CEO Of My Heart

11:45

ASHTON'S POV

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I can't keep my eyes off the one girl who stole my heart when I was a child, but of course, my twin, Grayson, declared that she was his. It's stupid, and even after all these years, I still can't break the rule.

We were children when we made it, but it's important.

Whenever one of us calls shotgun first on something, then the other has to back down, and unfortunately, Millie was Grayson's shotgun on the very first day we met and it's now too late to start acting like she's important to me, but I let my emotions control me for one split second and it had her running into another direction.

"Ash," My twin's similar voice calls out to me as I sit and watch the guys play beer pong and I lazily drink my soda as my mirror self marches up to me, looking concerned, "Have you seen Lia?"

Lia, it's such a dumb nickname for her.

"No," I lie, I know exactly where she is, because I glance over at the fireplace every minute to see if she's still sitting there.

"Are you sure? I kinda snapped at her earlier,", "Snapped?" I taunt, raising my brows as I stare up at him, "That's not like you at all," I tut and shake my head in disappointment.

"It was your fault," he grits out. "How?" My eyebrows furrow suddenly.

Nothing Grayson does is my fault, but of course, he would blame his worst reactions on me.

"You just had to fight Kevin," he rolls his eyes, "And you're unbothered about where Lia is while you sit and watch these dumbasses play beer pong," he scoffs, like he couldn't believe that I didn't care about her, but I do care, I'm just not allowed to- and that is his fault.

"Kevin knew what he was signing up for, because he was warned,", "Warned?" he seethes, and he leans down, his hands gripping the arm rest of the chair as he glares at me, but I don't look into my brother's eyes and I just focus on the game going on. "Yes," I shrug, and drink my soda, "Are you so drunk that you're unbothered by the fact that my...that Lia is missing?"

I'm not drunk.

I can't be drunk around her.

"Whatever lights your cigarette," I scoff and rise to my feet, making him back off me, because I could smell the vodka on his breath like freshly brushed teeth. "f**k sakes," he sighs, his head dropping back as he runs his hands through his hair, and I could tell the guilt was eating him up.

I inch closer to him, turning him around and the relief flashing through his eyes when he spots her sitting on the single couch angers me more.

He claims he cares about her, yet he lets her out of his sight.

He claimed her when we were kids, and yet he hasn't made a move on her ever since.

If I were him, I would have made her mine years ago.

"I'd apologize if I were you," I snort, patting my twin on the back before I join the beer pong game myself.

"Ready to lose, Ashton?" the girl with shimmering eyes asks, and I recognize her, but back in high school, she used to wear a cheer leading outfit, but I still don't know her name.

"I don't lose," I grin, and she giggles, "We'll see about that," she licks her lips as she aims for the cup in front of me, and she misses, but I catch the small ball with one hand, scoffing as I sink it into the cup in front.

She rolls her golden hues, and drinks the beer.

I can't lose, because I don't break promises, not even to myself.

The game goes on, and I'm distracted when I hear Millie's voice, the anger laced in her tone is familiar. It's the same kind of anger I spat for months when she left.

"Lia, come on. Just stay," My brother chases after her, and she stops, turning to him, "You said you wouldn't leave me alone,", "I'm sorry," he apologizes like a i***t.

Her emerald eyes collide with my icy blues, and she quickly looks away, staring at my brother with disappointment, "I want to go," she grits out, "The night started off bad, but I promise to make it up to you," he begs and I can't stop my eyes from trailing down her body.

"Are you going to play?" I squeeze the ball in my hand and turn back to the table, tossing my shot in, and one after one, all the balls sink into the cups and the girl hasn't had one chance to try and win me. "You're bad, Ash!" she giggles as she downs the last cup.

I ignore her as she waltzes over, "Excuse me," I touch her arm and brush past her to the bathroom.

I come out and immediately strut through the house, my eyes itching to see her, to know that she's okay and my heart turns cold when I see my brother with his arm around her neck as they talk to a few people, but I notice how she stares at the ground, her toes wiggling and I know she's uncomfortable, but there's nothing I can do.

The night goes by slow as I worry about the one person I shouldn't, and I watch her make friends with people that used to bully her about how she looked.

I watch as her cheeks turn red with compliments and how she smiles, and it looks real. She’s accepting the people who hurt her, who broke her and tortured her and the sad truth is, they are only accepting her because she’s hot as hell now, and they wouldn’t have wasted their time to think twice about bullying her if she didn’t have a massive glow up.

Hasn’t she learned her lesson?

Doesn’t she remember what kind of people they are?

Landon, a guy who played hockey, strides up to her, grabbing her attention with a warm smile and he offers her a drink, which she happily accepts with a smile and it irks me.

She can’t trust him.

I was about to rush over there when Grayson approaches me, “She’s making friends,” he beams, looking so proud. “With people who bullied her,” I deadpan.

Grayson was also on the hockey team, but he’s always been kind to people and he never got into fights. He never realized what they were really doing to Amelia, and he never protected her like I did, but that’s because he sees the good in everyone, and sometimes he looks past the bad parts.

If his friends told him it was an accident, he believed it and Amelia is so soft that she never stood up for herself either.

She was always at our house since her parents always used to work late, she’d eat with us, shower at our house, study and do homework, our house is her second home and even though I always had to put distance between her and I, there were times I would hear her sob in the bathroom, and even though I would just stand there and listen, praying to a God I didn’t believe in to help her breathe, I never opened the door or ask her what’s wrong.

I would never break the sacred oath my brother and I have over a girl— not even Amelia.

“They didn’t,” he deadpans, shrugging and I hate how oblivious he is. “Open your eyes, Gray, before it’s too late,” I bump his shoulder and find my way to the kitchen to grab another soda.

I wish that she could just open her f*****g eyes, I wish she wasn’t being fooled like Grayson has been fooled all his life, but there’s nothing I can do, nor will do because Grayson called shotgun on the one person who thinks I am the biggest d**k on this planet.

And maybe I am.

My phone starts ringing, and I ignore it, but as it rings a second time, I make myself way out of the back door to the quiet garden and answer it.

“What is it?” I keep my tone stern, “Sorry boss, but the security code isn’t working and we need you to reset it,” James’ voice shakes as he speaks.

“f**k sakes, fine. Give me five minutes.” I growl as I end the call and I look at the time.

Eleven forty five.

I march into the house and strut right over to Grayson, showing him my keys and his eyes dart through the open doors and they widen as he can’t see Amelia, again.

We both share a look and he looks through the house as I stride outside, but she’s gone.

She’s gone.