Chapter 11 Rook
ROOK
I’d given a lot of thought to how I might kidnap Asha.
Stealing her in her sleep. Snatching her from the cemetery on her daily walk. Hijacking her Uber.
Not once did I imagine she’d come to my apartment willingly, let alone march up to me at a bar and invite herself into my bed.
As I approached Asha, the delighted smiles of her friends told me they’d have no objections to us leaving together. This was almost too easy.
If anyone needed evidence that karma didn’t exist, this was it. Because good luck like this should never land at the feet of a bastard like me.
I hadn’t lied during our conversation. It wasn’t my fault Asha had mistaken my blunt confessions about stalking, murder, and revenge as flirty banter.
And I hadn’t lied during her rapid-fire questioning, either. Unfortunately, she’d asked all the wrong ones.
She should’ve asked Was I a bad man?
What plans did I have for her?
Would she be free once our night was through?
Those were the ones that mattered.
The exterminator card? Aidan’s idea of a joke. I’d tossed one into my wallet ages ago and forgotten about it, but it’d come in handy tonight.
“Are you ready?” I extended my hand.
Asha smiled and placed her warm palm inside mine. Just like that. Trusting as a kitten, with no clue where tonight would lead.
Her skin felt smooth and supple, her bones slender and fragile. One squeeze could crush them, but that wasn’t my intent. I’d hurt Asha in other ways, though. There was no avoiding that.
I didn’t feel guilty for what I was about to do. Not even a little. Not when I’d buried my brother and the person responsible walked free. If putting Asha in an impossible position was what it took to get justice, then so be it.
I wasn’t a good man. But tonight, I would be very good to Asha and give her exactly what she asked for. Exactly what we both needed.
And come morning, the spell would break, and she’d never look at me the same way again.
But she’d still be mine.