Forty-Four - River
“Coffee,” I groan for the thousandth time today. Or it feels like it, at least. I’ve only been awake for thirty minutes, wrangling Lyric into school mode.
I have to get her back into the swing of things after missing so many days from being away. And let’s just say she doesn’t want to cooperate.
I swear that’s all being an adult consists of. Coffee. Work. Zombie mode. Tired. Hungry. Horny. More coffee to feel human. When will this endless cycle stop?
Right. Never.
“Here,” Asher chuckles, handing me a large Styrofoam cup of boiling hot nectar from the Gods. “It’s your usual.” Pride sparkles in his eyes when he looks away, watching with intent as Lyric approaches with a grin.
“Morning, Daddy,” she says, reaching a hand out.
“And what do you want, Little One?” he asks, bending at the waist to meet her sparkling eyes.
Her eyes slip to the white bag on the counter containing the treat she’s so desperate for. The one thing Asher brings her every morning. Something delicious. Sweet. And will probably rot her damn teeth out.
“My treat,” she whispers, pointing toward the bag like it’s a secret tucked away.
“What do you say?” I ask, groaning into my coffee like the addict I am. If it wasn’t for the caffeine, I think I’d die a slow and painful death.
“Pwetty, please,” she whispers, puffing out her bottom lip. Convincingly, might I add. If he hadn’t bought it for her, he’d definitely give it to her now.
“Well, who can resist that,” he quips, gliding over to the bag and pulling out her treat. “Come sit so you can eat, and then we’ll get you to school.”
I grin against the lid of my drink, watching him beneath my lashes. Sometimes, I like to watch as they each interact with her, giving away a little piece of their hearts each time.
Every day they fall a little more in love with her. And she with them. Like they never separated, and they’ve known each other since the moment she screamed her first breath.
Emotions rise in my throat at the love they’ve shown her in such a short time. And me, too. Even though we knew each other at different times in our lives, it’s like we were never apart. But yet, we were. They’re so different from who they were.
“So, I’ll bring you some lunch today, okay?”
My eyes zone back in on Asher, who eyes me with a little smirk pulling at his lips. I raise my brows. How long have I been staring at him while biting into the damn lid? Fuck. I pull my drink away and clear my throat.
Apparently, long enough. Ly chomps down on the pink-frosted donut with sparkly sprinkles dotting the concoction, devouring it like a little hungry monster. Leaving the remnants behind around her lips.
“Lunch?”
He grins. “Yeah. I figured I could bring something to you since you’re going back to the office today.”
My cheeks heat. Why is it so hot when a man insists on feeding me copious amounts of coffee and food? I’m not complaining. Like at all. He can stuff me full with… Well, my mind instantly travels down the deep, dark road of cock and moans, heating my face more.
Apparently, I need to get laid. No matter how hard I tell myself to take it slow, my body has other plans. And well, to hell with it. I’ve always given my body what it wants.
“Lunch is great,” I say with a smile, pretending I’m not thinking about his dick.
Totally not, by the way. Nope. I’m not thinking about the way he gagged me just a few days ago. Or the salty cum that slid down my throat as I swallowed him whole. Nah. Not me.
Fuck. It’s only seven or so in the morning, and I’m already horny. It’s like their cum was the key to awakening my long-forgotten sex drive hiding inside me. Once they entered me, thrust into me, and came inside me—I was a goner, drowning in them again.
Something I swore I wouldn’t do. Just yet. But I’m constantly breaking my promises to myself. Take it slow, I said. But yet, I got dicked down by my four baby daddies in one night.
You see, my body remembers theirs now. Every one of them. And now I’m scared I’m addicted to getting bent over and fucked within an inch of my life. I promised myself I’d take it slow. All in, yes. But I want to get to know them again. And at this rate, I’m only going to be reacquainted with their nether regions.
Shit.
“Great. I can stop by after therapy and practice,” he says with ease, leaning over to wipe Lyric’s mouth off with a paper towel. “Go wash up for school, or we’ll be late.”
“I’m sick,” she pouts, crossing her messy hands over her chest.
“Lyric,” he says in a stern dad voice, even giving her the pointed look that has her turning tail and stomping down the hallway to her room.
I shudder at the strength in his voice. Settle down, you hussy. He’s not bossing you around. Not yet, at least. He will, though. I’ll bring back the dominant man who made me hold out my wrist with salt lines on it so he could cut limes.
It’s time to bring the old Asher out. He’s said sorry multiple times and proven himself over and over again. Now, it’s time to release the beast simmering under his flesh until he’s pounding into me without mercy.
I’m so fucking screwed.
Or want to be.
“My little sister from another—” Seger twists his expression when I walk into his office.
“That saying doesn’t work like that,” I say, plopping down onto a leather seat across from his desk.
Zepp snorts, sauntering over from his desk on the other side of the room, and lounges beside me in another chair.
“First-day jitters?” he asks, taking a sip of coffee before placing it on a coaster on Seger’s desk.
“Weird to be back, but I have to get back into the swing of things. They’re handling practice and therapy without my assistance now. So, I figured I’d stop in and see how Kat was handling things here.”
I raise a brow when they exchange a look, doing their freaky twin, silent conversation bullshit with their eyebrows.
“Kaycee and I agree that’s annoying as fuck, by the way,” I say, pointing between the two of them.
Immediately, both of their moss-green eyes lock me in place.
“You’re not allowed to be friends with our wife anymore,” Seger sniffs, raising his chin in the air.
“All you two do is conspire against us,” Zepp says, pointing in my direction.
“She’s like my sister. We’re allowed to conspire against you. Get over it,” I say, sticking my tongue out.
Zepp sighs, running his fingers over his forehead. “Kat called out today.”
I stiffen. “Called out?”
“Yeah. You know, used a sick day today and yesterday,” Seger quips like the cocky asshole he is.
Such a goddamn know-it-all. I swear I would have put them six feet deep if we had actually grown up together. I mean, I plot their murders every once in a great while when they’re being jackasses.
Like today.
I blink several times. Seger puts his feet on his desk as he leans back in his chair. Secretly, I hope he falls backward. I don’t want blood. Well, not much. But a nice bruise would suffice to knock the little attitude out of him.
Ah, siblings. They’re a joy to have.
Zepp’s jaw tics with irritation as he glares at Seger’s dirty shoe on his desk. “Act like a civilized adult, you pig,” he mutters, swiftly knocking Seger’s feet off his desk and jolting him forward.
Seger grunts, placing his palms on his desk to stop himself from smacking the wood. Damn, too bad.
“Back to the matter at hand. Is she really sick? She hasn’t called out in all the months she’s worked here.”
Finally, they each take a deep breath. Sometimes I think they need a vacation away from each other. But being twins and all, they have a weird bond. Not to mention they share a wife.
I shudder. I hate thinking about what they do in the damn dark of their home. Stupid intrusive thoughts.
Zepp grimaces. “She and her weird boyfriend, Trevor, are having some issues. Um, she just needed some time to straighten it out. Mental health days are classed as sick days here, so we just gave her the go-ahead.” Oh good, that means there is work on my desk ready to be completed. Thankfully, I won’t have to worry about any anonymous notes landing there again.
“Well, okay then. I’ll be off to my office for now unless you need something.” Peering at both of them, they shrug. “Good. I’m out.”
“Good to have you back, my sister, from the same mister! Ha! I nailed it!” Seger’s whoops follow me as I make my way down the long hallway toward my office, which sits a little ways from theirs, giving me the much-needed privacy I crave.
Since Whispered Words is only a couple months into my program, there isn’t too much work for me to handle at the office. My sole purpose once a band is put in my hands is to mold them back into best-selling artists. But it’s nice to be back here in the peace and quiet I’ve carved out for myself. My office is my place of Zen—a place no one disturbs anymore.
As I shut my office door behind me, I dig my phone out of my purse.
Me
Hey, Kat! Just wanted to make sure you were okay. My brothers said you were feeling a little under the weather.
Listen, I am concerned about her well-being. She may not be a close friend, but I like to think Kat and I are on good terms. She may be my employee, but I like to check in on her.
Kat
Hey:/… I was just having a rough time. Trevor disappeared without saying goodbye, and I didn’t know where he went… I was worried until he came back this morning.
Jesus. Who disappears without saying goodbye? I hope he had a damn good reason.
Me
Just checking to see if he is okay.
Kat
He’s been better. His mom got sick, so he went to check on her, and his phone broke when he was there. He wasn’t able to get another one until today. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it today. There’s a stack of mail on your desk.
Me
Family comes first, Kat. I’m just glad that you’re okay, and he’s okay.
Kat
Thanks, Miss West. I appreciate you checking in. Glad you made it back safe and sound, too. It must have been terrifying having a stalker out there.
Yeah. Beyond terrifying. Having some stranger watching your every move is something no one will understand unless they’ve lived it. If I would have known it was Adrian, a man I had never actually met. Then I would have put a restraining order on him. In some cases, though. That doesn’t do shit. They walk right through those restraining orders without a second thought. Not like me. When Gloria handed me those papers I thought were from the boys, I thought why bother?
Me
Call me River. And yeah…it was. Stay safe. I’ll check in tomorrow.
Leaning back in my chair, I stare up at the ceiling reveling in the silence around me. It’s odd going from having five other people constantly making noise to just myself. Alone. Just me and my rampant thoughts.
The morning goes by in a rush. I slowly catch up on some paperwork I need to sign regarding past bands and even potential new ones. It’s odd I never saw Whispered Word’s name come across my desk. Yet, here I am as their new manager. I swear, even though my brothers knew about the past, they made this happen.
“Talk to them again. That restraining order is over,” Seger huffs from behind his desk, slowly nursing a beer he pulled out of somewhere.
“I don’t think I can,” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose. “They walked away. Remember? They’re the ones who signed that restraining order. Not me.”
“You ever get a funny feeling about it?” Zepp asks, cocking his head to the side and examining my twisted expression.
“No.” Yes. I did. It always made me feel uneasy and off. But who was I to question their signatures on the dotted line? Besides that phone call, too. It was pretty damn convincing.
Well, maybe I should have listened back then. I was so determined that they wanted nothing to do with me that I kept it all together for Lyric. She was my priority. It scared the living hell out of me thinking about dropping her in their laps.
What if they truly didn’t want her?
Now I know the entire situation was bullshit. Concocted by some psychopath who hated my guts and twisted Asher into her grips to get what she wanted most. Money.
“Knock, knock.”
I nearly pee my pants when I jolt upright, staring at Asher loitering just inside my office door with a grin, shutting it behind him.
“You were deep in concentration,” he chuckles, walking toward my desk with a tray consisting of two drinks and a take-out bag from my favorite coffee place. “I got your favorite again. The avocado sandwich I always see you eyeing.”
I sweep my papers into a pile on the side of my desk as he sets out our lunch.
“God, Asher. You’re a lifesaver,” I murmur, biting into my chicken and avocado sandwich.
He chuckles. “Well, I figured you needed to eat, and I just so happened to be getting that anyway.” His eyes dart away, refocusing on his sandwich as he takes tentative bites.
“Why’re you still holding back?” I ask, setting my food down.
“I’m not,” he says, shaking his head.
“You are.”
He swallows his bite, chugging his Dr. Pepper. “I’m not meaning to.” His teeth sink nervously into the bottom of his lip when he sets his sandwich down and takes a deep breath. “I?—”
“It’s okay, Evil Ash,” I murmur, reaching across my desk to take his hand.
Squeezing my hand in his seems to bring out his bravery a sliver. His hazel eyes stay glued to the ground when he opens his mouth. “I’m all in, Little Brat. I promise I am. I just… I still feel guilty. It sits so damn heavy on my chest. I know you forgave me.”
“Completely. You are 100 percent forgiven. I told you that I’ll remember forever what it felt like when you left. But I don’t dwell on it. Look at you… The old Asher wouldn’t have given me the time of day. Not to bring me lunch, at least. He’d only have wanted to jam his cock down my throat.”
I smirk when he chokes on his own drink, turning a bright shade of red like he didn’t do that exact thing a few nights ago after dancing in the rain.
“Christ,” he croaks, shaking his head. “You can’t say shit like that.”
All the pent-up horniness from before slams into me as I watch him wipe his mouth. This Asher is much more delectable than the old Asher. But there’s still one side I miss more than anything.
“Take me,” I say, pushing my chair back and slowly rising to my feet.
“Take you?” he asks, lowering his voice into a smooth rumble.
Yes, you idiot. Take me. Fuck me. Make me cum harder than I’ve ever cum before.
Those hazel eyes latch onto my movements as I begin to slip my high heels off and kick them under my desk, instantly becoming inches shorter. His gaze doesn’t leave my movements even when I start to unbutton my work shirt, leaving it half open and exposing my white silky bra underneath.
“Yeah,” I say, shrugging out of my shirt and letting it drop to the ground near my chair. “Fucking take me, Asher. Do what you want to do to me.”
His eyes blow wide, darkening with each piece of clothing I remove. Yet, he doesn’t utter a command. Simply stares at me like I’ve grown a third boob he can’t wait to devour. Wicked thoughts must travel through his mind when his fingers twitch on top of my desk, desperate to reach out and grab me.
The cool air of the room rushes across my flesh, pebbling goosebumps up and down my body as I remove my pants and toss them across the desk, hitting him in the face.
He jerks back, gripping them in his hands. “Little Brat,” he rasps with roaming eyes, staring me up and down as I stand before him in only my bra and underwear. “Fuck, you’re so goddamn gorgeous.”
“Tell me what to do, Asher.” I won’t move unless he says so.
I won’t cum or moan or curl my toes unless he gives me the go-ahead. This is me taking back the Asher I once knew and giving him back to the Asher 2.0 sitting across from me. Someone needs to take him by the balls and force him to be the dominating man he once was.
He’s no longer allowed to stay on the sidelines and wait his turn. It’s time for action.
He blinks several times, rubbing his jaw. “Come here,” he says with less confidence than I hoped, but it’s a start.
“Yes, Daddy Asher,” I murmur, sauntering around the edge of my desk.
God. The full-body shudder that works its way through him at the sound of his old nickname has my pussy weeping with delight. If I thought I was horny this morning, this is nothing compared to that.
It’s odd having him at my mercy. Or me being at his mercy, I guess. Trying to be, anyway. It brings me back to the night he laid me out on the dining room table at the Castle House and rocked my goddamn world with his demands. Every word he said, I did. Every command he laid out, I fucking followed.
Today will be no different. Today is the day Asher takes me how he wants me.
Asher doesn’t reach out for me when I stand before him in my underwear. His fingers may not caress my flesh just yet, but his eyes absolutely ignite with lust, traveling over every inch of my body with a fine tooth comb.
“Fucking hell. You’re going to kill me,” he murmurs, finally brushing his fingertips over my abdomen and gliding around my belly button.
“How so?” I whisper, leaning into his warm and inviting touch, still refusing to take the reins on this whole endeavor.
Whatever Asher wants to do, it’s up to him.
“You’re just so fucking beautiful. Then and now.” His fingers trail up to the swell of my breast, gliding over the white stretch marks lining my skin. Abruptly standing, he towers over me, still fixated on running his fingers over my boobs.
“This is your show, Daddy Asher,” I murmur, pushing my tits into his hand as he cups it through my bra, running his thumb over my pebbling nipple.
“Hmmm,” he hums, leaning forward to bite through my bra.
“Fuck,” I hiss at the beautiful sting flaring under the intensity of his teeth.
“My show,” he murmurs, running his tongue along my bra until he meets my flesh, traveling up my neck and right below my ear.
I nearly cum when he sucks my skin in between his teeth, nibbling around until my lips meet his.
“I want you to bend over, Little Brat,” he breathlessly says against my lips, palming my ass.
Fire brews beneath my skin when he watches my reaction with such intensity I feel like flames are licking every inch of me.
“Yes, Sir,” I say with a smirk, growing wetter by the second.
Turning around, I place my palms on my desk. My back arches, and when I look over my shoulder, I nearly combust at the sight of him.
Those hazel eyes gaze directly at my ass, trailing toward the wet spot collecting on my panties. All these pent-up hormones run rampant with need, turning me into a begging mess.
“Please, Asher,” I moan, wiggling my ass a little.
“Please, what?” he dares to ask, undoing his belt from his jeans and rolling down his zipper. I watch in fascination as his cock springs free, bulging and twitching with need. “What do you want, My Brat? Do you want me to fill you with this cock? Shove it so far up your dripping pussy that you cum?”
Jesus fuck Christ, I’ve created a dominating, dirty-talking monster.
One that I like.
If he keeps this up, I’ll come before he ever fucks me. Or before we finish our damn lunch.
“Yes, Asher.” I swallow hard when one finger trails down my ass cheek, slipping beneath the fabric of my panties. Getting closer and closer to the promised land.
I jolt in surprise when the thin fabric of my panties rips in two. My breaths shudder when he holds them in front of my face, displaying the wet patch on the fabric.
“I have been holding back,” he admits, pressing his lips to my bare shoulder, trailing kisses up my neck. “I’ve been trying to respect what we have now. But you make it so fucking hard to respect you when all I want to do is fuck you like you’re my fucking little whore. I want to shove my cock down your throat and watch you swallow. Fuck. I’ve?—”
“Then do it. Fuck me like you hate me. Fuck me like you used to.”
“But I never truly hated you,” he whispers with desperation as his finger finds my clit, turning light circles. “I never ever hated you. I was so fucking madly in love with you that I hated myself. I loathed what I thought about you. What I did to you. Said to you. You’re my goddamn angel, River. My Brat. My baby. My salvation into becoming a better man.”
“Fuck,” I moan, thrusting back into his pelvis. “Asher,” I whine, begging for him to fill me.
“I’m going to fuck you now, River. I won’t hold back. But you should hold on. I’m going to shove this into your mouth so your brothers don’t come running. The last thing we need is visitors when I’m helping you meet Jesus.” I swallow hard when he traces the lace of my white panties along my lips, softly tapping them. “Open up, Little Brat.” Without hesitation, my lips part, welcoming the panties into my mouth, muffling anything that comes from my throat. “Good girl. Now, wrap your hands over the edge of the desk.” My breaths hitch in my throat when I wrap my hands around the edge of the desk so tight my fingers turn white.
That’s the last thing he says before he brushes the tip of his throbbing dick at my entrance and thrusts completely inside me.
“Oh fuck me,” Asher murmurs. “Goddamn, you’re one hundred percent going to be the death of me, and I’m okay with it. I’ll die right here,” he grunts, slamming into me several times and knocking my hips into my desk.
Whatever bruises I have later will be something I look back on as the moment Asher took back his control.
I groan around my panties as droplets of drool roll down my chin. It does its job, holding back my loud moans so hopefully my brothers don’t fucking hear us. The last thing I need is those two idiots interrupting this much-needed fucking.
Asher’s pace picks up, slamming into me relentlessly. Without fucking mercy. My desk squeaks with every move, dragging against the floor, surely giving away what we’re doing in here.
“I want you to cum around my cock,” he demands breathlessly in my ear.
I nod, leaning into the fire eating away at me, and release my fucking orgasm from the Gods, suffocating his dick as I convulse.
“Fuck me,” he says, stiffening and releasing himself inside me with a long, drawn out moan of satisfaction.
My forehead rests against the cool wood of my desk as he hovers behind me, rubbing his hands up and down my body. Small words of affirmations are whispered against my neck as he catches his breath.
“Thank you,” he whispers with sincerity. “I knew only you could bring me back to who I was but keep me in check.”
Spitting out my panties onto my desk, I desperately suck in air. Asher hurriedly hands me my drink, and I gulp it down with him still nestled inside me.
“No, thank you,” I rasp, clutching his hand in mine. “Thank you for letting go. Please, don’t hold back again. I need both sides of the Asher coin.” I swallow hard when he gently pulls out and spins me around.
His palms cup my cheeks as he leans in, suffocating me with his kiss. His tongue darts into my mouth, twisting with mine as he pushes me against my desk.
“Never again will I hold back, Little Brat. I’ll be whatever Asher you want.”
“A mix of both,” I quip with a smirk. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to get back to work.”
“I’ll wait,” he says with a shrug, kissing me one last time. With ease, he puts himself back in his pants and rights his belt.
“You’ll wait?” I ask, heaving a breath.
“Yup,” he says with a grin, sitting back in his chair and picking up his sandwich. “But why don’t you work like that?” He gestures to my bra and the cum dripping out of my pussy and onto my leg.
I smirk, walk around my desk and plop in my seat. “If you insist.”
“Oh,” he chuckles. “I do.”
Until the end of the day, Asher stays with me. He doesn’t say anything as he cleans up our lunch mess. He just rests, watching me wade through the paperwork Kat left me until the clock hits 2:00 p.m., and I’ve run out of things to do.