Chapter 37 Ella
ELLA
Igrunt and hiss in pain as I climb out of bed. I refused pain meds at the hospital, not wanting to be knocked out for the next day, so I’m feeling every bit of damage my body went through during the crash.
I keep replaying it in my mind.
I’ve never felt fear like that before.
Not just for me, but for Asher. For what he must have been going through. He hid it well, but I could still see the ghosts of his past haunting his eyes. My heart nearly cracked in two, right down the middle, dreading the reality that it could have been the end for one or both of us.
I still can’t take a full breath.
I wander out onto the luxurious balcony that overlooks the estate’s massive grounds.
The golden sunlight of late morning casts a glow over the perfectly manicured lawn and gardens, and under different circumstances, I would sit here in silence and admire the view.
This house, the house Asher’s grandfather left him, is breathtaking and feels as if it was plucked straight out of The Great Gatsby novel.
But today, there are much more pressing things on my mind.
“Any word?” I ask Asher as I slowly take a seat in the chair next to him, doing my best to hide a wince of pain.
I’m in one of his T-shirts and a pair of boxers that he keeps at the house for when he visits, and as I cross my legs, I notice scrapes and bruises along my skin.
I have more on my arms and a hell of a goose egg above my temple.
But I count myself fortunate. Things could have been so much worse. And I’m so grateful they weren’t.
He shakes his head. “The two men in the bus killed themselves after the crash.” He doesn’t look at me as he speaks, he just stares ahead, seemingly numb. “The men in the other cars got away, and the cars and the bus were taken care of before the police got to them.”
“Taken care of?”
“The men dumped a canister of gas inside their vehicles then set them on fire. Basically, nothing is left of the cars or the bus, and there’s no DNA to extract from them.”
“What about the cars that surrounded the apartment?”
“They fled before the police got there, but it looks like they had help from within the police force.”
“Olsen?”
“I don’t think so. But Senator Sanders is a powerful man. He could have some dirty cops on his payroll.”
“But even without DNA, you still know who’s behind all this.”
He nods and finally looks at me. “I can’t rest until they’re both eliminated.”
“And what happens after that?”
He’s back to staring aimlessly at the grounds.
“That should send the message that I’m not to be fucked with.
But to drive it home, I have Sterling working on something behind the scenes.
Once Sergei and Yegor are finished, there will be nothing left of their empires, and I’ll take them over and gain exponentially more wealth and power. ”
“More?” Asher is already one of the most powerful men on earth.
“More.”
“Why?”
“Because the elite like to consolidate power and wealth by whatever means necessary. And someone within their league needs to keep them in check. I can’t do that if I’m not at the top of the food chain.”
“And who keeps you in check?”
He looks at me again. “You. My family. The ethics my parents drilled into me.”
“It’s easy to let those things go with that kind of wealth and power.”
He rubs a hand over his tired face. “I already have that kind of wealth and power. More at this point is just more.”
“And you’ll use that wealth and power to keep the elite in check?”
“I already do. But yes, I’ll continue.”
We slip into silence, and fear slithers inside me. Last night was a disaster, and the insanity of it is bleeding into today. I don’t know what to do, how to help. I woke in the hospital after the crash and as soon as I was cleared, a fleet of security arrived to bring us here.
Asher has hardly spoken to me since the accident.
He was out of bed at dawn and since then he’s been on the phone almost nonstop with Chief Olsen, security, his brothers, and who knows who else.
He’s completely contained and stoic. It’s scaring me.
He’s not spiraling into anxiety like he normally does.
He’s cold and caged and so distant he hardly seems human.
I’ve never seen Asher like this, and I’m not sure what to do or how to help him.
I stand and move over to him. I sit on his lap and force him to look at me as I run my fingers through his hair.
“We should have just stayed in last night,” I joke, smirking at him. “It would have saved us a lot of hassle.”
He gives me an unamused look. “I can’t argue there.
If I had listened to you and gone back to our penthouse, we wouldn’t have been chased after the event.
However, the eight cars of men that showed up there might have overpowered the building’s security, so we may have been attacked in our own home. ”
“All that matters is that we made it out safe.”
Asher lets out a long sigh. “This time.”
“And we’re safe here?” This estate is like a fortress, but with such large grounds, I wonder if people could sneak in if they really wanted to.
“We’re as safe as we can be.”
“That doesn’t sound reassuring.”
“It’s not.”
“What do we do now?”
“We get you safe.”
“What does that mean?”
Asher blinks and forces a smile that I know he means to be reassuring. “Let’s not worry about that just now. Let’s eat, and I’ll show you around the house.”
I know there’s so much more he’s not saying, but with Asher, I can’t force it out of him. He’ll tell me when he’s ready.
“Okay.”
Asher takes me by the hand and leads me to the dining room.
The house is so old there isn’t a traditional kitchen and dining area.
The main kitchen is in the basement as is a separate room where only the staff would have worked, and Asher’s family would have eaten only in a vast formal dining room.
But Asher points out that forty years ago, a remodel allowed for a smaller dining area and kitchen to be installed on the main floor, and that’s where Asher usually eats when he’s here, unless his family is with him.
The house is a mix of dark, almost black, wood and cream stone and tiling.
There are ornate patterns in the stone floors, luxurious trim around the windows and doorways, and large windows that provide breathtaking views of the grounds and the ocean.
Every inch of the mansion is a master class in luxury, beauty, and wealth.
It almost takes my breath away as I admire it.
“This home is incredible,” I say, as we exit the massive, two-storied library on the first floor.
“Thank you. It was built in the 1850s by my great-great-grandfather, and it’s been in our family ever since. It’s always passed down to the oldest male heir of the Langford family.”
“Has there always been a male heir?”
“Surprisingly, yes. I don’t know what it is about our genes, but most of our family members are male.
My mother wanted a girl so badly and ended up with three boys.
Each generation, there are usually only two to three girls in total.
My cousin Celeste is the only girl in our age range.
But then, my grandparents only had two sons, an heir and a spare, so the options were limited.
My father’s second cousin had six kids before they finally got a girl. ”
“Five boys? That sounds like a mini circus.”
“It was. They’re all younger than I am. The girl is only, like, twelve years old now; she was at the luncheon over Memorial Day. No one else tried that many times to get a girl, most give up after two or three unruly Langford boys.”
I laugh. “I don’t blame them. I still say your mother deserves a medal for raising the three of you.”
“I agree.”
“Mr. Langford?” the housekeeper says, walking toward us. “Breakfast is served in the small dining room.”
“Thank you, Darla.”
Asher grows quiet again as we eat.
“What are you thinking?” I ask, picking at my food. Asher’s aloof demeanor is making me nervous.
He smiles his false smile again. “I’m wishing you weren’t seeing this house for the first time under these circumstances. I wanted to bring you out here for a little vacation later this summer. I’m disappointed that the first time I brought you here was because we were running for our safety.”
I run a comforting hand over his. “I’m sorry. But either way, I’m thrilled to be here. I can’t believe this is your house. It’s insane that someone owns a home like this. It’s like a fancy hotel.”
“My father wasn’t interested in it, with the other house he lives in, so my grandfather had it pass straight to me. I have been on the deed as the owner since I was ten years old.”
Neither of us mention the reason for the young age of ownership, and a heavy silence settles over us.
I take a sip of coffee and set down my mug. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to make it better. But I know Asher is reeling, I can see it in the line of his jaw, in the hardness of his eyes.
The circle of events is too much.
Asher was supposed to be headed to this very house the night he and his grandfather were taken hostage—and now we’re here because of a car chase involving the same people who not only murdered his grandfather, but who tried to use a car crash to murder him as a child.
Asher’s phone dings with a text, and his face stills as he reads it. His eyes close for a brief second, and the line of his mouth pulls into a resolute grimace.
“Is everything okay?”
“It will be. Are you finished?” He nods at my plate.
“Yes, my stomach is too upset to eat much.”
“Come. Flores and Jenkins are here.”
He grabs my hand and leads me to the grand foyer where Flores and Jenkins stand beneath a massive, glittering chandelier that looks old-fashioned and modern at the same time.
“Good to see you up and about, Ms. Hale,” Jenkins says, patting my shoulder.
“Thanks. How are you two holding up?”
“We’re all good. No need to worry about us.”
“Of course I worry about you.”
“What he’s trying to say, is that other than a little soreness from the accident, we’re fine,” Flores says in a snarky tone I’ve never heard from her. I like it.
“And how is Wilkins doing?” I know his gunshot wound wasn’t fatal, but it still freaks me out.
“He’s stitched up and home resting. We’re all thankful the bullet didn’t hit anything and just passed through the muscle.”
They’re so nonchalant about a bullet wound, but I guess that sort of comes with the territory, even if it’s crazy to me.
Asher clears his throat.
“We’ll just be outside, then,” Flores says to Asher.
“What comes next?” I ask as soon as they leave. “Are we staying here for a while, or are we going back to the penthouse?”
“Neither.”
“Then what’s the plan?”
“To get you to safety.”
I still. “That’s the second time you’ve said it that way. Get me to safety. What about you?”
“I need to take care of this.”
“What does that mean?”
He’s silent and his gaze seems to be looking anywhere but at me.
“Asher, what are you saying?” I demand.
“I need to take care of Sergei and Yegor once and for all, and I need you safe while I do what needs to be done.”
My stomach sinks, understanding all too well everything he’s not saying.
“I’m not going anywhere without you.” My tone is hard and leaves no room for argument.
Asher’s eyes are filled with regret as he takes my face in his hands. He brushes his thumb along my lower lip. “I love you,” he whispers.
“I . . . I love you too,” I choke out. “But I don’t like this. Whatever it is you’re doing, whatever you have planned . . . please, Asher. Don’t push me away.”
Asher’s lips meet mine, and he kisses me hard. His hands thread through my hair, and he pulls me so close there’s not an inch of space between us. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him tight.
The kiss turns almost manic, and panic rises inside me as I can practically feel the resignation and anxiety pouring off Asher. I latch onto him harder, praying I’m wrong. Hoping I’m making this all up.
I gasp as a bitter tang hits my tongue, shocking me. I pull away. What is that?
A moment later, I blink as stars form in front of my eyes, and I grow light-headed.
Asher pulls away and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, then he takes a napkin out of his pocket and wipes his mouth again.
“What did you do?” I ask, and the words are slightly garbled in my mouth. My tongue is heavy, and my face is starting to prickle with numbness.
“I did what needed to be done.”
“No!” I rasp out, clutching his arms. I start to sway on my feet. Asher wraps his arms around me and holds me tight, and the last minute of his actions clicks into place. He brushed something onto my lips . . . then kissed me to make sure it got into my mouth. “You . . . drugged . . . me.”
“I’m sorry, Ella. I wish it hadn’t come to this.”
“How . . . why?”
“I love you. That’s why.”
“No, Asher. I . . . don’t want . . . to be . . . with-without you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. Please.”
“I love you.”
The world turns black.