ASH

Stefan
I woke at my usual time, three o’clock in the morning, and lay listening to Veronica sleep, her naked body pressed against mine. I opened my hand wide on her belly, holding as much of her as I could.
Last night had been good. Better than I expected. The physical attraction between us was mutual, but there was more than that. I wanted to hold on to it, to that thing, whatever it was. I knew it was important.
And impermanent.
Because I couldn’t have that, and the reason I’d done this in the first place. It was one or the other.
The old man’s test only strengthened my resolve.
I couldn’t forget why I was doing this. Why she was here.
I wouldn’t.
Rolling over onto my back, I stared up at the sliver of moonlight that slipped between the split in the curtains and streaked the ceiling. Veronica made a sound, and for a moment I thought I’d woken her, but then she curled up against me, the top of her head burrowing into me, her body hugging into itself, little fists and knees close. Unmoving, I watched her until she stilled and then wrapped my arm around her again, holding her to me. I wondered if she would consciously do this, nuzzle against me, if she were awake.
Thing was, I thought she might.
Maybe that’s what made this so hard.
Marcus Kingston had used Veronica’s love for Robyn to test me. To test my weakness. He’d probably been planning it all along. The bastard had read me like a fucking book, and I’d fallen right into his trap.
If for a single moment I thought he might feel some modicum of emotion for his granddaughter, the ease with which he’d sacrificed her body obliterated that notion. We were all pawns in his twisted game.
But I’d turned it around. Managed to use it to my advantage with Veronica.
I guess I too was a master manipulator.
Telling her about consummating the way I had had been cruel. But giving her the gift of her sister at the wedding, it had turned her back around. Probably confused the fuck out of her, but hell, this whole thing confused the fuck out of me.
Sick fucking bastard, her grandfather. I wondered if he thought I wouldn’t go through with it if she refused. Maybe that was his reason for asking it. Maybe he thought she’d cry rape. Put me in fucking prison again. Or maybe he truly just didn’t give a shit about her.
Last night happening the way it had, though, it changed everything. She’d given herself to me. I hadn’t had to look in the mirror this morning to find a monster more terrible than Marcus Kingston staring back.
But there was more. More that didn’t concern Veronica, not yet anyway. I’d hold on to it, use it when I needed to.
Marcus Kingston wanted five percent back. Robyn could come and spend a few days with her sister if I agreed to forfeit five percent, receiving only forty-five percent of shares, not fifty. This way, he ensured they kept control of Kingston Winery.
He wasn’t a fool. He suspected I’d drive the company into the ground as soon as I could, as soon as I had the ability to. And I still would. I’d just do it differently than I imagined. He’d still pay. Hell, this way, he’d lose it all, not just half.
And I’d lose Veronica once it all came to pass.
But there was more to consider than Marcus Kingston. My meeting with Moriarty hadn’t gone well. I hadn’t realized how deep in debt my father had been. And Moriarty wasn’t about to forgive that debt just because my father was dead. He still had every intention of collecting.
I couldn’t give him what he wanted, though, because what he wanted was my mother’s legacy. This house. The land. All of it. He’d even pay me for it, at least the portion my father didn’t owe him.
Moriarty was a business developer. Well, that was the legitimate front. He had a way of getting what he wanted and didn’t have any problem using whatever means he needed to. When Stephen had told me to call the police and let them handle it, he didn’t realize Moriarty had the police on his payroll. I’d have to deal with him, and I couldn’t have Veronica be a part of that.
I felt like two boulders pushed at me from either side, squeezing the life out of me. All while I held Veronica, trying to keep her from getting crushed.
I got up out of bed.
Veronica stirred but settled quickly. I covered her with the blanket and slipped on a pair of jeans, then, from my closet, I retrieved the soiled sheet Maria had folded and placed there on my instruction while I’d washed Veronica. I took it downstairs, into the living room. There, I lit a fire in the fireplace and watched it take, watched the kindling burn, watched it set the wood aflame. I studied that fire for a long while. I don’t even think I consciously decided. I set the sheet in the flames, destroying it, watching it burn, all evidence of our wedding night turning to ash.
In a way, it was symbolic because inside, I too was ash.
——
Veronica
The next morning when I woke, Stefan was gone. I wondered if he slept, how many hours he slept. Last night, after making love to me-and he had made love to me-he’d washed me so tenderly, so carefully, it surprised me. Although maybe it shouldn’t have. Maybe duality was the norm with him. Maybe knowing he had a capacity to be tender would make a difference, would make tolerating him when he was terrible bearable. Because I also knew he would be terrible.
Or maybe that knowledge would only make those moments that much harder.
After the night in Civitella in Val di Chiana, I didn’t know how I’d be able to go through with the wedding. The wedding night. But then he’d told me why. My grandfather had used Robyn like a pawn. He’d seen a window, my weakness, and had used it against Stefan.
I needed to talk to my grandfather. I needed to confront him and hear from him his side of the story, about the stealing, about his agreement with Stefan. But I wasn’t fool enough to think he’d tell me the truth. At least not all of it. But there were two sides to every story, and he had raised me. The man had given us shelter, if not love, for thirteen years. He’d given us the best that money could buy. He couldn’t hate us.
He sold you out.
Literally.
Yes, he had. But if I were honest with myself, the way he felt about me wasn’t the same as what he felt for Robyn. Maybe it was because she was younger. Maybe it was her nature, that she forced some affection, even if it was the slightest bit of it from him?
Robyn aside, though, I couldn’t forget or deny that he had gone against me. And if what Stefan said was true, that he was stealing from me, from Robyn-he had to be stopped.
But he was still my grandfather.
I rubbed my neck, trying to relieve the headache that was forming.
Another thing had been niggling in the back of my mind for a few days. Ever since the flight to Italy. I was eighteen now. I was married. Together with Stefan, I was capable of supporting my sister.
Could I request and be granted Kingstonnship of her? Could I bring Robyn here to live with us? If my grandfather didn’t allow it, which I felt would be his response, would I fight him in court? Could I? How public would I be willing to go-if what Stefan said was true? How much would it hurt Robyn? Her relationship with him was different. They lived in the same house. I’d been gone for four years.
But there was another question too. Would Stefan allow it?
He’d given me the gift of time with her. He knew how much she meant to me. But to bring her here to live with us?
Would Robyn even want to? She’d have to leave everything behind. How would she feel about leaving our grandfather alone? And could I cast doubt on her faith in Grandfather, when I wasn’t sure myself what was true?
It was a lot to think about. I climbed out of bed, then remembered that when Stefan had been bathing me, someone had come into the bedroom to change the sheets. My face heated at the thought of it, of someone-Maria, I would guess-knowing. Is that where he was now? Showing them to my grandfather?
I shook my head, forcing that thought away. I wouldn’t think of it. I couldn’t. It was too terrible. And as much as I didn’t want to, I knew I had to talk to my grandfather this week before he returned home.
I picked up my cell phone and found his number, but I put it away again. I wouldn’t call or make an appointment. I would show up at his hotel. Surprise him. Maybe catch him off guard.
Besides, I had more important things to do today.
Realizing I had no clothes in Stefan’s room-the person who’d changed the sheets had even taken the wedding dress-I opened the door to his walk-in closet. I switched on the light and deeply inhaled, the scent of him strong here. I wasn’t sure what I expected to find, but it wasn’t much. A few suits were hung neatly, all dark, some pairs of jeans were folded and stacked, and T-shirts. A mountain of them. All were either black or white.
I chuckled. Ironic. Black and white. Good and evil. He was both.
Turning, I found a discarded black T-shirt on top of the laundry basket. Glancing around to be sure I was alone, I picked it up, brought it to my face, and inhaled. Without overthinking it, I pulled the shirt over my head. It fell to midthigh, which would do. I left his bedroom and tiptoed down the hall to mine, aware of the ache between my legs, of how he’d taken me, how he’d been almost gentle. At first.
I still wondered if I had said no, would he have forced me?
Once in my room, I quickly got changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, brushed my teeth and washed my face, pulled my hair into a ponytail, and headed to Robyn’s bedroom. She was already in the hallway when I stepped out of my bedroom, dressed and carrying Charlie, cooing to him as he nuzzled against her, his little tail wagging.
“I love him so much,” she said when she saw me.
“Me too. He’s wonderful.”
She looked at my face and smiled.
“You look good.” She winked.
“Shut up,” I said, taking her by the arm and leading her to the stairs. “I’m starving. You?”
“Yes.”
“How did you sleep?”
“Great. I didn’t sleep on the flight, and I was dead on my feet.”
“Did you talk to Grandfather today?” I asked.
“Not yet. I told him last night that I’d call him today for lunch. It would be good for you too. You can’t avoid him forever. Maybe give him a chance to explain.”
I linked my arm through hers, and we walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. “I know I have to see him. It’ll help to have you there.”
“Then it’s decided,” Robyn said.
Nicola handed me a note as soon as I walked into the kitchen.
“For you.”
“Thanks,” I looked at the folded sheet of paper, confused, then opened it.
Veronica,
I hope you slept well. I had business early, and I won’t be back until late. Eric has been instructed to take you and your sister wherever you want to go.
Be in my bed tonight.
Stefan.
I quickly folded the note and stuffed it into my pocket, trying not to think about the words. “Be in my bed tonight.”