Is he flirting? is the thought that runs through her mind, but she laughs at her own thought because why would Asher flirt with her, seriously? Olivia: Anyway Olivia: Do you want a photo or not? Ash: Yes, I do Olivia: [Picture attached] Olivia: I'm sorry for yesterday. Mob Boss Ash Olivia: I hope my cute-hot-ness helps you forgive me Asher coos at the picture without worrying about his surroundings. "God, she is so cute" Everyone in the dining hall gap at him when he says it aloud. Steve, who was sitting at Asher’s left end of the table, takes a secret video of him smiling, swooning at something on his phone for future use. He has an inkling about what it might be. Just to confirm it, he sends the video to the person in his head. SL: [Video attached] Olivia: What is that? Olivia: Wait Olivia: Is that your home??? SL: Yes, but it stays between us Olivia: And mob boss Ash stays with you all? SL: Yes Olivia: Who is she? Olivia: Whom does he find cute? SL: Did you send hi
Ash: I'm fairly certain I doOlivia: How about a game?Olivia: If you guess right, I give you something, and if not, the oppositeAsh: DealOlivia: You can only ask one questionAsh: One??Ash: Sounds unfairOlivia: Too bad Mob Boss AshAsh: Fine, fineOlivia: Ask awayAsh: Do you want pastries?Olivia: HOW THE F*CKAsh: WhatOlivia: HOWAsh: ???Ash: I thought it was obvious you wanted that?Olivia: NO, IT IS NOT??Ash: It is pretty obviousOlivia: No, it's notOlivia: ...Olivia: Or is it...Olivia: Your stupidity is rubbing off on meAsh: At least it's just my stupidityOlivia: What the f*ckAsh: I didn't mean it the way it soundedOlivia: Did you really not, huhAsh: I won. By the wayOlivia: You are changing the subjectAsh: YesAsh: I wonAsh: Give me my rewardOlivia: Oh, how the turns have tabledAsh: That's not what the saying isOlivia: You have been a good boy, so you do deserve your rewardOlivia: What does Ashybear want?Ash: You exhaust meOlivia: Name your priceAsh: Yo
Olivia: Good Morning, Mob Boss AshOlivia: Have you ever killed someone?Ash: It's seven in the morning, OliviaOlivia: I know?Olivia: I said Good MorningAsh: How did you end up typing that questionOlivia: Well, I was brushing my teeth, and I was wonderingOlivia: If you could kill someone with a toothbrushOlivia: And lead me to if you have ever killed someoneOlivia: Fairly simpleAsh: Of course, you wondered thatOlivia: ExactlyOlivia: So?Ash: I haveOlivia: Do you feel remorse about it?Ash: For a few, yes. For most, no, not at allOlivia: Fair enoughAsh: Fair enough?Ash: That's all you have to say?Olivia: I'm guessing you don't kill for the fun of it in some sort of psychopath way, so yeah, fair enoughOlivia: It's not like you kill 'innocent' people, right?Olivia: 'Innocent' because is anyone ever really innocentAsh: I have never killed for fun or innocent peopleAsh: As far as I know, for that last pointOlivia: I'm suddenly realizing this isn’t a very morning-appropr
“Sh*t.”“Can I let them in already or not? It’s been five minutes,” Mia notes as though Olivia had not been counting the seconds since she received the mob boss’ texts.“I can’t escape from this, can I?” Olivia asks herself as she paces back and forth, ignoring her friend’s reply. “It’d be rude to tell them to leave now that they’ve come all the way down here, and you’ve raised me better than that.”“Exactly.” Without any further ado, Mia swings the door open at the same time Olivia’s head snaps to the entrance.“Hey! Sorry for the wait. Come in.” Mia’s smile is evident in her voice, her usual joy contagious ricocheting against Olivia’s apprehension.Steve is the first one to enter, followed by Paul, the two bearing wide smiles that Olivia mirrors, albeit more shakily and uncertain.Then, Olivia sees him, and her anxiety veers into an irritation that has Olivia stomping forward, brushing past the small group; Walter and Adam are absent. She halts at the door frame, glaring ahead at th
A yell of her name grabs Olivia’s attention, and she turns her head toward the source, finding Paul, Steve, and Walter already in one car, Asher leaning on an arm on the driver’s side’s window to speak with his brother, while Adam is installed in the truck, ready to drive it away.“Sit with me, precious?” Walter says, and his girlfriend immediately takes up on the offer. As she opens the door, Walter comes out. “You’ll have to be in the middle since Olivia’s computer is on the other side,” he continues, Mia not missing the opportunity to plant a kiss on Walter’s lips.“As long as I’m next to you,” Mia smiles.“Alright, lovebirds, settle in,” Steve interjects and shares an eye roll with Olivia, the latter biting back her laugh.“Adam will make sure to take some detours along the way just in case someone is following us,” Asher says to Paul. “Make sure to stick close to us, so we don’t lose each other. I don’t think Henry and the other two are anywhere near, but….”“We’ll be careful,” P
Olivia frowns. “Them?”“Everyone else,” Asher answers and meets Olivia’s gaze. “Acting all scared and cautious around me. I didn’t expect that from you with how you’ve been in texts.”“Speaking to someone through text and face to face are two different environments for me, apparently. Or when it comes to you. Or both.” Olivia says, and she wants to explain further, share more of her insecurities, but her mouth is sewed close by them.“That I’m realizing.”There’s something in the way Asher says this, too quiet and drained, unfitting for the man; or perhaps it’s in the way his tensed fist and stance loosens, however not in a relaxing manner, but rather a surrendering one.“It’s not your fault you’re—” Olivia starts but doesn’t know how to finish, not when she hurries the sentence out to keep Asher here, ensuring that the boss doesn’t leave her alone. “You’re a little… A little intimidating.” Among other things, Olivia refuses to approach.“I’m just me,” Asher says, and it sounds so fru
‘Ashy’ says naught, motionless from where he’s sitting, and Olivia’s selfishness becomes a little more eager, evolving into her laying her head on Asher’s shoulder, that sense of comfort and security back between them.Olivia surveys the expanse of Asher’s throat, the black hair at the base of the scalp, and she then detects a small scar on the side of the neck, one that looks somewhat new.“Where did you get that wound on your neck?” Olivia asks, her voice barely above a whisper.“Valentine’s fight.” Asher rasps.Olivia watches Asher lift a hand, the limb disappearing from Olivia’s vision, and when it does not come back down, she raises her head, reclining to peer at Asher.Asher’s palm is covering the lower part of his face. His features scrunched into a scowl, and the eyebrows furrowed so deeply that Olivia worries for a moment, even more, when she notices the redness overtaking Asher’s skin.Olivia checks the windscreen, thinking that perhaps the boss was struck by some sunburn, b
Flashback... Violence, Blood, Knife, Injury * * * * * * * * * * * “One last thing,” Asher says and waits for the door to close to swiftly move around Henry, seize his collar, and trip the man to his knees. Caden and William both step forward at the same time, wanting to intervene, but Asher promptly grabs his gun tucked at the back of his pants, and he aims it at William’s head, Henry’s friends immediately freezing. “You two walk four steps forward,” he says with a jerk of his gun, William and Caden doing as asked before halting. “Any limb you may move from now onward will be shot along with a second one to serve as a lesson. Perhaps a third as a belated retribution.” Henry struggles in Asher’s hold, and Asher lets him go, for a fleeting moment of false grace, before he snatches the dark locks as Henry tries to stand. Then, in a gruesome burst of cracking sounds that resonates through Asher’s eardrums and swells at that simmering bubble of — perhaps unreasonable — vindication, h
Group chatAsh: Is everyone here?Ash: We need to talk about the tournament nowAsh: Olivia received the invitationAJ: What?PS: You received yours as well Asher?Ash: I didn'tSL: You're not even her adopter yetAJ: That's weirdAsh: It may be because of NicolasAsh: Either way it happened and Olivia is participating in the tournamentAsh: I need everyone to be here so we can talk about itAsh: Olivia got the letter along with her keycard and a phoneWG: What did the letter say?OF: A summary of what TSM is and the rules about itOF: The fact that they kept using 'it' while talking about the hybrids pissed me offOF: F*cking a*sholesAsh: Hybrids are nothing to them aside from a source of money and entertainmentWG: What's TSM?Ash: The name of the tournament aka The Scarlet Masquerade, TSM for shortAsh: As I said previously TSM is a match to death with, more often than not, only one survivorAsh: It's brutal and unforgiving and no one ever comes out unscathed from itMC: Are you s
Ash: Olivia??Ash: What's happening?Ash: OliviaAsh: Members of the clan are on the wayAsh: They'll be there in less than thirty minutesOlivia: No Don'tOlivia: Call them backOlivia: I'm fineAsh: What the fuck do you mean you're fineOlivia: I made it sound worse than what it actually was and then I lost track of time dancingAsh: You'reOlivia: Don't be mean worried AsherAsh: I need a minuteOlivia: SorryOlivia: I should have sent another text to say I'm fine but it slipped my mindAsh: I thought something bad happened to you OliviaAsh: You can't do shit like thatAsh: Fucking hellAsh: I was a moment away from upturning the cityOlivia: I'm sorry...Olivia: I just wanted to distract myself from the creepy letter I gotAsh: A letter?Ash: This is what it's about?Olivia: YeahOlivia: There was a letter in my mailbox but the very creepy kindOlivia: There isn't even a returning or my own address on itAsh: Does it have a logo on it?Olivia: YesAsh: Red?Olivia: YesOlivia: Ho
Both stare at each other silently. Asher’s words ring in the silent room. His face is filled with uncertainty and hesitation but also assurance. He is willing to do that only if Olivia will accompany him during those nights.Olivia without even hearing his words understands the turmoil in Asher’s heart. “Of course, Asher. we can call, facetime, or text whenever there's one. I’ll always be there with you”“Thank you.” Asher’s face breaks into a smile.The genuine smile makes Olivia’s heart tingle “We'll make a bunch of good memories about storms so that the bad ones are gone.” She says with a smile.Asher looks surprised and delighted with the suggestion “I'd love that.”“Me too.”Olivia looks at Asher and suddenly she remembers something “Also, I'm learning how to bake.”“What? Why?” Asher looks confused and surprised.“I was supposed to give you a gift some time ago but it slipped my mind with all the mess that had been happening. And now I changed the present I want to give you.” Ol
They both go silent after that, looking at each other's faces not knowing what to say."What?” Olivia starts, she was offended by the silence from Asher “Did I say something wrong?" she asks Asher with a smile.Asher’s face lit up and he shook his head "No, not at all."His answer made Olivia satisfied, she nodded her head with a happy smile on her face. "Was there a thunder on your side?""Yeah, something like that." Asher’s face dims remembering the situation he was trying to ignore.Olivia notices and asks with a soft voice "Do you want to talk about it?"Asher looks startled "About what?" he asks with confusion."Why you're scared of storms."Asher peruses his lips and goes silent. His tongue comes out to lick his dry lips. He shifts on his bed curling on to himself "There's nothing much to say.""I'm still listening if you want to share." Olivia doesn’t prob, but still tries to talk to him.Asher is not someone who opens up to someone about his shortcomings. He has been trained t
Oly: What bad blood?Mia: I don’t know and Walter doesn’t know eitherOly: That’s weirdMia: A little yesMia: Plus he seems to really antagonize me for some reasonsOly: I seeMia: You’re starting to speak like himOly: Who?Mia: Ash -.-Oly: That’s because we’re rubbing off on each other :(Oly: I like him so much Mia he’s amazingOly: He has trouble understanding feelings and emotions and human relationships but he tries to despite everything he went throughOly: He could have given up, you know?Oly: If I were in his place I would have and I wouldn’t care about understandingMia: He’s an intelligent manOly: He isOly: I really like him a lotMia: Have you been testing the waters?Oly: A little? I don’t know how to do thatOly: I don’t flirt MiaOly: But maybeMia: Maybe?Oly: Maybe he likes me tooOly: MaybeOly: We’ll seeMia: That’s progress it’s okayMia: Anyway, I have to studyOly: Yes, yes, good luck and/or have funMia: Bye, will talk to you later* * * * * * * * * * * *A
Mia: He is a human Olivia, he's not a hybridMia was so confused about how did Olivia even got that thought in her pea-sized brain. She was still contemplating when Olivia replied to her message.Oly: What if he's just hiding it?Mia: He can adopt a hybridMia: Hybrids can't adopt another hybridMia tries to talk sense into Olivia who is very stubborn to listen to any of her explanations.Oly: Unless they falsified their documents and make themselves pass as a humanOly: Steve could have done thatMia: This is insaneOly: You didn't see him the way I didMia: Is it bothering you?Mia: Is this what it's about?Olivia is quick to rejectOly: NoOly: It's about how he behaved and the fact that I know he's hiding a secret from meOly: Which is fineOly: But I can't stop myself from wondering, my mind keeps circling back to thisMia: Olivia that'sMia: OkayMia: Let's say that hypothetically Ash is a hybrid, what would he be?Oly: I'm not sureOly: A predator one I guess?Mia: Hypothetical
Olivia: Are you being an a*shole or genuinely asking?Ash: The latterOlivia: Because I like the idea of us having matching pics and contact nameAsh: Why is that?Olivia: Because It's hmmOlivia: It's comforting?Olivia: And it's a little intimate and just usOlivia: Which I like a lotAsh: [Picture attached]Ash: Like that?Olivia: ...Olivia: I'm okay it's making me feel weird to actually see itAsh: Do you like it?Olivia: I doAsh: How do you feel seeing it?Olivia: HappyOlivia: Very happyOlivia: And then it is ticking inside my chestOlivia: [Picture attached]Olivia: How do you feel?Ash: The same as you, I like it a lotOlivia: Me too but we can barely see the heart because of the dark mode :(Olivia: AnywayOlivia: I suppose you have work to doAsh: I'll be busy until later tonightAsh: You've nothing planned today?Olivia: Nothing at allAsh: MC will also be freeOlivia: What about her?Ash: It's time to talk about the tournament and it'll happen tonightAsh: Everyone wil
“I could live in this car.” Olivia sighs into the leather seat.“I don’t think Mini would appreciate that,” Asher says from where he’s bent over, his arms propped on the edge of the rolled-down window.“Good point. She’s tiny but needs a lot of space, a bit like Steve.” Olivia snickers at her own joke, two duffle bags brimming with Asher’s clothes thrown over the seat next to where she’s installed at the back of the car.“I’ll tell him you say that.”“Go ahead, I’ve been meaning to fight him after Airhead.”“Brat.”Olivia peers up at Asher, catching the fond smile on the boss’ lips. “Thank you for the date.”“You’re welcome, and thank you too,” Asher says, his face close to Olivia. “You enjoyed yourself?”“Mhm, the most,” Olivia grins as she fastens her belt when the driver enters the vehicle“Me too,” Asher whispers, and with his index, he brushes a strand of hair away from Olivia’s forehead. “I won’t be able to text you much today, but I’ll do what I can to try.”“It’s fine, don’t w
When Olivia wakes up a few hours later, it’s to an empty bed, Asher’s side on the mattress tidied up, the phone and iPad on the nightstand gone.It doesn’t take long for Olivia to figure out where the mob boss went when, and after relieving herself in the restroom, she climbs down the stairs to make her way to the dining room.Asher is seated at the end of the table installed in the corner of the bay windows and Olivia trudges up to the mob boss.Hands shoved in her pants pockets, Olivia knocks her foot on the leg of the chair Adam is occupying, the one directly on Asher’s left.“Move,” Olivia orders when Adam does not budge.Adam swivels around. “Say that again, GaintDog?”“That’s my seat. Move.”“How about you f*ck off before I shoot you in the knee?” Adam snaps when Olivia kicks the chair again. “It’s no one’s seat, however right now it’s mine because my a*s is on it.”“Adam, come on,” Walter intervenes from where he’s lounged further down the table, Mia by his sides. “They’re in t