Freeing Asia

by E. M. Abel

  “Just get the fuck out of here,” Marcus said to Holly.

  She looked up at him. “I’m just sayin’—”

  “Go,” he clipped.

  She scoffed and rolled her eyes before turning around and walking off with her friends.

  “See you later, Shaun,” the blonde said, giving my brother a small smile before getting up to follow the other girls.

  “Fuck, Marcus. That woulda been hot! Two girls in bikinis going at it…damn. You know Asia would’ve kicked that bitch’s ass,” Slim complained as he watched the girls walking away.

  Marcus let go of my arm and shook his head at Slim. He smiled before sitting back down on my towel.

  “Damn, Ais. You’re like fuckin’ pussy repellent,” Shaun grumbled, scowling at me before shoving fries into his mouth.

  “Yeah, well, payback’s a bitch,” I muttered back as I took my seat next to Marcus.

  “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Shaun asked, looking over at me with his eyebrows drawn together.

  “It’s your fault I was single the entire time I was in high school! I thought everyone just looked at me like one of the guys, but now, I’m finding out that you just threatened every guy who looked at me!”

  Andre busted into a laugh.

  Dank and Slim looked at each other. “Untouchable Asia,” they said in unison before they started laughing, too.

  I whipped my head over to the guys. “What?”

  Dank smiled. “That’s what everyone called you—Untouchable Asia.”

  I could see Marcus’s shoulders shaking next to me.

  I put my forehead in the palm of my hand. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I muttered.

  “You should be thanking me. If I didn’t keep all those assholes away from you, you might’ve ended up with one of these douche bags.” Shaun swept his hand toward Dank, Andre, and Slim.

  “Hey!” Dank said, smiling at Shaun. “I’m a pothead, not a fuckin’ douche bag.”

  And we all started laughing.

  Later that night, Marcus and I were alone on the beach, lying together on our towels, looking up at the stars. The sky seemed endless, and the sounds of the waves were so soothing. I felt like I was in heaven, curled in Marcus’s arms.

  “If you could create your life right now and wake up tomorrow to everything you ever wanted, what would it be like?” Marcus asked me as he looked into the sky.

  I tilted up my head, keeping my cheek pressed to his chest. “Anything?”

  “Anything.”

  “Hmm…well, I would live in a house on the beach, something with private access, so I wouldn’t have to worry about tourists and pesky groupies.” I smiled as I felt Marcus’s chest shake with his chuckle.

  “What else?”

  “I would have the nerve to share my art with people and be good enough to make money from doing what I love. I’d have a big studio in my house where I could paint all day if I wanted. I’d drive a shiny cherry red ’61 Impala in better condition than your Chevelle.”

  Marcus chuckled again.

  “And I’d still be with you,” I said as I squeezed my arm tighter around his abs. I was silent for a few seconds before I finished. “And if I could really have anything…I’d have my mom back, too.”

  Marcus’s hand was running through my hair, but he didn’t say anything. We just lay there, looking up at the stars.

  “So, how about you?” I asked Marcus, tilting up my head again to look at him.

  “This. Right here, right now. This is what I want.”

  I got up on my elbow and hit him playfully on his chest. “That’s not fair! Now, you’re making me look bad,” I whined.

  Marcus smiled up at me, his eyes flickering over my face, and he lifted his hand to stroke his thumb across my cheek. “I love you, Asia.”

  As soon as I heard those four words, my world completely changed. My heart and chest immediately tightened, and tears gathered in my eyes. I’d waited years to hear Marcus say those four words to me, and now, here he was, saying them. I took a deep breath in through my nose, trying to fight back my tears, as I smiled down at him.

  “These past few weeks have been the best weeks of my life, aside from that night after prom when you gave yourself to me.” He eyes studied mine. “Even makin’ it pro and earning millions of dollars doing what I love—those things don’t compare to the way you make me feel, Ais. This is the first time in years that I’ve actually felt happy, and I didn’t feel alone. And it’s all because of you.”

  With that, I lost my battle with my tears. Two steady steams were flowing down my cheeks, and Marcus wiped one away.

  “I hope these are happy tears,” he murmured.

  He kissed me lightly on my lips. I nodded and sat up. I swiped my hands on my shorts, trying to get the sand off of them, so I could wipe away my tears. I giggled, sniffed, and wiped my nose with the back of my hand.

  “I swear I’ve cried more in the past few months than I have in my entire life,” I admitted, smiling.

  Sitting up, Marcus lifted his T-shirt from his stomach and used it to wipe my face. I watched him as he focused on what he was doing, and I felt all of it—happiness, bliss, butterflies, joy, peace, love. All of it was flowing through me. It was like every second of my life, everything I’d ever gone through, was to bring me here…with Marcus…in this moment.

  “I love you, too,” I whispered.

  Marcus’s eyes came up to meet mine. He held my gaze and smiled at me. As I felt my heart melting, he kissed me. It was in that moment that I knew I would be his, always.

  One month later…

  In my bathroom, I was putting the finishing touches on my makeup. I was dressed in a one-shoulder, black satin dress that stopped a few inches above my knees, and it fit me like a second skin. I had on my silver hoop earrings and a pair of matching sparkling silver heels that I’d bought specifically for this occasion.

  I’d made a trip to the spa with Nick and Hailey, and I’d gotten my hair styled in a fancy up-do with curls held up by heavy-duty bobby pins. I’d also survived another wax job.

  I didn’t usually think it, but tonight, I knew I looked hot.

  Marcus’s shop would be having its grand opening tomorrow, so tonight was the party. Marcus had hired a party planner, and he’d paid her a lot of money to make sure this night would be amazing. He’d invited all his friends from L.A., and all over the country, and he was expecting a big turnout. Luckily, his shop was huge.

  Marcus, being the perfectionist he was, had decided to go into the shop early to make sure things were on schedule and running smoothly. He’d offered to come pick me up, but I’d told him not to worry about it.

  It had actually worked out well since Nick and Hailey decided to stay with me after the spa, and we’d gotten ready together in my apartment. Now, Nick was in the kitchen, mixing cocktails, and Hailey was on the phone, talking to John, in my bedroom. John was going to come pick her up on his way to the party.

  The last month with Marcus had been amazing, and it would definitely be worthy of another love montage. This time, the montage would be filled with scenes of Marcus spooning me in my bed every night, moving his things into my room, and turning his old room into an art studio for me. Of course, it would also include lots and lots of incredibly hot, intimate, and sensational sex.

  Two weeks ago, I’d finished my sketch for Marcus’s new logo. It had taken me a while to decide on a design, but when I did, I loved it. It had Marcus Avery Skate and Surf Co., written in calligraphy, and underneath the words was a replica of Marcus’s dragon tattoo with its face lifted, snarling up at a strong, stoic orange-and-black tiger crouched in a prowling position on top of the lettering.

  When I’d showed it to Marcus, his face had lit up. He’d told me he absolutely loved it, and I believed him. The next day, he had ordered stickers, new signs for each of his shops, and a hundred T-shirts—fifty to sell in each shop, and of course, some extras for us and his employees. I had exper
ienced true satisfaction from knowing he liked what I’d created for him and from seeing my work up on a big sign for the whole world to see. Four days later, Marcus had told me the T-shirts had already sold out in L.A. It had all been so exciting, but the best part for me was when I’d realized what this new logo meant to Marcus.

  One night, when we were lying in bed, he’d told me about his plans for the future. The rumors of his retirement hadn’t been entirely true, but he was planning to focus more on his shops and building his brand. Skating was a part of him. It was what he loved, but he didn’t feel the need to be in the spotlight anymore. He didn’t have to worry about money, so he was free to do what he loved on his own terms. My logo was a symbol of his new beginning, and I was happy to be a part of it.

  When Nick and I walked into Marcus’s shop, our jaws dropped. Everything looked fantastic. It still had a laid-back feel with all of Marcus’s products displayed throughout the store, but tonight, there was a big stand at the back where a DJ was playing music with a bar off to the right where a big crowd was gathering. Tall round tables had been placed all around the store. Waiters and waitresses, dressed in black slacks and black shirts with the new logo, were walking around with trays of delicious finger foods and glasses of champagne.

  The shop was packed full of people. I recognized some, but I didn’t know a lot of them. Some men were wearing suits, and others were in T-shirts and shorts. A variety of people from all walks of life were here, and they were all enjoying themselves. Marcus’s party was getting off to a great start.

  I hadn’t seen Marcus since earlier in the afternoon, before I went to the spa, so I had no idea what he was wearing, but I knew it would be easy to find him. Nick and I grabbed a glass of champagne from one of the waiters, and as we made our way through the crowd, I saw him. He was standing with a group of people, and I could only see his profile and part of his shoulder, but that was enough. He was breathtaking. His hair was combed back, away from his face, and he was wearing a black suit. I stopped moving, and I just watched him as he smiled and talked with his friends. Nick must have noticed him, too, because he whispered in my ear.

  “Oh my god, girl. Marcus looks like a model! You lucky bitch.”

  I tore my eyes away from Marcus and looked at Nick as I started laughing. Just when I opened my mouth to say something, I saw Hailey and John approaching us.

  “Hey, guys! Asia, have you seen Marcus? He’s in a suit!” Hailey said.

  I smiled and nodded. “I know. Hey, John.”

  John grinned at me. “Hey, Asia. You look amazing.”

  I smoothed my free hand over my dress and glanced down at my feet before looking up at him. “Thanks.” I smiled back. “Well, I better go say hi to Marcus and let him know I’m here.”

  Hailey started talking to Nick as I made my way toward Marcus.

  Marcus must have felt my eyes on him because he stopped mid-sentence and turned to look in my direction. His eyes lit up and raked over my body before coming up to meet mine.

  Nick had been right. Marcus looked like a model. His eyes were even more captivating without the distraction of his hair. His full lips, dark eyebrows, defined cheekbones, and strong jaw were all aimed in my direction, and it was hard for me to believe that he was mine.

  Marcus turned back to the group to say something, and then he started walking toward me. He was wearing all black—black suit, black shirt, and black tie. He looked absolutely gorgeous.

  “Hey, sexy,” Marcus murmured as he stopped in front of me.

  I kept my eyes glued to his as I smiled and took his hand. “Hey.”

  “You look absolutely gorgeous tonight.” He reached up and twisted one of the curls hanging down the side of my neck around his finger before letting it fall.

  Just that one touch felt so intimate and personal, and it made my chest tighten.

  “You look fucking hot.” I said wiggling my eyebrows and smiling.

  His heart-stopping smile curled onto his lips. “Oh yeah?”

  “Oh yeah.” I lifted myself up on my toes, so I could whisper in his ear. “I got wet just from looking at you,” I confessed.

  Marcus let go of my hand, so he could wrap his arm around my waist. He pulled my body against his, and he leaned down toward my ear. “Good, because my dick got hard the second I saw that dress. I can’t wait to fuck you in it,” he whispered back.

  I took in a deep breath as my body responded to his words. I leaned over to kiss his neck. “I can’t wait either.”

  Marcus smiled at me before moving back. Taking my hand in his again, he said, “Come on, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

  Marcus led me to a table where a man and woman were eating food and drinking champagne together.

  “Stacy, this is Asia. Asia, Stacy.”

  I reached out my hand, and she shook it as she struggled to chew the food in her mouth, her eyes widening. When she finally swallowed, she smiled at me.

  “Sorry, this food is delicious,” she said.

  “Don’t worry about it. It does look good. I need to get some before it’s all gone.” I smiled back at her and then looked up at Marcus.

  “Stacy owns a gallery back in L.A. It’s right down the street from my shop,” Marcus explained as he squeezed my hand.

  “Oh, really? How cool.”

  “Marcus tells me you designed his new logo,” Stacy said before she took a sip of her champagne.

  I nodded.

  “It’s very impressive. I’d love to see more of your work. I’m always looking for new art to display in my gallery, and if your paintings are anything like that logo, you would make a killing.”

  I didn’t know what to say. My heart was beating so fast that I could hardly believe what she was telling me. My art…selling in L.A. What?

  “Her paintings are even better,” Marcus told Stacy as he let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

  “Well then, I’d definitely like to see them. We’re heading back to L.A., early tomorrow morning though. Do you have a portfolio? Maybe Marcus could bring it by the gallery sometime when he’s back in L.A.”

  I forced my head to move up and down.

  “I should be back in L.A., soon. I gotta check on the shop and get ready for my move, so I’ll make sure to bring it by,” Marcus said.

  Stacy smiled at him. “Good. Please do. Give Asia my number, so we can be in touch.”

  I was glad Marcus was making arrangements because I was still in shock, and I had a feeling it would take a while for my brain to start functioning again.

  The rest of the night went by in a blur. For the remainder of the party, I stayed by Marcus’s side. He had so many friends, and I could hardly keep up. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

  We were talking with my dad and Shaun, and then Marcus left me with them to approach the DJ’s booth. He thanked everyone for coming and especially all the people that helped make his shop a success. He even thanked me for designing his logo. I was so proud of him and everything he had accomplished. He made it look so effortless, but I knew he had worked extremely hard to make it all happen. I could tell he was proud of how it had all turned out.

  Around midnight, Marcus and I were in his car, going home. He reached into my lap and took my hand in his.

  “Everyone loved the new logo, babe. You exceeded all my expectations.”

  I smiled at him. “Thanks.”

  “No, thank you,” he said, glancing over at me.

  “I can’t believe Stacy really thinks she could sell some of my work. Does she like abstracts? That’s the majority of what I have in my portfolio. Maybe I should add a few things to it. I haven’t touched it since college.”

  Marcus squeezed my hand and turned to smile at me before facing the road again. “She’ll love them, babe. Trust me. You put whatever you want in there, and I’ll bring it to her the next time I go back to L.A.”

  I nodded and looked out the passenger window.

  “Don’t second-guess
yourself, okay? You’re an amazing artist.”

  When I turned back to face Marcus, he was watching me. I leaned toward him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  “Okay, I won’t,” I whispered.

  He smiled at the road.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, babe.”

  After we walked into our apartment, Marcus took off his jacket and tossed it on the couch. As he started to loosen his tie, I went to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. Dropping his hands, he moved his arms around me, so they were resting on my backside.

  “I want to be the one to undress you,” I murmured into his ear. Pulling away, I gave him a small smile.

  He glanced down at my lips and then up to meet my eyes. “Oh yeah?”

  I nodded. I grabbed his tie in my hand and twisted it around my fist, and then I used it like a leash to pull him behind me, leading him toward our room.

  When we got inside the doorway, I turned around to face Marcus, and he was giving me his panty-dropping smile. I slowly undid his tie and slipped it from around his neck. Keeping it in my right hand, I started unbuttoning his shirt, kissing the skin on his chest as it parted. Marcus stood there, watching me, with his hands resting on my hips. When I got to the last button, I pushed his shirt off him, leaving him naked from the waist up, except for the white gold Rolex he was wearing on his tattooed wrist. I twisted his black tie in my hands as my eyes roamed over his body.

  “Take off your shoes and socks,” I commanded.

  Marcus raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were going to undress me.”

  “I changed my mind.”

  Marcus grinned before complying. He bent down and removed his shoes and socks.

  “Now, take off your pants,” I told him.

  I watched as his arm muscles flexed. He slowly unbuckled his belt, and then he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. When he let go, his pants fell into a pile around his feet, revealing a pair of black boxer briefs that hugged every part of him. I bit my bottom lip trying to hide smile. When Marcus reached out to grab me, I took a step back.