Shattered (Koa #5)

16. Lila

Chapter 16

Lila

T hough Edgar tries to get me away from Asher and Bane, he’s far more polite about it than Turner is. I learned from him that Turner removed me from Koa’s group chat, which I hadn’t noticed yet. It feels like a slap in the face, but I don’t think it’s what he intended. He’s trying to use Koa to get me away from Asher, which is a pretty stupid plan, considering I haven’t even walked down the stairs to Koa in months.

“Nash and I were happy to help them get these security systems in, for everyone’s sake, but I think you should stay away from them, Lila. From what Turner’s told me, they seem like bad news,” Edgar says.

“Thanks, Edgar,” I say simply.

He stares me down. “No dice? ”

I shake my head. “I can handle them. Trust me.”

He’s not convinced, but there’s not much more he can say. “You need anything, you call me. I don’t care what time it is.”

I smile, leaning in for a hug and pulling him tight. “I know. Thank you.”

Once Edgar says goodbye to Nash with a sweet hug and a kiss that makes my heart throb, he heads back to work. I offer to help Nash and Bane install the security system, but after doing the other two, they were convinced I’d only slow them down.

Despite the few pages of drawings in my lap, I spend most of my time watching Asher tattoo Jared. There’s no denying he’s an attractive man, and I’ve got to wonder what’s in the fucking water wherever they came from. He’s a bit larger, with some meat on his bones, and his eyes are bright and cheerful. He’s covered in dark facial hair, which matches the messy mop on his head. His tattoos take up most of his skin. Watching Asher add to them only makes him more attractive as he lies there and swallows all that discomfort. There’s something so fascinating about it that makes it addictive to watch, and it almost makes me appreciate my tiger and the pain I went through to get it even more.

I can tell Asher is watching me when I get closer, but he doesn’t protest. Instead, he lets me take a closer look. I kneel so that I can see the machine at eye level and how the needles pierce the skin, sometimes drawing the slightest bead of blood.

As a nurse, watching how precise Asher is in his routine and how clean he keeps everything makes me very happy.

A while after Nash leaves, Bane takes off. He shows us how to use the security systems before he heads back home.

Not long after, I get a text from Neela asking where I am. When I look at my texts, I see I have more from Ian, Allegra, Macy, Gareth, and Juliet, all just checking in, which seems odd. I ignore those and answer Neela’s direct question. When I tell her I’m at the tattoo shop, she doesn’t respond. A few minutes later, I hear a knock on the door, and Asher stops his machine, his posture tensed on red alert.

“Who’s that?” he asks nervously.

I lean in my chair to peek at the door, finding exactly who I expect to see. “It’s Neela.”

“Oh, good.”

I leave Asher with Jared and head to the front of the shop with my sketchpad in my hand. I set it on the desk and disable the code before opening the door.

“Hey, what’re you doing here?” she asks.

“I’m crashing here today. And I’m guessing you knew that.”

She follows me to the desk, and we sit down, out of earshot of the men in the back.

“There’s something I want to talk to you about,” Neela says.

I know where she’s going with this, but I let her get it out. Neela is one of my best friends for a good reason, and there’s a reason I confided in her about Asher. She’s not overbearing. She’s dealt with some pretty crazy stuff in her life, and it’s put a good head on her shoulders. She’ll say her piece but won’t go further than that. She doesn’t push.

“Did you see that Turner removed you from Koa’s chat?”

“Yeah, I noticed. ”

She nods, offering her phone to me. “It’ll be easier to show you. You should know.”

I take the phone from her and find the chat open, with a long-winded message from Turner at the top.

Turner: Hey guys, I have some news you all need to know. Lila has been temporarily removed from Koa. The two of us had an argument that went a little sideways. Lila’s been in some war with her new neighbor, Asher. He’s unhinged and potentially dangerous, and I know that because he flipped out at me and broke my car’s side mirror just to be an asshole. I don’t know what’s going on between Lila and this guy, but we need to keep a close eye on her. Ladies, can you check in and see if she’s okay? You’re the closest to her.

Juliet: Yeah, last time I checked in on her, she bit my head off, so someone else can have a turn.

Gareth: What the fuck? Is Lila okay?

Edgar: Lila just called me. I guess the neighbors Asher and Bane had some unwelcome visitors this morning, and they’re concerned they’ll come back. She didn’t tell me what’s happening, but I’m going to cover Bane while he installs some security systems at their houses and tattoo shop.

Nash: Uh, pick me up on your way. I’m at the auto shop, and I’m coming with you.

Gareth: I second that, you shouldn’t go alone. Nash, I’ll get your morning covered.

Nash: Thanks man.

Turner: Girls, see if you can find out anything more from Lila. We need more information on these guys.

Neela: If she tells us anything that’s between us.

Ian: Sorry guys, Allegra was giving me a massage, we’re both reading now. What in the world is going on? Is Lila safe!?

Edgar: It sounds like she’s safe for now at least, she said Asher is keeping a close eye on her today.

Turner: Asher is the problem!

The messages end there, but I can see someone else is typing, and I pass the phone to Neela before I can see it. I don’t want to read anymore.

“I thought you should know,” she says.

“Thank you.” I had no idea Asher damaged Turner’s car. It must be why he came by to see me yesterday.

“You know Turner’s only doing this because he cares about you, right?” Neela says carefully.

“He’s acting like he can force me to make the decisions he wants me to. I told him I handled the Asher situation, but he won’t drop it.”

“I know, and I have to agree, if he pulled something like this on me, I’d be livid. It’s why I wanted you to know.”

“I appreciate it. And don’t worry, I won’t mention that you showed me the messages.”

“I’m not worried about that. But I have to admit, I’m a little worried about you too. Who are these guys who came by this morning? Someone they know?”

“Yeah. I guess they’re dangerous guys. But with the security systems, I think we’ll all feel a little safer.”

“Are they worried these guys will come after them? Or you?” Neela asks nervously .

“I don’t think so. I think they’re just being overly cautious… They’re the ones who hurt Asher’s leg. They took a baseball bat to him.”

“Holy fuck, are you serious!?”

“Asher slept with one of their wives. He definitely had something coming, but I don’t think a shattered femur is comparable to an affair…”

“Is his leg gonna get better?”

“No idea. I’ve told you just about everything I know. If you haven’t noticed, he’s not a big talker.”

“No. But you don’t seem so angry with him today, either.”

I shrug. “I don’t know… I was at his place when the guys came by, and Asher gave me a knife and made me hide in the upstairs bathroom.”

“So he protected you like he should have.”

She’s not wrong, but it felt like more than that. I’d swear he was scared for my safety if I didn’t know any better.

With nothing more to say, Neela grabs the sketchpad on the counter and opens it to my page of drawings, eyeing them up with interest.

“Am I still invited to Marina’s birthday party tomorrow?” I ask.

She smiles, not taking her eyes off the page. “Of course you are. Just stay out of Koa, okay? Don’t piss off Turner more than he already is.”

“I promise.”

Her eyes narrow with interest on my sketchpad. I drew three pages, a mountain landscape, some butterflies, and an intricate tree with cherry blossoms .

“Is this Bane’s or Asher’s?” she asks. “I love this tree. I want it.”

“Don’t get too excited, it’s mine.”

“No, really,” she says.

I pause in confusion. “It’s really mine.”

Neela’s expression drops, confusion flooding her face as she glances between me and the sketchpad. Finally, her eyes light up in disbelief.

Her eyes dart to mine. “Wait, you did these?”

“Yeah?”

She shows me the pad as if I don’t remember what I drew. But I don’t know what I’m looking at.

“What?”

“Do you not realize how good these are? These lines are crisp and straight. The shading on the mountains. The perfect symmetry of the butterfly wings… The freaking branch pattern of the tree! I had no idea you’re an artist.”

“I’m not.”

She balks. “Uh, yes, you are … You know, these would make great tattoo designs.”

“What, me? A tattoo artist? No way.”

She shrugs. “Why not? You hate being a nurse.”

Yeah, she’s not wrong…

But me, a tattoo artist?

The rest of the day goes by smoothly after Neela leaves. I continue to watch Asher and Jared as the dragon tattoo comes to life before my eyes. The work Asher does is absolutely breathtaking.

It’s around six when Jared notes he’s nearly had enough, and Asher manages to finish the outlining of the dragon, essentially like the first layer of my tiger. He’ll go back in and add more details later.

While Asher wraps Jared, I hear the alarm beep as it’s disabled, and Bane walks in with a large brown paper bag. Asher and Jared both nod a greeting to him, but he waves me up.

“Lila, come help me with this.”

I leave the men out back and join Bane at the desk. He moves my sketchpad and pulls some takeout from the bag. He lays it out and begins opening the containers. There are servings of drumsticks, barbecue wings, fries, and Caesar salad. He passes me a bundle of paper plates and a box of wooden cutlery.

“Dish this up, will you? Three plates with everything and whatever you want for yourself.”

“Sure, thanks,” I say, grateful. My stomach’s been rumbling all day.

Bane pulls all the food out and opens it, and I begin to dish it up. While we’re alone, I’m desperate to ask him about Asher. Why is he such a stubborn asshole about his leg? How do I help him? But I can’t. Going behind his back isn’t right. It’s precisely what I’m pissed at my friends about.

Thankfully, Bane comes out with it without the need to incriminate myself.

“Do you like him? Asher?” he asks .

I hesitate. Not because I’m afraid of Bane telling Asher what I say, but because I really don’t know. He’s a stubborn, stupid asshole. He’s blackmailed me, threatened me, and forced himself on me. And as much as I cling to our backward safeword, I have no way of knowing if he’d even honor it. But the more time we spend together, the more I realize he’s fighting his demons. His leg, Rocco and Rooney, they’ve done a number on him. He’s lost.

When I lose myself in my thoughts, Bane continues. “His leg has changed him. He’s not the same guy I knew. He’s hanging off the edge of a cliff by a single finger.”

“I’ve noticed,” I say simply.

Bane nods. “Our real families aren’t in the picture anymore. They’re crap. So it’s been us against the world for years. He’s my brother, and I’d do anything for him.”

He pauses, and I wait for him to get to his point. I know whatever he’s saying isn’t for my benefit.

“I don’t know what the fuck is going on with you two, but you need to be careful.”

“I’m not afraid of him,” I say.

“I don’t care about you ,” he says coldly. “I’m talking about Asher.”

I balk. “You’re worried I’ll hurt him?”

“He’s never been in a relationship, and he doesn’t take crap from women. Except you.”

He’s never been in a relationship… Until recently, Edgar was in the same boat, and we’ve had that conversation. He was so lonely, and he still had his family and all of his friends. I can’t imagine how lonely Asher must be .

“Don’t fuck with his heart,” he growls.

“I won’t. I promise,” I say sincerely.

That seems to settle him a little, and he gives me a half smile. “I do have to admit, it’s entertaining to watch you two.”

I chuckle. “Well, I’m glad you’re amused.”

Once the food’s ready, Bane leaves me up front while he joins the men out back, and he leans right into Asher. I watch Asher turn over his shoulder to look at me with interest. A chill washes over my body as a thought comes to my head.

No, he wouldn’t…

Or maybe he would.