4. Asher
Asher
Last night…
Carrying Jade upstairs to my second-floor apartment is easier than I thought. She’s waking up now, I think, but on the drive here she’d woken up enough to say “drugged” before passing back out. At least I kind of know what I’m dealing with now.
Turning the key to unlock my door with one hand and holding an unconscious woman in the other, I hope none of my neighbors come out and see me like this. That’s just what I need; the old lady next door worried about the big, burly man with tattoos and piercings kidnapping women and hurting them, so she calls the cops all because I’m carrying an unconscious girl in my arms. Actually…I would probably call the cops on me, too.
Balancing everything, I start sweating under my shirt. The door unlatches enough so I can kick it open. “Thank fuck,” I groan. Jade’s not super heavy by any means, but have you tried carrying a whole-ass dead-weight woman from your car, up a flight of stairs, and into an apartment? No?
It’s a lot, no matter how built you are.
I carry her to my room, nudge the door open with my toe and set her as gently as I can on my bed. “You’re lucky, Jade. I just changed the sheets,” I joke with her, feeling silly when I look over and see her eyes are closed. “Aaaand I’m talking to myself.”
“Ugghh,” she moans.
“Jade?”
Her eyes open and I’m struck by the green of her irises. I could very easily get lost in her eyes forever, and a shiver runs down my back. I clear my throat, pushing her hair back softly.
“My name is Asher. I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. You can sleep now; you’re safe.” I try to keep my sentences short and voice calm.
I can see her eyes trying to focus on me, but it doesn’t seem to happen. She starts to whimper slightly, the sound breaking my heart; worry and fear shine clearly in her lost expression. She scoots back on the bed, trying to get away from me. Fuck, I don’t want her to be scared.
I stand quickly and back toward the door with my hands up. Fuck, she’s shivering and still in those torn clothes.
“It’s okay, Jade. You’re safe. I promise,” I repeat quietly in what I’m hoping is a soothing tone.
Changing course, I move slowly through my room. Going to my dresser, I pick out a pair of sweats and a shirt before setting them close to her on the bed. Her fight against whatever drug she was given is starting to fade as her eyelids droop.
“Let me help you,” I urge softly. “I promise, I won’t hurt you. I just want to help.”
“Help,” she repeats softly before falling back onto the pillows.
“I really hope that was a yes,” I mutter, then make quick work of changing her out of the dirty stained shorts and ripped shirt she was wearing. I do my best not to look at her naked body, but it feels nearly impossible when I have to move her head to put the shirt on her.
I didn’t look.
Intentionally.
But there’s no denying she is fucking gorgeous. Her long dark blonde hair is matted and tangled, but soft and thick. High cheekbones and clear skin, with a few beauty marks here and there, add to her beauty. The makeup she’s wearing is smeared and heavy, but it does look very pretty. She’s petite and curvy, but just tall enough that her head would come to my shoulder. Sweet, innocent, but so fucking hot.
The girl-next-door kind of beauty queen that has always been out of my reach, out of my league, but I’ve always wanted.
Finally, after changing Jade successfully without taking any more of her autonomy, I move her under my duvet and rest her head against my pillow.
“Jade,” I whisper, shaking her shoulder lightly. I don’t want to scare her, though, so I shake a little harder and with more intention. “Jade,” I call her name more firmly. Her eyes barely open but when they do, they’re still glossed over. How heavily was she drugged?
“I’m going to be on the couch if you need anything. I promise you; I won’t let anything happen to you, okay? So, rest easy.” I move my trashcan closer to the side of the bed her head is on. “If you feel sick, here’s the trashcan.”
She sighs, and her eyes close again.
I leave Jade’s overnight bag at the end of the bed before I walk out, making sure to close the door tightly behind me.
My mind is racing with everything that’s happened. I… I can’t believe someone would do something like this. Something so evil and cruel.
Whoever did this drugged her, used her, and fucking left her—like she was nothing more than trash. Flashbacks fill my mind; I’m thrown back to a time when I had far less power than I do now.
My mom laying there limply, my father scrambling to get out of the house, my brother staring wide-eyed and I’m paralyzed with fear and understanding.
No, fuck. No. I shake my head to focus back on the present. On Jade. It’s late, later than I usually stay up; I simply kick my boots off, line them up by my bedroom door, and walk back to the living room to lie on the couch. I’m intent on sleeping in direct sight of my bedroom, in case she comes to.
Fuck has today been a long day, I think as I wipe my hand down my face and nestle into my couch.
The last thought I have before falling asleep is the question; Why does it seem like there are no more decent people in the world?
* * *
The Next Day…
I need Jade to understand. I need her to let me keep her safe.
There’s something about her that’s pulling me in. Something I can’t place or ignore.
“I will stay with you until my phone charges, then I can call my mom or a car service.” She raises a finger at me, and I take her concession as a win. I put my hands up in surrender and smirk. I’ll take what I can get.
In the back of my mind, I’m already formulating how to get her to agree to me taking her home.
Nodding, I grin and turn back to get my coffee. “I have my shift at the tattoo shop?—”
“You tattoo people?” she asks, eyes wide.
“I do.” I can’t help the way my chest puffs out a little with pride at how impressed she looks. “I own the shop as well.”
“That’s… really cool.” Her eyes rake over me again, this time appearing to mentally catalogue all the tattoos I have. The visible ones at least. “I don’t have any. But I’d like to, one day.”
“Be careful, they’re addictive,” I joke, twisting my arms and lifting the hem of my white shirt just enough to show her my fully covered abdomen.
“Wow.” Jade’s eyes lock on my exposed skin and she bites her lip. Her eyes don’t leave my abs until I drop my shirt, then they snap back to my face to find I’m smirking. Jade’s cheeks redden deliciously with a blush.
I really, really like it.
“I’ve designed most of them myself,” I tell her, shrugging like it’s no big deal, but her eyes light up.
“That’s… that’s really fucking cool.” Jade smiles at me, her eye lingering on one of the tattoos on my forearm, before she steps back again, away from me. “Do you have a charger?”
Must have gotten too close, I think. It’s sad that she felt the need to move away, but I understand, given how much she’s been through. “Sure, let me go grab it.”
I have a spare charger in my room, so I set it up for her there. While I’m in my room, I grab a fresh set of clothes and my towel, before leaving so Jade can have the room.
“I’m going to go shower; go ahead and make yourself at home. I have the charger in my room set up for you. I’ll change and get ready in the bathroom,” I explain.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers with her head lowered.
Shocked, I ask her, “Why?”
“I feel like I’ve kicked you out of a place in your own home, so, I’m sorry.”
“Jade,” I step closer until I’m right in front of her. With a gentle finger placed under her chin, I lift Jade’s face so she’ll look at me. Green meets blue, and I can see the myriads of emotions running through them.
This poor girl. Lost, alone, hurt, abandoned. I won’t do any of that to her.
“I want to help you. I want to be here,” I remind Jade. “I was actually thinking… Maybe you could come to the shop with me and hang out during my shift. That way I could keep an eye on you, and if you need anything, I’m right there.”
Jade shakes her head. “I couldn’t intrude in your space any more than I already have.”
“I insist,” I say, leaving no room for discussion. “Please; it would make me feel better, and I know it would make you feel better. If it helps, I’ll even put you to work.”
She smirks, a soft chuckle leaving her lips, but she relaxes a bit. “Well, I do need some way to pay for lunch. And gas.”
“Oh, that’s on me. Don’t you worry about that.” I step back, letting her move toward the bedroom and she pauses before she closes the door.
“Asher,” she starts, standing in the door frame. With the light illuminating her silhouette, she looks angelic.
“Yes?” I ask breathlessly.
“There’s a part of me that’s weary of you. But frankly, I’m out of options other than to trust you’re as genuine as you seem. I don’t know why you’re being so kind to me. So protective and helpful. But I’m thankful.”
“Jade,” I struggle to find the right words, the words that will encase what I’m feeling and why I feel like this about her when I don’t actually fully know. “Because sometimes there are good and decent people in the world, and it’s okay to accept their help when you need it.”
She looks stunned but nods and closes the door softly. I think about my answer the whole way into the bathroom, wondering if I said the right thing or made her feel more alone. Regardless, it’s the truth. And the truth is all that really matters at this moment.