“Yes, I’m an assassin, Asher,” I whisper, slipping my shoes back on. “Don’t tell anyone. Wanna keep walking?”
We walk back to the apartment building, and I don’t want the night to end, but I also have a lot of work to do, and the time with Asher has inspired me. To write a graphic sex scene, but still. Inspiration.
He takes the elevator to my floor with me, and I step out.
“It was nice to see you again, Ella.”
His smile touches every part of me, and I hope I’m not blushing as much as I think I am.
“It was nice to see you too, Asher. Say hello to Mittens for me.”
He laughs. “I will.”
The doors close, and I start dancing.
Chapter 5
Asher
Well, fuck.
I smile and lean against the elevator wall. I’d planned on grabbing some food, but seeing Ella in the elevator had, yet again, stolen any rational thought. I’d somehow charmed her, and she’d charmed me, and fuck it’s all so goddamncharming.
The way she’d gotten so excited when she’d spotted an ice cream place was fucking endearing. She’d grabbed my hand to pull me over to the vendor, and my throat had gone dry from the contact. She’d teased me for taking so long to pick a flavor, but I only couldn’t decide because I was hyper focused on how close she was to me. I’d stared at vanilla, the letters seemingly jumbled, because I could smell Ella’s perfume. She’d touched my arm, leaned close, and playfully whispered, “Want me to choose for you?”
I’d almost proposed.
Then she’d asked me questions, and I’d asked her questions, and I’d tattooed every answer on the inside of my brain.
Ella Gibson. Twenty-five. Writer. Loves bubblegumice cream. Believes that unicorns do exist, but they’re actually violent. Blood and gore is her thing. Once accidentally stole lipstick from a Walmart and cried for two hours before confessing to her dad. Deliberately stole lipstick from the same Walmart a year later because she believed then she had a solid reputation as an innocent civilian so no one would question her if she got caught. Has twice (twice) chased a mugger, caught them, and got her purse back.
“The first time, I did it out of instinct and wasso madat myself for not saying something cool,” she’d told me. “So that’s why I made sure to say something kick-ass the second time.”
Yep, proposal incoming.
I open the door to the apartment, mind still firmly on Ella.
Gable sits up and eyes my empty hands. “No food? You’ve been gone nearly two hours!”
I close the door and let myself fully smile. “I got distracted.”
“Oh, good God,” Gable says. “The brunette? Seriously?”
“Her name is Ella,” I say, grabbing two beers from the fridge and handing one to Gable. Barnaby might have been messy, but he bought good beer and lots of it. It was the only likable thing about the creep. When Ella had told me about the drone incident, I’d wished I’d kept Barnaby alive a little longer to hurt him a little more. “And she’s … fun.”
“She’s annoying.”
“She’s the opposite of annoying.”
Gable gags. “Fuck me. What do you always say? Motor, what does he always say? ‘Focus on the job, Gable. Stop dragging out the killing, Gable.’ You’re breaking your own rules. You can’t fuck her. You have to kill her. In fact, why don’t I just do it right now?”
He stands.
“I think she has the drive.”
Gable pauses, eyes narrowing. “What makes you think that?”
“Well, it isn’t here, and she says she took in deliveries for Barnaby and sometimes kept some to piss him off.”
