the steering wheel.
Never once had there been an issue with a collection. Obviously there had been incidents like the one with Reynolds, but nothing this bad. They always left on their own two feet, with the understanding that they were to not call attention to themselves. They knew the consequences of not being able to pay back the money. This was the first time I’d had to call for a cleanup.
My hands tightened around the steering wheel until pain flowed up my arm, forcing me to loosen my grip. Backing out of the space, I peeled out of the parking lot; probably not the best way to stay under the radar, but my temper was such that I didn’t really give a shit. Thoughts of Elena and the whole fucked up situation paraded through my head. I must have been on autopilot because I was surprised when the turn off for my street came into view.
Pulling up the driveway toward the garage, I noticed the lights at the front of the house were off. Elena must have gone to bed early. The conversation about what happened tonight would have to wait until morning. There was no way I’d wake her up just to upset her.
Quietly, I walked through the door of the garage into the kitchen. I moved through the house cautiously so I didn’t run into anything. Light shone from the upstairs, brightening the stairwell enough for me to climb without a problem.
I reached the landing and realized the light was coming from my room. Julia must have left it on for me, knowing I’d be home late. Too bad Elena had told me no when I asked her to stay in my room. My dick grew hard just thinking about her in my bed.
Stepping through the door, I froze in my tracks.
Elena lay asleep in my bed.
“Holy fuck,” I whispered. Excitement poured through me.
The sound woke her, her long lashes fluttering open to reveal her warm brown eyes.
“Ashton?” she called, her voice still thick with sleep.
I sat down next to her on the bed and brushed a few wayward strands out of her face. “You said no”
She shook her head. “No, I said I wanted to do it because it was something that I wanted, not to please you. I actually started out in my room tonight and realized that I missed your warmth, the smell of you on the sheets.”
My mouth swooped down, taking possession of hers. When her luscious lips parted, I wasted no time slipping my tongue inside for a taste of heaven—exactly what I needed after the night I’d had. Forgetting all about my knuckles, I slid my hand under the little pink nightie she wore to bed and winced when the fabric caught on the raw skin of my knuckles.
I’d hoped she wouldn’t notice, but Elena was too smart for that. She pulled back and watched me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I moved my hand out of sight.
“Don’t you dare lie to me, Ashton,” she warned, sitting up and crossing her arms over her chest. I reached my good hand up toward her face but she smacked it away. “I don’t think so. Not until you tell me what’s wrong.”
Sighing, I pulled my hand out and showed her. The bruising had started to come out and dried blood caked around the cracks.
“What the hell happened?” Without waiting for an answer, she climbed from the bed and went into the bathroom. A few seconds later she brought back a damp washcloth and placed it over my hand.
“Did you just curse at me?” I laughed.
“Don’t start. What’s wrong with your hand?”
“Boy, did you get bossy.”
She narrowed her eyes at me and my cock jumped in my pants. Not once in my entire life had a demanding woman ever turned me on. Something about Elena made everything sexy—even angry. Everything was different with her.
“Your asshole husband showed up tonight and couldn’t keep his mouth shut.”
She flinched at the mention of Dominic. “What did he say?”
I shook my head, really not wanting to tell her, but I knew she’d push after the way she’d acted so far. “A bunch of shit about you that no husband should ever say about his wife. I lost it.”
“You defended me?”
“Of course I did. What would you expect?”
“I’m just not used to it.” Her eyes sparkled. “I have to say I like it. You’re not going to get in trouble are you?”
“No. My dad sent someone down to the stadium to take care of it.”