The Arrangement

Chapter Twelve

Ashton

"I thought this was exactly what you wanted?" Carter hisses as he follows behind me down the hall towards the study.

Blair's been with us a few days, settling in and getting to know the others but Carter of course has noticed my distance. Keeping her at arms length for now.

As always he has to be in control of everything and signed me up to take her shopping without asking me first. Pushing me to spend time with her.

Yes initially I'd been in agreement to bring another woman in, but as the days have gone by and I've seen that innocence in her eyes I've realised this is all a mistake.

"No this is what you wanted and I agreed to it to make you happy" I snap back shoving the door to the study open so harshly it bangs against the wall.

He's the one that has a thing for dressing them how he likes, it's him that should be going with her. Not forcing me to.

"To make me happy?" He asks, as he follows me in. His tone soft despite my obvious frustration. "We have these whole arrangements for you, because it's what you want"

"Not anymore!" I shout. "I don't want another replay of Jamie and that is exactly what's going to happen"

The door closes quietly behind me and I hear Carter let out an exasperated sigh, "Blair is nothing like Jamie"

"She's inexperienced" I snap spinning round to face him, "exactly like Jamie" I then point out.

There's a split second before his calm expression splits. "How many times have I got to say you're not to blame for what happened!" He shouts and I'm thankful the study is sound proofed cause there's no doubt Lennox and Henley will come barging in at the sound of us arguing.

"Maybe we're recalling what happened very differently because I'm pretty sure it was my scene that broke her" I point out and watch as he shudders at the memory of what happened.

Sighing again his shoulders slump as he rubs a hand down his face. "None of us knew about her diagnosis or the trauma she'd been through"

"No I missed it" I snap.

I'm the one that vets the girls just like I've done with Blair. It's my job to keep us all safe yet I fucked up, I missed the warning signs and Henley got hurt because of me.

Because of me it all blew up in our faces and is the exact reason Carter has been so occupied with keeping his name clean. Causing a woman to have a full on psychotic break and nearly kill a man isn't exactly the dark mark he wants on his reputation.

To everyone else it's just rumours, ramblings of a woman that's lost it but it still caused investors to pull out and companies to question their alliances.

That's the thing with this whole arrangement. Although the women are involved with us all, to the world it's Carter their with so when it all blows up it's his name that gets tarnished.

"Again," he grits out, seeming to attempt to keep his tone level. "None of us knew, we all missed the warning signs"

I lean myself against the desk feeling myself deflate. Carter comes towards me cupping my face in his hands.

"You need to move past this Ash, if you don't it's going to force a wedge between us all" he says softly and even though deep down I know he's right I still can't help but snap back.

Pulling my head out of his hold I shove past him to create some distance between us. "I'm not the one that's shut myself away in here for months"

He doesn't turn to face me, instead he leans his hands against the table his head sagging. "I've needed to fix-" he begins to his but I cut him off.

"My fuck up" I quickly snap and spin on my heals, heading for the door.

"Ash!" He calls but I don't stop. Instead I slam the door behind me and storm off.

Needing to find a way to vent my frustrations.

I charge down the hallway, my rage fuelling my movements and hazing my reactions, so when Blair steps out of her room I don't have chance to halt my steps as I slam into her and knock her off kilter.

She yelps, her arms flapping as she starts to tumble backwards but I quickly reach out and grab hold of her, to keep her upright.

"Sorry" I grumble. Once she's steady on her feet I then step away.

"I'm ready to go" she says looking up at me with a hesitant smile. When I don't say anything and just glare down at her she shifts from one foot to the other. "Carter said that-"

"I know what he said" I snap unintentionally causing her to take a step back.

That innocence flashes in her eyes again and it makes me feel like a fucking dick.

In truth she doesn't deserve me to be like this towards her, but for her own safety and wellbeing it's probably best for her to steer clear of me.

I thought I could do this but now I know I was wrong.

"There's been a change of plans" I hear Carter call from the direction I just came from.

Turning I find him stalking towards us, his expression cool and collected despite our argument. It's as if it never even happened.

"Ashton's got something he needs to sort out so I'm going to take you" he then says shooting me a glare.

It's not hard to figure out it's my issues that he thinks I need to sort out but I'm glad he doesn't point that out in front of Blair though.

"Erm okay" she replies seemingly noticing the tension that's build up in the confines of the hallway.

I don't say another word, instead I shoot Carter one last glare and then continue to storm off.

The only thing that's going to exert the built up frustration is smashing my fists into something and if I stay standing in that hall it'll be the wall.