Page 189 of Damsel in Disguise

Mostly because Adrian doesn’t attempt to move at all, even though Asher is already fixing his suit, readying to leave at any moment now.

“Well,” he exhales. “Gotta go.”

“Let me know if you need me,” Adrian offers, leaning back against the couch.

“What happened?” I can’t help but ask.

“Business issue.”

Heavy silence falls. I hate that silence. It always reminds me of the parts of their lives I’ll never be allowed to see.

Asher looks at me. “Stay here,” his expression softens just slightly.

I roll my eyes. “I’m not a kid.”

“Yup, you’re worse.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

“Just stating facts,” he heads toward the front door.

I follow automatically. Adrian doesn’t.

The second we reach the doorway, Asher turns around and pulls me into a hug.

It catches me off guard. The embrace is strong, brief, and protective—the way he always does before leaving.

“Don’t get into another mess,” he murmurs against my hair.

I snort despite the pang in my chest. Something isn’t right.

“Then stay to make sure I don’t,” I attempt to sound casual despite the strange, uneasy feeling settling in my chest.

“I wish I could,” he breaks the hug.

Before I can make another smart remark, he presses a kiss on top of my head.

Then he turns toward Adrian. That’s when I realize Adrian has followed us after all. I hadn’t even heard him approach.

The look they exchange lasts less than a second. “Mind staying with her while I’m gone?”

“Wait—why would Adrian need to stay?” I ask, but they ignore me.

Adrian scoffs. “Obviously. I’m always the babysitter, ain’t I?” he says to Asher.

“Think of it as training.”

Adrian immediately narrows his eyes. “For what exactly?”

“The children you’re inevitably going to traumatize one day.”

“Bold of you to assume I’d be alive to willingly reproduce.”

“Bold of you to assume you’ll have a choice.”

Adrian flips him off, to which Asher looks entirely unbothered. Clearly, this is a conversation they’ve had a lot of times before.

Then his gaze shifts back to me. For a split second, fear flashes across his face for some unknown reason.