“Too bad, man,” he says in an authoritative tone that has me arching a brow. “You know Ash. She wouldn’t keep this shit from you—from us—unless she was truly scared.”
I bristle at his annoying reason. “It’s irrelevant. I could have protected her and she knew it. There’s no telling what Leo demanded of her in return for his silence. She had access to my office, my home, me.” I grit my teeth, hating the sick feeling in my stomach. “She knew how I felt about the Morellis and kept it from me anyway.”
“He blackmailed her.” Perry grits his teeth. “I want to fucking punch that guy.”
He’s such a child sometimes.
“He’s a Morelli. Did you expect anything less?” My tone is bitter and my surprisingly intelligent brother picks up on it.
“You don’t give a shit about Morelli,” he says, shaking his head. “You’re heartbroken.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Perry, you have to have a heart in order for it to break.”
“You look just like Mom right now.”
A headache forms and I absently rub at my temple. “Ash betrayed our family.”
“What did Leo threaten her with?” he asks, ignoring my statement.
“He has her phone. The night the twatlets ruined her dress and you went to her rescue, Leo had also been involved somehow. Either he was there with them or they gave it to him.” The thought of Leo Morelli seeing my fucking girl crying with her dress ripped to shreds sends a quiver of rage rippling down my spine. “He has all he could ever need on that phone.”
“Which is…”
“Videos of me degrading her. Fucking her. Paying her for filthy deeds including sex.”
“Holy shit,” he chokes out. “What the hell, Winny?”
“My sex life is not up for your judgment.”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass about your sex life,” he snaps, blue eyes blazing with anger that’s rarely directed at me. “I’m worried about Ash. Jesus, man. She’s probably sick about this.”
I scrub my palm over my face in frustration. Perry’s soft heart is pissing me off.
“Ash will be fine,” I growl.
“I should call her—”
“Sit your ass back down.” The fire in my words has him dropping back into his seat, a furious glare on his face.
“So, what happens now?”
“I predict Leo will be upset that, not only did I fuck him over last night with the restaurant in front of his daddy and older brother, but that I also now know about his secret bullshit with Ash. He’ll want to retaliate. Punish her and me both.”
His eyes widen. “He’s going to release the videos and pictures?”
“Presumably so.”
“How are you so fucking calm right now?” Perry demands, his face turning bright red. “Mom is going to shit bricks over this.”
“Mother is the least of my worries right now,” I snap back at him. “The lawsuit will be my primary concern. If those pictures and videos leak out, it’s more evidence against Leo and his breach of the contract we had. I’ll sue his family right out of every goddamn building in this city if I have to.”
“Why not try and stop him before he leaks them out?” Perry’s tone has gone nearly shrill. It doesn’t suit him. “You’re going to let naked pictures of Ash get out for all to see?”
The image of every pathetic man in New York City jerking of to pictures of my Cinderelliott is sickening. I shouldn’t care. I don’t care.
Then why am I contemplating murder of the entire male species right now?
“Because, then it’ll look as though we’ve done something wrong. Like I’m trying to hide something. My and Ash’s sex life is our business. If it gets out, Morelli is the one who’s issued the threats, blackmailed Ash, and delivered on his promise when she didn’t comply with whatever it is he tried to get her to do. The case will be a slam dunk win in our favor.”
I’ll have the Baldridge building back by the end of the week and whatever else I fucking want from those rats.
“Has it happened yet?” He winces but I can tell he’s reluctantly on board with my plans to let Leo dig his own grave.
“Not as of yet, but I imagine it will soon.”
Perry studies me for a beat. “Is this what we do all day? Is this what Dad did?”
My eyes narrow. “Elaborate.”
“Play these fucked-up games all the time trying to outsmart the opponent.”
“These ‘fucked-up games’ are what sent you to prep school at one of the finest establishments in the country. These ‘fucked-up games’ pay for your muscle cars and wrecked sailboats. These ‘fucked-up games’ make sure you and your kids and your grandkids and your great-grandkids will never want for a goddamn thing. Ever. If this isn’t what you signed up for, Perry, you know where the door is. You can go back to sitting in Mommy’s lap and sucking from her tit.”
“Defensive much?” He shakes his head. “I get that you’re used to everyone trying to fuck you over because we’re Constantines, but don’t insult me, Winny. I love you. You’re my damn brother. If it’s fucked-up games we must play, then I’m always on your team, ready to play them. I guess I didn’t realize there was more to this job than acquisitions and financial world domination. I should have negotiated a higher salary.”
“Prove to me you mean those words and I can guarantee you a lot more than a higher salary.”
Like a new position. One much, much higher. His brows crash together as if to interpret the meaning behind my words. In time, he’ll understand.
A knock on the door of my office is my only warning before Nate pushes inside. His gaze is intense as he sweeps it over the two of us, brows furrowing slightly as though he doesn’t seem to find what he’s looking for.
Ash isn’t here, buddy. Why so obsessed with her, hmm?
“Can I help you?” I lift a brow at him.
“Just checking in. Seems I missed the memo about the meeting.”
Perry remains surprisingly quiet, an impassive expression on his usually telling face. I wait Nate out, offering nothing. It’s at least an hour before he usually shows up.
“Unless Deborah is failing at her job, I don’t have a meeting scheduled with you,” I clip out, an edge to my tone that could flay a man where he stands.
This is the Constantine who’s been hiding.
Ash softened my edges when I can’t be anything but razor-sharp and brutally hard.
Nate adopts an easy grin, the tension leaving his shoulders. “I take it there are no wedding bells in the future?”
“There never were.”
“No, you’re right,” Nate says, nodding. “For a second there, I was worried you were going to ruin your life over a nice piece of ass. I should have known better. You’re Winston fucking Constantine.” He grins, reminding me of those years in prep school when he’d be pumped after a thrilling win on the rugby field.
Perry’s jaw clenches but he says nothing. Even though Nate’s words about Ash irritate me, I ignore them, waving him off with a flick of my wrist. Not the time for this. I’ll deal with it later.