Chapter Four
Asher
I wake before she does.
That’s nothing new. Years of training, of sleeping light, of never fully letting my guard down—that doesn’t wash off.
But this feeling of completion. Satisfaction. This is new.
Nora is curled against me, her breathing soft and even. Her face is relaxed in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen up close before. In sleep, she looks younger. Softer. Untouched by everything waiting outside these walls.
My chest tightens at the sight. She shouldn’t be here. She deserves something normal. Someone normal. A man who notices smiles before he notices exits. Someone who reaches for words before violence.
Not me.
Yet, my hand moves before I can stop it. Brushing lightly over her hair, tucking a loose strand behind her ear. She stirs slightly, shifting closer without waking, like her body already recognizes mine.
I exhale slowly, dragging a hand over my face as I stare up at the ceiling. She’s here. Mine.
I shut that thought down immediately, my jaw tightening. She’s not mine. She’s under my protection. That’s it. But even as I tell myself that, I know the line is blurred in ways beyond my control. My gaze shifts back to her, to the way she’s pressed against me like she belongs there. Like she fits.
And that’s the problem. I don’t deserve something that fits. I don’t get to keep things like that. So, why the hell can’t I walk away? The answer is right in front of me.
Because I don’t want to.
The realization settles in heavy and undeniable, cutting through every excuse I’ve been telling myself. This isn’t about logic anymore. It’s not about what makes sense or what’s right. It’s about want.
I’ve never been good at denying myself. Especially when it comes to things I’ve already decided are mine to take. My hand finds her again, this time more deliberate. I pull her closer. She stirs, a soft sound leaving her lips as her eyes begin to flutter.
“Hi,” she murmurs, her voice still thick with sleep.
My chest tightens again. “Morning,” I reply quietly, my voice rougher than I intended.
Her lips curve into a small smile as she blinks up at me, still half-asleep. “How long have you been awake?”
“Long enough.”
She hums softly, shifting closer, her hand resting lightly against my chest. “Creepy.”
I almost smile. “Habit,” I say instead.
I don’t give myself time to think about it too much before I lean down, closing the distance between us.
The kiss starts slow, but it doesn’t stay that way.
It deepens quickly, taking on a life of its own.
She responds instantly, moaning low in her throat.
Her hand digs into my chest as she burrows into me.
There’s nothing hesitant about us this time. No uncertainty. Just heat. Just want. I shift over her slightly, my hand sliding down to her waist as the kiss deepens. My focus narrows to just her. Her moans. The way she feels under me.
For a moment, everything else disappears. The contract. The threat. The reality waiting outside this room. All of it fades. Until it doesn’t.
I pull back just enough to look at her, my breathing uneven, my thoughts trying to catch up again.
“You’ve got work,” I say, my voice lower now, rough with need.
She blinks up at me, clearly not expecting that shift. “What?”
“Your shift,” I repeat, forcing some control back into my tone. “You should go.”
Her lips part slightly, like she’s about to argue, then she frowns just a little. “Or…I could not go.”
I raise an eyebrow. She smiles in response, her hand sliding up to rest against my jaw. “I could take the day off. Stay here.”
The idea hits harder than it should. Too tempting. Too easy.
“No,” I say, even though part of me wants to say yes.
Her expression shifts, a small pout forming. “No?”
“You going in keeps things normal,” I explain, my voice steadier now. “Whoever’s behind this expects routine. You disappear, and it raises questions.”
She studies me for a second, the logic settling in despite the disappointment in her eyes. “So you want me to just…go to work like nothing’s happening?”
“I’ll be there,” I say immediately. “Watching. No one gets near you without me seeing it.”
That seems to ease something in her, though not completely. “You promise?”
“I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”
She holds my gaze for a second longer, then nods slowly. “Okay.”
Relief settles in, quiet but present. But it doesn’t last long. Because she shifts slightly beneath me, her expression changing again, something softer, more playful slipping in. “But that doesn’t mean we have to stop right now.”
My jaw tightens slightly. “Nora…”
Her fingers trace lightly along my arm, her gaze steady, curious, but a little shy. “You’re the one who woke me up like that.”
I exhale slowly, my control slipping again despite everything I just told myself. She tilts her head slightly, watching me. Then she leans in just enough for her lips to brush mine again. “Don’t overthink it,” she murmurs softly.
That’s the problem. I’m not overthinking. I’m not thinking at all. And that’s worse.
Her lips brush mine again, softer this time, but deliberate. My hand tightens slightly at her waist, my control slipping in quiet, dangerous increments.
“Nora…” I try again, but it comes out rougher than intended, more warning than resistance.
She doesn’t stop. If anything, she leans in more, her breath warm against my lips. It’s as if my warning makes her bolder.
Her fingers slide up into my hair. “You keep saying my name like that,” she murmurs, her voice soft but steady, “and then expecting me to just go to work.”
I let out a low breath, my forehead resting briefly against hers as I try to corral my traitorous body. “You’re not making this easy.”
“I’m not trying to,” she replies. “I need you, Daddy,” she says in a voice raw with desire.
My grip shifts. I pull her closer without thinking. Whatever line I was holding onto snaps. I crush my lips to hers, hard, almost bruising. I slide my tongue against hers, slow and deliberate, even as the rest of me comes undone.
It feels like I’m trying to memorize the way she feels. The way she responds. The way her breath catches when I shift just slightly closer. I swallow her quiet moans. And my cock hardens as she clings just a little tighter.
My hands slide down to her breasts. I caress each one, flicking and rolling her nipples. Her answering moans stoke my need. I break the kiss and trail soft kisses down her chin to her neck.
I gently nip the sensitive spot on her neck and then suck, eliciting a small moan of pleasure. At the same time, I slide my fingers to her core, stroking her swollen clit. Her whimper washes over me, and I slowly slide two fingers into her.
“You like that, sweetheart,” I say, my voice guttural with need.
“Y-yes, Daddy,” she answers, whimpering softly.
My cock grows harder, the ache in me winding tighter.
I stroke her tight and slippery sex faster, flicking her swollen nub with the pad of my thumb. I raise my head to look at her beautiful face.
“Look at me,” I growl.
She complies, and my chest seizes at the dazed pleasure softening her soft blue eyes. Her lips part, slack and pouting, as the sensation takes her over.
This is an image I’ll never forget. It’s forever imprinted. Her strawberry blond hair spread like a cascade. Her full lips. Her exquisite features and porcelain skin dotted with tiny freckles that beg to be kissed. And her sounds of pleasure.
Every moan, whimper, and sigh thrills me. Suddenly, she stiffens, then convulses as she comes.
“Daddy!” she shouts as she shudders through her release.
Aftershocks rack her body as I slowly withdraw my fingers. For a while, we stare at each other, chest heaving. Mine.
The thought comes uninvited. It’s strong enough to make everything else fade for a second.
She’s still catching her breath when she looks at me, her eyes going softer now. “Asher…” she murmurs, her voice quieter, almost questioning.
I brush my thumb lightly along her cheek, grounding both of us. “Breathe,” I say softly.
She lets out a small, shaky breath, but she listens. Her body relaxes gradually as she settles back against me. Then she shifts. Just enough to look at me differently. Curiously.
“And you?” she asks, her voice softer now but still steady.
I shake my head once. “Don’t worry about me.”
She rises, her gaze riveted on my hard cock. I exhale slowly, already knowing this isn’t going to go the way I want it to. “Nora…”
But she doesn’t let it go. Instead, she circles my cock with her fingers, her expression one of fascination. The ache that lies slumbering comes awake at her tentative pull. I hiss softly, swallowing my grunt of pleasure.
A drop of pre-cum trickles down the side of my cock, and I watch as she slides it around, slicking her grip.
“Harder,” I grunt and jerk softly as she complies.
Her grip hardens, her strokes growing quick and sure, waking every nerve ending. Heat coils low in my belly with every pull of her hand. I start to jerk my hips into her hands. And her blue eyes, filled with wonder, get me even more excited.
It’s inevitable. The wave of heat builds until it's almost within reach. Then, “Come, Daddy,” she whispers.
That does it. I let go, groaning aloud, jerking hard and spilling over her hands. I watch her, breath heaving, just as she stares back.
Then she smiles slightly, softer now and a little shy. “Better?”
I huff out a quiet breath, shaking my head slightly as I look at her. “You’re going to be a problem.”
She grins faintly. “You don’t sound very upset about it.”
“I’m not,” I admit.
That much, at least, is honest.
I lean in again, pressing a brief, slower kiss to her lips. “Now I need to clean up, and you really need to get ready,” I say, my voice steadier again.
“Right,” she murmurs as I rise from the bed.
I come back out just as she’s getting up. She stretches, then slips out of bed. I watch her petite, curvy body a second longer than I should, that same need coiling through me. If anything, it’s stronger now.
The moment she disappears into the bathroom, the shower starts.
And just like that, the room is quiet again. I pull on my jeans and sink back onto the bed, leaning against the headboard. I let out a slow breath. Think, Asher…
The contract is still out there. And now it’s personal. I reach for my phone without hesitation, dialing before I can second-guess anything. It rings once as usual, then connects.
“You’re getting predictable,” Emerald says on the other end, his tone dry but alert. “Calling me this early can’t be good.”
“It’s not,” I reply, my voice steady again, stripped of everything from moments ago.
There’s a brief pause, like he’s adjusting to the shift. “What happened?”
“I’m taking full control of the Nora contract,” I say.
“You already said that.”
“It’s become personal,” I continue, ignoring him. “I need the client.”
Silence. “That information is restricted,” he says finally, his voice more cautious now.
“I know. But I also know you have ways to get it. I need your help, Emerald,” I state.
“You’re making it worse,” he counters. “You stepping in like this already complicates things. Digging into the client? That’s another level entirely.”
I lean forward slightly, my tone dropping. “That’s why I need your help. Nora is now under my protection, and I’ll level every obstacle that crosses her path.”
The line goes quiet again. “You’re threatening me now?” he asks, but there’s no real challenge in it, just a question.
“I’m reminding you,” I reply. “If I pull Nora off the grid, no one finds her. Not your contractors. Not your client. No one. And while they’re scrambling, I start digging. And when I find them…”
I let the sentence hang. I don’t need to finish it. We both know what will happen.
Silence. Longer this time. Then, finally, “You’re serious about this girl.”
It’s not a question. I don’t answer.
“Fine,” he says. The word is reluctant. “Not over the phone,” he continues. “I’ll send you a partial file. It won’t have everything, but it’ll give you a starting point.”
“That’s not enough.”
“It’s what you’re getting,” he snaps. “You push further than that, and I’m cut out of it completely. You understand?”
I consider it for a second. Then, “Send it.”
A notification hits my phone a few seconds later. I open it immediately. Not much. The middleman’s name. A shell company and money trails.
My jaw tightens slightly as I scan it, pieces already starting to fall into place.
“That’s all I have. If and when I get a breakthrough, I’ll let you know. You’re not the only one who hates being in the dark,” he says.
I smirk. “Thanks, Emerald.”
“Obsidian?” He continues before I can reply. “I hope this girl is worth it.”
“She is.”
I end the call without another word, my gaze dropping back to the file as I go over it again.
It’s sparse. And the deeper I look, the less it reads like a stranger’s work.
Shell companies. A paid middleman. Layers, all of it built to put distance between the client and the act.
You don’t spend that kind of money burying your name unless you have something to lose—and unless you’re close enough to Nora that being tied to this would point straight back at you.
I lock the phone and set it aside just as the shower cuts off, the sound pulling my attention back instantly. For a second, I just sit there, finally coming to terms with my decision.