“What about me?”
“How was life for you?” He pauses. “Forget it, you don’t remember—”
“Lonely,” I cut him off.
His green gaze slides in my direction as if he didn’t expect me to say that.
Now that I’ve started, I can’t stop the flow of words. “I might not remember everything, but I clearly remember the loneliness and the fear about the possibility of never finding my sister. Those feelings ate at me from the inside out, but I had to keep up the façade everyone expects of me.”
“Not me.” His voice is low, deep, and so raw I feel it to my soul. “I like it better when you’re natural and uncut. Those masks will suffocate you one day. They’re not you.”
I fight the pull of tears as I gawk at him. How long have I waited for someone to tell me those exact words? Hell, how long have I waited for him to say anything similar to that?
“How do you know it’s not me?” I couldn’t speak louder even if I wanted to.
“I just do, Reina. I know you.”
And I know you.
But I don’t say that out loud. If I do, I’ll turn into an emotional mess and demand he cuddles me or something. We don’t have time for that under the circumstances.
The Mustang comes to a slow stop in the driveway. I retrieve my bag and step out of the car. As soon as the outside air assaults me, I stop in my tracks.
Detective Daniels.
He stands in front of a police car talking to one of the staff, Joe, who probably wouldn’t let him in.
Asher gets out and curses under his breath. “Get back in the car.”
You know what? I’ve had enough. That detective doesn’t scare me. The thought of never finding my sister does.
“No,” I tell Asher.
Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I stride toward him, my entire body tightening as if hardening for the imminent battle.
“Miss Reina.” Joe seems taken aback at my appearance.
“Hey, Joe.” I greet him then focus on the detective. “Is there a reason for your visit?”
He narrows his eyes on me for a brief second before he masks his reaction. “Miss Ellis, I was hoping to talk to you.”
“Then talk. I’m all ears.”
“Have you recalled anything about what happened to you that night?” He retrieves the picture and the bracelet, shoving them in my face. “I’ll drag you into court with this and the DNA.”
I resist the urge to snatch the bracelet away. It’s the only memory I have from my mom and the only thing I kept as Rai. “Apparently, you couldn’t do anything with those. I’m going to have my lawyers retrieve my belongings.”
He pushes off the car and Joe stands his ground beside me. I don’t push back or cower. It was stupid to be scared of him in the beginning, or maybe it wasn’t him I was scared of; it was the unknown and the thought that I hurt someone. Now that I remember my meeting with Reina and know full well both of us were victims, Detective Daniels can’t do shit to me.
We stand toe to toe. He’s taller so I have to stare up at him, but that doesn’t reduce my defiant stare.
“You think I’ll give up, you spoiled little girl?”
“Oh, I’m sure you won’t, and I’ll enjoy watching you fail.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Now, where’s my ring?”
“Your ring?”
His brows scrunch as if he doesn’t know what I’m talking about.
I motion at the picture. “I wore my engagement ring that night—where is it?”
“We found no ring.”
My heart flutters as I whisper, “So she took it.”
Oh, God.
Reina was trying on my engagement ring and it was a bit loose on her finger, so if she really was hurt or fell unconscious, the ring would’ve slipped off.
Or that’s what I want to believe.
I need to think she kept it because it was precious enough not to throw away.
“She took it?” The detective’s eyes zero in on me like a hawk’s. “Who is she?”
Shit.
I didn’t mean to say that bit of information aloud.
A larger than life presence stops behind me. His warmth envelops me like a cocoon. I don’t even have to look back to know who it is.
“If you’re done, leave,” Asher tells the detective in a firm voice that’s too similar to Alex’s lawyer tone.
“We’re not done.” Something glints in the detective’s eyes. “Miss Ellis here was just telling me about a she.”
“That would be the housekeeper.” Asher wraps an arm around my waist, and it feels more protective than anything he’s ever done before. “Now, leave before I call the other cops on you, the ones who can suspend you.”
Detective Daniels spits on the ground before he yanks the door of his police car open and slides inside. He stares at me through the window for a second too long. “I’ll get you one day, Miss Ellis.”
And then, his car revs up and he drives away.
“Motherfucker.” Asher’s rage-induced voice prickles my skin.
“I’m sorry, sir.” Joe slightly bows his head. “The guard at the gate is new. He didn’t know we don’t allow the police in.”
“It’s okay, Joe.” I smile at him.
Besides, even my security members aren’t allowed to mingle with the police. After all, they’re a legitimate business and can be targeted by the authorities if they make enemies with them.
As soon as Joe disappears inside, Asher spins me around so his arms are surrounding my waist from the front.
His expression is tight and on the verge of hell breaking loose. “Why the fuck were you talking to him? He’s after you, and he’s not someone to be trusted.”
“You think I trust him?”
“Then don’t talk to him.”
“I won’t let him walk all over me or force me into hiding. I did nothing wrong, Ash.”
He sighs with resignation. He’s started to do that every time I call him Ash now. I’m obviously not going to change the way I address him, so he has no choice but to cope with it.
“You have to be careful, for fuck’s sake.” He runs a hand through his jet-black hair. “You keep attracting danger like a magnet. I don’t even know what the fuck to do with you anymore.”
The urge I’ve been resisting since the morning overwhelms me now. I can’t stop it, even if I want to.
My nails dig into his leather jacket and I pull him down as I rise up on my tiptoes. My lips meet his and I plant the kiss I’ve wanted to give him since this morning.
It’s a comforting one, thankful, and everything in between. The fact that he’s worried about me makes me fly out of my skin. It’s like being high on a dopamine rush with no intention of ever coming down.
Asher groans as his strong hand wraps around the small of my back and he slams me against his pelvis.
My soft, slow kiss comes to a halt, and it’s Asher’s turn to claim me, devour me, almost like he did in the middle of the night when he woke me up to have sex.
I love it when he kisses me like he’s been starving for me, like he can’t survive without kissing me.
Asher and I should have been kissing for years.