From the Ashes

9. Asher

Asher

Nine Days Later…

I’m sitting at my desk at work, waiting for my next client, when a meme of Michael Scott yelling “ Nooooooooo!” pops up from Jade. Chuckling, I text her back, telling her that it’s fine.

My client was given the wrong time by the receptionist. Again. Now my whole day is fucked because this girl doesn’t take her job seriously. I messaged Jade to tell her how I’m so annoyed because now my night is going to go even later. I was really hoping to be able to go home early, watch a show that Jade demanded I watch—which, secretly, I’m now obsessed with, but refuse to tell her that because I’ll never hear the end of it—eat my dumb meal prep of chicken and rice, and pass the fuck out. But now, because of freaking Holly, I’m going to have to be here for at least three extra hours.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my shop and the people here, but I want to go home.

“Something needs to be done about Holly, man. Esa chica tonta, lo juro por Dios, Asher. Arreglarlo, ” Ty snaps, coming over to my station and throwing down a receipt. I know he’s really annoyed when Spanish flows from his lips this freely.

Sighing, I put my phone down and pick up the receipt. “What happened now?” I ask.

“She doesn’t know how to run the fucking machine and overcharged my client by $600!” he shouts. Thankfully Holly ran to lunch, so I don’t have to make Ty control his volume. I groan, dropping the receipt and running both hands over my face. “They were understanding about it, and luckily it’s one of my repeat customers,” he continues. “What if it wasn’t, and they blasted it all over that a tattoo by someone at From The Ashes is insanely priced and no one knows what the fuck they’re doing? Si pierdo clientes por esto, voy a perder la cabeza. También es malo para tu negocio, ?así que haz algo al respecto! ”

He’s right to be so mad. Tattooing, especially in a small town with other shops close by, thrives on word of mouth and recommendations a lot . One bad review and all the hard work we’ve done to make sure our reviews are immaculate goes out the window.

Holly could’ve lost us a lot of clients, which would mess with our livelihood. To mis-schedule a client is one thing, but a charging mistake of this magnitude…

“I’ll talk to her,” I promise, groaning at the inevitable awful conversation that’s just been penciled into my future.

“Seriously, Ash. This isn’t rocket science and she’s messing with my clients. Fix it, or I will.” Ty points a finger on the table roughly and I roll my eyes. “Eres mi hermano y no dejaré que esto siga así.”

“Calm down, brother. I said I’ll handle it,” I snap.

“You know who would be a great receptionist?” Roxie drawls from across the room, sanitizing her station and her utensils seriously before looking up at me. “Jade.”

“ Ooooh! ” Ty nods and raises his eyebrows, looking at me with a teasing smirk. “I can see that.”

“She’s not here, though,” I shrug. I couldn’t agree with her outwardly, but I would hire Jade in a heartbeat. I didn’t waste any time messaging her after I left nine days ago, sending a simple text as soon as I got home: “I told you I would.” Since then, we’ve basically talked nonstop.

Jade’s the first person I talk to every morning, and the last one I talk to every night. More than that, she is the first thought I have when I wake up and the last thought I have before I go to sleep.

I can’t wait to have her here. I offered to help move her into her dorm and she gladly agreed… after I talked her into it a little.

She was reluctant to let me help; her mother told Jade she would be driving the rest of her stuff so that Jade wouldn’t bother her every other day for something. Her mother is a real piece of work. All the shit Jade’s told me over the last nine days has not helped my rage. Or my guilt for leaving Jade with her.

Only five days left until she is out of that house.

“No, but she will be,” Roxie smirks. “Maybe sooner than later.”

My eyes snap to hers. “What?”

Roxie shrugs. “She was telling me that her mom is forcing her out a few days early, so I offered for her to crash on my couch until the dorms open up. She’ll be here tomorrow.”

“What?!” I say louder than I mean to. Ty smirks, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms over his chest.

Embarrassment floods my chest, but I force myself past it, clear my throat, and try again. “I mean, what? She didn’t say anything to me.”

“She probably didn’t want to bother you. You know how she is.” Roxie shrugs again and goes back to organizing her ink bottles.

“But we talk all the time…” I’m so confused.

“Yeah? So do we,” Roxie replies like it’s not a big deal.

“Damn, do I need to get this chick’s number and start chatting her up, too? Should we make a group chat?” Ty laughs, but it’s not fucking funny. Jade isn’t up for grabs.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Relax, relax, papi . I know she’s yours.” He holds his hands up before checking his watch and jumping to the reception area.

“Seriously, Roxie,” I turn back towards the offender I thought was one of my closest friends. “She’s coming to town early? I was supposed to move her into the dorms. When is she coming in tomorrow?” Wait a damned minute . “Is this why you took tomorrow off?” I snap as realization kicks in.

Roxie sighs deeply and mutters, “I told her this would happen.” She turns to me with a frustrated look on her face. “Don’t make this a big deal, Ashe.”

I shrug, trying not to make it obvious that I’m feeling some kind of way about the situation. “I’m not.”

“Oh my god. You’re just as gone for her, aren’t you?” Her mouth drops open, like she’s surprised I’m showing this amount of emotion.

That’s not the part that stops me. “Just as ?” I stammer.

Consider my interest very peaked.

Her eyes roll so far back the whites are all I see. “Really?” she groans.

“What?”

“Just be at my house tomorrow morning at nine,” Roxie tells me. “You can help me figure out where to store all her shit until she can get into the dorms.”

“Okay, I can do that.” I nod, going back to my phone and typing out a quick message to Jade before I notice my next appointment walk in. “Should I tell her?” I ask Roxie, trying to appear nonchalant.

“That you like her?” She pauses, thinking of the best approach. “Maybe give it a little time; build more of an in-person relationship before you drop that on her. But yes, you should—soon. Until then, keep being her friend,” Roxie answers before going back to organizing..

“No—that I know she’s coming? Maybe I could bring coffee?” I ponder.

Roxie turns to me slowly with an awed look on her face. “You know what, Asher, I think you surprising her would be sweet.”

I wave at my customer, motioning for him to come back past the reception desk.

“Don’t bring coffee, though,” she suddenly adds. “Your girl isn’t a coffee drinker. She likes full-sugar Coca-Cola to wake up.”

“Really?” I ask, my eyebrows knitting together as I groan. “Fuck.”

“What?”

“I made her coffee the day she stayed at my house. I wondered why she didn’t drink it.”

Roxie chuckles. “Don’t worry. You definitely didn’t lose any brownie points with her over that, bro.”

* * *

The next morning, I’m awkwardly holding a to-go carrier of soft drinks for us all as I knock on Roxie’s apartment door. I made sure to show up a few minutes early, but damn, nine in the morning came really fucking quickly. The perks to owning your own business—especially a tattoo shop—is that I usually get to sleep in until ten every morning.

I yawn, waiting for Roxie to open the door, and check my watch. I’m five minutes early, but she should be awake.

“I wanted to do something nice to welcome you to town, and after hearing that, I’m glad I did. Surprise!” I hear Roxie say cheerfully, and there’s a woosh as the door opens.

Revealing Jade, standing in the middle of Roxie’s living room.

With a fucking black eye and busted lip.

“Jade,” I whisper and rush forward, shoving the drinks into Roxie’s hands. Being very, painfully aware that she might recoil, I step into Jade’s space, but she doesn’t flinch away from me. Her green eyes are lined with tears, but I don’t know if they’re happy or if she’s in pain. “Who did this to you?” I growl, my fingers ghosting over her hurt skin.

“It’s okay,” she whispers back and wraps her hands around my forearms. She’s holding onto me like I’m a lifeline—or am I projecting that? Maybe she’s mine . “It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m out of there.” A tear drops from her bruised eye, and I gently wipe it with my thumb.

“Your mother did this to you?” Rage swirls in my chest; tension forms throughout my body with the effort to keep from scooping Jade into my arms or going to her mother and making her pay.

“It’s okay,” she whispers, covering my hand with hers.

“It’s not. It’s really fucking not, Jade. Why didn’t you say anything?” I press.

“Yeah, Jade,” Roxie snaps, putting the drinks on her small coffee table. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Shut up, Roxanne,” Jade snaps back with one eyebrow raised.

Roxie cocks her head to the side and raises her eyebrows; it’s a well-known look that says if it were anyone other than Jade, she’d be full-on fighting.

“I’m going to let that slide, but don’t let it happen again.” Roxie points a finger at Jade but in the same moment blows her a kiss and walks off towards her room. “I’ll let you two talk. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” The door closes and I turn back to Jade.

“What happened? You’ve lost weight, Jade,” I comment offhandedly, knowing it’s not the smartest thing to do, but it’s astonishing. It’s only been ten days but she wasn’t a big girl to begin with. She had curves in all the right places; now, her face is gaunt, her eyes sunken in and her skin is paler than it was, drawing all the attention to the dark purple and navy blue of her eye.

“Thanks… I think.”

I shake my head, stepping closer to her. “What happened to you?”

How do I save you from the darkness?

“My, uh, my mom… .” Jade sighs, stepping back toward the couch and perching on the edge. “I went to my doctor. I wanted… no, I needed to make sure that nothing … ‘stuck’ with me after what happened. My mom found out and she got mad because I got an implant.”

I sit beside her, putting an arm around her hesitantly. I know we’ve gotten closer over text these past few days, but I don’t want her to get scared. My fist clenches on my knee and I put all my energy into not reacting.

“I’m not sure how she found out. I thought I was careful, but it was probably Sarah’s mom. The whole fucking town is a gossipy hellhole and she was over one night. She and my mom were drunk and talking shit like they normally do. Sarah’s mom was saying how she couldn’t believe my mom let me get an STD test–thank fuck that was clean–and birth control. How she couldn’t believe I was planning on being so ‘easy’ at college… That the party was just a taste of what I wanted. Like I wanted it to happen again and again . My mom… my mom told her that I called the next morning and that I was a virgin-turned-slut who gave it up to the first person that looked at me.” Jade doesn’t cry, doesn’t look hurt, but looks angry . I’m fucking angry and my plan to hit my first woman solidifies a little more.

She was a virgin?

My jaw clenches as I breathe deeply to control my pounding heart. She was a virgin before that night. And someone took that from her. Unwillingly.

I swear to fucking god if I ever find out who it is that did that to her, I’m beating him within an inch of his life with my bare fucking hands.

“I walked in and snapped that I was raped,” Jade continues, “and I didn’t take Sarah’s man from her. That what happened to me wasn’t consensual, and they should be disgusted with themselves for being such catty bitches.”

My eyebrows jump up and I grin without meaning to. “I wasn’t expecting that,” I admit.

“It’s true!” she insists.

“Oh, I know, I know. I just wasn’t expecting you to call them that.” I chuckle. “I’m proud of you for sticking up for yourself. I bet that wasn’t an easy thing to do.”

“It really wasn’t, and obviously they didn’t take it well.” Jade gestures to her face and scoots back to rest against the couch. Her head falls back and her eyes close.

She looks exhausted. So tired.

“What can I do?” I ask. I’m desperate to do anything, to somehow help like I promised I would. I scoot closer so our shoulders are touching, and I rest my arm next to hers.

“Nothing. It’s done. She told me to grab my shit and get out. I didn’t have anywhere else to go.” Jade’s eyes open and I see the fight in them still, but there’s a weariness that is troublesome to me.

“Jade,” I shake my head and sit back up. “Jade, I would’ve driven there and gotten you. I would have… I would have done everything in my power to get you out of there. Anything. I would have done anything.” For you .

“I didn’t want to bother you.”

My jaw drops. “Are you fucking serious?”

Jade stands up and walks over to the duffel bag on top of a small suitcase, pulling out her phone. “I am! There’s a limit to kindness I can accept from people. I can’t be a burden.”

“We seriously need to talk about this ‘ I’m doing too much and you’re taking advantage of me’ mentality you have.” I turn her to face me. Her hips are smaller than I remember as I put my hands on them, pulling her as close as she’s comfortable. I feel her give and fall into my body. My eyes drop to her lips, and there’s the same unstoppable draw from last week. “I promise you, darlin’, I will do anything for you. Don’t you know that?” I insist.

Her emerald eyes shine as her gaze drops down to my lips. “Kiss me,” Jade whispers.

“Are you sure?” I murmur but move closer. Her fingers twist in the fabric of my shirt and I let Jade drag my mouth to hers. Not that she had to try that hard—I’m powerless against her. Willfully and rightfully hers. And I have been completely hers since the moment I found her. It’s magnetic and explosive, but tender at the same time. I’m careful of her split lip, but that makes the kiss no less alluring. She’s shy and innocent, but I find that so fucking sexy.

My fingers tangle in her hair as our lips fuse together perfectly.

I deepen the kiss, licking the seam of her lips and she yields, giving me entrance. She tastes fucking addictive, and I already know I’m going to crave her for the rest of my days. Jade’s sweet and minty, tinged with something metallic.

Blood.

Fuck.

I pull back quickly to see our kisses have caused her lip to open again.

“Oh god, Jade. I’m sorry, does it hurt?” I ask hurriedly.

“Worth it,” she smiles brightly, and I have to agree.

It was most definitely worth it.

* * *

“What is the plan, darlin’?” I ask. My slight country accent slips out as I hand Jade the fountain drink I’d gotten for her. “I thought I’d show up before you got here, so I could help move all your stuff in.”

“The plan is I’m staying here with Roxie until I can move into the dorms and get out of her hair. I know I’m cramping her style and don’t want to overstay my welcome. Once I get into the dorms, I’ll find some kind of job and hopefully be able to make enough to get my own place,” Jade explains with confidence.

“Are you still going for engineering?”

“Well, that’s my declared major, but since I’m not trying to keep the peace with my mom as much anymore, I might talk with the art department. Maybe start making life choices for myself rather than others.” She takes a long sip of the drink and closes her eyes with pleasure. “Ahh, so good.”

“You could’ve told me, you know,” I mutter, taking a sip of the Coke Zero I got myself.

Jade quirks an eyebrow at me. “Told you what?”

“That you didn’t like coffee. I think I offered it to you twice and made it for you once. Hell, I watched you choke it down,” I say with a half-hearted smile.

A short laugh slips from her lips. “I was in a stranger’s home after he had just saved me from hell. I was completely at your mercy and kindness and was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.” She rolls her eyes just as I roll mine.

Knowing how she is, I understand where she’s coming from. She’s scared to take up too much space, to ask too much. But she shouldn’t.

She… She deserves the world.

And now that I understand how she feels, I’m going to make sure I give it to her.

“I’ll make sure to have your preferred caffeine hit of choice next time.” I smile, dipping down to kiss her forehead.

“It’s really not?—”

“Don’t even say it,” I growl, shaking my head.

“It’s not though.” Her eyes flick down to inspect her cup before she looks back at me. “Thank you, Asher.”

“Any time.” I kiss her forehead. I can’t stop kissing her now that she’s here. In my arms. I’m so far gone for this girl it’s not even funny. Ty’s been teasing me relentlessly and now I realize it’s for good reason. “Can I help you bring in the rest of your stuff?”

“Oh, that’s it.” She points to the duffel bag on top of the suitcase.

“All your stuff fit in those two bags?” I question incredulously. That can’t be right.

Jade shrugs. “It’s all I could grab. It’s enough. I got my laptop and all my big, important stuff. I’ll make money for more clothes and the little things later.”

I shake my head. “What do you need?”

“I don’t need anything. I have enough.” She looks at me pleadingly. “Roxie’s letting me borrow some stuff and I have enough to get by.”

“You will tell me this time if you need anything. Or if anything happens.” The tone of my voice leaves no room for argument. “I’m still pissed off that you didn’t tell me someone laid their fucking hands on you, or that you needed help.”

“Asher—”

“I get why you didn’t. You didn’t want to inconvenience me. But darlin’, are we clear now that I want you to inconvenience me at every possible turn? I want you to tell me everything. I want to take care of you in any way you need. Do. You. Understand?” I crowd her space, looking down at her while she stands her ground.

Placing her Styrofoam cup on Roxie’s table, Jade crosses her arms over her chest like she’s gearing up to fight me. “Asher, I didn’t want to worry you or cause you grief. You’ve already helped me so much. I couldn’t ask for more.”

“Ask for more! I’ll gladly give it to you!” I snap, throwing my hands up and caging her against the living room wall. “Do I make myself clear?” I say quieter, raspier, in her ear as I push her back. She has nowhere else to go.

“Asher,” she whispers breathlessly. Fuck me. I can die a happy man; the way she said my name will be what my mind plays as I stroke my cock for the rest of time.

“Yes, baby?”

“Asher,” she whispers again, adding a little whine to the end. Goddamn it that’s hot.

“Tell me what you need, Jade.”

“I need you…”

“I’m right here, baby. I’ve got you.” I go to kiss her lips, and this time, I know I won’t be able to stop. She’s breathing heavily and her tits rub against my chest with every movement. She’s squirming and I see her thighs clenching together.

I groan deeply. She wants me.

Just as much as I want her.

As I go to kiss her, though, a loud and obnoxious cough interrupts us. The haze of lust is instantly gone.

Fucking Roxie .

“Roxie…” I growl through a clenched jaw, my annoyance at her interruption very clear.

“What?! You’re about to have sex in my living room!” she shouts. “Or were you too wrapped up in each other to remember that?”

“I’m so sorry, Roxie.” Jade all but tries to push me away, but I hold onto her tighter. I’m not willing to let her go.

“She’s fine,” I grumble, rolling my eyes.

“I could’ve walked out here and saw your bare ass! I’m not fine at all!” Roxie cries.

“Don’t be dramatic or anything.” I turn to face her, finally getting the chub that was starting to form under control.

“Look, I’m all for this relationship. But I just don’t want to see any more than necessary of someone I view as my big brother. Jade, though, you’re hot A. F. So if I sneak a peek, who can blame me?” Roxie pops her hip out and crosses her arms, while making a show of looking Jade up and down.

“Don’t even.” I drop my head back, cursing Roxie for being bisexual and hot and amazing enough to turn anyone to the other team.

“I’m just saying!” Roxie throws her arms out indignantly.

“Well, don’t! She’s my girl, okay?” I raise an eyebrow at her and the room falls silent.

Shit…did I just say that out loud?

“I’m your girl?” Jade asks in a soft, musical tone. My attention falls to her as she rests a hand on my chest. “Really?”

I sigh exasperatedly, “Did you not listen to anything I said before? ‘I’d do anything for you’ and ‘I want to give you everything.’ Any of that ring a bell?” I ask with a soft smirk, letting Jade know I’m teasing. “That means you’re mine, darlin’. And I take care of what’s mine.”

Her eyes shine as she nods, and her mouth curls slightly into a lip-biting grin. It’s a look I haven’t seen before, and her confidence… Well, her confidence does something to me. Fuck.

Jade tosses her dark blonde hair over her shoulder and my eyes get caught on her long pale neck, free from any marks.

I'm not a vampire, but the way my entire focus locks onto that one spot above her collarbone... I might as well be. I need to taste her. To leave a mark—a sign that someone cares for her, adores her. A mark that tells everyone else to fuck off. Any imprint I make will be born of pleasure, not pain. Jade must feel the heat of my gaze on her skin because we're drawn together, slow and inevitable, until the tension shatters.

Roxie coughs obnoxiously again, and my fists clench as I look up at the ceiling. “Why are you still here?” I snap.

“It’s my place!” she snaps back.

Jade stands between us and puts her hands out, like we’re two toddlers fighting over a toy. “Now, now, let’s not fight over me,” she teases.

“If you don’t have any more stuff to move in, I’m going to go take a long bubble bath and a nap. I was preparing for at least three or four trips up and down the stairs,” Roxie announces. Honestly, I was too. I wore shorts that show off my very tattooed legs to try to beat the Arizona heat. Roxie walks over to the table we’re standing by and picks up a keyring with one lone key on it. “Here is your copy.”

Jade frowns slightly. “You didn’t have to do that.” I’m getting better at reading Jade’s tones because she definitely sounds like she’s feeling guilty that Roxie went through the trouble of making her a key.

This girl. Somehow I’m going to get her to understand just how amazing and worth it she is.

“I already had it made and lying around. No problem, girl.” Roxie waves off her worry, but I clock the too-relaxed look on her face. She knows her as well as I do, it seems. “Come and go as you please. Mi casa es su casa and all that.”

“Are you sure?” Jade holds the key to her chest.

“Very.” Roxie nods. “I’m going to go relax on one of my extremely rare days off. You two have fun. Do not have sex in my living room.” She walks backward, pointing at us aggressively. “Asher Lee, I’m talking to you.”

“Don’t worry, Roxie.” I wave her off, pulling Jade so her back is against my front. I hold her close and croon, “I’ll behave…”

Roxie rolls her eyes but walks off. I take the chance to whisper darkly in Jade’s ear, “Here. I’ll behave here. ”

Jade’s sharp intake of breath sets me off. “Let’s go to my place,” I suggest.

“God, yes.”