Chapter 24

What in the world was Asher doing at my warrior training?

He sauntered up alongside Coach and the other training staff like he belonged there. He didn’t even glance at me.

“Actually, you are right on time, Asher,” Coach said. “We are just getting started.”

Coach then introduced the extra staff who had been brought in specifically to help with this particular training. Lastly, he motioned to Asher.

“You all probably recognize our hockey captain. Asher volunteered to help with our training. He’s a senior and top of his class. He’s got the skills, so keep your eyes on him.”

“I’ll keep my eyes on him alright,” Elena said, leering.

Some of the other girls laughed. Many agreed.

I frowned, annoyed, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t belong to me, but he sure didn’t belong to any of them either.

Let them look. He wouldn’t be looking back.

Though as I thought it, I remembered the woman who had kissed him that night I had gone to his dorm unannounced.

What did I really know about Asher’s love life?

Coach ignored the comments, and the training began. For the initial instruction, the staff taught us how to throw a punch and how to block one. After a few punches into the air, they began to break us up into pairs.

Asher immediately came to my side. “Cynthia, you are with me.”

From behind him, several glares shot my direction, none more severe than Elena’s.

Ignoring them, I focused on the training. Asher was gentle with me, pulling his punches before any could touch me. But he was stern too, pestering me when my stance wasn’t right.

“You aren’t getting it,” he said. “Here. Let me show you.”

He stepped behind me, molding his front along my back. His hands traced up my arms, and I held my breath. Grabbing my wrists, he moved me into a proper defensive posture.

“Like this,” he said, breath hot on the shell of my ear.

My heart beat so hard, I worried it might jump from my chest.

Then his hands fell to my hips. “Lower your center of gravity.”

My backside snug against his pelvis, he urged me lower with his entire body.

My knees bent easily. My legs were growing weak anyway.

I followed his movements, not an inch otherwise, afraid he might pull away.

“Good girl,” he whispered, low and breathy. Something hard twitched against my butt.

“Asher,” I breathed, or moaned, I don’t know which. His hands on my hips, his arms around me, his firm body behind me. This felt like a dream.

I wanted more.

“Well, well.” Elena’s voice jolted me.

Asher and I instantly jumped away from each other. Asher adjusted his pants.

“I sign up to be Asher’s next partner,” Elena said. She eyed Asher like she wanted to eat him.

“No, thanks,” Asher said, his voice rough. He coughed to clear it. “I don’t switch partners.”

Elena raised one slim brow. “Since when?”

I wanted to punch that look right off her face with my new skills, but I settled for bunching my hands into fists and glaring at her instead.

Asher glared too, but with the added layer of ice only he could exude.

“Don’t play coy, Asher. Your… accomplishments are common knowledge in most circles. So many women would bend over with only so much of a glance from you. And many who already have.”

A shiv of jealousy stabbed at my chest. I tried to hide it, but Elena watched. She’d seen.

She aimed a smirk at me. “Has he told you about the others? There are so many. You see our dear Asher has quite the reputation.”

“Stop, Elena,” Asher said, tone carefully devoid of all emotion.

“Shouldn’t she know what she’s getting into with you?” Elena turned her smug smile on him. “About your penchant for one night stands? Though I’ve never heard one complaint.”

She sashayed closer to him, swinging her hips. “They all sing your praises, hoping you’ll invite them back. They can’t stop talking about your…” She glanced down to his crotch. “And how well you use it.”

I wanted to tackle her, to tear her away from him, but I was confused and hurt. I didn’t know my place. As it was, I could only watch like I was forced to.

I could endure it.

Elena lifted her hand, and traced her nail down Asher’s clean-shaven cheek.

“I’m only asking for a turn,” she purred.

I couldn’t endure it. My heart shattered to pieces, I couldn’t breathe, and –

He gripped her forearm and ripped her touch away from his face. He moved her arm with such force, she stumbled back.

“No,” he said, and that was all he need to, the rejection plain.

She glowered at him a moment before collecting herself. In a blink, her air of confidence returned, though with fresh sharpness.

“I’ll have my chance soon enough. So will everyone else on the cheerleading squad, probably.” Laughing, she turned her dagger eyes on me. “He gets around, Cynthia. Make sure to use protection.”

Asher took one threatening step toward Elena, and her laughter abruptly stopped.

“Hey!” Coach called over. “Less talking, more training!”

Asher came around to my front, and we continued to practice. He gave me his full attention as before, but he did not touch me again.

Later in the training, Coach made a large circle on the floor. For this exercise, two pairs entered the ring and tried to force the others out of it. One foot out of the circle, meant that person was out of the game.

I tried to pay attention as the other pairs competed, but my thoughts were a hurricane.

Deep down, I knew Asher was a sexual person. I had seen evidence of it with my own eyes.

I guess I had tried not to think about it.

Yet here it was, dragged to the forefront of my heart, curtesy of Elena.

Asher was a sexual person who had sex with a lot of women. But he didn’t want me.

The reality stung like a thousand tiny needles.

If he could have anyone, why would he want me?

So far plunged into despair, I didn’t hear Coach call my name until Asher tugged me toward the ring. Even then, I couldn’t concentrate.

Joseph had been attracted to me, at least, so why wasn’t Asher? Or was it because of Joseph that he didn’t want me? What did guys grossly call that – sloppy seconds?

Suddenly, Asher pulled me hard into his arms. A cheerleader flew through the air where I had been, face planting outside the ring when there was nothing but air to tackle.

He’d saved me but I felt no gratitude. Instead, my face burned from his closeness. I shoved away from him, stumbling back.

Coach chastised the other cheerleader. We weren’t supposed to be tackling yet.

Then he looked at me and Asher. “Sorry, Cynthia. You’re out.”

I looked down at my feet. I’d stepped out of the ring.

After practice, Asher chased me the whole way to the door of the locker room, then tugged me away from it before I could go through. He led me to the back of the bleachers, not letting go no matter how much I squirmed.

When we stopped, he released my arm just as I yanked it back. I stumbled a few steps, but didn’t fall.

He watched me with a furrowed brow. “You let them get into your head, Cynthia. They were in your head, and it distracted you. And it almost cost us… you everything.”

He was right and I knew it. But I was too heartbroken to care.

“Was she telling the truth about you?” I asked, strained with desperation. I wanted it to be a lie. I didn’t know if he regularly went from talking to me to hooking up with other women.

He looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “Does it matter?”

“Yes!” I shouted, hating that the honest answer. It shouldn’t matter. Not with how things were. Asher and I were nothing to each other, not even friends.

That thought only made me feel worse.

My anger surged. My hormones flew left and right. I felt out of control, thoughts spiraling, images of Asher taking other women into his bed flickering through my mind like an old silent movie.

His eyes iced over. “Ask me what you really want to ask me,” he demanded.

So I did.

“If you sleep with every woman you meet, why haven’t you made the moves on me?”