Chapter 6

ASHER

“Asher… Asher?” The familiar voice of my mother gently pulls me from my sleep, her warm hand on my cheek serving as a lifeline from the depths of my slumber. My head has slipped off the edge of the mattress, leaving a kink in my neck as I emerge from my dream-filled state.

My mom’s face is upside down as she gazes at me, her hair forming a fuzzy, blurred halo of red. “Mama,” I manage to croak out in my morning voice.

“Time to get up, baby boy. We have some things to talk about,” she says, leaving me to sit up slowly, feeling the ache in my neck and shoulders as gravity pulls them in the wrong direction.

I wipe the drool from the corner of my mouth and yawn. It’s already ten in the morning. Damn, what a lousy sleep-in.

I shake off my grogginess and follow her into the open-concept area that serves as my living room. She’s perched on the couch with a Starbucks cup in hand, sipping her coffee.

“Morning, Mama. What brings you here?” I ask, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

“I heard about what your fathers did. I needed to see for myself that you were okay,” she replies, patting the cushion next to her in invitation.

Oh, Mama, always my knight in shining armor. I don’t know why my fathers even bother to challenge her. They never win.

“Where are the twins?” I ask, taking the seat she offered, noticing the unusual quietness of my apartment without them.

“Tilly has them today. They’re off to the zoo,” she informs me.

She hands me a cup of coffee and a paper bag with a sandwich inside, biting into her own as we eat in silence. My abrupt wake-up call has left me speechless.

I suppose a late night of smoking weed and downing half a bottle of whiskey will do that to you.

I started the week with good intentions. I was going to find a job and prove to Tyler that I could do what he asked. Be a man…

But not a single place has called me back.

It seems having a pretty face and my last name doesn’t mean a thing. I’m starting to think Ella might be my only option, so I give up and spend the weekend on a bender, spending recklessly when Tyler told me to do the exact opposite.

Was it an act of rebellion? Is that why I’ve been on a bender these past few days?

“You look like hell. How high are you right now?” Mama asks, holding my face so I have no choice but to look at her.

Our eyes meet, and I have to look away. I can’t lie to her even if I want to. We’ve always had a pact. No lies, no deceit. That’s all she’s ever asked of me, and I’ll be damned if I break that promise now after keeping it my whole life.

“I’m pretty stoned, Mama,” I admit.

“You need to quit the drugs, Asher. I live in fear of getting a call one day from a cop telling me you’re dead… Now let’s talk about everything that’s happened,” she says.

I groan, hating the idea of having to explain myself or the situation I’ve found myself in, but it’s necessary.

“My dads are just being my dads, Mama. You know how they are,” I say, hoping that will be enough.

But she doesn’t buy it. “And what did you do to provoke this reaction, Asher?” she asks.

“Mama…”

“Don’t ‘Mama’ me. I’m not an idiot. There’s more to this than just their reactions,” she says, raising an eyebrow and placing a hand on my trembling knee.

“Fine!” I throw up my hands dramatically, spilling some coffee on my bare chest. I quickly wipe it off as I start to explain.

“Zach wants me to start shadowing him, to take on the world while I’m still supposed to be having fun. But I’m not ready, Mama. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready to take over the club,” I mutter the last part, knowing I need to say it but dreading the explanation she’ll undoubtedly want.

Well, I guess I’ve broken our no-lying pact after all.

“Then tell your father that. It’s not for everyone. Maybe being honest with him will get your point across. And please, stop calling him by his name and not ‘Dad.’ You know how much I hate it when you refer to any of them by their name,” she advises.

“Sure, Mom. But it’s not as easy as you think. He’s aware of my aversion to the club, yet he still wants me to join the others in running it.”

“But Asher, have you told him why you feel this way?”

“Well, no. But shouldn’t my aversion be enough?”

She shakes her head, sighing deeply as if seeking divine intervention. “Your father is a straightforward man. He appreciates a detailed explanation. Talk to him. Discuss your issues and find a way to deal with the rest.”

“I’m not ready, Mom. Maybe I never will be. Plus, I’m more than a little angry at them, so I’ve decided not to talk to them.”

“Ah, just like your stubborn father. Well, I have another option for you. A job that should cover some of your expenses. And I have a proposal of my own,” she says, smiling. Clearly, she had a chat with Tyler before coming here.

“Really? Where’s this job, and what’s your proposal?” I ask.

“Daniel—”

“No, absolutely not. I refuse to work with him,” I say, standing up and walking away, my anger reaching a boiling point. There’s no way in hell I’m doing that. No way!

“Asher, listen to me.”

“I’m still angry that he’s with Ella, that he chose her when he could have had anyone else in this entire state, Mom.”

“Get over it. They are ~in love~. There’s nothing wrong with their relationship. They’re not blood relatives, and frankly, I’m tired of defending their choices. It’s done; now let’s discuss the job he’s offering you.”

I roll my eyes, looking at my mother with disbelief. Is she serious?

“Two days a week, afternoon shifts,” she begins. “Any two days you choose.”

I try to object, to reject his offer, but she raises a finger to silence me, and it works. So she continues.

“You’ll organize his files, accompany him to court—essentially, be his right-hand man. And if you behave and do the work, I’ll match his salary. Double it.”

The smirk on her face tells me she knows it’s an offer I can’t refuse. Damn, I’ve rejected the devil only to work for the devil’s brother… Isn’t that just my luck?

“Fine.” I grumble, less reluctantly than I’d like. “But if he so much as mentions Ella or touches her in my presence, he won’t have a pretty face anymore.”

“Good. See, you can be mature. Be nice, Asher. Daniel isn’t the monster you make him out to be.”

“So you say…”

She claps her hands together, ignoring my resentment. “Let’s go. We need to get you a black suit, a white shirt, and some decent shoes for your new job.”

Great, the dreaded task of shopping, and with my mother no less. I’m going to need a bottle of whiskey tonight.

“When does this job start?” I ask.

“He expects you at seven sharp tomorrow morning. And don’t even think about being late. He has court at eight.”

I raise my eyebrows, considering the possibility of not showing up and how that would affect him, but Mom quickly squashes that idea.

“Don’t even consider it. He’s doing you a favor as much as I am, and he won’t hesitate to withdraw the favor I’ve asked of him.”

Of course, he wouldn’t. Our relationship took a nosedive the day I discovered he was seeing my sister. You could say we despise each other, but that doesn’t quite capture the depth of my feelings.