I looked at Ashton in surprise.

He hadn't betrayed me to his father. He had protected me again.

After all, it was my fault that, in a fit of childish defiance, I had resisted it.

Suddenly I felt a little bad about my stupid behavior.

"And why didn't you just let Ella use one of your rooms?" Roland wanted to know, because it would have been the most obvious thing they could have done in the situation.

Ashton straightened his shoulders as I furtively eyed him.

He had certainly thought about it and I was kind of curious what reason he would give his father.

"To be honest, there were...