“You guess?”
“I’m just… I just wish we could do movie night, you know? Being here is so fucking stressful. I just want nice Ash to snuggle me.”
He shifted so I was pressed against his chest, and he could hug me tight. “I get it, kitten. But where can we go?”
“Nowhere.” I sighed miserably. “It’s too late to go to the movies, and I don’t feel like being in a crowd tonight.”
Ash pressed a kiss in my hair. “We could go to my dad’s.”
“Really?”
“Why not? I mean, I was supposed to get this weekend with him, and he bailed. Why not use his house?”
“You sure?”
“I have a key, and I know the code to the security system. As far as I know, that’s my house too.”
I bit my lip. It sounded too good to be true. “Are you sure you won’t get in trouble?”
He shook his head and gave me a squeeze, then let go and stepped back. “He’ll never know.”
I smiled. “Okay.”
“Let’s get Riley to bed. Then we can head over. Trust me when I say watching movies at my dad’s is an experience. His media room is insane.”
“You think we’ll be able to get away?”
“I’ll tell Mom I’m going to hang out with Liv.” He snorted. “Ten bucks says she gives me the ‘be responsible, I’m not ready to be a grandma’ speech for the millionth time.”
“Does she know about Liv?”
“Nope. Not her business. Besides, let her stress. It’s not like she doesn’t deserve it.”
“True.” I fingered the soft hem of Ash’s shirt.
“I told Mom we need to leave tomorrow after lunch.”
“Good.” I tugged on the shirt and smiled when he stepped closer. “Schoolwork?”
“I didn’t even need an excuse. She just made a comment about us leaving Riley so soon, and that was it. Didn’t even ask us to stay. Nothing.”
“Shit, that’s low.”
“Even for her.”
“Christmas is going to suuuuuuck.”
“Yeah.” He hugged me tight, nuzzling my hair with his cheek.
“What thefuck?”
We jumped apart.
My heart was in my throat, adrenaline pouring into my nervous system. The world went white, then black.
“It’s okay, Jules.”
Why was Ash holding me? And why was someone yelling at us?