Chapter 208

Asher adamantly did not want me to go to see the Vice President of the Academy, despite being summoned. I understood his concerns. Fear itself was quaking through me.

But I couldn’t just ignore it and hoped it all went away. We already knew it wouldn’t.

Asher gave it some thought, and then decided to call Chase. With the three of us in the same room, we could discuss our next move.

“If you have to go see him,” Asher said to me, after Chase arrived, “I do not want you to go alone.”

I didn’t particularly want to go alone, but I had no idea how he would be able to come with me. “I don’t think they will let anyone else through the door.”

Asher drew up to his full height. His darkened expression seemed to say, Let’s see them try to stop me.

Chase leaned back in the computer chair where he was sitting. “It would be beneficial for the investigation if she went by herself. The Vice President would likely make threats against her alone. Maybe reveal some secrets.”

“Even if he says something, it would be my word against his,” I said.

Chase shrugged. “Not if you are wearing a recording device.”

“Absolutely not,” Asher said. “It’s too dangerous. If he finds out she’s wearing that –”

“We’ll be nearby, listening in,” Chase said. “If things go south, we can be there in a flash.”

Asher crossed his arms. He clearly didn’t like this idea.

I couldn’t say I was all that fond of it either, but I was willing to do whatever it took to stop Joseph, this club, and the corruption within the school that was covering it all up.

“I have to do this.” Walking to Asher, I placed my hand on his arm, hoping to help him understand. “I don’t want to live in fear anymore. If putting myself in danger is what it takes, then I’m willing to take the risk.”

Asher’s intense blue gaze bore down into me, almost like he could see straight through me. I didn’t know exactly what he was looking for. Deception, perhaps? Or a too-great discomfort that would force him to step in?

I met his probing stare with my own determination. As scary as this was, I could do. I needed to. He had to understand. And I knew he would if I could convince him of my own resolve.

Eventually, his gaze softened, and I knew he had seen what he needed to.

“I still don’t like it,” he said. “But I will always support your choices, whatever they may be.”

Chase clapped his hands. “Good. Great. Glad that’s resolved.”

Asher frowned as he turned to look at Chase. “We will be as close as possible to rescue her if she gets into any trouble.”

Chase stood. “Listen, I don’t like this anymore than you do. But if we can get this asshole to implicate himself, it will solidify our case.” He glanced at me, then back to Asher. “You are my brother. If your girl is in trouble, I’ll be busting down the door right beside you.”

Asher paused a moment, studying Chase much like he had studied me. Then he nodded. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” Slowly, a smile quirked Chase’s lips. “It’s nice to see you so smitten, brother. It’s a good look on you.”

My face burned hot.

Asher glowered at Chase but didn’t deny it.

Chase laughed.

Chase stayed for a little while longer. He told us that he could track down the equipment we needed from another one of his mysterious friends. He’d show us how to use it when the day arrived.

With his confidence, and Asher’s steady protective presence, I felt comfortable enough to again open the email containing the summons and confirm that I would be there at the appointment time.

“See you then,” Chase said, waving as he walked out the door.

No sooner had it closed behind him than Asher came to me and pulled me into his arms. He pressed light kisses along my hairline.

“I hate sending you into danger. I don’t care how nearby I am. Unless I’m between you and the threat, I’ll hate it.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and burrowed comfortably against him.

I couldn’t promise him that I would be fine, because I just didn’t know. But I believed so much in him especially and Chase by extension. If I was in true trouble, they would be there quickly. I could hold off until they arrived, knowing they were coming.

“Maybe I could have an earpiece too,” I said. “So I can hear your voice while I’m in there.”

Having Asher’s voice in my ear would give me the courage to do anything.

“I’ll text Chase later. But for now…”

He stepped back from our hug. Before I could be confused, he scooped me up into his arms, lifting me off the ground. He carried me to the bed and gently lowered me down.

He followed me. “For now… I intend to show you how treasured you are.”

He discarded most of my clothes quickly, disrobing me down to just my panties. His own shirt quickly joined the pile on the floor.

Then he leaned over me. Slowly, torturously, he planted soft kiss after soft kiss down the column of my neck and then across my chest. He kissed down the length of my arm, then each fingertip.

All I could do was lie back and enjoy every blissful moment, as he paid careful attention to every square inch of my bare skin.

As he eventually finished, placing one last kiss to the center of my chest straight over my heart, I had turned into a puddle of pleasured warm goo. I had never felt so cherished in my entire life.

Despite all the hardships that were surely on the horizon, I knew I could do anything, because I had Asher.

He collapsed against my side and I rolled into the hard line of his body. His arm came around my back, dragging me closer still.

In the quiet of the room, even a whisper seemed so loud.

Asher breathed, “I can’t lose you.”

My heart twisted. “You won’t. I’ll be careful, I swear. We can make a code word, so if I even so much as sense that I am in danger, I can alert you and you’ll come running.”

He traced his fingers through my hair. It felt so good that I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch.

I could feel his gaze on me, protective and watchful. When I looked up at him, he almost seemed… sad.

“Asher?”

“You are ingrained in me now, Cyn…” His voice trailed off.

He was struggling for words. I waited patiently for him to finish, desperate to hear what he’d say.

Softly, he whispered, “I don’t know how to live without you anymore.”

My heart thundered wildly in my chest as warmth and happiness flooded my whole body.

It wasn’t an admission of love, but it was so close. And the truth was, Asher was ingrained in me too. To live without him now would be unbearable.

I leaned up and pressed my mouth to his, wanting to show him that the feeling was mutual even if words so often failed between us.

He cupped my cheek with his hand. Angling me gently, he deepened the kiss and I forgot everything but him for a good long while.

Too soon, it was time for my appointment with the Vice President. Chase knocked on the door.

Asher kissed me in the middle of his dorm room.

“Call for me,” he said. “No matter when or where. Call for me, and I will come to you.”

“Asher…”

“Nothing will keep me from you, Cyn. Not if you need me.”

His words gave me comfort, but I hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

If I could survive this encounter, maybe all this misery that Joseph caused would finally be over.