I fall apart, my tears falling heavily as they thud against my cheeks. I curl into a little ball as I let them fall freely. I clutch my side where the knife dug in all the way to the hilt.

Please let this be over soon.

Chapter Fifteen.

In Love and h.e.l.l Tag "Ash was quiet tonight," I murmur to Wren as we stand out on the back deck and let the breeze wash over us.

Though my property is still gated, you have a perfect view of the ocean.

"Yeah, I noticed that. She's still not eating very much. She barely touched her food, and we were almost done eating by the time she got in there."

"I know. Should I say something?"

"I think you should. Bity says you're the only one who seems to bring out her vulnerability. It's likely she'd confide in you. She definitely needs to talk to someone after the h.e.l.l she's been through."

I look through the window as Damon sits beside Ash, and she forces another smile, masking her truths behind that glorious grin. I wish I knew what to say to make it all better for her.

Ashiara "You were quiet, pretty girl. Want to share?" Damon asks kindly.

He looks completely different than the scruffy man he was when he arrived. His dark shadow has been shaved clean. His clothes are pressed, clean, and fit him perfectly. He almost looks like Tag now, just older.

"I'm fine, just tired. It's been a long couple of weeks, as you've read in the tabloids," I grumble, my eyes pointing to the mess of magazines he brought in.

"Sorry, I didn't know you hadn't seen them."

"It's fine. So how long are you staying?" I ask to change the subject.

"I originally planned on leaving tonight, but Tag invited me to stay. I think I'll take him up on it. How do you feel about that?"

The way he says that is odd, but then again, I'm very tired. I'm both mentally and physically drained.

"I think it's a good idea. I'm sure Tag would love the chance to spend some time with you."

"And what about you, dear? Would you like to spend time with me?"

"Um, I don't see why not. Right now though, I need to get Trip to bed."

The sliding gla.s.s door to the outside deck opens, and Tag steps in just as I stand up.

"Going to bed?" he asks as he walks toward me.

"Yeah. Trip is out, and I'm pretty beat. Do you want him in my room or your room tonight?"

He tilts his head as though I've just said something wrong.

"You're not sleeping with me?"

As much as I want to say no, I want to say yes just as badly. This is so twisted and confusing as h.e.l.l.

"I don't really know if-"

"I'm sure Damon would prefer a room with a view, and yours is the last one. If you stay the night with me and Trip, then he can wake up with the ocean in his room."

I force an uneasy smile, and then I nod.

"Then I guess you've got a roommate again."

Tag Roommate?

Is that how she views herself? Is that my fault or is that what she feels?

d.a.m.n I'm confused.

Damon stands, and then he heads off toward Ash's room to make himself comfortable, as Erica, Bity, and Shannon walk in.

"We're going to take a walk on the beach. You guys feel like going? We can bring security," Shannon chirps.

I look to Ash, hoping she'll say yes. I'd love to hold her to me as we carry our son down the beach.

"I'm tired, but maybe tomorrow. You guys are staying, right?" she asks.

"Yeah, we're here for the duration. No more leaving you alone," Bity quickly adds.

"What about you, Tag? You in for a beach stroll?"

I'd like to get out just to clear my head for a minute. Ash's body in those short little shorts and tight top is killing me. I haven't been able to keep my d.a.m.n hands off her all day. I thought about saying to h.e.l.l with it, and f.u.c.king her despite the pills, but I can't.

As soon as her head isn't clouded by anything, she's mine.

"Sure," I murmur in a sighing tone, not wanting to go and leave her, but not wanting to stay and not touch her.

She almost frowns, but she swishes out of the room with Trip in her arms. I watch as my bedroom door closes, and I debate going on to bed with her. With the raging hard-on I've had most of the day, that would probably be a bad idea.

I need some fresh air.

Ashiara I should be able to sleep. I'm exhausted, and I cried so much earlier that I almost pa.s.sed out. Why can't I sleep?

With an irritated huff, I finally give up. They've been gone for a while, and I'm starting to wish I had just gone with them. I would have liked walking with Tag, but not being able to be with him is getting more painful by the day.

Mmm. Pie.

Erica brought a pie, and I skipped out on desert. Now I want some, and I think that's exactly what I'll go get.

Heading into the kitchen, I notice the fridge already open and a body bent over in it.

"h.e.l.lo?" I ask curiously, and a head slams into the top of the fridge as Damon emerges, cursing under his breath.

"Sorry," I chuckle out, and he grins oddly while staggering backwards.

He must have hit his head pretty hard.

"Please don't be sorry. I just didn't expect anyone else to be up. I needed some pie."

I smile as I pull down two plates.

"So do I," I say softly, and he smirks while walking over with the pie in hand.

"So, Ashiara, how is it my son can keep his hands off you?"

Wow. Skip the small talk, why don't you.

"Um, I really don't know what to say to that."

I smell the stout, pungent stench of soured alcohol radiating from his body. There's more, too-I just don't know what. He isn't just acting drunk, he's acting high. I've only ever seen a few people on drugs, but he definitely fits the bill.

"I don't mean to sound so crude, it's just, d.a.m.n. You're a beautiful piece of work. How much does it cost to keep you in his bed, and how much more would it cost to get his d.i.c.k in you again."

Whoa.

"I think I'll skip the pie. I've lost my appet.i.te."

I start to walk out, but he grabs me at the elbow and jerks me back, his breath suffocating me as he leans in far too close.

"Damon, let me go."

"I'm just trying to talk to my grandson's mother. What's so wrong with that?" he slurs out.

His eyes are wild, the devil nesting in their glaze, and he moves in to pin me against the wall.

"Damon, stop, please. You don't want to do this. You're just f.u.c.ked up."

He laughs wildly.

"f.u.c.ked up? d.a.m.n you sound s.e.xy saying that word."

I feel the bile rising to the back of my throat as his lips try to reach mine. I'm pushing with all my strength to force him off me, but I'm not strong enough. If this b.a.s.t.a.r.d touches me, I'll f.u.c.king kill him.

"Damon, Tag will kick your a.s.s for this," I growl as I turn my head away to try to catch a breath his disgusting secretion hasn't tainted.

He laughs maliciously, as his hips press harder against me and his hand grabs my breast.

"Honey, do you have any idea how many of Tag's girls I've f.u.c.ked? They all want two things - money and d.i.c.k. I've got both. My son's wealth is my wealth, and they know it. Same as you. I promise I'll help you relax in ways you've never imagined."

He grabs my a.s.s and starts tugging at my shorts, his body moving enough to give me a little mobility, and I knee him in the crotch as hard as I can. His air leaves his lungs in a harsh, loud breath, and I start running toward the bedroom.

I cry out as he jerks me by the hair, and then I slap the floor hard with a loud crashing thud.

"You f.u.c.king c.u.n.t!" he blares. "Hold still."

"No!" I scream as he starts trying to pull my shorts down. "No! No! Please, no!"

Before he can touch me anywhere else, his body is ripped off mine and goes flying against the wall. My eyes can't adjust to the dark of the living room at first, but when they do, I see Tag's fist colliding with Damon's face over and over.

"Tag!" Wren screeches as he leaps over a coffee table. "Dude, stop. You'll kill him."

Tag doesn't stop, and it takes Wren and Billy to pull him off before the b.l.o.o.d.y pulp left of Damon collapses to the floor, still breathing.

"f.u.c.king piece of s.h.i.t," Tag growls through gritted teeth before kicking the unconscious lump in the gut.

He rips free from Billy and Wren's grasp as Shannon dives to be at my side.

"Holy s.h.i.t, Ash. Are you okay?" she gushes as she smoothes my hair from my face.

"I'm fine," I hoa.r.s.ely release as my whole body shakes from the adrenaline high.

Tag kneels beside me and scoops me up to pull me to his body. He carries me over to the couch and sits down to nestle me onto his lap.

"Call the cops," he says to Wren, who nods while pulling out his phone. Then he turns to me. "What all did he do to you?"

The guilt in his face makes me force back the terror and nerves begging to break free in a feverish flood of tears.

"Nothing. You got here in time," I mutter while wrapping my arms around his neck.

He pulls me closer, and I bury my face in his neck as he holds me. I would have never in all my life thought an embrace could be this comforting, but then again, I've never truly loved someone the way I do him.

Tag "You guys just don't have a lot of luck, do you?" the detective asks.

"Not really. What's going to happen to him?" I ask as they load the b.l.o.o.d.y mess of a man into the back of a squad car, just a few bandages in place to show where I've been.

"Attempted rape is pretty serious. It'll be up to a jury. I a.s.sume she'll be pressing charges."

Rape.