Shattered (Koa #5)

11. Asher

Chapter 11

Asher

I shouldn’t be surprised that she took off. I thought she was depleted enough that she wouldn’t move. Was pride, fear, or disgust that made her run? I did want to make sure she was okay, so I sent her a bait text, and she responded positively to it.

Asher: Can’t follow simple orders? You’ll be punished for that next time.

Lila: Bring. It. On. Dickbag.

Whatever this weird fucking tango this is that we’re doing, it’s entertaining at the very least. At best, it’s the most devious fun I’ve had in a long time. Punishing Sunshine when she’s being a total cunt with sex that she can just barely handle is waking a sleeping dragon.

I’ve never tolerated crap from women. When they become too much to handle and not worth the effort for the pussy, I walk. But this bitch… I can’t stop. She enrages me like no other woman I’ve ever met because she refuses to fucking fold. So I’ve made a decision. I’m going to push her as far as we can go. As far as she’ll allow me to take her.

And then beyond.

When I check my email, I have a reply from Morgan, the designer.

Morgan: No shade to your personal design choice. This sounds like a fun project. I have lots of availability this week if you’re around.

Asher: Name your price to do the whole thing tomorrow.

The number he returns with is probably a joke, but I hold him to it. Even without work for the last three months, I’m doing okay financially.

Asher: Done. Send me an invoice. I’ll see you here at 10am. Don’t be late.

It’s my move, Sunshine.

Morgan arrives right on time in the morning. Sunshine’s SUV is gone, so she must be gone for the day.

“Who’s that?” Bane asks as I head for the back door with a crooked stride.

I ignore him, opening the door. “Hey man, Morgan, right?”

“Yes, sir,” he says. He’s a tall guy, unbelievably scrawny, with a patchy beard and beady eyes.

“You got my payment?”

“Yes. I just wanted to clarify some design details with you.”

“Make it black and scary. That’s all. ”

His brows pinch together. “I saw the house next door. Is this some kind of HOA war or something?”

I chuckle. “Something like that. I want this house to look like death next to the sun. Can you make it happen?”

“Yes, sir, I can.”

“Cool. We’ll head to work soon, but I’ll leave the back door unlocked. Help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge and the shitter. If a short angry blonde woman gives you any trouble, tell her to mind her fucking business.”

Once Morgan heads outside, I shut the door and feel Bane’s eyes tearing into my back.

“What are you doing?”

“Pissing off Sunshine,” I say simply. I sit at the table with him, stealing a piece of toast off his plate, and he scowls at me.

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Too late.”

He shakes his head, anger burning in his eyes. “At least this one isn’t married; at least, I hope not.”

Turner confirmed she’s divorced, and that’s good enough for me.

“I don’t know what you’re doing, but don’t do anything stupid. If you’re gonna fuck her the way you want, you need to talk to her.”

“Conversation is wasted on Sunshine. It’s not sweet talk that makes her spread her legs.”

He rolls his eyes. “You’re an idiot. I’m headed to the shop to finish painting.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

I wait until Bane leaves to finish getting ready, finding it easier to get around when he isn’t watching. Masking my limp isn’t doing me any favors, and it’s only making the pain worse, with too much pressure on my bad leg and too much strain on my good one.

When I get to the shop, Bane is finishing the final coat of paint. I set myself up at the desk and work on framing some of his pieces. After about an hour of work, I hear a loud truck pull in outside.

“The new doors and windows are being delivered and installed today. That’s probably them,” I say, breaking the silence.

Bane’s focus doesn’t lift from the wall. “Cool.”

I was hoping that’d mean he’d move his ass and go let them in, but he doesn’t. Instead, I hop out of my chair, seriously feeling the pain, and head for the door. The truck is parked just outside, and two guys in work clothes hop out to greet me.

But I’m not looking at them. Beyond one of the men across the street, some blonde hair catches my eye as it enters the clinic.

There is no way my luck is this good.

“Are you Asher?” one of the men asks, interrupting my thoughts.

“Yeah, hey guys. My business partner is inside; if he’s in your way, just tell him to move. Do your thing.”

“Sounds good.”

I bypass the truck and head for the road, looking both ways before crossing and heading for the door. The gold sign reads Dr. Elaine Parr - Obstetrician. No fucking idea what that means.

I brace myself at the door before waltzing in like I own the place. I walk into an empty waiting room and find a blonde head bent over at the check-in desk with a cup of takeout coffee beside a gold-plated sign that reads Lila Blake .

She may be facing me, but her ass is still up, and I can see her ass crack in the way those black scrub pants hug her cheeks. As a bonus, I can almost see down her white scrub top when she’s bent over.

“If you’re gonna bend over like that, I can make it worthwhile.”

It’s as if my voice rips through her, and she bolts upright, her eyes wide as they land on mine. First with panic, then with pure anger.

“Asher, get out ! This is my workplace!”

“I know. What are the odds, eh?” I ask, taunting her further. “Now, why wouldn’t you tell me you work here when I was tattooing you just across the street? It’s only polite.”

“Shut your mouth,” she growls as footsteps approach from the back. This could not be more perfect.

A tall, sexy woman in a white coat enters from the back. She’s got blonde hair, much longer and fluffier than Lila’s, and far more curves, with a nice pair of tits that are wasted with her high neckline. The woman oozes kindness like a virus and greets me with a smile.

“Good afternoon,” she says softly.

I waste no time offering her my hand, and she shakes it while I put on the fakest smile I can possibly manage.

“Hey, you must be Lila’s boss, Dr. Parr. She’s told me so much about you. I’m Asher, Lila’s boyfriend.”

I swear to god I hear Sunshine’s throat squeak.

Dr. Parr’s eyes widen in surprise, jumping between us, and Lila sinks a little in her place.

“It’s nice to meet you. I didn’t realize Lila was dating.”

Before Lila can defend herself, I have an answer. “We aren’t exclusive yet; this one’s making me work for it. She’s seeing a few guys, but I hope she’ll eventually settle for me. ”

Dr. Parr’s eyes widen slightly, clearly off-put by more information than she needed. Lila is quick to remedy that.

“Asher was just getting back to work, right, dear? ” she says through her teeth.

Dr. Parr approaches the desk, and Lila hands her a coffee and a bag of takeout, which she thanks her for with a nod. She must’ve sent her on a food run. With a sideways glance at me, she says an awkward goodbye.

“Have a good afternoon, sir,” she says as she heads out back.

“You as well, Doctor,” I say, my voice thick with fake kindness.

The moment the Doctor is out of sight, I can feel Lila’s eyes on me. If looks could fucking kill…

“Get the fuck out of here!” she snaps. “Don’t you EVER do that again!”

I know I could probably get her in trouble here, but I don’t give a fuck. I walk right around her desk, making her stiffen more and more as I approach. She swats at me as I reach for her hair, but I’m far stronger than she is, and I grab a fistful of blonde before she can fight me off. When I tighten it painfully, she moans under her breath.

“I’ve been gentle with you up until now. Do not make the mistake of thinking I’m incapable of truly hurting you, Sunshine. You may think you’re the one who started this war, but I promise you, I’ll be the one to finish it.”

Her body tenses, getting the message.

“It’s supposed to be a full moon tonight. Better make sure your back door is locked.”

With that, I release her hair, squeeze the back of her neck, and walk off, leaving her in silence .

My leg fucking kills when I get outside. I wait at the road for the car to pass before beginning my trek across. I’m on the middle line when my bad leg wobbles, and I drop.

I hit the ground hard, wincing as my bare knees hit the hot summer pavement, my bad knee slightly protected by the fabric of my shorts. I roll onto my side, cursing and fucking swearing, before I see a car coming right for me.

I quickly shimmy myself out of the lane so I don’t get run the fuck over. To my surprise, the black car slows to almost a stop beside me, and a familiar face pops over the door.

“You alright?” Turner asks.

I use his car beside me as a brace to pull myself to my feet. “Just testing the road. Fucking hurts,” I chuckle, brushing the gravel out of my skin.

Turner’s brows sink. “Have you got a problem with your leg?”

And there it is. Whether it’s Bane, Sunshine, or this old guy, the moment anyone mentions this fucking leg, I see red. I can’t stand it.

“If I did, it’s none of your fucking business,” I growl.

Turner recoils, his brows lifting in surprise. “No, it’s not my business. But you just wiped out on the road, you stubborn prick. It’s okay to need help.”

Without a thought, I lash out, my fist colliding with his side mirror. The whole thing shatters in place, and Turner roars in anger, pulling his car forward in surprise and nearly running my foot over in the process.

“The fuck is your problem!?” Turner snaps. He looks ready to jump out of that car and fight me, but I can’t let him do that. He’ll win. Instead, I walk around the back of his car and continue across the street.

“It’s okay to need help!” I echo back to him, not looking his way. “You might wanna get that mirror fixed.”

His car pulls off to the side of the road, but thankfully, I don’t hear his door open. “In case you’re wondering, you can kiss your presence on my property goodbye!”

Perfect. Too many stairs there, anyway.