by Ward, Alice
I sat up, shuddering slightly as scenes from the cabin flashed through my mind. “You did scare me a little,” I confessed. “Not just at the cabin, but on the way there. It was like you were possessed. And the way you talked to Luis… it was like you were a different person.”
Asher blushed and looked at the coffee table. “To be honest, I felt possessed. I could just picture Rachel hiding out at the cabin, watching from a close distance and laughing her ass off while we raced around the country trying to find her. I thought of everything she’d put me through, all of the lies she’d told, and confronting her was all I could think about. As for the way I talked to Luis, it was all I could do not to vomit when I called him Uncle. I was trying to keep us safe, to keep him pacified until the cops got there. It almost worked.” He rested his elbows on his legs and lowered his head to his hands. I gave him a gentle rub on the back and sighed.
“How are you holding up?” I asked, lowering my voice. “I know your feelings for Luis were complicated. You must feel very conflicted right now.”
Asher lifted his head, his jaw firm. “I don’t feel conflicted at all. In some ways, Luis was good to me. He gave me somewhere to belong and pushed me to be my best. But he didn’t do it for me, he did it for himself. And he was going to kill you. I haven’t felt a moment of regret or remorse for sending him to Hell where he belongs.”
“Asher, I can tell you’re upset and I know there’s more to it than what you’re saying,” I argued. “Please just talk to me. Let me help you.”
He curled a strand of my hair around his finger, all the way to the roots. Then he blew out a breath as he let it go. “I’m not sure if this makes sense… but I feel guilty for not feeling guilty. I killed a man today, Lauren. For the second time in my life, I’ve taken someone else’s. And I’m not sorry for either. I’d kill them both again in a heartbeat. What kind of person does that make me? What if I’m a monster?”
I took both his hands in mine and looked him square in the eyes. “Monsters don’t worry about whether or not they’re monsters. You’re a good man, Asher. You’re impulsive, you get terrible tunnel vision, and if I think about it long enough, I’m sure I could come up with a laundry list of other things you could stand to work on. But the last thing I’d ever call you is a monster.”
Asher squeezed my hands as a single tear rolled down his cheek. “I’m so grateful for the faith you have in me. But I can’t for the life of me figure out where it comes from.”
I smiled and wiggled back into his arms. “I’d be happy to explain, if you’re interested.”
He didn’t say a word, but another tear slid down his face and he swallowed hard, holding me tighter. Knowing he wouldn’t ask and also knowing he needed to hear the words, I began…
“I know you’re a good man because I’ve been with my share of bad ones. No one I’d call a monster, exactly, but no one who cared about me and loved me the way you do. You support me and celebrate me instead of acting threatened when I succeed. I have faith in you because of all of those things and so many more. But mostly, I have faith in us. And when I’m here, in your arms, I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.”
“What if—?”
I put a finger to his lips to silence him. “Don’t,” I insisted. “We have plenty of time to worry about the future. I don’t want to think about the what ifs, not tonight. And I don’t want to watch the news either.”
“I agree with you on that one.”
We hadn’t so much as turned on a radio since we were released on bail. Kennedy had filled us in on the basics: the news organizations knew snippets of Asher’s past, including his original name and his childhood involvement in the Chavez organization. They also knew about Luis Chavez’s death and our arrests. Kennedy warned it was only a matter of time before Rachel released a statement and made everything infinitely worse.
I nuzzled into Asher’s neck, moving my lips inches from his ear.
“I have a challenge for you,” I whispered. I felt his cock twitch against my leg and a rush of adrenaline raced through my body.
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
I leaned away from him, stretching my back and shoulders. “My back is wrecked from sleeping on the air mattress. I smell like a blend of outside and that God awful stale jail cell. I think you should take me to the shower, help me wash this day away, and then make me forget that it even happened.”
“That’s a tall order,” he replied with a sigh.
“Give it your best try,” I dared with a grin.
For the first time all day, a slight smile broke across Asher’s face. He slid me onto the couch and stood, his eyes dancing with a dare of their own. He loosened his tie without breaking eye contact with me.
“I’ll race you to the bathroom.”
“You’re on,” I agreed, jumping from the couch. I darted through the kitchen and down the hallway with Asher at my heels. I threw off my jacket and blouse, kicking off my slacks as we reached the bedroom. I stumbled over one leg as the other got hung up on my ankle monitor. Asher raced up behind me, lifting me into his arms.
“No fair,” I argued with a laugh. “I was winning.”
“And now we tie,” he countered, stumbling into the bathroom. He pulled my pant leg over the monitor and tossed my slacks to the floor. He stepped into the walk-in shower and sat me on my feet. I leaned against the tile wall and pulled his body to mine. He’d stripped out of his shirt during our race to the shower, but his slacks were still belted on.
I fumbled with Asher’s belt buckle and he dropped his lips to my neck. I finally got his pants unfastened and pushed him onto the bench seat. He kicked off his shoes and I slid his slacks down his legs, revealing his firm, rigid cock. I dove for his lap, taking him into my mouth.
“Oh, baby,” he moaned, leaning back against the wall.
He let his legs fall open and I moved to my knees, dropping one hand to his balls. I rolled them gently as my tongue danced across his shaft. A slight draft blew through the room, sending shivers through my body.
Asher slipped his arms under my shoulders and lifted me to my feet, covering my mouth with his. His tongue probed and teased me as he backed me into the other wall. He pressed his body against mine while his hands fumbled with the faucet. He turned the wrong dial and a shocking spray of ice cold water rained down on top of us. I squealed in surprise and laughed as he corrected his mistake. He turned to me with a playful grin, shaking his still hard cock in my direction.
“A cold shower is no match for how hot you make me,” he said, wrapping his arms around my back. His slick cock slid against my leg as he dropped his lips to my breasts. He pinched my right nipple between his teeth, then my left. I grabbed his hips and lifted one leg, opening myself to him.
Asher thrust inside me with one quick, thrilling motion. I wrapped my leg around his waist and leaned back against the wall for balance. He leaned forward, moving inside me with long, rough strokes.
“Is that okay?” he groaned, hammering into me again.
“God, yes,” I moaned, digging my nails into his back.
All of the anger, fear, and uncertainty around us disappeared as Asher stirred me to ecstasy. I felt spasms rocket through my body and he moved harder, his pelvis bumping my clit with each thrust. I felt my leg go weak; he grabbed it and wrapped it around his waist. I clenched my legs around him tighter and exploded in release.
Asher held me tightly to his chest and took a few steps back, sinking down onto the bench. He slipped out of me and showered my neck with kisses.
“Do you need a few minutes?” he whispered into my ear.
I shook my head. “No. I want more.”
He tried to shift me into his lap, but I pulled away. I stood with my back to the showerhead, put one foot on the bench, and nodded over my shoulder. Asher gave me a devilish grin and moved into position behind me. He used one hand to guide his cock into me and then teased my clit as I moved back and forth on his pole. I leaned forward, taking
him deeper while he moved his other hand to my hair, pulling it as he met me thrust for thrust.
“Oh God, Lauren,” he gasped.
“Does that feel good, baby?” I cooed, slamming back against him.
“Yes,” he moaned, stroking my clit harder.
I dropped a hand between us and found his balls. I rolled them again and then gave them a slight tug.
“Oh, shit,” he gasped, dropping his hand from my hair to my hip. He held me with so much pressure I was afraid my bones would crumble in his hand. His animalistic urgency spurred me on and I let out a cat-like growl. I felt his cock tremble and erupt inside me and I came again, collapsing against the wall as Asher emptied himself inside me. He pulled me back into his chest and turned, slipping out of me as we collapsed together on the bench.
“I changed my mind,” I announced after I’d caught my breath.
“Oh yeah?” he asked with a grin. “About what?”
“The monitor,” I replied. “It just dawned on me that without it, we’d be in separate cells tonight instead of having the greatest shower sex of all time.”
He laughed and gave me a firm kiss on the mouth. “You make a good point,” he agreed. “And I’m flattered you find me worth the trouble of the monitor.”
I met his eyes and lowered my voice, hoping he’d recognize the sincerity on my face.
“I love you, Asher. And you’re worth whatever trouble comes our way.”
***
I woke up the next morning to a loud curse and then a thud. I sat up in bed and realized I was alone in the bedroom. My heart raced and a million thoughts ran through my head.
Someone dropped something, that’s all. There are about five dozen armed guards circling the place. Not even the Chavez family could manage to sneak someone past them. We’re safe here.
I crept cautiously toward the door and it dawned on me that we should have followed Kennedy’s advice and watched the news. Someone had to have reported on the family’s reaction to Luis’ death or whether or not we were under surveillance. I realized that our ignorance made us vulnerable and vowed to stay up to date from that point forward.
I pushed the door open and heard the television in the living room. I made my way down the hall and found Asher perched at the kitchen island. The rolling bar cart was on its side, its contents scattered and broken. I looked to the television and saw a reporter broadcasting live from the other side of the concrete wall. Asher looked up and realized I was there.
“I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”
“What happened?” I asked, ignoring his question.
He threw a hand toward the TV. “I didn’t want another lecture from Kennedy, so I thought I’d get caught up on the news. You wouldn’t believe some of the shit these people are saying.”
I poured a cup of coffee and resolved myself for a really long, really bad day. I padded barefoot into the living room and plopped down on the sofa.
“Again, this isn’t confirmed, but several sources have suggested that Mr. Murphy, known for the last decade by his alias, Asher Reynolds, did not in fact invent the technology that launched his multibillion dollar gaming company. Brian Crawford, the CFO of EnvisionTech, released a statement on behalf of the board of directors this morning expressing support for Reynolds, but requested that he step aside as acting CEO,” the reporter announced.
I cringed and turned back to ask. “Did Brian at least have the decency to call you before he spoke to the media?”
“I called him after you fell asleep last night,” he explained. “I already agreed to step aside. And you are officially on leave. The board feels it’s best to keep the company as far away from this fiasco as possible, and I agree.”
“Have you heard from Kennedy or Parker?”
“Parker emailed about twenty minutes ago. She spent the night in San Luis Obispo. She’s on her way to the hospital to see what she can find out about Rachel’s condition. Kennedy will be here soon and Claire’s on her way back from your parents’ house.”
“Shit, I forgot to call Mom and Dad. I guess you’re not the only one who’s guilty of tunnel vision. I guess I should do that now.”
I fetched my phone from its charger on the kitchen countertop and dialed the bed and breakfast. A stranger’s voice answered the call.
“Hello, Matthews B and B.”
“Hi…” I hesitated. “May I please speak with Ellen or Graham?”
“I’m sorry, but they’ve had a family emergency and they’ve left for the day. My family and I are vacationing here and my youngest son woke up with a stomach bug. I volunteered to take messages since I’m inside for the day. If you’d like to leave your name and number, I’ll relay your message,” he offered.
“No, thank you. I’ll call back later.”
“Suit yourself. For what it’s worth, this is a beautiful spot. If you’re considering a visit, I highly recommend it.”
“Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind.”
I ended the call and tossed my phone back to the counter.
“Did Claire call or text you?” I asked, turning back to Asher.
“She called. Why?” he asked, furrowing his brow.
“Did she say anything about bringing company with her?”
“No… should I be nervous?” he pressed.
I sighed and retrieved my coffee before joining him at the island. “Yes, we should both be nervous. I’m about ninety percent sure my parents are with her. They’re not at the B and B. I don’t think they’ve left the place at the same time since I graduated from Harvard.”
Asher sighed and flipped off the television. “I guess we had to face them sooner or later. I’m so sorry, Lauren. This isn’t how I wanted to meet your parents.”
“This isn’t how I wanted to introduce you to them,” I replied. “But Mom and Dad are reasonable. They’re going to be pissed and they’re going to lecture. But they’ll listen to what we have to say. And in the end, they’ll take our side.”
“You really think so?” he asked, fidgeting like a nervous child.
I took his hand and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. “Yes. Because that’s what parents are supposed to do. They take their kids’ side, no matter what. And we make up for our shortcomings by giving them grandkids, turning a blind eye while they spoil them rotten, and taking care of them when they’re old. It’s the circle of suburban American life,” I said with a teasing smile.
Asher gave me a devilish grin and pulled me from my barstool to his lap.
“Grandkids, huh? Are you trying to tell me something?”
I relaxed my mouth with a sigh. “No, I’m trying to ignore the severity of what’s happening.”
His shoulders stiffened for a moment and he shifted my weight to his other leg. “I’m surprisingly disappointed to hear that,” he confessed.
“I’m surprisingly disappointed to say it,” I agreed. “I’m terrified, Asher. I keep telling myself that everything will work out, that it has to work out. Any other possibility is just too heartbreakingly unfair to consider. But the rational side of me knows that life isn’t fair. I can read Kennedy like a book. She’s nervous, and she never gets nervous. She thinks you’re going to jail. And last night, while we were making love, for a split second the thought crossed my mind. I wished I could get pregnant so even if we’re pulled apart, I’d always have a piece of you with me.”
“I wished the same thing,” he admitted. “For pretty much the same reason. I know the deck is stacked against me. Even if the judge disregard’s Rachel’s story, it won’t change the fact that I took a weapon to Luis’ cabin and killed him with it. You’re the only other witness and you aren’t exactly unbiased. When you add my past indiscretions to all of this… well, it doesn’t look good for me. I refuse to let you wait for me if I’m sent to prison. That’s not the kind of life I want for you. But part of me wished, just for a second, that we had a child. That way, a piece of us would live on even though we couldn’t.”
“But that isn’
t fair to anyone,” I pointed out, resting my head on his chest. His chin tapped the top of my head as he nodded.
“I know. That’s the thought that immediately followed the first one. But it did get me thinking about another what if.” His voice was suggestive but optimistic, piquing my interest.
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
The front door swung open and Kennedy stormed into the house.
“What are you doing? Your parents will be here in less than an hour and you’re not even dressed.”
Damn it Kennedy. I love you, but your timing leaves a lot to be desired.
I slid off of Asher’s lap and fetched a clean mug from the cabinet.
“Good morning, Kennedy,” I greeted her while I poured her coffee.
“I don’t know what world you’re living in, but this has been a shit morning,” she replied, depositing herself onto a stool.
“There’s absolutely no truth to the rumor that I didn’t create my software,” Asher assured her.
“You’ve been watching the news then. That’s good. But I’m guessing you turned it off about twenty minutes ago,” she replied, reaching for the remote. She hit a few buttons, turning it to one of the national stations. A woman’s voice narrated while a string of images flashed across the screen.
“If you’re just joining in, more evidence has come to light in the Luis Chavez murder investigation. Tech billionaire Asher Reynolds, formally known as Billy Murphy, has been charged with the drug lord’s death. Early reactions showed a mostly sympathetic public. I mean, let’s face it people, who’s sorry to see one less drug lord in the world? But as more and more information becomes available, the less likely it seems that this case is as simple as Mr. Reynolds would like everyone to believe.”
“What happened, Kennedy?” I asked, unable to move my eyes from the screen. The slideshow was full of pictures of Asher as a teenager. Several showed him posing with Luis, both of them smiling.
