AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He shoves Asher against the shut door of his room. “You’re less than nothing. No man with balls would be here. You got nerve being ashamed of me.”
Asher’s voice is calm as he stares at the floor.Never make eye contact. It will only make it worse. “I’m not ashamed. Not to be here or of you.”
The man points his gnarled finger in Asher’s face. “Don’t lie. Don’t you fucking lie.”
The shouting dies off as the man hauls Asher by his arm toward the stairs. Asher lets the man tug him away. He never lifts a hand to defend himself. And once they’re gone, the floor remains silent, and then a low chatter, punctuated with a few giggles, starts. Something bangs in the distance, and I open my door a little more. Asher is looking straight at me from down the hall. I jump, shutting my door, and then I leap back when he knocks. I stall, my hand glued to the doorknob, and my fingers rest on the lock.
He taps again. “Open up, Charlotte…Please.”
I ease the door open, and Asher is leaning against the doorframe. I swallow hard as I let him in. He walks over to the desk and swings the chair around before he slumps down in it.
“I told him I didn’t have my key,” he explains. “He didn’t believe me.” There’s an angry red mark in the shape of a hand across his cheek.
“I’m sorry,” I stammer and reach for him slowly. “Does it hurt?”
Asher glares at me as if I cursed him out. He raises his hand to knock mine away. “Don’t…”
“I’m just asking if you’re hurt.”
His intense gaze makes me take a step back. “It should make you happy to see my ass whipped.”
“It doesn’t,” I reply. “Not anymore. I don’t take pleasure in seeing other people get hurt. Besides, I’m only asking.” I walk toward the door. “I can get some ice.”
“Stop.” He catches my wrist before I can open the door. Asher holds on tight until I wince with a jab of pain. “I’m used to seeing people hurt. It’s a part of living. You don’t get hurt, then you’re doing something wrong.”
I pull free of him and hold my wrist. It didn’t hurt, but I forgot quickly how he could be. “Who was that man?”
He avoids my eyes. “You don’t need to ask.”
“You don’t want to talk about it? You obviously have a lot to talk about.”
“I don’t want you feeling sorry for me. I don’t want you looking at me like that. You’re the last person I want pity from.”
I tilt my chin and steady my gaze. “Then why did you knock on my door?”
He rises up without warning, towering over me, and I move back. My hands rest against the wall. Foolishly, I allow him to pin me in this tiny room.
“You want to help me, $ugar Doll?” He motions to his groin.
I push him away and put as much space as I can between us. “Fuck you.”
“That’s what I want.” His eyes shine with resentment. “I want you to be angry. I want your hate. I don’t need you to be nice. Fight back, girl.”
I take a solid step into his space. “Seriously, you were there at that school and watched me being beaten down every day. Mentally and physically. I wasn’t always terrified of my own shadow. Do you think I had an easy life? That was the lowest point for me. How else would I have ended up in that shit school? You’re not fucking my mind up this time. I will get back what I lost.”
He lifts a brow. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
I raise my hands to halt his bullshit. “Speaking from experience, that is total bullshit. You know better than that. If you don’t want to talk to me and be a human, then go fuck up alone.”
We don’t speak and stare solidly at each other. Asher knows what I mean. Here at Ivymore, we need one another, like it or not. He needs me to guide him through a world he has no clue how to function in. And I need him to not gloat about my fall. Rags to riches is a fallacy. And riches to rags makes you an outcast. Neither one of us wants that.
“Come on,” he finally says, “I have to go find the happy guy and get my keys.”
“Jake’s at his frat. Did you really lose your keys?”
He shakes his head. “No, I locked them inside my room. Fuck. I’ll go to the library and study for prelims.” He looks at me. “Are you coming?”
I shrug. “Sure, I need a book.”
