Chapter 47
ASH
I dip hazel eyes in a low arc and watch as her eyes flutter close and her long lashes rest on her cheeks. It takes only a second and I'm lifting her back up and into my arms. A flush settles on her cheeks and a smile coils her lips as her gaze settles on me.
"Where did you learn to dance this way?" She's watching me like I'm an interesting specimen.
I chuckle before answering. "I go to a lot of these stuffy parties, unfortunately."
She throws her head back and lets out a tinkling laugh, affording me a view of her long slender neck. "Stuffy?" She shakes her head. "This party is delightful, I've never been around so many important people before."
My eyes stray to the senators chatting amongst themselves before my gaze once more settles on her. "Well, then, I'll make sure to bring you to more of them."
My words must really affect her because her eyes glimmer with excitement, and her hands tighten around my neck as she snuggles closer to me. From the corner of my eyes, I see Igor talking with senator Leo. I don't know how he does it, but the man manages to look nice in a two piece suit. I pull hazel eyes even closer to my chest and she sighs contentedly.
As soon as senator Leo leaves Igor and engages in another conversation with someone else, I lead hazel eyes off the dance floor and towards the buffet stand where an array of delicious- looking treats lay. I snag a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and hand it over to her with a promise that I'll be back shortly. After placing a kiss on her forehead, I walk determinedly towards Igor, who is now fiddling with his phone and doesn't see me approach.
"Hello, Igor." I say smoothly when I get in front of him.
A flash of surprise crosses his features when he sees me, but it immediately clears and he smiles. "Ash! Fancy seeing you here. I thought you hated these types of parties."
"Celebrating Senator Leo's inauguration is a must-attend. I voted for the man after all."
He nods, but something on his phone distracts him and he looks down at it.
"Well, then, it was nice to see you once again." I extend a hand out to him and he takes it.
I hear a beep and Ismile. Mission accomplished.
I walk over to hazel eyes. I'd felt her eyes on me throughout my brief interaction with Igor. I kiss her on the neck and she shivers slightly.
"Everything okay?" Concern flashes in her eyes.
"Peachy!" I smile and take her hand. "I need to show you off, especially with the way you're looking in this dress."
Holding her hand tightly in mine, I lead her over to where senator Leo is animatedly discussing with another politician. Immediately he sights me, he break into a wide smile and splays his arms widely.
"The very man I've been craving to see, Ash Thunder in the flesh." We clasp hands and even hug briefly. "And who is this lovely lady with you."
I turn to hazel eyes with a smirk, noting the awestruck look on her face. "This is my woman, Alicia."
"Extra pleased to meet you, beautiful lady." Senator Leo says, taking her hand and kissing the top of it. "I must say, Ash, you're always surrounded by beautiful women, but she . . . " He shakes his head. "She tops the chart - she's a stunner."
Hazel eyes stiffens beside me and I silently groan.
"Did you know Ash single handedly financed my senatorial campaign?" He takes a hold of Hazel eyes hand and leads her in the direction of the buffet stand. I catch the surprised glance she throws at me before she turns and continues walking.
I follow them with my hands clasped behind me, catching snatches of his words. This man eats and breathes politics. I loose interest as I spy Igor leaving through the front entrance, his phone stuck to his ear in an animated conversation.
Show time.
I place an arm on senator Leo's hand to catch his attention. "As much as I would love to stand and chat all evening, my stunning girlfriend and I have another engagement."
Hazel eyes looks at me sharply but says nothing.
The smile he sends my way is sad. "What a shame, but I understand, you're a busy man with vast businesses to attend to, so I will forgive you this time."
He smiles amiably as he hands Hazel eyes back to me. I take her hand and lead her away. It's not until we're out of ear shot that she speaks. "Another engagement?"
I shake my head but say nothing. Once I help her into the limousine, I turn to her, wondering how to word what I'm about to say.
"Let me guess - the women Senator Leo talked about were in the past?"
I break out in a smile as I nod. "You're the only woman in my life right now and the only one that matters to me."
"I know." She says and leans in to kiss me on the lips.
When we break apart, I look deep into her eyes. "I've been wondering how much I should tell you about my businesses."
She sits up straighter and her eyes become more alert as she intently focuses on me.
"I don't know how much you've heard from people about the kind of things I'm into, but I prefer to tell you myself." I shrug. "I've got a club and restaurant in LA here, and I've also got a restaurant in New York. I'm not very hands-on there because I've got a very capable manager who handles it all and reports to me every fortnight."
I stop to take out a bottle of dom perignon from the fridge and pop it open. I pour some into two glasses and hand her one. After taking a sip, I continue. "I've got a mine on the outskirts of LA where precious stones and gold are discovered, so I can say I'm not doing too badly."
Her eyes shimmer with excitement as she fingers the diamond necklace around her neck. "Is this diamond set from. . . "
"Yes, kitten, it is, and it looks damn good on you."
She releases a ghost of a smile but then a pensive expression takes over her features. She's worried about something, that much is obvious so I save her the stress of asking.
"Ask away." I lean close to her and toy with a hair tendril gliding over her cheek.
She looks away but seconds later, looks at me and juts her chin, and I know she's made up her mind. "You're a mafia boss."
This wasn't structured as a question, it was meant as a statement. Actually, it sounded more like an accusation.
It tickles my fancy and makes me bark out a laugh. "A mafia boss is someone who's in the business of-
"Organized crime. Yes, I know." There's no smirk on her face, not even the hint of a smile. She's poker face serious.
"Sweetheart, I don't do crime, I don't pimp out females, I don't sell ammunition, nor do I deal in guns. I'm only a buisness man."
"But you sell drugs?" She raises a perfectly coiffed brow in question at me.
"Feel-good medicine, that's all it is. I don't force it down the throats of people if that's what you're thinking, they actually request for that stuff."
"That stuff. . . as in cocaine?"
I nod. "And heroine, and other. . . cocktails."
The expression on her face shifts from seriousness to something closely resembling wariness. "Other cocktails. . . like?"
I release a breath I didn't know I was holding and tip her chin. "We sell marijuana and . . . ecstasy as well."
Her bottom lip drops open, and then it closes once again as she nods and shifts her gaze to the window. I knew this was going to happen but this is me, this is who I am. I'm not going to keep anything from her again. She either takes all of me this way, or forgets me altogether.
It's all or nothing.
I watch as emotions flit over her face. It seems like she's struggling with her decision. After what feels like forever, but I know could only have been a minute or two, she turns back to me with a tremendous smile.
"And this other engagement we're gong to?"
I let out another sigh as I pitch forward and hold her hands. I can't help it. At least she's not saying she's leaving me.
"Actually. . . I have a conversation to eavesdrop on." Ridges appear on her forehead so I rush to explain. "I put a tracker on someone at the party, so I'm - we're - going home now so I can listen as he spills all his dirty little secrets."
Her eyes glitter with excitement.
"Wanna be my partner in crime?"
She smiles and nods. "I would like that very much."
It's on.