Shattered (Koa #5)

12. Lila

Chapter 12

Lila

W hat. The. Fuck.

I pull over in front of Asher’s house, unable to enter my driveway as I take in the scene. The house next door was always run down and ugly, with brown weathered siding. Not anymore.

It’s black—not dark, but BLACKER THAN BLACK. On the front of his house, an enormous white skull decoration that looks about four feet wide is positioned to match the sun on mine. His exterior is also decorated with a giant creepy red beetle, a spider to match, and a bat.

His car isn’t here, but my phone goes off as if he’s watching.

Asher: Your move, Sunshine. And don’t forget to lock that door .

Rolling my eyes, I pull into my driveway and slam my SUV into park. When I glance over, I find my lawn chairs on their fucking deck again. Would it be too dramatic to light them on fire in the driveway?

In my rearview mirror, I see a vehicle pull in behind me and Turner getting out of his car. When I exit mine, he stops and motions to both houses.

“Wanna tell me what this is about?”

“Your new buddy Asher is a fucking prick,” I say simply.

Turner winces, leaning against his car. “I’m not letting him into Koa. He had some blemishes on his police report, and clearly, he’s got you fired up. I get a bad vibe from him. Something’s off.”

“Thanks, Turner.”

“It’s not because of you,” he repeats, his voice cold.

I shake my head in anger. “Right, don’t do me any favors.”

When I turn to walk away from him, he grabs me by my arm and doesn’t let go. When I try to pry his hand off, I can’t budge it.

“You need to stay away from him. Whatever this is,” he motions to the two houses, “knock it off.”

“I just told you, he’s a prick!”

“Take all this shit down, and stay away from him. I mean it, Lila. The guy’s unstable, and I don’t trust him.”

“Well, thankfully, I don’t have to listen to you.”

Turner steels. “You do if you want to remain a member of Koa.”

“You cannot be serious,” I say, rolling my eyes.

“I’m dead serious. This guy is bad news, Lila.”

I could tell Turner about the sex tape, but I don’t know what he’d do about it. He’d get the situation under control, for sure, but Asher would either be in jail or dead .

But I don’t want that. I want to defeat Asher fair and square. I also don’t need Turner forcing my hand. He doesn’t control me or my life. So, without breaking a sweat, I unwind my key from my keychain. It’s the key that opens the door to Koa. Turner watches me with confusion as I remove it. He doesn’t take it when I offer it to him, so I stuff it in his pocket.

“Lila,” he warns. “I don’t trust you right now. You’re not yourself; you’re messing around with a dangerous man and lashing out at the people trying to help you.”

I throw my arms up in disbelief. “If you wanted to help me, you wouldn’t be kicking me out of Koa. You’re forcing my hand, and I’m not your puppet.”

When I try to shake him off again, he finally lets me go, and he doesn’t say a word as I steal my chairs off Asher’s deck and throw them on mine in a heap before stomping inside. Should I start locking them inside? If I want them to stop stealing them, yes.

Lock… As my hand lingers on the doorknob, staring at the lock, my mind practically short circuits.

I’m not an idiot, and he knows that. We both know what he meant when he told me to lock my door tonight. And while I should lock him out to piss him off…

I don’t.