me again than to imagine that Asher had been playing me the whole time.
If one more person I loved screwed me over, I didn’t know how I’d handle it.
Would I break?
My grip tightened on the wheel.
Or would I go numb?
Neither possibility sounded appealing.
Pulling up to the gates, I hit the clicker Asher had given me. The gates swung slowly open; I drove in as a tall figure stepped out of the open front door. The house was built in the 1950s and was of typical mid-century architecture. It sat on a cliff overlooking the ocean and had a private path that led down onto the beach.
Getting out of my car, my knees shook a little as I walked toward my best friend. His brow furrowed, most likely because I hadn’t texted him to let him know I was on my way.
“Hey, baby.” His tone was cautious, as though he could read my reason for being there in my body language.
“Have you been sabotaging my efforts to find incriminating evidence on Foster?”
Asher’s eyes widened slightly.
Then I saw something in them that made me want to throw up.
Fear.
Guilt.
I squeezed my eyes closed, tears thick in my throat.
No, please, no.
“Jane, come in so I can explain.” I felt him take my arm and then I was stumbling into the house.
The open-plan living space, the sunken living room that led into the kitchen, and the long bank of bifold doors that opened to a deck overlooking the ocean, suddenly didn’t feel like the safe place it had felt for me these past few years.
I’d loved spending time at Asher’s. He’d even given me my own room.
Wrenching my elbow out of his grip, I spun on him. “Tell me everything.”
“Will you sit down?” Asher gestured to the sofa. “Please.”
Blood rushing in my ears, I walked down into the seating area and perched on the end of the couch. Asher took the armchair next to me and leaned his elbows on his knees. His expression was so earnest.
Yet wasn’t he about to tell me he’d screwed me over?
He exhaled slowly. “Jane, there are a few reasons I pretended to be investigating my father for you.”
There it was.
My hands clenched into fists on my knees.
“One, I was afraid if he got suspicious, he’d start figuring out who you were. Two, I was afraid of hurting my mother in all this. The third reason … I can’t explain the third reason, but I will eventually.”
“You will eventually? What does that mean?”
“I can’t tell you.” He sat forward, his expression desperate. “But you have to believe me when I say that I didn’t lie to hurt you. I’m trying to protect you.”
“No.” I stood, needing physical distance. “You were protecting your family.” Jamie was right. Jesus Christ. A sob caught in my throat. I couldn’t trust anyone.
“Jane, how did you find out?”
I whirled on Asher and he flinched at my expression. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter. Were you investigating me?”
“No.” I’d let him think what he wanted. There was no way I could trust him to know that Jamie was in LA trying to get revenge against Foster. The thought of Asher telling Foster about Jamie made me feel sick. Thank God I’d decided not to confide in him. The consequences didn’t even bear thinking about.
“Jane—”
I held up a hand against whatever else he would say. What other pitiful excuses he’d give for making a fool out of me. I stared into his dark eyes. Dark eyes that used to make me feel safe. “There have been only two men that I have ever loved. Jamie. You. Two. And both of you broke my heart.” I moved toward the door.
“Jane!” Asher grabbed my arm and I jerked out of his hold, stumbling back.
“Don’t touch me,” I hissed.
“One day I’ll explain,” he promised, determination hardening his features.
I wanted to believe him, but I was too afraid to.
The drive back to Silver Lake was a blur. I couldn’t remember getting from Asher’s beach house to my building. Emotions had me reeling. Noting Jamie’s Porsche in his parking spot, I walked upstairs to our floor and knocked on his door.
Footsteps sounded behind it.
Then he was there. Leaning against the door frame, expressionless as he took in my tear-stained face.
“You were right,” I told him dully.
Jamie just stared pitifully at me.
I curled my upper lip. “Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him how I found out. Although I’d be interested to know how you found out.”