Chapter 3 Her knight in shining armor

**Third person**

Her mother was the first to speak up.

"What are you doing here?" Her sharp tone and icy look sent shivers down Ashley's spine.

Even though she looked like a different person, she still felt so small and so scared in front of them.

What if they attempt to kill her again now, and they actually succeed?

Breathe, Ash. They don't even know that you're the one.

"Sorry, I lost my way. I was looking for the restroom," answered Ashley, trying to keep her voice steady.

"And who are you?" Her mother's eyes narrowed, and her gaze turned even icier.

Just then, Adam stepped in. "Uh, Mrs. Harrison, she's my new secretary."

"Is that so?" Kate Harrison asked, her gaze turning to Adam.

"Yes, ma'am."

Kate's eyes shifted back to Ash, and she stared at her for a few seconds before she continued, "What's your name?"

"It's, uh, it's..." Ashley stuttered, her mind searching for suitable female names that she could adopt.

"You don't remember your name?" Kate snapped, her voice tingling with impatience.

"Mot-her," Adam murmured, his voice trembling slightly. "I... I think your tone is scaring her."

Her knight in shining armor, huh? One would think that Adam was such a perfect gentleman.

Mrs. Harrison simply rolled her eyes, waving off Adam's remark. "What's your name, young lady?" She reiterated with a stern voice.

"It's Valerie, ma'am. Valerie Thorne."

Mrs. Harrison's eyes darted from Ashley's head to her toe. "Well, I don't like her," she announced, and then headed back to the inner office.

Adam chuckled nervously as he followed Ashley's parents behind. "She's really competent," he explained, trying to defend Ashley.

And then, just before he shut the door to the inner office behind him, he turned to give Ashley a wink, signaling to her that they'd talk later.

****************************************

The harsh fluorescent lights of the bar did little to pierce the fog of betrayal clinging to Ashley.

She winced as she downed yet another glass of vodka and then wiped her mouth with the back of her palm.

"Two more shots, please," she yelled to the bartender, her strained voice almost drowning in the loud music.

Each pulsating beat of the music hammered against her chest.

Her parents... Were they not supposed to love her unconditionally and protect her?

Why will they try to kill her?

Tears spilled from her eyes, and she immediately wiped them away. She shouldn't be crying at a bar.

"Here you go." The bartender pushed two shots at her.

She giggled drunkenly and gulped down another shot of whiskey. The burning liquid was a fleeting distraction from the emotional inferno raging within.

Suddenly, a shadow fell across the bar counter. Glancing up through tear-blurred and dizzy eyes, she saw a man.

He was tall, with broad shoulders and a dark suit that seemed to mold itself to his imposing physique.

His face, obscured by the dim lighting, held an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Mind if I join you?" He rumbled, his voice low, yet it held a sharp edge.

Ashley scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "Sure, why not?" Her eyes met his, and a spark ignited within her.

Maybe it was the whiskey, maybe it was the sheer absurdity of the situation, but she found herself wanting to ruffle his hair with her fingers.

The man took the seat beside her; his blue eyes seemed to pierce through her skin. "And what is a pretty lady doing all alone here?"

Her cheeks immediately flushed with heat, and she swallowed the lump in her throat.

She should probably leave. Intimacy, even the hostile kind, was the last thing she craved.

Pushing herself off the stool, she slammed a crumpled bill on the counter when she felt a hand on her wrist.

"Have one drink with me."

**************************************

The sound of running water woke Ashley up.

She blinked and opened her eyes slowly.

Placing a hand on her aching head, her eyes roamed around, and then she realized that this wasn't her bedroom.

She immediately sat up, and her gaze caught the clothes scattered on the floor.

Oh God!

Ashley gasped in horror; those were her clothes, and... and a man's...

What the heck?

She decided to lay down to mentally assess the situation when she felt the soreness between her legs.

It felt so sore... So tender...

The last thing she remembered was...

Ugh, she knew staying back for that "drink" was a bad idea.

Wrapping her arms around her chest, she recalled the way he was positioned above her, thrusting in and out of her...

And then she subconsciously bit her lower lip, rolled her eyes, and let out a soft moan. It had felt so good...

The way he smacked her...

And the way he...

Snap of this, Ash! This wasn't the time to be thinking about how good he was.

You had a one-night stand with a stranger, just after you found out that your parents were involved in your death.

Yes, she was supposed to still be angry and hurt, and so she immediately wrinkled her forehead.

She'll make all of them pay.

It was best for her to leave before the man came out, so she could get him out of her mind.

Then she glanced at the clock and her eyes widened. Jumping out of bed, she slipped into her clothes.

But just as Ashley was about to step out of the room, Lucas's phone beeped. She'd decided to ignore it, but curiosity got the best of her.

Taking a peek at his phone on the nightstand, the caller ID read, "My Woman."

A wave of nausea hit her harder than the tequila hangover.

My woman? Seriously?

With a mix of curiosity and spite, she answered. "Hello?"

A sweet, suffocatingly cheerful voice replied, "Lucas, darling, where are you?"

Ashley's brain short-circuited. Darling?

This guy had a wife? Adam and Karen's betrayal flashed before her eyes, igniting a fury she didn't know she possessed.

"Ma'am," she started. "I'm so sorry. Your husband is, uh, indisposed. He's cheating on you."

And then she took a deep breath, trying to brush off the guilt of what she'd just said. It's better she knows that her husband is a scum.

Then the bathroom door burst open. Lucas appeared with a towel wrapped around his waist. "What the hell are you doing with my phone?"

"Uh..." Her eyes flickered through his well-muscled legs, his broad chest, and his big arms.

She swallowed.

This was the man she'd had sex with? No wonder he was so...

"Did you take my call?" He cocked an eyebrow, interrupting her thoughts.

"Lucas dear... Is that you?" The voice on the other end of the speaker phone called out.

Their eyes met briefly, and Ashley, realizing the full extent of her screw-up, bolted.

"Oops!" She murmured and then dropped Lucas's phone on the nightstand before making a dash for the door.

"Hey!" Lucas yelled. "Come back here!!"