Page 69 of A Lesson in Deceit
River pointed at me, facing his brother. “I wasn’t aware I needed to hire the fucking Secret Service to watch her like she’s a fucking child.”
Grayson cleared his throat. “Guys, this is really not the time for this.”
“Better yet, maybe you shouldn’t have parties without my say so, like you’re fucking sixteen sneaking out of the house,” Asher ordered.
River barked out a laugh. “Oh, don’t blame the party. The guy was an asshole and you saved the day, good for fucking you. I’m sure Riley is very grateful that you knocked him unconscious. Would you like a medal for doing something nice for someone?”
“You can’t have fucking parties and underage drinking going on under my roof. You can’t have me coming in and pulling your girlfriend from less than friendly idiots. I’m her teacher, River, fuck!”
“Now you consider that, huh?”
Asher narrowed his eyes and my heart stopped. “Excuse me?”
River stepped up to his brother, getting in his face. “You think I don’t listen to your thoughts sometimes. Sometimes the things you let run wild…”
“All of you just shut up!” I screamed, shoving past them and running up the stairs.
“Riley!” Grayson shouted, but I paid him no mind. I didn’t pay attention to where I was headed but I found myself in a bathroom. I pressed my back against the door, taking deep breaths in and out.
A knock sounded at the door, but I didn’t move.
“Riley, come out, please,” River pleaded, knocking again.
I sighed, but I didn’t budge. Maybe if I just stood here, making no noise, they would just go away.
“Move, fucking move.” Asher’s deep voice commanded. I heard the knob turn and then I quickly moved away from the door when he shoved it open, causing it to swing wildly. I was breathing heavily, my eyes finding all three of them standing there. I noticed behind them was a large bedroom that I’d never really seen before which told me in my lack of thinking I had run into Asher’s room—well, his master bathroom.
“Can you please just get out?” I said in a small voice.
Asher sighed, stepping into the bathroom. “No, it’s my bathroom.”
I scowled at him. “Fine, then I’ll leave.”
He stepped in front of me. “No, that’s not happening either.”
“Would you like me to say thank you for helping me out and knocking some guy out? Okay, thank you, I truly appreciate it. Now may I fucking go?”
Grayson squeezed between Asher and his best friend. “Are you okay, though?”
I rubbed the side of my head. “Yes, I’m just fine. This one moment will not haunt me for the rest of my life. This—” I motioned towards the four of us, “is actually really annoying.”
River put his hand out for me to take, “Then I’ll take you home.”
I was about to take it when I stopped, finding Asher’s green eyes hiding behind his glasses. “What was he talking about?”
Asher rubbed his hands together. “What?”
I rolled my eyes, officially done with being coy. “Downstairs, when you guys were yelling at each other. River mentioned that your thoughts ran wild. Wild how?”
Asher blew out a breath and turned to leave, gripping the bathroom door. River reached for my hand but I moved it away. “What kind of thoughts do you have, Asher? The kind that violates the code of conduct?” I said each word sharply. Asher stepped back a little, closing the door and hearing it click, trapping all of us in the bathroom together.
He turned around slowly, stalking towards me while Grayson and River stood along the wall. They were watching as if this was something they couldn’t miss. They had no idea what the outcome would be, what the stakes were. “You need to be careful about the assumptions you are trying to make…”
“Miss Monroe? Is that what you want to say?”
He got a little closer to me. It was a large bathroom, but the space felt like it was shrinking the more in my face he got. “I’m happy you are fine and I’m happy I could be there to help when I did. That’s all. My brother has no fucking idea what he’s talking about so leave it alone.”
I tilted my head to the side. “And if I don’t?”
