Game of Love and Deception: The Billionaire's Ex Wife
Chapter 57: I’ll punish you

Chapter 57: I’ll punish you

Ashley rolled her eyes.

"Chris!" Kayla cried even louder, and a low, throaty chuckle escaped Ashley’s lips.

She genuinely felt like walking into the bathroom, scooping toilet water, and making Kayla drink it.

"I see your knight is here," she muttered, forcefully releasing Kayla’s head and wiping her hands on the drama queen’s dress.

Her hair smelled like it hadn’t been washed in months.

"Are you okay? Open the door, Kayla!" Christian’s voice shouted, followed by a loud bang. While Kayla continued to sob dramatically on the floor, Ashley walked over and opened it.

The moment the door swung wide, her gaze met Christian’s furious eyes. She offered him the sweetest smile she could manage.

His eyes darted past her and landed on Kayla lying on the floor. His face turned red with anger.

"What did you do to her?!" he barked, rushing past her to Kayla’s side.

He hovered over her as she cried harder, and Ashley crossed her arms, watching the scene with amusement.

"I said, what did you do to her?!" Christian suddenly turned and charged at Ashley, his fist clenched as though he wanted to strike her. Ashley flinched, shutting her eyes, her hands rising to shield her face as she braced for impact.

But it never came.

Slowly, she opened one eye and looked up—only to see a strong masculine hand had caught Christian’s arm midair.

The scent of a familiar cologne reached her nose, and she turned slightly.

It was Lorenzo Grey. She was trapped between both men.

His eyes burned with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

Ashley blinked in surprise, wondering when he had arrived. She quietly moved behind him.

"Don’t tell me you were planning to hit my woman, Christian," Lorenzo growled, his tone arrogant and cold. "How dare you even let that thought cross your mind?"

"Are we just going to ignore the fact that this raging dog you call a girlfriend..."

Lorenzo didn’t let him finish. His fist slammed into Christian’s jaw, cutting him off mid-sentence.

"Ouch," Ashley flinched from behind.

Christian’s eyes darkened as he tried to retaliate, but Lorenzo didn’t give him the chance. He delivered a hard kick to Christian’s crotch, sending him bending over in pain.

"Baby..." Kayla scrambled to her feet and ran toward him, but Ashley stepped in and blocked her path.

Kayla recoiled in fear, but Ashley didn’t let that stop her from speaking her mind.

"The next time these filthy hands of yours even dare touch me," she warned, grabbing Kayla’s hand and raising it to her face, "I promise, it won’t just end with a beating." She leaned in and whispered darkly, "I’ll make sure it’s the last time you ever use it."

Kayla fumed in silence.

Without another word, Ashley turned towards the door.

"This isn’t over, Ashley!" Christian shouted from the floor. "You’ll both pay for this! And just so you know, he’s not the saint you think he is."

Ashley scoffed. "Whatever," she rolled her eyes. "He’s still better than a cheating monster."

Christian was such a weakling. The thought that she had once loved him, even married him, now filled her with disgust. Her past choices felt like a joke. She really had poor taste.

As she stepped out of the bathroom, she took a deep breath to steady herself, then her gaze searched out Lorenzo.

She met him standing in the hallway, arms folded across his chest like a sulking child.

Her heart skipped a beat in response.

He looked so calm and incredibly handsome again, like he hadn’t just beaten someone up moments ago.

Lorenzo took her hand, saying nothing until they reached his car. But inside, he had never felt so proud. Seeing Ashley stand up for herself so fiercely made him want to throw an "I’m so proud of you" party, but part of him still wished she’d called him for help.

As they walked, Ashley couldn’t help but wonder if she had embarrassed him by involving herself in a fight. She knew he hadn’t signed up to throw punches on her behalf, but he’d chosen to play the knight anyway.

Inside Lorenzo’s car, he finally turned to Ashley, worry etched into his beautiful features.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Ashley felt a flutter in her chest. The tenderness in his gaze made her heart flip.

Without thinking, she bit her lower lip. "Yeah, sure. Thanks for helping me out back there."

Her small, mindless action made Lorenzo swallow—tempted to kiss her.

"Why didn’t you call me?" he asked, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. The touch of his cold, slightly sweaty finger sent a sharp breath through Ashley’s lips.

"I... I thought I could handle it on my own," she stammered, avoiding his eyes. There was something dangerously soft in his stare that made her uneasy. Their proximity wasn’t helping either.

"Then let me make this clear," Lorenzo continued, his voice firm. "As long as you’re with me, you’re never allowed to get hurt. Do you understand?"

Ashley blinked, unsure of what he meant.

"You won’t always be there to defend me, Mr. Grey. So chill," she muttered.

Lorenzo’s jaw clenched. He hated it when she addressed him with such formal tone.

"Don’t underestimate me, love," he murmured, his lip curling into a sly smile that made Ashley’s heart race faster.

Not wanting to just sit there and take his commands, she shot back. "So what will you do if I do get hurt while I’m with you?"

Lorenzo’s arm went behind her neck, resting on her seat, and his face leaned dangerously closer. The air suddenly felt too hot for Ashley, and she swallowed nervously.

"I’ll punish you."

A simple phrase.

But they fired a million dirty images crashing into Ashley’s mind, making her breath turn shallow. Her face? It was the color of a ripe tomato.

Shit. How could she survive this torture of a man for eight months? She could lose her fucking mind.

Lorenzo smirked at her reaction.

"Close your eyes," he suddenly demanded, snapping her out of her haze.

"What?" Ashley asked, confused. Had she missed something when her brain blacked out?

"I said close your eyes," Lorenzo repeated.

"Why?" Ashley blinked.

"Do it now, or I’ll kiss those pretty, smart lips of yours," Lorenzo husked, knocking the air out of her lungs again.