Chapter Twelve – Asher
I always thought I was invincible. I had the world in the palm of my hand and no one could knock me down from my pedestal.
But now I knew better.
There was fire and brimstone pulsing off of Harlan in waves. He was going to end my life. And all I could think of was that Addison needed to know how I felt about her. She was my morning sun, my blossoming wildflower, my end all. Music was my life, but it wasn’t anything without her.
She needed to know.
There was nothing more important than getting to her after everything fell apart this morning. I’d rushed off a call with Jason where he was setting up potential interviews with guitarists and made it over here as fast as I could.
I didn’t anticipate her parents being here, but I should have guessed it. Her dad had been calling me like crazy that morning asking if I could check on the cabin for him because they had a lot of security breaches in the last week.
They’d had no idea it was their own daughter.
“Harlan, please,” I pleaded with my best friend, who was looking at me like a total stranger. “I really need to speak with Addison, and then you can pound my face in.”
“No.” The man stood his ground and I got it. I really did. But that didn’t change the fact that I needed to hash things out with Addison before I left.
“Fine. Addison, I need to leave today to meet with Jason. We think it’s best to do the meeting today and then schedule interviews on Friday before the shows start.”
“You’re leaving? But, that means. . .” She looked crestfallen and I broke me in a way I’d never experienced. My chest and stomach felt empty, hollow.
“Yeah, I know.” I wanted to reach out for her hand, comfort her in a way that I only could. “And I swear I did what I did out of love for you. I wanted you to have the chance at the best job. Your work is amazing and you deserve to have it showcased. I see now that it was wrong to do it behind your back, but I didn’t betray you. I just. . .wanted to protect you.”
Surprising all of us, Addison rushed over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck, holding on for dear life. I enveloped her in my arms across her waist, enjoying the way she tucked her head as close to my chest as space would allow.
“Don’t go,” she whispered. “I love you too. Please, don’t go.” My heart burst in fucking fireworks. Explosions so loud and beautiful that you couldn’t help but smile. She loved me. She could forgive what I did and still love me despite of my mistake.
Tipping my head down, I whispered in her ear, “Come with me.”
Her arms tightened around me, and for a second, I wondered if she would agree to join me. The job wouldn’t be in the way any longer. Now the more I thought about it, the plan seemed pretty foolproof except for the snarling man standing across from me in their kitchen.
“Maybe if we ignore him, he’ll go away.” Apparently, Addison felt the sinister stare coming from her father as well.
“Doubtful,” I replied, sliding my hands around and delving them into her long wet locks. “You need to change,” I told her as her soaked clothes pressed against me.
“What the fuck. She’s perfect, Asher Blake. You have some fucking nerves to come into my house-” Harlan started, but Cassidy quickly chimed in, pressing a gentle hand to her husband’s arm. “I believe he was referring to her wet clothes, darling. Addison, why don’t we find you something dry to wear and you can tell me about the job situation.”
I felt naked as Addison slipped out of my arms and retreated toward her mother.
“Now, you boys don’t kill each other while I’m gone. Remember, Harlan, that’s one of your best friends, who is also significantly younger than you. Keep that in mind before I need to help you bury a body.”
If there was ever a doubt in my mind of who wore the pants in their marriage, Cassidy solidified that she had the belts to hold them up. That woman was a force of nature and her daughter was just like her.
Harlan and I stood in silence for a minute, him bulky and brooding in my direction, me just casually waiting for a fist to fly in my face.
“I want to hate you right now.”
“I know,” I told him.
“But she’s been in love with you since she was a teen and, as I was told to recall, you’re closer to her age than mine.”
“I also know that.”
The man looked torn as he ran his hands through his hair. I wanted to do the same, simply to knock off some of the water. But Harlan was like a feral animal. Come too close and he was going to either fight or fly.
“Fuck, just tell me you didn’t take advantage of her.”