I stood frozen in the hallway of Ashton's penthouse, my hand still raised to knock when the sound of male laughter stopped me cold. The door was cracked open just enough to reveal the scene inside—Ashton's poker night in full swing, crystal tumblers clinking, cigar smoke hanging in the air. I'd come expecting a quiet evening, maybe some takeout and a movie, the kind of normal couple time we'd been missing lately.
But then I saw it. On the massive flat-screen TV dominating the living room wall, my own face filled the frame. Not a photo. A video. *Our* video. The one Ashton had begged me to make, promising it was just for us, something special between him and me.
"Look at that ass," someone drawled, and more laughter erupted. "Rivera, you're a lucky bastard."
Ashton's voice, casual and amused, carried through the gap. "I know, right? She doesn't even know how hot she looks when she's—" He made a crude gesture that had the room howling.
My stomach twisted into a knot. My thumb pressed hard against my wrist, the pressure anchoring me as my world tilted. I should have stormed in. Should have screamed. But I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, could only listen as the man I loved treated my most intimate moment like entertainment.
"Seriously, though," another voice cut in, "Kimora would never do something like this. She's one of the guys."
The room went quiet. I watched through the crack as Ashton's face hardened, his easy grin vanishing.
"Watch your mouth about Kimora," he said, voice sharp as a blade. "She's off-limits. You don't joke about her."
The contrast hit me like a physical blow. My body was public entertainment, but Kimora's name was sacred. My throat burned with the scream I wouldn't let out. I pressed my thumb harder against my wrist, swallowing until the taste of bile faded, then turned and walked away before anyone could see me.
The next morning found us in Ashton's garage, his cathedral to chrome and horsepower. I'd come to help him prep for the day's drive, hoping to find some normalcy after the night before. He was detailing his Pagani Huayra, his prized possession, the car he treated like a lover.
I reached for a microfiber cloth on the workbench, my fingers brushing against the car's door panel. It was barely a touch, feather-light.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Ashton's voice exploded. His hands hit my shoulders, shoving me backward with enough force to send me stumbling. I caught myself against the metal frame of the garage door, felt the sharp edge bite into my forearm. Pain flared, bright and immediate. Blood welled from the gash, dark against my pale skin.
Ashton didn't even look at me. He dropped to his knees, fingers hovering over the car's surface, inspecting for the slightest scratch. "If you touched the paint, I swear to God—"
"I'm bleeding," I whispered, but he was already lost in his examination, muttering about swirl marks and clear coat damage.
Twenty minutes later, Kimora strutted into the garage in stilettos that clicked against the concrete like tiny hammers. Without hesitation, she hopped onto the hood of the same Pagani, crossing her legs and smirking at Ashton.
"Look at me," she called, posing like a pinup. "Don't I look like I belong on the cover of a magazine?"
I watched in disbelief as her heels dragged across the pristine paint, leaving visible scratches. Ashton threw his head back and laughed.
"You look perfect, Kim. Always do."
He never asked if I needed stitches. Never even glanced at the blood drying on my arm. When it came time to head to the racetrack, he handed me keys to a rented electric scooter with a dismissive toss.
"No one rides shotgun except the car itself," he said, already sliding behind the wheel of his Lamborghini. "You'll follow the convoy. Keep up."
Kimora settled into the passenger seat of the Lambo, her laughter ringing out as Ashton started the engine. I stood there, scooter keys cold in my hand, watching them pull away. The distance between us grew with every second, but it wasn't just physical space. It was the chasm of a man who could broadcast my most private moments for laughs, then defend another woman's honor like a knight.
I pressed my thumb against my wrist again, the familiar pressure grounding me as I climbed onto the scooter. But this time, something else stirred beneath the hurt—a flicker of something cold and sharp, like the edge of a blade waiting to be drawn.
