She opened the door to find soaking wet Asher standing in front of her. Water was dripping down his clothes, forming a pool around him. Her wide eyes raked his frame in disbelief and when they landed on his face, he flashed her a toothy grin. "What are you doing here?" she frowned at his state. He bustled past her into the apartment. "I came to see you," he offered. She caught the water drops trailing behind him and pulled in a sigh. She will have to mop the floor. "In the rain?" she looked at him as though he had gone mad. He shrugged and took off his jacket. "Close the door and that window too," he pointed towards the window. She let out a resigned sigh and closed the door and the window as he had said. She then made her way into her room and retrieved a towel for him. Since she didn't have men's clothes and her own wouldn't fit him, he had to make work with a towel. "Here," she offered the towel to him. He took it from her and started wiping at his face then proceeded to dr
"He must have been a really nice person," she remarked softly. The statement brought a melancholic smile to his lips. "He was," he agreed. His eyes gleaming with nostalgia as if he was reminiscing his good old days with his brother. "He was the best big brother one could have. An idol son and a caring friend. He was an inspiration," he praised his late brother with unrestrained reverence. Serena could tell he held his brother in the highest regard. "You look up to him, don't you? I can tell you are very much like him" she noted, smiling. He turned his face towards her and met her gaze with his sad, desolated eyes. "I can't be like him even if I want to, Pumpkin. He was an angel whereas I am a.....I am not even worth the dirt under his shoes. Please don't insult him by comparing him to me. He doesn't deserve it," a heavy storm of guilt burst forth in his eyes as he implored her earnestly. Serena sensed a deep sadness in his tone. How long has he been beating himself up? Her hear
Asher counted the money before stacking it away in his savings wallet. He was saving money to buy Shanice the bracelet she had loved so much that day. That would be her Christmas gift from him. He had already asked the storekeeper to put it away for him. It was, no doubt, expensive for Asher but he had made up his mind. He was going to get her everything she desired no matter the cost. He may not be the King just yet but he would treat his woman nothing less than a queen. So he was working overtime to collect enough money. He was also thinking about using up the money he had saved for a car if his savings fell short. Last night, he fought twice in the ring despite the exhaustion to make more. He was also thinking about buying stud earrings for Serena for Christmas. One had caught his eyes when he had visited the store with Shanice. They were simple but graceful. He is positive Serena would love them too. "Ash," Nigel sauntered into his room. holding a piece of paper. He must not be
"Did you hear? Reed is back from his world tour," Mendy announced and winked at Shanice. "Shanice should already know that," Kim remarked, smiling mischeviously. "Why would I know? It's not that we are in a relationship or something," Shanice feigned disinterest as she swirled the juice in her glass. "You really want us to believe that?" Serena quipped, archign her brow. Shanice ignored her remark as she was lost in thought. Upsetting thoughts as her brows were puckered in a frown. Reed and Shanice were in an on and off relationship since their freshman. Reed mostly stayed out touring and whenever he returned, he would get back with Shanice. Reed's parents were the richest in their town and he was the only one whome Shanice would always take back despite his fear for commitments. Serena could never undersatnd why. Shanice was just as ambitious as Asher if not less; reason they hit it off instantly. They both were obsessed with success, power, and money. Shanice was mighty impre
"Are you free? Can we meet right now?" Asher asked Shanice over the phone. "Umm...Babe, I can't. I am at a dinner party with my family. They won't let me out," she explained to him in a sorry tone."What's the matter?" she added. "It's okay," Asher replied curtly and hung up without giving her a chance to speak. He then took out a cigarette and slipped it between his lips. Lighting it up, he sucked in a long drag of it. His veins were pounding with pent-up fury, inciting him to ditch every ounce of morals he had and murder his own father. He swore he wouldn't hesitate from hacking his fucking throat. He knew he would end up murdering everyone in this family which is why he stormed out and went straight to the warehouse to fight. But it didn't help. Out of anger, he assumed an attacking position even though his stronger position was defense and lost each time. He called Shanice, hoping to meet her but she wasn't available. He needed an anchor to hold on to before fury completely s
"I hate him," he confessed through his clenched teeth. He hated him so much that he wished he was born an orphan. Life would have been so much easier then. For years he craved a little bit of attention from him, if not love. He never misbehaved, never threw tantrums like other kids only to impress his dad and let him know he was a good child. He worked tirelessly, studied hard to get perfect scores on his exams in the hope of gaining a morsel of his attention but he never even acknowledged his hard work, much less appreciated. The boy squashed his dreams and ambition, molding himself into his puppet only to get an affectionate smile from him but that man had nothing to offer except for deep biting loathing. Serena retracted her hand but her eyes never strayed from his. Her gaze warm and tender, unknowingly coaxing him to pour out everything. Everything that was hurting him for so long. "Today he sold off all my mom's belongings to punish me for talking back with his wife," he co
The cold gusts of AC engulfed them as soon as they stepped into the showroom."Wow," Serena breathed in wonder as her eyes swept over the fine beauties standing in line not far from them. This place reeked of class. The air was mixed with elegance and some exotic perfume. "They are.." she paused, loss for words. "Stunning," Asher supplied, equally bewitched by the sight if not more. These expensive things fuel his hunger for money and power even more. He was going to own each one of them someday. He was going to get so rich that everything would look cheap to him. She eagerly sauntered towards the one that had caught Asher's eyes. She didn't know much about cars but she knew it had to be the most expensive one here. Asher followed her, gaze riveted on the four-wheeler. He stood beside her. She reached out a hand to touch it. "One day you are going to own it," she spoke, caressing its bonnet. Asher smiled. Two teenagers were weaving dreams for a bright future in a showroom that
Asher didn't have to search too hard for the receipts. He found them crammed up in the drawer of his dad's work table. He read the buyer's name and realised his dad sold everything to one person. After taking a quick photo of the receipt, he put it back inside the drawer and left. Did you find out?The message was from Serena. He had just woken up and checked his phone in hope of finding a message from Shanice. But there was none except for Serena's. With disappointment, he typed a yes. She then told him to meet her at the bus stand. Asher sat up to type as it was going to be a long text. He tried to dissuade her from coming as he didn't want her to skip classes but Serena was adamant. Eventually, he had to give in. Serena was perched on the bench, looking fresh and bright like usual. A smile found its way on his lips at her sight. He pushed his glasses up and lengthened his strides. "What a beautiful morning, isn't it?" Serena sprung to her feet and chirped. Asher could see her e
Four Years Later After finishing her shift, Serena returned home only to find Asher singing Brianna a lullaby and rocking her gently to sleep. Dream sweet dreams for me Dreams sweet dreams for you...... Her lips curved into a smile as she leaned against the doorframe and watched him lulling their daughter to sleep. Soon tears welled up in her eyes as she realised how perfect their life was going. Bree was lost in her dreamland but it seemed Asher was not ready yet to part from her so he kept singing and rocking her. Wiping away her tears, she walked inside letting him sense her presence. Asher turned around. His eyes lit up when he saw her. "She is asleep," she told him, smiling. His features softened. "I know," he replied. He just didn't want to let go of her. "How was the work?" he asked as he laid little Bree in her cradle. "Same usual," she answered, watching him. "How was your day," Serena asked. She felt so lucky to have Asher. He was working from home for over a
The verdict was out. Shanice was sentenced to 16 years in prison for all her crimes. Her career, her life was over. Mr. Cooper broke the news to Asher. Asher felt bad for Mr. Cooper but chose not to pick on his wounds. He thanked the attorney and invested in his firm generously for his help as Mr. Cooper refused to accept a fee from him. After wrapping up his meeting with him, Asher picked up his book on parenting and resumed reading. He leaned back in his chair, put on his glasses, and got to work. The word "excitement" did not measure up to what he was feeling. His wait was almost over. In just a few days, he would be a dad. He will be holding his own child in his arms. It just felt unbelievable. If ten years ago someone had told him that one day his life would be full of joy, happiness, and laughter, he would have beaten the shit out of them for mocking him. His life had taken such a beautiful turn. It was all because of his sweet angel. Serena. She was the source of his happine
Their body moved together in melodious harmony, pushing and pulling like a magnet. Asher grabbed her face close and deepened their kiss. Saliva dripped down the corner of their mouth, their eyes closed but their senses hyperaware. He could taste passion on her tongue and by God, he was hooked. The lashing of her tongue against his sent thousands of volts of current down his veins. No matter how many times he fuck her, it was still not enough. He craved their proximity like a man craves oxygen. Her sweet moans, feeble gasps, and innocent response fed his insatiable hunger for her. Time stood still as they explored each other's bodies, their connection growing deeper with every passing moment. Those wet sounds turning louder with his every vigorous stroke. Breaking the kiss, he buried his face into the crook of her neck. Her ass was perched on her study desk and he was standing between her thighs. The day after tomorrow was her viva and instead of studying, here she was indulging in ca
Serena learned morning sickness isn't limited to the morning only. It continued all day long and on top of that, she had also developed a strong aversion to non-vegetarian food which meant Asher couldn't enjoy them either. Her hormones were like a roller coaster, constantly shooting up and down, affecting her mood. Asher was having a hard time keeping up with her mood swings. One moment she would be laughing, and the next, she would be crying like a baby, leaving Asher utterly confused.The doctor had warned him beforehand about her coming mood swings. She said pregnancy does it to women and more so in her case as her body was working extra hard to keep the baby. He had not expected it to be this bad when the doctor had told him that it would be "bad." The other day she kicked him out of their room only because he fell asleep before her. He had to take refuge in the guest room that night. Her temper is always at the boiling point but what bothered him the most was her physical distre
"You don't have to go," Asher tried to dissuade Serena from accompanying him to the court. He was reluctant to take her along as he didn't want Shanice's evil eyes to touch her or their baby. Serena firmed the knot of his tie and angled her head up to meet his eyes. He was looking down at her with concern. "You are worrying for nothing. No harm can touch me as long as you are by my side," she reassured him. She didn't believe in herself as much as she believed in him. She had no concern for her safety for she knew Asher wouldn't let anything happen to her or their baby. Besides, Shanice would be in shackles. There is no way for her to inflict harm on them. And Serena was done being in the background."You've already made up your mind, haven't you?" he questioned with a sigh. Serena's smile widened in response."Yes. I am coming," she chirped, giving a light pat on his chest. ......Mr. Cooper was already at the court when they arrived. The color had returned on his face but it had
Serena woke up to something wet trailing down her neck. Even in a half-asleep state, she recognized his soft yet possessive touch. A moan escaped her mouth as she tried to scoot away only to be pulled back into the safety of is embrace. His arms were coiled around her, keeping her closer. She had missed a morning like this. A sense of serenity washed upon her.Her eyes fluttered open, greeted by the sight of a clear, blue sky from the window. The wet sensation was now replaced by ticklish fluff of kisses. She gazed out at the clear sky all the while savoring the feel of his lips against her skin. As he had shattered the door, nothing was stopping the chilly gusts from invading the room. The curtains caught in the breeze fluttered and billowed. However, they remained shielded by the covers- naked and tangled beneath it. "Good Morning," he breathed hotly against her skin, causing her to shiver in delight. His bedroom voice was a huge turn-on. What felt like an eternity, she was finall
In a blink, Asher was in front of her. Before she could comprehend anything, he gripped her hair in a vice-like grip, forced her face up, and slammed his mouth against hers. Biting and nibbling, he mauled her soft flesh with his brutal kiss. He sank his teeth into her sweet flesh, causing blood to ooze. Now that felt like a bloody kiss. The kiss was so brutal yet so intense that she couldn't help but feel delirious. His hand pulled taut on her hair, eliciting moans from her, the sound intertwining with their passionate kiss. Asher devoured her mouth with an insatiable hunger as though he was an addict and her sweet juicy lips were his drug. His free hand went around and unhooked her bra with a sense of urgency. He needed to get rid of all these clothes between them. Impatient for her touch, he seized her wrist and made her rub his bulge through the fabric. An animalistic grunt tore from his throat at her first caress. His cock had suffered the most after his heart during their separ
An idea occurred to Serena, causing a mischievous glint to enter her eyes. Asher oblivious to the little plan brewing in her mind continued to smoke with his back on her. The familiar scent of tobacco surrounded him. It was after a very long time he was smoking. He wouldn't lie one of the reasons he was smoking right now was to vex her. She didn't like him smoking. The air outside was chilling but as the tobacco bled into his veins, he didn't feel it as bad as it was. A rustling noise from inside caught his attention, causing his ears to perk up. Curious, he turned around only to discover she had pulled aside all the curtains from the glass walls that separated the balcony from the room. He located her at the end of the wall, carrying a suggestive glint in her eyes as she drew aside the last curtain. Asher raised his brows in skepticism, her body language felt different. She coyly bit down on her lip and started walking backward, maintaining their eye contact. On her way, she turn
"Did you write it with your blood?" she asked in disbelief, her eyes bulging out of her sockets. Asher grinned proudly."Yes," he answered. Serena raised her gaze to him. Seeing no expectant smile on her face, his own grin shrunk. "Are you a kid? Why would you do this?" she asked, baffled. Kids do these kinds of stuff in school. What happened to his rationality?A frown settled over his lips. "You wanted it," he answered, unsure why she was unhappy. Didn't she want him to write a letter to her? It had taken him a lot of effort to write it. He literally spilled his blood for it. This wasn't the reaction he was hoping for. His answer set her off. She narrowed her eyes at him. "When did I ask you to write me a letter with your blood?" she snapped, leaving Asher with no defense. Asher was still confused as to why she was focusing on unnecessary stuff and not reading the letter. She looked down at his hand and seized it. With a long sigh, she upturned his hand to find a bandaid on his