Asher has been the one bright light in the middle of this hell. I don’t know if I can survive without him.
I need him to win this.
The crowd of men is going wild, but all I can do is focus on the two men circling each other.
Monster makes the first step, jumping forward to throw a jab. My breath catches in my throat when it barely misses Asher. Asher is quicker than I expected, though. He might nothave cocaine in his system making him feel invincible, but it is clear he knows how to fight.
When Monster goes to throw another punch, Asher lands one on his left side.
Monster grunts but jumps back as if he were never hit. That’s the drugs numbing the pain. It makes Asher’s job that much harder.
Asher doesn’t let it faze him, though. He ducks Monster’s next punch, throwing another jab at his left side.
It makes me wonder if he knows something I don’t. Why is he targeting that side? He needs to land one good one to his head to knock him out and end this as quickly as possible.
Asher doesn’t listen to my screaming thoughts, though. Instead, he keeps his pace. It makes me wonder if he was a boxer at some point. He is doing a good job of managing Monster while getting some hits in.
Monster begins to get frustrated. He thought he would have taken care of Asher by this point. He doesn’t like being made a fool. I earned myself a black eye the day I learned that lesson.
Belittle the man, and he gets angry.
I can see Asher’s mouth move, but I can’t hear what he says. Whatever it is, it has Monster vibrating with anger. I can see the way his movements become jerky when he lunges for Asher. Only Asher wasn’t quick enough this time. Monster lands a punch, pushing Asher back.
Thankfully, Asher stays on his feet.
I am on the edge of my seat as I watch the fight more intently than I did any of the others.
“You like the prospect? Or are you hoping Monster wins? I bet that greedy pussy would take them both,” Adlet grunts at me.
I want to throw up. I don’t want to even consider Adlet letting them run a train on me. I know he would, though. If Igive him one inkling that it would ruin me, he would order it right now.
So I steel myself against the raging emotions inside and give him an indifferent look.
“This is the most exciting fight of the night. I thought your men would put up more of a fight, but it looks like the prospect is the only one with some skills.”
I feel the sting on the side of my head from his open-handed slap. My ears ring as my eyes sting with tears.
“Finish this, Monster,” he calls out.
The guilt hits me. I painted a target on Asher’s back to save my own.
I only hope one day he will be able to forgive me.
“Come back to me, Aspen, my little songbird. Sing to me, please. Yell at me. Scratch me. Whatever you need, but come back to the present.”
My eyes flutter at his words. I look around and realize we are back in my room. My senses no longer smell the coppery tinge of blood mixed with body odor. Instead, I can smell the lavender I diffuse in my room, and feel his forehead against mine while his hands cup my face, caressing my skin. The deep tone of his voice helps center me, anchoring me to the real world instead of the nightmare of the past.
“There you are,” he says as he meets my eyes.
I don’t answer him. I kiss him without a second thought. He kisses me back, keeping it innocent enough. I pull back, the guilt weighing on me as I see the scar at his temple. The one I caused. I jump out of bed and he follows.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, frowning.
“I can’t,” I whisper, pushing him out the door before slamming it shut.
The guilt threatens to consume me as he pounds on the door, calling my name.
I remember Kim’s words.
