RUSH (Montgomery Men #1) - C.A. Harms Page 0,47

and the third time I’d allowed her call to go to voice mail.

Knowing just what I’d asked my brother to do lay heavy on my chest, and I just wasn’t sure I could face her yet. At least not without her knowing something was wrong. I knew I couldn’t keep my guilt and nervousness hidden if we spoke now. I had originally thought of asking her to accompany me to L.A. on Monday, but now I was thinking that going alone would be better. I needed the distance from her until Beckett gave me the information I needed.

I knew she was hiding information from me to protect herself, rather than to hurt me, but I wasn’t sure why Kiera thought I wouldn’t understand. I thought I’d made it clear that I wanted her. We all had things in our pasts that we weren’t so proud of; things we wished we could change.

“I thought I was the only one of the two of us that still came to this place.” I looked up just as Sloane sat on the stool beside me. She and I used to come to Floaters often when we wanted to get away from the crowd of rich socialites. Or rather, I dragged her here when I needed to get away from them, so never in my wildest dreams did I expect her to show up on her own. I thought this would be my safe place away from anyone who knew me.

“Guess I wasn’t the only one this bar left an impression on,” she said as she placed her overpriced handbag on the bar top.

I was just about to call bullshit, thinking she had to have somehow gotten wind that I was here, when Jimmy the bartender approached.

“Hey, sweetheart, you want your regular?” He was looking directly at Sloane as if he knew her well.

“Yeah, J,” she replied. “But make this one a double.”

As he walked away I turned my head to the side, but she remained staring straight ahead. “Thought I was pulling some sort of stalkerish shit, didn’t ya?” Her lips curled up in a grin. “Don’t flatter yourself, Ashton. I may have fawned over you for months, but I am far from pathetic. You’ve made your point very clear,” she said, finally looking over to meet my stare. “You and I are over. I’m not here to win you back, I’m just here for the liquor and lack of expectations from those who are always watching, waiting for me to screw up.”

I didn’t say anything to that. I knew what she was talking about. It was something I dealt with often. In a place like Floaters, no one cared what the hell you wore or where you came from.

As an investment tycoon, I got a lot of unwanted attention, and every once in a while I just needed an escape where people weren’t watching me, trying to find a way to tear me down. This was one of those times—a time when I felt defeated by thoughts I no longer wanted to fight against. I just wanted to let them take over, even if only for a little while.

“I’ve come here at least twice a week since you and I ended things,” Sloane said as Jimmy placed her glass before her. “And not once have I seen you here. So whatever it is eating at you, it must be pretty bad.”

She had no idea, but I sure as hell wasn’t about to have a discussion with her regarding it. My feelings were torn, but sharing them with my ex wasn’t the right thing to do.

“What makes you think it’s anything bad? I just needed a little drink without anyone analyzing it,” I stated as I lifted my drink, then downed the last of it. “I sure as hell didn’t expect you to show up here and pick apart what I’m doing and why.”

“Well, the feeling is mutual, Ash, because I never expected to show up here to find you hanging at the bar.” The bitchy woman I had left behind months ago had reappeared. “In fact I assumed you’d be safely tucked in at home with your new girlfriend.”

And there it was. Not many things got past Sloane and her need to know everyone’s business. I turned my head to look at her once more but didn’t bite back. That’s what she wanted.

“Mira told me,” she said with a shrug. “Apparently the two of you weren’t too shy about sneaking off to that