Chapter 108

Joseph held my gaze as he grinded down into the moaning girl beneath him on the park bench.

My stomach twisted in disgust. I felt gross watching them, seeing this girl in the throes of passion when she had no idea she was being watched. Joseph knew, and didn’t tell her. He didn’t even stop.

Averting my gaze, I hurried away, back toward the entrance of the park.

Initially, I worried the queasiness in my stomach was related to some kind of mortifying jealousy, but with distance, I realized that no. The queasiness was just that, at having witnessed a sex act I had not desired to see, regardless of the participants.

Who Joseph hooked up with was not my worry anymore, and other than concern for that girl and whatever potential lies he was telling her, I felt absolutely nothing about him sleeping with someone else.

I hoped that girl knew what kind of trouble she was fooling around with, though. He hadn’t even seemed to set his jacket down to separate her skin from the cool metal of the park bench.

I remembered what it was like to be the girl under Joseph’s spell.

He’d had me totally convinced that every sideways glance he’d given me had meant something important. Every scrap of time he spared for me was a gift because he cared for me, not just because that’s when I fit into his schedule.

I accepted the bare minimum he had given me and thought that was the best I could do.

It took too long to move on from that.

Now, finally, I was in a place of my life that I knew I deserved better.

In no small part thanks to Asher. He’d been persistent in his saving me from Joseph. If Asher had not done what he did in the beginning, I might still have been under Joseph’s spell.

He’d forced me to see Joseph as the cheater he was. Then helped me facilitate my revenge. Asher had been with me every step since then, staying by my side despite how many times I made excuses for Joseph or tried to fix things.

I owed so much to Asher.

And now it was likely Asher never wanted to speak to me again.

Asher, who was so freaked out by my powers that he vanished without a word. He probably thought I was a monster.

… I wouldn’t blame him.

Maybe I had taken things with Brent too far. Maybe I never should have used my powers at all.

“This ability is a blessing,” Lilith whispered. “Not a curse.”

I had thought so too, at the beginning. But now, especially if it cost me Asher, I wasn’t so sure.

Downtrodden, I walked up the sidewalk, eager to return to my room. My attempts at clearing my head had only stuffed it full of more unwanted images.

I felt I’d find no relief anywhere tonight.

I knew it to be true when I exited the stairwell on my floor and found Asher waiting outside of my dorm room.

Briefly, I thought of turning fully around and disappearing back into the stairwell.

“Cynthia.”

Too late.

I stood frozen in the center of the hallway, afraid to come closer. I didn’t want to hear Asher call me names, or tell me what he really thought of my powers. I didn’t want to hear him say, in the voice I cared for so much, that he thought I should go to the research facility.

In two large strides, he was suddenly in front of me. Before I could react, he wrapped his arms around me and swallowed me in his embrace.

At once, the tension released from my body. Exhaling, I relaxed against his body.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into my ear as he brushed a tender hand through my hair. “I reacted poorly.”

I closed my eyes, so relieved I could cry. At once, everything in the world was okay again.

Five minutes later, he helped me into my dorm room, and we sat in similar positions to when I had told him my truth.

This time, he held my hands in his, and said, “I couldn’t fathom it. Projection is such a rare ability, and here you are, using it like a master. I didn’t want you to see how upset it made me, knowing the dangers you’re in. And I was hurt you hid it from me.”

“I’m sorry…”

He shook his head, stopping me. “Don’t you see? The fault is mine. You didn’t tell me because you couldn’t trust me with it.” He frowned. “I have to do better. I want you to trust me with all of your secrets.”

I squeezed his hands. “This was the biggest one. The others feel like white lies in comparison. But I’m sorry for those too. I should have told you about the swimsuit contest and what Coach wanted you to do.”

He looked at me, his eyes as deep as twin oceans. I held that gaze so he could see my sincerity.

“I didn’t tell you because I wanted to protect you, too. I care about you, Asher.”

I watched with pride as his frown slowly ebbed into a tiny smile.

“I know you do.” The smile didn’t last, however. “I’m proud of you, Cynthia, and your power.”

Worrying my bottom lip with my teeth, I decided to give voice to one of the last of my fears. “You don’t think I’m some kind of freak?”

“No,” he said at once. “What you can do… it’s amazing. Can you do it again?”

Relief washed over me in a wave and I laughed. “Maybe after some rest, okay? It takes a lot out of me.”

“Better not, then. I can remember it just fine.”

There was only one thing left to be sure of.

“You can’t tell anyone, though,” I reminded him. “I already have this strange nurse asking around about the ghost baby. She’s the one who told me about the research facilities.”

Asher tugged on my hands, pulling me closer. He wrapped his strong arms around me and I immediately felt safer.

“Cynthia. If somehow your secret gets out and that research facility tries to take you, I will tear that building to the ground, brick by brick, until I have you free from it. Do you understand?”

Once more, I sagged against him. “I understand.”

“Good.”

For a time, I stayed there contentedly, soaking up Asher’s warmth and the strength of his hard body and his spirit. As time dragged on, I knew eventually he would leave. I wondered where my mind would take me in his absence.

I didn’t want to find out.

After being so constantly scared for so long, it felt so good to be peace for even a moment. I wanted it to last.

“Asher,” I whispered, voice muffled some into his shirt.

“Hm?”

“If I asked you to stay tonight… just to sleep… to hold me…”

He tightened his grip around my waist.

I smiled against him. “I have some sweatpants of yours that you can use.”

“I could always sleep in the nude,” he said flatly.

Immediately, I pulled away to look up at his face. His lip curled. He was laughing at me!

“Don’t tease me like that!”

He only smirked bigger.

“Come on,” I said, shoving playfully at his shoulder. “Will you stay the night?” So I can finally feel safe?

“Yes,” he said.