Fear tremored through me, starting within my heart and quickly spreading outwards to the tips of my fingers. Asher collected me into his arms, but that didn’t stop my trembling. It was too severe this time. The fear too real. Joseph was everywhere. He would stop at nothing to hurt me, however he
I understood what she meant. It wasn’t like I wanted to be this stressed out. “There’s been a lot going on.” “Asher filled me in,” Nancy said. “But we need to find a solution. You and your child cannot maintain this level of stress.” “I’m going to the police,” Asher said then. “I wanted to wait
Asher gently brushed the hair back from my face. By now, Chase had visited and then left, leaving Asher and I alone in the hospital room. I closed my eyes, reveling in the softness of Asher’s touch. He was always gentle with me, but since being here, he had treated me like I was fragile. Like too
It was a nice little dream. Dad’s expression was much sterner. He’d been the cooler head before, telling all of us to take a breather before speaking again. I wondered now if our few brief days apart had been long enough. “Cynthia,” my mother said. Instead of the calming, worried tone I had been
For Mom to make such a statement, I instantly knew that her demand for me to get an abortion had nothing to do with my health and future, and everything to do with her. My suspicions were confirmed when she bit out. “You will not continue to embarrass us.” She looked at my Dad. “Go get the wheelch
I didn’t know anymore. They’d already gotten me this far, wheeling me through the crowded hallways of the hospital. I cried and I begged for help from everyone we passed, but no one made a single move to help me. Maybe the doctors wouldn’t care about me either. Maybe my parents would come up with
After my mother had finished spewing her venomous words, she and my father turned and left without saying anything more. Once they were gone, Asher gripped the handles of my wheelchair and steered me back to my hospital room. Gently, he lifted me from the chair and lowered me down onto the bed. We
I couldn’t believe my ears. Asher was a child of rape? I held him as close as I could, offering him the comfort of my closeness. He brushed his fingers through my hair. “After I was born, my mother ignored me. Sometimes I wonder if she hated me. I was alone most of the time. Chase and I spent some
“Please.” That all sounded so good. I wanted it. I wanted everything. He stood to kick off the rest of his clothes. I watched, my mouth watering as he exposed his dick. He was so big, so hard just for me. Carefully, he moved me how he wanted me, stretching out my legs farther, and then slipped
Asher guided me back into the bedroom. As I stood near the bed, he walked behind me and slowly tugged down the zipper of my dress. His knuckles traced the newly-revealed skin inch by inch, following down the length of my spine. When the zipper had lowered as much as it could go. He spread his hand
I held my breath as Dylan threw the first punch. Asher dodged back and Dylan’s fist flew through the open air. Asher then stepped forward, ready to retaliate. Dylan backpedaled, placing a few feet between them again. In a flash, Dylan moved close again. His speed was lightning-quick. I barely even
“’Might?’” He squeezed me gently. “It will be fine. Trust me.” I did trust him, with my life and more. But… this was my brother. My brother and the love of my life were about to fight a challenge with yet unknown terms that would undoubtedly involve me and my baby. I couldn’t help but be a b
I opened my mouth to begin to explain, but the truth seemed worse than even Dylan’s worst assumptions. No, Asher isn’t the father of my baby. The father is actually a terrible person who is now in prison. But Dylan wasn’t waiting for me to figure out a softer way to explain, and Asher was no hel
On the evening of the Academy’s winter dance, I slipped into my shining purple gown and checked myself out in the bathroom mirror. Gone were the days when I could pass as not pregnant. Now, my bump was a distinctive round bulge, pressing out the front of my gown – which I had bought in the materni
“I… um…” I had no idea how to answer Dylan. Panic set in, sending my heart into overdrive. Should I admit to Asher being beside me? It was getting late at night. Surely Dylan would have follow-up questions. Like, why was Asher in my room after dark. “Oh, shit, I have to go,” Dylan said suddenly.
Asher’s words stole my breath away. For a long moment, I simply stared at him, desire coiling inside of me. He stared back, his blue eyes deep as the ocean. I swallowed thickly. I couldn’t wait to go home with him and see all of his promises in action. Nancy cleared her throat from the doorway.
The real Asher was safely behind the line of fake wolves. He glanced back at me in concern. I understood his worry. Holding this many projections was a strain. But I was done running. I was done standing back. Joseph would lose. And I would help bring him down. In the circle, Joseph started to