surprise gripped him at the earnestness-and urgency-in her tone. he leaned forward, his gaze narrowing at her.

"you want out. what does that mean exactly, brittany?"

"i want away from them," she said shakily. "all of them."

"what the hell did they do to you?" ash demanded.

she shook her head. "nothing. i mean nothing more than usual. you know how they are, ash. i've always envied you so much. you tell them to fuck off and you've made your own way. all i've done is marry a man my mother wanted me to, try to make the best of a bad situation and fail miserably. i got nothing in the divorce and i was okay with that. i just wanted out. but i have nothing without mom and dad's help. and i don't want it anymore. because their help comes with strings. i'm thirty years old and what do i have to show for my life? no life, no money. nothing."

the desolation in her voice hit ash deep. he knew exactly what she meant. it could have easily been him in this same situation. his brothers certainly were. he didn't like the shadows in her eyes and the beaten down look she currently wore. as much as she'd been a bitch before, mimicking their mother, he'd take that over this whipped-puppy look she now had.

"what do you want to do?" he asked quietly.

"is it pathetic that i don't know? i don't even know where to start. i came to you because i had no one else to go to. my friends aren't friends when the chips are down. they're more than willing to support me when things are good, but i can't count on them for real support."

"i'll help you," he said in an even tone. "jace owns an apartment that mia used to live in, and more recently his fiancee lived there. but it's empty again and just sitting there. i can probably buy it from him or at least use it until we get you situated somewhere else."

her eyes widened in shock.

"do you have a job?" he asked.

she flushed and dropped her gaze.

"i'm not criticizing, brittany," he said softly. "i'm asking so i know what kind of help you need."

she shook her head. "no. i've been living with mom and dad. it's not that i don't want to work, but what am i good at?"

"you could be good at a lot of things," ash said. "you're smart. you have a degree. you're just afraid to try and get out there in the real world."

she nodded slowly.

"i can get you a position in one of the hotels, but brittany, you need to know. it would be a real job with real responsibilities. i can pull strings to get you hired, but if you aren't doing the job, you don't get to keep it. understand?"

"i understand and thank you, ash. i don't know what to say. we-i-have been horrible to you." tears filled her eyes as she stared earnestly back at ash. "they hate you because they can't control you. and i've let them control me. now that i'm not going to do that anymore, they're going to hate me too."

ash reached across the desk and curled his hand around hers, squeezing reassuringly.

"you don't need them, brittany. you're young and smart. you can make it on your own. you just need a little help to do that. but be prepared. you're going to have to be strong. our mother is a bitch, and she won't hesitate to use every weapon in her arsenal on you as soon as she figures out what you're doing."

"thanks," she whispered. "i'll pay you back somehow, ash. i swear it."

he squeezed her hand again. "the best thing you can do for me is to live your own life and don't let them beat you down again. i'll help. i'll do what i can to shield you from that shit. but it's going to take a lot of strength on your part as well. i'd like to think we could actually be family again."

she curled both her hands around his, her eyes shining as she locked gazes with him. "i'd like that too, ash."

"let me call jace and see where he stands with the apartment. if we can't get you into that one, we'll have to take a look at what else is out there. do you need me to go with you to get your stuff from mom and dad's?"

she shook her head. "i packed everything. my clothes and stuff i mean. nothing else to pack. i brought it with me. my suitcases are in the reception area here. i took a cab to your office. wasn't sure what i was going to do if you refused to see me."

"okay, then let me call jace and we'll get your bags. for tonight i'll put you up in our hotel. i'm sure the apartment will need restocking. i'll work on that today and also set up an account for you and deposit enough cash to get you through to your first paycheck. take a few days to settle in and then come back to see me about that job. by then i'll have something lined up for you."

she rose and then was suddenly around the desk, throwing her arms around his neck. he caught her, rising from his chair, still holding on to her so she didn't fall, and he returned her hug.

"you're the best, ash. god i've missed you. i'm so sorry for the way i've treated you. you have every right to kick me out and never see me again. i'll never forget what you're doing for me. never."

the fervency in her voice made ash smile as he patiently waited for the hugfest to be over. who would have thought today would bring his sister into his office for a family reunion of sorts. gabe and jace weren't going to believe this one. although it would be two weeks before gabe knew anything.

jace would likely think he'd lost his mind for helping his sister out. but ash couldn't just turn his back on her. even if it was what his family had done to him. brittany was still his little sister and perhaps this would be a new page for them. ash didn't like the estrangement between him and his family. but they'd given him no choice. he wanted what everyone else took for granted. a solid family unit. people who had his back. people who loved and supported him unconditionally.

he had that with gabe and jace and now mia and bethany. but he'd never had it with his own blood. maybe brittany would change all of that. even if they'd never be one big happy family, he and his sister could at least have a relationship.

"i'll have my driver take you to the hotel. i'll ask eleanor to have him come up and get your bags. she'll also call over to make sure they have a room ready for you when you get there. you'll need to go to the bank to set up your account. i'll have eleanor help you out with that too. but for now take it easy, try to get some rest and tomorrow we'll move you into an apartment."

he smiled indulgently when she hugged him again. she hastily wiped at a tear as she turned away.

"this means a lot, ash. it means everything. and i swear i'll make this up to you."

"just be happy and don't let them take you back down," ash said in a serious tone. "she won't let go that easy, brittany. you have to know that and you have to be prepared for it. if she pulls any shit, you come to me and i'll sort it out."

brittany smiled wanly and then started for the door. she paused, her hand gripping the doorknob.

"i've always admired you, ash. and if i'm honest, i've always been jealous. but you're not what they say you are. i hate them for what they did to you. to me. and i hate myself for letting them."

"they aren't worth your hatred," ash said quietly. "don't give them that kind of power over you. not saying it's going to be easy. but you can't let them knock you down and keep you down."

she nodded and then smiled faintly. "i'll see you soon. i'd like that, i mean. maybe dinner. or i can cook something at the apartment for just the two of us."

"i'd like that too," he said sincerely. "take care of yourself, brittany. and if you need anything, call me."

as soon as she walked out of his door, he buzzed eleanor and gave her the rundown on what he needed. after instructing her to assist brittany in opening a bank account, he told her to give him the account number as soon as brittany had it so he could wire funds.

what a day. so brittany had a backbone after all. it had taken her long enough, but better late than never. their two older brothers had never had the balls or the desire to stand up to their parents and the old man. ash had no use for them. both in their forties and neither one able to support himself or his own family. hell, ash had nieces and nephews he'd rarely ever seen. he knew nothing about his sisters-in-law other than they were married to weak men still firmly under the thumb of his parents.

that wasn't going to be him. it would never be him. and now, if he had anything to say about it, neither would it be brittany.

it remained to be seen if she'd really have the fortitude to make a clean break and slip out from under the control of their parents. but he was more than happy to help her if that was truly her goal. she was young and beautiful. she was smart even if she'd made some spectacularly bad choices. she had more than enough time to turn it around and get her life on the right path.

everyone made mistakes, and everyone deserved the chance to make up for them. he just hoped to hell brittany would turn it around now and get her head on straight.

he opened his drawer to look at the box of jewelry he'd hastily shoved inside when eleanor had buzzed him about brittany's arrival. he brushed one finger over the edge as he thoughtfully stared down at it.

brittany was squared away, and now it was time to focus on his primary preoccupation.

josie.

chapter five

"what do you mean you sold them already?" josie asked, her voice rising as she stared at the pawnbroker she'd visited several days earlier to sell her mother's jewelry.

he surveyed her calmly. "i sold them. had a customer who liked the stuff."

josie twisted her hands in agitation. "can you give me an address? a name? phone number, anything? i'd like to buy it back."

"you had the option to pawn it, miss carlysle," the man said patiently. "i specifically asked if you preferred a loan with the option of getting your items back."

"but the loan wouldn't have been enough," she argued. "i needed the money then. i couldn't wait. but it's different now. i have the money and i have to get my mother's jewelry back! it's all i have left from her. it was my grandmother's. oh god, i can't believe you sold it so quickly."

the man shot her a look of sympathy but remained silent. josie was sure he thought he was dealing with a crazy woman.

"can you give me the information of the person you sold it to?" she asked again in desperation.

"i think you know i can't do that," the man said.

she wiped a hand over her face in agitation. if only she'd waited another day. but how on earth could she have predicted that someone would walk into the art gallery and fall in love with her work-all if it-and buy it for more than the dealer was asking for? it was all so crazy. not that she wasn't extremely grateful for her good fortune, but if only she'd waited one more day she wouldn't have pawned her mother's jewelry and she wouldn't be standing in a pawnshop desperate to get it back.

"will you at least contact the person for me and give them my phone number? you could ask them to call me. tell them i'll pay double what they paid for it. i have to get it back."

he sighed and then shoved a piece of paper with a pen across the counter toward her. "i can't promise anything, but write down your info and i'll pass it along. i don't normally do this kind of thing. once it's sold, it's out of my hands. you relinquished any claim when you sold the jewelry to me."

"i know, i know," josie said as she hurriedly jotted down her name and number. "i'm not saying it's your fault or that you're to blame. i have only myself to blame for acting so rashly. but i'd really appreciate it if you could just give the person a call and let them know how desperate i am to get the pieces back."

he shrugged as she shoved the paper back to him. "i'll do what i can."

"thank you," she whispered.

she turned to walk out, her heart heavy. she should have been elated. her artwork had sold. all of it! and mr. downing had told her to bring more, whatever she wanted. he had an interested buyer, and though he hadn't divulged any information about the buyer, he'd told her that the party was interested in whatever else she brought in.

the only thing marring the entire day was the fact that her mother's jewelry was gone. she had no idea where or who had bought it or if she'd ever get it back. she'd been so happy when mr. downing had given her that check. far more than she'd ever hoped for. it was enough to pay her rent and buy groceries for a few months. plenty of time for her to get other pieces to the gallery. and most importantly, it had been enough money to buy back the jewelry she'd sold, even though she knew it would cost her more than she'd gotten from the sale.