Shattered (Koa #5)

5. Asher

Chapter 5

Asher

T he moment Lila leaves, the house stills. Everything goes dead silent, and I can feel Bane’s eyes burning holes into the side of my head. I’ve got a lecture coming.

“Did you just threaten her husband?”

Okay, that’s not where I thought we were going to start.

“That video is old, couldn’t you tell? Her hair is completely different, and she obviously doesn’t have a husband kicking around. If she did, we’d have four black eyes by now.”

“Speak for yourself. You didn’t think you should confirm that first? I believe your last romp with a married woman didn’t end well if you recall.”

“Fuck off. She’s not wearing a ring. ”

“Yeah, because the poor guy probably ran for the hills, the bitch is fucking crazy!”

“Ballsy or stupid, or a mix of both,” I say, noting her complete disregard for her safety.

“You’re not seriously going to leak her video, are you? That shit will send you to jail, and I can’t afford this house by myself.”

“Relax. I’m a dick, but I’m not that much of a dick, and I think she knows that.”

“Does she? You fucking assaulted her in our living room.”

“Were you even paying attention? I gave her an out. She wanted it.”

“So what, you like her?” Bane asks in disbelief.

“Oh fuck no, she’s a cocky little bitch with a mouth that’s gonna get her in shit, which is precisely what she wants. If she wants to self-destruct, I’m happy to oblige.”

I’m not that guy. I don’t need to force the ladies to fuck me. I get pussy easily enough. But the moment I heard that fucking gasp of hers when I choked her, I knew exactly what she was. A dirty whore, longing for a man to put her in her place. And if that’s what she wants, who am I to object?

Do I like her? Not by an iota. But destroying her is going to be fun.

Our new shop is a lone building, a little rough on the outside, across the street from a doctor’s office. The maroon paint is chipping, and the roof could use some work, but the first thing I want to do is replace all the windows and that rotten wooden door with the rattly handle.

The inside looks a little better. It’s just a big room with a couple of empty rooms in the back and a bathroom. A simple desk is positioned up front to the right of the door, where we’ll set up the cash. In the back are two stations with chairs, cabinets, and everything we need.

Bane got here an hour before me, despite me getting up a few minutes before he did. It doesn’t take Bane twice as long as it should to climb down some stairs. Imagine my fucking anger when I realized I needed to climb them again just to get a pair of socks I forgot. I waited for Bane to leave. I didn’t need another lecture.

Nothing is simple anymore.

“If you’re good here, I’ll find a hardware store and see about getting a new door and some new locks and windows.”

“Yeah, I’m good,” Bane says.

Why wouldn’t he be? He doesn’t need a cripple to help him paint.

With that settled, I head back out to my car. I mask my leg as much as possible, feeling the pain this morning after my little maneuver with Sunshine. Our encounter took a toll on my leg, but watching her squirm was so worth it. To have her come all over my hand against her will.

There’s a hardware store near the mall, and my leg has time to rest while I drive over. I rub it roughly with my palm as if I could knead the pain like lumpy bread dough.

The femur is supposed to be the strongest bone in the body. It makes me want to yak when I remember the amount of force Rocco sunk into my thigh. I can remember the sound of bone cracking and the sickening pain as my kneecap was completely shattered.

I can still remember the shocked look on that ER doc’s face when he looked at my X-ray, and the even more shocked look on Bane’s face, who was right beside him. They could see the films, but I couldn’t from my bed. Even Bane, who’s got a few loose screws, could tell it was bad.

I don’t understand. How can they keep telling me it isn’t going to get better?

“You’ll be safer moving around with a cane or a walker,” the doctor had said.

I could use it to catch myself or use my arm to relieve some pressure on my leg. But how is this my life now?

Once I get to the hardware store, I’m relieved to find parking close to the doors, with only a few cars in the parking lot. I pull up beside a handicap spot, and get out of the car, using my hand on the roof as a brace. I’ve mastered this slow and casual walk that mostly masks my limp. I use it the whole way as I walk through the automatic doors. Thankfully, the store isn’t enormous, so it’s not too much for me. With the pain, every step is a gamble.

There’s a small aisle of doors near the back of the store. While there are no people around, I put all my weight on my good leg, giving my bad leg a rest while I stare at the doors on display, not giving a shit what they look like as long as they keep the shop secure.

After a few minutes, someone enters the aisle. I turn to see a rugged man, probably in his fifties, with short grey hair and a stern expression with downturned brows. His eyes meet mine as he approaches, and he gives me the slightest smile .

“Morning,” the guy says.

“Afternoon, actually.”

The guy nods. He looks tired, as if he just woke up, but it’s nearly noon. His brows pull together as he studies my face. “Are you new around here?”

“Just moved in.”

“Welcome to town. I’m Turner.”

“Asher.” After living in the city all my life, this small town feels weird.

“Where’d you move?”

“Cedar Road.”

His brows lift more in surprise. “Ahh, the brown house. Have you met your neighbor, Lila? She’s a friend of mine.”

Oh my god, could this be? “Are you her ex-husband?”

“No, just a friend.”

I find that a little surprising. I picture Sunshine with someone dark and edgy, and this old hunk sure fits the bill. It wouldn’t surprise me if she occasionally got some silver cock, though I guess she doesn’t want to change his diapers in ten years.

“So what brings you to Alton?” the man asks. He’s got this tough persona wrapped up in a friendly old guy, and it’s weirdly unsettling.

“I needed a change. My friend and I are opening a tattoo shop down on Main Street. We’ll be officially opening in a few days, but we’re painting and putting in some new doors and windows right now.”

“Well, good luck to you. I hope it all goes smoothly.” He takes another look at the doors, unimpressed. “These are all fuck ugly.”

After Turner leaves, I check out the doors again. They’re ugly, but I don’t give a fuck. I pick out a new door and windows, making an appointment for them to install them. Then, I make my way back to the tattoo shop.