Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
I stiffened as her shaky hand moved toward my face, forcing myself to hold still. I needed her to know I wouldn’t harm her, no matter what. The electric touch of her skin against mine was a budding inferno. But it wasn’t a fire that singed in retribution and judgment. It was a heat that warmed after being caught in a blizzard you didn’t think you would survive.
Ella offered me a faint smile, one I didn’t deserve, and whispered, “I forgive you.”
Those three paltry words gifted me something I’d never had. Grace.
Ella rose from the floor and towered over me, offering me her hand. “Will you walk me to my room?”
I wrapped my fingers around her soft hand, and we silently walked down the corridor until we reached her door.
Ella turned to me and offered me another smile. This one was more vibrant, perhaps more earnest in its goal. “I won’t pester you to tell me what that was about. Not because I don’t want to know but because it’s not something you’re ready to share. But I want you to know I’m here for you, Asher. I won’t judge you.” She got on her tiptoes and kissed me on the chin, the only place her lips could reach.
At that moment, I knew that no matter what happened or what heinous acts I’d yet to commit to finally get my revenge, protecting Ella would take priority over everything.
Chapter Five
Ella
Asher coming to my rescue makes sense in a twisted and complicated way. On the outside, he appears aloof, dismissive, and so contained that you’d think he was an android. But Asher has a depth that most don’t recognize and usually dismiss.
Asher has the softest soul of my three stepbrothers. He’s the gentle one who takes all the pain and holds it in to protect those he cares about. His selflessness and lost spirit allow him to rip his heart out with no thought of the consequences to himself.
Alaric burdens himself with the duty of caretaker. I’m unsure if that derives from being the eldest or because he’s Celeste’s only biological child and feels responsible for his two younger brothers. Whatever the reason, it fuels him to ensure everyone is safe and accounted for. He’s the planner, commander, and executioner. Nothing is done without his knowledge or approval.
River could be labeled unhinged. He’s saddled with a mind on the verge of insanity. Possibly overtaken by psychosis. I don’t think River has a conscience or a tangible grasp of right or wrong. The only thing he understands is immediate gratification, and he has no limits to the depravity he’d partake in to get his way.
Asher’s words lay siege to my body and echo in the fabric of my mind, forcing their way past my erratic emotions.
“Stand up. Yell at him.”
The same nervous energy is present whenever I’m around them, a continuous buzz heightened by apprehension, intrigue, lust, and curiosity. The same emotions I’d experienced when they first showed up at the house and climbed out of the limo, larger than life and looming over everything I’d previously known. It’s a complicated concoction that leaves my head spinning with something foreign and unknown. I figured the buzz would dissipate once I’d been around the three of them long enough. But it hasn’t wavered. If anything, it’s more present than the first time I saw them.
I would’ve never been able to look, let alone yell at them. But times have changed, and my connections with all three men assure me they would never hurt me, even during the most vicious fights and dangerous arguments. Even with how Alaric treated me, I know I’m still safe with him. And even if he decimates me, leaving me a husk of a human being, I’ll know I stood up for myself—something my father instilled in me.
I observe Asher. His position hasn’t shifted on the bed.
His lips turn up. “I only respect fighters, Ella. That’s why I like you.”
Jumping off the bed, I wipe away the remnants of my tears and head for the door. With my hand on the brass knob and my back turned to the man I care for so deeply, I pause, unsure of what to say. I have so many words I want to utter, but I know there’s no obligation to muddle things with words when it comes to Asher. We’ve always been able to say so much with our silence.
I don’t look at him, but I know his eyes are on me—a burning recognition of something familiar, warm, and protective.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“For what?”
“For always being there.”
I don’t wait for him to answer. I fling the door open, rush to the closed one next to mine, and slam my fists against the dark wood.
My balance betrays me as the door opens, and I fall to the floor. Holding my arms out, I brace the impact with my hands.