Page 57 of Sentinel's Kiss

“Jeremy,” Ashley snapped, pulling him out of Josh’s face.

“It’s okay. I get it. It’s good that he’s protective of you.” Josh squeezed her shoulder.

“Yeah, even if he’s a heavy-handed pain in the ass.”

“I’m standing right here,” Jeremy said.

“I’ll call you later.” She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed Josh on the mouth, only partly because she wanted to annoy her brother.

“Dad doesn’t need this added stress in his life.” Jeremy had at least waited until Josh was in the elevator before he started in on her again.

“So don’t tell him.” Ashley rubbed her arms and rolled her neck. “We drove here as soon as we heard the news. What happened?”

“I don’t know. One minute he was standing up, the next minute he was on the floor.”

“Can I go see him?”

“They’re only allowing one person in at a time, but Mom could use a break. Let’s see if we can get her to go for a cup of coffee.”

“Don’t tell Mom about Josh,” she said as they walked to the nursing station.

“Why are you even with a guy like that?”

“Looks can be deceiving. He’s a nice man and I really, really like him.”

“He looks like trouble.”

Ashley couldn’t argue with him, so she just shrugged. She knew a lot of guys who went to Ivy League schools and dressed in suits and were just as rotten as Bryce Fallon.

They asked the on-duty nurse to let their mother know she was there.

“Dad needs you to stay focused.”

Ashley sighed again. “I am focused. I’m focused on my career and starting a new relationship. A real one, for a change.”

“With him? A biker? What’s he do for a living?”

“He owns a bar.”

“A bar?” Jeremy sneered.

“Look, you asshole.” Ashley whipped around on him and spoke in a furious whisper. “Don’t talk about my life until you take a long look at yours. Yeah, I’ve been reckless and I’ve done a lot of stupid things. Yes, I’ve worried our parents and I’m trying to get my life together. But you”—she drilled her finger into his chest—“take their grandbabies into a foreign country that’s about to implode. So don’t get on my case for who I’m dating. I’m not the one bringing my family into a war zone.”

Jeremy wheeled back as if she had struck him. Ashley refused to feel guilty about the look of hurt that crossed his face. “I thought you, out of everybody else, would understand why I’m doing this. It’s important work. There are stories that need to be told.”

“I know that,” she said. “Believe me, I know exactly how you feel. And I know Layla is just as committed and happy to provide the assistance that she can. But you can’t put all the blame for Dad’s condition on my behavior.”

“I’m not,” he said. “I didn’t mean to. And if it came out that way, I’m sorry.”

Ashley nodded. She hated fighting with him. “It’s okay. We’re both under a lot of strain.”

He nodded back and looked away. After a few minutes, their mother came out. Ashley hugged her.

“How are you holding up?” Ashley asked.

“Better now that my whole family is here.” Her mother lifted a hand to Jeremy’s cheek.

“Let’s go for a walk and get something to eat, or a cup of coffee,” he said. “Ashley can sit with Dad.”