Page 90 of From Asher, With Love

She nods and lifts her wrist to her mouth, placing the white ends of my sleeves to cover her nose and in amakeshift mask.

“What do you want from me?” I ask Cyrus, shooting him a glare and pinning him with daggers.

“I want your fucking attention,” he barks.

“Is that why you broke into my apartment?” I ask, coughing and stepping farther into the living room. “To get my attention?”

I stick close to the kitchen island, keeping one eye on Cyrus and the other on the fire raging on the other side of the living room. It’s getting dangerously close to where we are. Charleigh’s hand slips from mine, but she remains close, stepping into the kitchen.

“That means you got my little note, then, didn’t you?” Cyrus curls his lip.

“What did you mean?” I ask, lifting my chin. “Like father, like son?”

“Your father fucked his clients.” He quirks a brow, scoffing. “The women, at least. I was skeptical of some of his male clients, but who honestly knows what lengths your father was willing to go for money and power?”

I swallow, wondering why my father never mentioned his past with Cyrus, knowing I was coming here for work. Perhaps he thought Cyrus wasn’t a legitimate business threat any longer since it’s been over twenty years since they worked in the same city. Perhaps he didn’t even know about this feud. Although I haven’t known my father my whole life, I don’t believe Cyrus. My father isn’t the kind of man to fuck everyone over. His years of sending money, despite my mother’s mismanagement of it, is proof he has integrity.

“You’re a liar,” I boldly tell him, steeling my chest. “And I don’t fuck my clients.” I shouldn’t press him when he has the power, but I can’t help it. His lies about my father, and me, are getting under my skin.

Cyrus laughs manically; his attention now focused on Charleigh. “What about this little slut, then, huh? Explain her.”

Charleigh freezes, and her eyes widen, her eyebrows pulling together. She’s terrified, and every instinct in my body is yelling at me to save her, to protect her. I don’t want her to end up with the same fate as my mother, trapped inside with no way out. Me being at fault.

Watching her now, I know I wouldn’t survive without her. A life without Charleigh isn’t a life at all. I’ve done it once before, and I was nothing but a hollow human being. I’d die right along with her.

Charleigh slinks closer to the end of the island, to the side Cyrus can see, her eyes constantly bouncing between us and the counter. I follow her attention, catching sight of my letter on the countertop where we left it earlier. She glances at Cyrus quickly before swiping it up in her free hand.

“Explain, motherfucker!” Cyrus bellows.

Charleigh shudders, jumping and lowering her hand holding my letter to her side.

The fire has spread, growing dangerously close. Heat pricks my skin, and I step closer to the kitchen. I grind my jaw, my impatience growing thin. We don’t have time for this.

“I don’t have to explain shit to you,” I bark back. “Move out of the way, and we won’t turn you in.”

Cyrus laughs, rolling his head back, then wiping his chin with his round fingers. “You think I don’t already know the police are on their way? They tracked you the minute you didn’t respond to that call.” His eyes darken. “We aren’t going anywhere.”

My stomach sinks, and I’m sick.

“What do you want from me, then?” I ask, giving in, playing along.

“I want you to admit the truth.” He growls. “I want you to have a backbone where your father didn’t.”

I swallow, my breaths shallow, nervous with what Cyrus wants me to say.

A spine-tingling chill slinks down my back.

“I caught your father fucking one of his clients when I followed him one day. It’s how I knew he would cheat to win and how I knew you would, too. I’ve lost out on millions of dollars because of you Egans.” Cyrus spits. “Then when this whore stopped returning my calls, I remembered her mentioning you before, and I knew. I overheard her friend mention you on the phone, then I followed you to her shop and caught you fucking her in the back room.” His gaze darts to Charleigh before he turns his daggered eyes on me. “But that wasn’t the first time, was it? You already knew what her dirty little cunt tasted like.”

I grind my jaw, certain I’ve cracked a few teeth. Fucking, creeper.

“Fuck you, Cyrus.” My vision turns red, and I lunge forward, tackling him.

Charleigh’s screams filter over the sound of crackling flames. The smoke swells, and I’m weakened by it. The second I land on top of Cyrus it takes a moment for me to catch my breath. I cough, wanting to inhale a clean air, but I can’t. My throat tightens and my lungs burn.

Keeping Cyrus pinned to the floor, I glance over my shoulder long enough to shout to Charleigh. “Get out of here, Charleigh! Now!”

I’m unsure whether she’s heard me between Cyrus’s grunting and my tight throat.

---