“No.” His thumb traces circles on my stomach. “But I'm curious.”
I watch our reflection in the window. His body dominates mine, all dark suit and controlled power. My white dress still clean because not a single drop of Parker's blood touched me.
Professional.
Clean.
“I—”His other hand releases my wrist, sliding up to cup my throat.
“Are you done?” There's something in his tone that I can't place. A question I can’t read.
My fingers prickle, blood turning hot as everything I trained for begins to dissolve. “Asher, you need to leave.”
I don’t even recognize my own voice. Distant. Detached.
“Mm.” His thumb strokes along my jugular. “Nah…”
What the fuck is he doing?And why can't I move, frozen in place, afraid that if I do…
“Asher…”
“Ivy…” He mocks, unbothered.
I close my eyes, controlling my breathing.
“Leave!” The words scrape out. “Before—”
He spins me around, both hands framing my face now. Those eyes bore into mine, searching. Intense. “Why?”
My hands find his chest. I’m meant to push him away, but my fingers curl into his shirt.
Weak.
So fucking weak.
“This isn't—” I start, my head shaking. Nothing makes sense and everything does at the same time.
“Isn't what? Convenient? Clean?” His laugh is dark. Bitter. “Nothing about us has ever been clean, Ivy.” Why is he saying these things? Where is the Asher I know?
His forehead presses against mine. “You didn't answer my question. Are you done?”
I should walk. Every rational part of my brain screams at me to send him away. Protect him from what comes next.
From what I am.
But my phone vibrates on the counter, and I reach for it, swiping the new text.
“Ivy,” his voice is strained, as if the fact that I just picked up my phone was the first hint that I’d disappointed him.
Don't forget to clean house after playing in it. What will you do, My mariee… prove to everyone that you're loyal to me. Not to him. Not to love. To me…
I don’t reply, my phone feeling heavier in my hand as each second passes.Of course I’m fucking loyal to him.
Asher's hands slide down my neck, over my shoulders, down to my waist. He pulls me flush against him, and I feel every hard line of his body.
“I have to—” I try to pull away, but Asher's grip tightens.
Something that resembles pain flashes across his features, but before I can catch it, it disappears, and he backs me against the counter, caging me in. “Damn. I really thought…”
