Fuck.

Ashlynn moaned. “Feels … so … good.” Her eyes never strayed from Leyton’s face. As she rocked her hips, she instructed Jase to use two fingers.

Jase did as she asked, curling his hand and sliding two fingers deep into her, shallowly penetrating her by slowly jerking his wrist.

Ashlynn grabbed Jase’s forearm. “Harder. He wants to watch you make me come.”

Yes, he did. In fact, Leyton wanted to crawl on the floor and put his face between her legs so he could smell her while Jase masturbated her for his viewing pleasure.

“Do you wish you could taste me?” Ashlynn asked.

Leyton looked into her eyes, but he didn’t respond. There was no need. She already knew the answer to that question.

“That’s what I thought,” she rasped. “Fuck me, Jase. Make me come.”

Her eyes remained locked on his face, but Leyton knew she was probably blinded by the pleasure, unable to focus thanks to the booze and the sensations flooding her.

Jase’s fingers moved more rapidly, sliding deep, over and over, as Ashlynn writhed and moaned on his lap. Her head fell back on Jase’s shoulder, and Leyton wished he could’ve been the one bringing her to orgasm. What he wouldn’t give to give in to the aching need that made his balls throb.

But he couldn’t.

“Oh, fuck!” Ashlynn cried out. “That’s it!” Ashlynn’s features pinched as she closed her eyes and came all over Jase’s fucking hand right there in front of him.

Leyton didn’t move, didn’t say a word as she came down from her sensual high. Jase helped her to adjust her dress, then curled her up against him.

“I’m guessing that didn’t work out the way you had planned,” Jase stated, his expression bland.

No, it hadn’t. Not by a long shot.

“Let me see if I can guess how this was supposed to go.” Jase’s tone was harsh, not at all amused by the situation. “You called us up here while Max was out of town, planning to let us know that we needed to back off because we’re making you uncomfortable. Since you’ve convinced yourself that you can’t have what you want—what’s being offered to you—you were gonna try and put some distance between us. Am I close?”

That was the reason he’d called them up there.

Leyton nodded.

Ashlynn watched him, her head resting on Jase’s shoulder. She tilted her head to look up at Jase. “Then I guess we should be going.”

Without a word, Jase helped Ashlynn to her feet, and Leyton instantly got up. He followed them toward the door but took a step back when Jase whirled on him after Ashlynn stepped out into the hall.

“Tell me how watching her is okay but being with her isn’t?” His anger was palpable. “You’re a fucking idiot, Leyton. She wants this. And trust me, sex with her … it’s indescribable.” Jase lowered his voice. “And it’s her way of expressing the emotions she keeps bottled up. You know it as well as I do. But fuck if you can’t see past your own goddamn loyalties.”

Leyton didn’t see the point in arguing. He would never be able to make Jase understand just what he owed Max. And if Max didn’t want Leyton to be with his sister, he had to respect his wishes. Even if he didn’t agree with them.

“Going forward, I’ll drop it,” Jase said. “Just know this…” Jase stabbed a finger into Leyton’s chest. “Those things you want? The things you never thought were attainable because you’re just a little different than everyone else… You pass this up and you might never find it again.”

Leyton took a deep breath as Jase stormed out of the penthouse, slamming the door behind him.

Several minutes passed as Leyton stared at the door, replaying those words over and over in his head. Based on those words, it was evident Jase knew exactly what Leyton was going through. They were one and the same. They’d both been captivated by a woman—the same woman—but there was something else they both needed, something only they could provide one another.

And Jase was right, Leyton knew it. He would probably never find it again, but there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about that. He’d promised Max that he’d keep his hands off of Ashlynn. As much as he wanted to go back on that promise, Leyton would never be able to. He owed Max too damn much. The man had given him a life he’d never expected, a family he’d never thought he could have.

Leyton had let down a lot of people in his life, but the one man who’d saved him would never know what it felt like to be let down.

At least not by him.

Chapter Fifteen

Remorse? No. None at all.

Present day

Friday, November 6 th

Leyton arrived at the warehouse ahead of Tony, bringing with him Rock and Sal, both for backup. Tony wasn’t supposed to arrive for another half hour, but Leyton wasn’t willing to chance his guest showing up before him, not with a man known for his tantrums that generally resulted in gunfire, a man who seemed to have little common sense and even fewer scruples.

Once inside, Rock did a cursory check of the place to ensure no one was hiding out where they shouldn’t be, and when he returned, Sal was close behind, having checked the perimeter of the building.

“Is everything set up?” Leyton asked, his question directed at Rock.

“It is. The room’s all ready and Snarly’s in the back.”

Richard “Snarly” Johnson was the man who handled most of their dirty work for them. The guy was big and bald with beady eyes, and Leyton hadn’t known what to think of him at first, but through the years, Snarly had proven his unwavering loyalty to Max. Not only was he quite skilled in interrogation, he also handled cleanup. But for reasons he didn’t care to share, Snarly preferred not to talk to anyone directly, not even Max. So they didn’t speak directly to him unless they had to. After all, who were they to question Snarly’s work ethic? The guy was efficient, so explanations weren’t necessary.

The sound of a car out front announced someone’s arrival. Glancing at his watch, he didn’t think it was Tony. It was too early. He retrieved his gun from its holster, just to be safe. Both Rock and Sal took their positions in front of Leyton, M4s at the ready, and though he found their stance a little awkward—at least from where he stood—he reminded himself that this was his new position within the organization. Whereas he used to be the man standing in front of Max, he was now the man standing behind the enforcers.

A door creaked open, then the sound of heels clicking on the concrete floor echoed through the space. Since he knew Tony didn’t wear heels, Leyton frowned his displeasure, moving around Rock in time to see Ashlynn approaching, with Jase—wielding his own semiautomatic—close behind.

“What the fuck are you doin’ here?” Leyton growled.

Ashlynn smiled. Although she was gorgeous regardless, this particular smile wasn’t meant to enhance her beauty. “I was thinkin’ this was my issue to deal with.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Leyton told her. He was quite capable of handling the issue on his own. There was no reason for her to be there.

Coming to stand directly in front of him, Ashlynn kept her eyes locked with his. He could smell her perfume—something floral yet spicy—and see the green flecks in her hazel eyes. In her heels, she was probably close to five ten, and still he had to look down at her. He ignored his body’s untimely response to her nearness. He’d become accustomed to the discomfort he felt when she was near, more so after recent events.

“Since Tony’s been stealin’ from me,” Ashlynn stated, “I thought it only appropriate that I get to dish out the punishment. Was I wrong?”

“Snarly’s here,” Leyton said, his eyes sliding over to Jase momentarily.

“Good. I’ll need him.”

It was obvious that Ashlynn wasn’t happy, but Leyton wasn’t sure whether that was due to him being there to handle the problem she saw as hers to deal with or simply because she was going to have to face Tony herself. The woman was more than capable of handling matters such as this, and on more than one occasion, Leyton had seen grown men cry because of her. She was as ruthless as Max. The only difference … most men didn’t expect her to be because of how she looked.