Chapter 87

ASHER

I don’t make a beeline for home or my parents’ place. Instead, I steer my car toward the bustling restaurant district in town, hoping to grab some grub for the three of us and escape the suffocating atmosphere of my parents’ fortress-like home.

I never realized how much the towering fences and the lack of a view beyond their property unsettled me. Now, it’s clear why I’ve always preferred the openness of my apartment and the hotel.

As I pull into the restaurant strip, I notice my dad’s security team tailing me. Even when I park outside a quaint Thai joint, they hang back, parking a good four rows behind me.

They’re trying to blend in, to stay out of sight, but I’m too alert not to notice them. The number of guards shadowing me has increased. I count more than six now.

I’m certain there’s another car somewhere, watching from a different angle. Normally, this would irk me, but right now, I understand my father’s need to ensure my safety.

It’s odd. I never thought I’d appreciate Callum’s overprotective tendencies.

“Let’s grab lunch,” I suggest to Ebony and Addison, both of whom are unusually quiet.

“Okay,” Addison responds, sliding out of the car from my side.

Ebony, however, remains silent, following Addison and me out of the car. Once again, she reaches for my hand, holding onto it as if it’s her lifeline, and stays close to me as we walk.

To passersby, we might look like a couple. But that’s far from the truth.

I watch our feet moving in sync, finding it strange to have her so close outside the bedroom. Am I losing it?

I’m discovering a profound connection in something as simple as touch. I’ve never been this close to anyone, never tried to be intimate in any way other than sex.

And surprisingly, I think I like it—holding hands and talking instead of just getting physical. I recoil at the thought as I open the door to the Thai restaurant.

Then, I think of Maddison and how I’ve been sleeping with her for days, how her touch never seems to bore me. I’ve never thought of being with someone for more than a night, so why am I having these thoughts now?

I shake off these thoughts and request a table for three. When we sit, I make sure Ebony doesn’t sit next to me by pulling out two chairs on one side of the table for the girls.

Control… That’s what I need to maintain. Once these girls are gone, maybe I can go back to my blissfully lonely life with the occasional one-night stand.

Who am I kidding?

We order food right away, with Addison deciding what she and Ebony will eat, and me sticking to my usual order. As always, the food arrives promptly.

The conversation, however, doesn’t flow, and the three of us eat in tense silence. I wonder what we look like to others.

Is it strange for young people like us to sit in silence while eating? Why do I even care?

I usually wouldn’t. These girls are changing me, revealing a side of me I didn’t know existed—a side that cares about others besides myself.

My thoughts drift to my parents, their recent ultimatum about work, and then to Daniel. I think about the job I’ve been neglecting, the mounting bills that are eating into my savings, and my sisters who seem to have their lives together.

And then there’s Atty, who’s everything our parents want. I don’t think I care anymore.

I try to push these thoughts away as I drive us back to my parents’ house. I long for the quiet in my mind, for the calm and suppression I used to have.

I miss the drugs; they kept my mind from wandering like this.

“How long has it been now? A few weeks? More?”

I thought quitting would be harder, but it’s been easier than I expected. Cannabis is much easier to quit than the hard stuff.

But then again, Ebony seems to be doing better too. She hasn’t asked me for drugs or tried to find any, as far as I know. Zach always keeps a little stash tucked away, and I’m pretty sure he’d share if she just asked.

He’s never been one to judge about drug use, never made me feel as bad as the others. I suppose that’s one thing I can give him credit for.

By the time we make it home, it’s late, past eight in the evening. I think I intentionally stayed out longer to avoid being here.

We took the scenic route back home; I drove aimlessly for a bit, watching the sun’s journey across the sky. I’m sure my dad thinks I’m up to something.

I half expect a welcoming committee when we pull up, but surprisingly, the house is quiet. I leave the girls and head to my room, craving a few moments of solitude, only to find Maddison has claimed my space.

She’s curled up under the duvet, fast asleep. For a moment, I consider telling her to leave—to reclaim my room, my sanctuary.

But something holds me back, something deep within me as I watch her sleep. I find myself appreciating things I shouldn’t.

The curve of her breasts in the tank top she’s wearing, the way they press together as she lies on her side. Her lips are slightly parted, revealing her teeth.

Her hair is a tangled mess sprawled across my pillow. I walk over and stand at the foot of my bed.

My bed—where she’s peacefully sleeping.

She shouldn’t be here, but for some inexplicable reason, I can’t bring myself to kick her out. I’m confused; my mind is playing games with me.

My feelings for her and Ebony are a jumbled mess, and I wish I had someone to talk to about these changes within me. But my mom would just jump to conclusions and assume I’m falling in love, and my dads… Well, I already know what they think about the girls.

And my brother? What would he think?

I honestly don’t know, but I’m pretty sure he’d be surprised and probably a bit quiet about the whole idea of me actually liking these girls that I’ve sort of rescued.