Ashton paced the terrace furiously as he spoke to the administrative staff of Hotel Bayview.
“Why did you allow her inside my penthouse in my absence, Mr. David?” said Ashton, shocked by their behavior. When his administrative staff informed him that Madison had arrived there with her luggage, demanding to stay there, Ashton saw red. She claimed to be his fiancee, and they gave her access to his penthouse. It infuriated him since there was no trusting Madison. He didn’t want her to get access to any of his personal stuff.
“She claimed to be your fiancee, and it was almost 2 o’clock in the night when she arrived, sir. We couldn’t call you to confirm.”
“Give her a separate room immediately. She isn’t my fiancee and neither is she a good friend.” Ashton calmed down a little but he was in a rush to return to Miami now. He had to check if Madison had tampered with his personal stuff. Why else would she pull such a stunt when he had explicitly instructed her not to move to Miami? Considering her association with Gambino, nothing was impossible. Would she trade his personal information away to Gambino?
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience, sir. I will transfer her to another room immediately.” After he disconnected the call, Ashton went to get ready but his mind was far away in Miami wondering what tricks Madison was up to now.
He paid nothing to Gambino in the last three months, and it was strange that no one called him for payment. It was Romano first and then Antonio who used to harass him for payment, but after Antonio’s arrest, all was eerily quiet on that front. Was it the silence before an impending storm?
He had no information now about what was going on! The only other number he had was that of Bruce Kingsley, who had called him earlier, but he had no wish to call that criminal.
“Ready, bro?” asked Alexander, walking in with a smile on his face. Ashton flashed a stiff smile at him.
“Yep! Let’s go.” They left the room and went downstairs to the banquet hall, where the wedding would take place. Lucas looked nervous, and they chuckled at their enemy, while Nicholas still glared at them. However, with Marcus always aloof, Alexander and Ashton went up to Lucas to pull his leg.
Suddenly, the sound of whispering and laughter filled the air as the bridal party arrived. Ashton forgot his worries and gazed at Hayley with awe.
Wearing an off-shouldered turquoise bridesmaid dress, she looked so enchanting that he couldn’t take his eyes off her. His gaze swept along the entire length of her, taking in her bare creamy shoulders left exposed to his hungry gaze. How he longed to trail kisses along them!
Cinched at the waist, the bodice hugged her curves well, drawing his attention to them. He forgot his past, present, and the ordeal he was going through. At that point, all he needed was the woman he loved. She looked like a water nymph, taking his breath away!
“Let’s walk them down the aisle!” said Alexander in a state of daze. Ashton grinned, since he had been thinking exactly along those lines.
“I’ll talk to Lucas. Hang on,” said Ashton, and Alexander nodded, too mesmerized by Eva to even argue with Lucas and his brothers.
“Lucas, we’re gonna be your groomsmen!” said Ashton while Nicholas’s jaws dropped with shock.
“Hey, no way!” he protested, but Lucas waved him off.
“Go ahead, enemies!” chuckled Lucas. They hurried towards the bridal party, gearing up to start the bridal procession. The bridesmaids gasped at the sight of the enemies, waiting with them.
“Why are you here, Ashton?” asked a shocked Hayley when Ashton stood by her side, holding his arm out for her to take.
“I’m a groomsman, didn’t you know?” He winked at her, grabbing her hand and placing it in the crook of his arm.
“Does this have anything to do with me? Are you doing this for me?” she asked suspiciously but he just chuckled.
“Took you long enough to realize!” She gaped at the amused look on his face wondering why he would do that. He was leaving her after the wedding!
“What’s the use, Ashton? You’re leaving.” She sulked, turning away and retracting her hand, but Ashton grabbed hold of it, refusing to let it go.
“If I’m alive, I’ll come back to you, Hayley. Trust me.” The music started, and she gaped at him, wondering what he meant by that. Why wouldn’t he be alive? A strange fear gripped her heart. No, she had to confess her love for him now. What if she never got the chance? She quickly took out the love note she had written and kept hidden inside her bodice and slipped it into the pocket of his tuxedo.
A small smile lit up her face at her achievement. Yes, she could give him the note. She could convey her heartfelt love to him.
They walked down the aisle, and it was an overwhelming feeling for Hayley. She wished it was her wedding with Ashton instead of Sienna’s.
“I wish you would tell me instead of writing a note to me,” said Ashton, as he walked over to Lucas’s side, leaving her gaping after him. How did he know she had written a love note to him? Did he notice her slipping it into his pockets? She stood by Sienna, but her attention was more on Ashton than on her friend. She couldn’t wait for him to read what she had written. Would he answer her before he left?
The wedding ceremony was beautiful, and it brought tears to her eyes. Would she ever get to marry Ashton?
Lucas and Sienna sealed their future with a kiss, and they were announced as man and wife. Everyone applauded them. There was utter chaos while Hayley searched for Ashton. Where did he go? There was no sign of Alexander as well. Eva and Alyssa, too, looked clueless.
“Where did they go?” asked Alyssa, and they shrugged.
“Forget them. Let’s click a few pictures with Sienna and Lucas,” suggested Hayley.
They clicked pictures and escorted the wedded couple to the reception area, completely forgetting Alexander and Ashton. The girls attacked the refreshments in case they were whisked away suddenly.
“Did you pack?” Alyssa asked Hayley.
“Yes. They won’t give you much time. They’ll just grab hold of your luggage and pull you along.” The girls rolled their eyes and giggled at their predicament. Nicholas grabbed hold of Alyssa for a dance while Hayley excused herself and went up to her room to freshen up and change into normal clothes. She couldn’t board a ferry wearing a gown!
After a few minutes, she opened the door to go downstairs when she saw Ashton approaching her room. Her eyes widened at seeing the dark look on his face. What did she do now? Didn’t he read the note? What made him so upset? She took a step or two backward with apprehension when Ashton entered her room and closed the door after him.
He whirled around to face her, his eyes glittering with anger. Gripping her arms, he leaned in to hold her shocked gaze.
“You shouldn’t have written something you don’t mean, Hayley. How much do you know me? How can you love me when you don’t know me? I’m not your tall, handsome fairy tale romantic hero. I have a dark past. There are criminals chasing me. I have no surety in my life. I’m not good enough for you, Hayley. Forget me, since I can’t give you anything in return. Don’t wait for me,” he muttered, his face dark and determined. Hayley watched the emotions flitting across his face as her heart filled with pain.
“I don’t care about your dark past. I want nothing in return. I just love you, Ashton,” she whispered, her eyes filling up with tears. She had expected him to be happy after reading about her feelings for him. She had expected anything except this. It proved that he didn’t love her. Ashton gazed at her, too dumbfounded to react. He didn’t deserve such unconditional love! His fingers gripped the base of her head, and he could feel himself being pulled by her luscious lips. Could he get a last taste before he left forever?
His lips brushed against her soft ones, and a moan escaped his mouth. It had been so long since he tasted them. He pulled her closer and claimed her lips hungrily, wanting to get as much as possible. There was no gentleness this time, as his lips bit hers, urging her to open up for him. His anger was reflected in his fast, roughened movements as his tongue entered her mouth, devouring every inch of her. She kissed him back finally and Ashton groaned this time, going still for a split second, allowing her to dominate.
At last, they released one another and gazed into each other’s eyes. “Goodbye, Hayley! Forget me soon. I’m not the one for you.”
Hayley scowled at him, placing some distance between them.
“Don’t you think it’s too late for that? You’ve asked me to be your girlfriend, and made promises to me. Was that all an act? Why do you contradict yourself all the time, Ashton? I really find it difficult to understand you.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. It was all in jest. None of it was serious.” He gazed at her for a second and then gave a stiff, fake smile and picked up her luggage.
“They’re all waiting in the elevator. Let’s go,” he said, leading the way. Confused, Hayley followed him into the elevator where the others were waiting for her. So was this the end of her love story?