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CHAPTER ONEASHTON HARRINGTON TRULY NEEDED BETTER friends

Or at least, friends who gave better references Friends eren’t trying to ruin his reputation Friends eren’t half the reason for his rapidly escalating stress levels Friends who, at the very least, gave a da

Friends who gave a damn, period

Perhaps, in this hypothetical universe where he had such friends, he wouldn’t be staring at this flinty-eyed, utterly cold behemoth of a ht Ashton was going to give him a job

Ashton offered a thin, forer “If you’ll hold a moment, please,” he said, fetched his cellphone from his inside breast pocket, and pushed the third number on his speed dial

Vic picked up on the second ring; Ashton didn’t have to see his face to knoas grinning fro for this Hullo there, Ash”

Ashton narrowed his eyes “You ass,” he hissed, then flicked another glance at the motionless man

His stone-set expression hadn’t changed, lips thinned as if he already disapproved, eyes narrowed behind ri raked over by one of his old professors, that I don’t knohat it is yet, but I know you’ve done so stare that could cut down to the bone, and it made Ashton’s stomach flip

He flashed a frozen smile, then dropped his voice and spun his desk chair around to face out over the broad glassed-in wall and the gli New York City skyline “I ask you for a PA and you send me—” Conan the Barbarian “—this?”

“I’ you He’s worked for ” Vic’s cultured British accenthe said sound utterly polite and reserved, even when he continued, “Maybe he’ll help you get your shit together, Ash Soot to stop your doard trajectory into pure fuckery”

“I’h his teeth “Hence why I asked you to findfor your family?”

“Mum and Dad went back to the old country Brand wanted to stay And ier” Vic snickered “Not that Brand couldn’t be absolutely fetching in a short skirt, but I do believe that’s more to your taste than mine”

“Oh my God, fuck you”