Page 71 of Enchant Me

“You’ll meet him soon,” I tell him. “In the meantime, you’re not allowed to drink alcohol. So what’s your poolside poison? Water? Tea? Soda?”

“Tea’s great,” he says, then follows Damien to the patio as I head upstairs to get some sunscreen and the drinks.

By the time I get back down, Ryan’s walking in the front door. “Damien’s on the patio,” I say, then see his expression. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ll tell you when I tell Damien,” he says. “He alone?”

“Ash is with him.”

Ryan pauses. “Ashton Stone?”

I nod. “Long story. The short version is things are better between them, but he wrecked his car racing last night. Damien told him some unpleasant family history and he—”

“Wanted to burn off steam,” Ryan says, finishing my sentence. “Yeah. I imagine he did that right after he killed Jeremiah Stark.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Damien’s voice explodes from the open patio door, and I look up to see Damien and Ash standing there.

Ryan visibly sags, his attention going to Ash. “Hell of a way to formally meet,” he says. “I’m Ryan Hunter. I’m—”

“Head of Security for Stark International. I know. What the hell did you just say about me and Jeremiah?”

“Jeremiah’s dead,” Ryan says flatly. “And according to the coroner, time of death is right about the time your image shows up on Jeremiah’s doorbell camera.”

“That’s crazy,” Ash says. “I mean, yes, I went to see him. To tell him what a total shit he was, but I didn’t kill the man.”

“Ash, sit,” I say. “You’re not well.”

He scowls, but does as I say, then turns to face Damien. “I swear I didn’t hurt him. Damien, you have to believe me.”

Damien draws a breath, then pinches the bridge of his nose. “Christ, this is on me,” he mutters.

“What?” I ask, but he shakes his head, his attention on Ryan.

“I need speak with you,” he says, then heads outside with Ryan beside him.

“I swear I didn’t kill him,” Ash says to me. “He doesn’t believe me, and why should he? He doesn’t even know me.”

“He does know you,” I say. “And he believes you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

I press a hand to his shoulder. “Because I know Damien.”

21

“I believe him,” Damien said, as Ryan leaned against the pool’s swim-up bar. “He didn’t kill Jeremiah.”

“Damien, I realize you and Ashton have turned things around. That you accept him as your son—”

“Accept and respect. And I trust him. It’s not him. He told me he visited, that’s not in question. But he didn’t kill him.”

“Hell of a coincidence.”

“Maybe not as much as you think. Christ, Ryan, I told Alaine everything yesterday. What Richter did. That my father knew.” He dragged his fingers through his hair. “He’d heard about the abuse when I went public before Nikki and I were married, but he didn’t know that my father knew the truth all along. And he sure as hell didn’t know that Sofia got pregnant.”

“I know he’s your friend, but why—”