Asher chuckles as he pulls out his sports joggers from his bag. “I mean we need to get the boys, Piper and maybe Corden together for that conversation. There are parts of the story that aren’t mine to tell. But right now, you need rest. I don’t want to hear anything more about it,”
We climb into bed once demolishing the sandwiches and crisps Asher brought up, then curl up and watch a movie on his laptop, my head resting on his shoulder as he holds me tight. My eyes are heavy as credits start to roll, the feeling of contentment easing my tired bones. A flash of unease has my stomach dropping when Piper crosses my mind, I don’t trust my father to be patient for me to retrieve the folders, he might get someone else to do it, like Silas. I need to get down there as soon as possible so I can get rid of her folder from the pile.
“Piper has Jacob with her right?” I ask.
“Always, but I have cameras on her dorm hallway as well, she’s safe,”
“Good,” I settle with a deep exhale.
Asher places a kiss on the top of my head, pulling me closer to him trying his best not to hurt me. “Thank you,” he whispers.
“What for?”
“For caring about us.” Then his eyes drift shut as rain falls from the sky. The pitter patter on the glass pulling me into slumber myself.
TWENTY NINE
ASHER
Iam positive about four things. I will be the CEO of the family business, even if I have to remove my father from the picture all together. I will always do right by my siblings, even at the detriment to myself. I am in love with Ruella Griffith. And most importantly, her father is a dead man.
If I wouldn’t have to deal with the consequences of breaking Ruella’s fragile trust in me, then I would already have her dear old dads’ blood under my fingernails.
After seeing the after math of his cruelty all I can think about is the punishments I can dole out on him. Do I want it to be quick to show his life means nothing, he isn’t even worthy of my time. Or do I drag it out as long as possible. Maybe get Bishop to source me some medical equipment to keep him alive as I slowly rip him apart in one of my families many warehouses.
Ruella’s swollen face and bruised ribs flash through my mind and I feel my fists clench to a painful level, my nails no doubt leaving moon shaped marks in my palm. It wasn’t even seeing the aftermath of his assault on her yesterday, it was her attitude about it. Like it was the norm, and she couldn’t do anything about it but endure. That ends now. I might not be in a position to kill him yet, but she will never be hurt by his hand ever again.
A knock on the door to my room pulls me from my vengeful imaginings. I stand from my small sofa, tipping the last of my coffee into the sink as I pass it.
Ruella was right last night, it’s time to join forces, especially now that I have proof that whatever happened to Piper last term is connected to the academy. Her file being locked away in a drawer full of others who mysteriously‘dropped out’tells me all the bullshit Mr. Carmichael tells the staff and students is exactly that, bullshit.
Was I hurt that my little vixen didn’t tell me sooner, of course I was. And I was pissed off. But then I remember all the things I have hidden, things I can’t tell anyone, including her. We might have chemistry that could set the world ablaze, but there is very fragile trust between us at this point. I need more time before I air all my dirty laundry.
That’s why I have called this meeting, to lay everything all out on the table. Well almost everything. And try and find out what is going on so that Piper is kept safe. That’s all that matters right now because I have worked too hard and done too much to let her be taken again.
I open the door and the sour mood I have been in since leaving Ruella’s room for class this morning vanishes. Like the washing away of footprints in the sand by the tide. Ruella is my ocean. Beautifully mesmerising and full of life, yet her trenches are full of mystery and just like the ocean, she is deadly.
I feel my shoulders relax at her standing before me. Every second we aren’t together, I itch to be next to her again, my thoughts consumed with all things Rue. Is it completely unhinged and stalkerish, absolutely. I just don’t give a fuck.
“Hey,” Her voice is soft yet gravelly.
“Hey,” I grin back, softly pulling on her elbow and leaning down to take her mouth. I keep it gentle, the cut on her lip is still healing and Iknow what a bitch those things are like. lacrosse may seem pompous, but it can be brutal as hell, especially the way I like to play it.
When I pull back from the kiss, Ruella closes the door behind her, before dropping her bag by my sports one. She examines my room in the daylight, taking in all the details with a smile.
“Did you panic clean?” She chuckles, swiping her finger across the side table where I lit a candle Piper gave me at the start of the year. The spicy smell is actually nice, I should light these things more often.
I shrug. “Maybe,”
She pulls the cuffs of her hoodie over her hands and wraps them around herself before sitting on the sofa. I inspect her quickly while her attention is on the heater I turned on, and I am glad I did, she looks a little cold and tired. The bruises on her face are covered by make up, but I can see by the way she holds herself, that she is still in pain. I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from ignoring her request and reaching into my pocket for my phone to call Bishop. He could find her father in minutes, but I made a promise.
“When are the others getting here?” She asks pulling her feet underneath her.
“They should be here any minute,” I grab the throw blanket from the bottom of my bed and place it over her before sitting down beside her. “Daylan’s bringing pizza from the dining hall. I told him to grab you a margarita slice,”
“How did you know I only like margarita?”
“I know everything about you,” I wrap some of her hair around my finger and tug. She turns away with a red blush dusting her cheeks. “Not everything,” I think she whispers, but before I question her about it there is a rap of knuckles on the door, this time more aggressive.
