Chapter 54

Celine had long come to terms with the fact that the trip to and from Moonstone would always be a bad one for her but it had never had her this emotionally distraught. She knew that Asher sending her off meant that someone was definitely getting shot, and that thought made her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles for the entire length of the journey.

Not because she cared for the well-being of Noah but because she could never get rid of the image of Asher nearly getting shot down from her head. Again, she couldn’t help but beat herself up for not being upfront and honest about everything. This could have all been avoided if she had done that.

She couldn’t decide if the fact that the journey back was moving swiftly was a good or bad thing because as much as she wanted to get back, it also put more and more distance between her and Asher. She hadn’t even been able to take her cell phone because her purse had been lost sometime during the scuffle with Noah and the security men. She contemplated asking the men in the car with her several times if she could call Asher but she thought better of it, she would go right to Jael the moment she got back to the mansion.

Celine spent the ride in her thoughts, turning down the men’s offer to take road breaks because she wanted to be back as soon as possible. They got to the mansion in the early hours of the morning, she had fallen asleep then, only rousing when the car slowed. The sun was rising as she got down, feet bare, still dressed in her dinner gown from the night before.

She stepped out of the car when the door was hastily opened for her to find Jael right outside, the very person she was looking for. She marched right for him, ignoring the panicked men who were trying to get her to put on shoes.

“I want to talk to Asher,” She demanded with the courage of several hours of worry.

Jael’s straight lips lifted slightly, impressed. He signaled a maid to get her some shoes before replying, “You’ll be able to talk to him in person soon.”

Celine’s eyes went wide, she had thought she wouldn’t be seeing Asher until later that day. “What?”

“He was right behind you, and he should be here any moment now.”

Celine scowled when he personally offered her comfortable shoes, wishing she had taken the risk to try calling Asher or even Jael, she could have delayed her trip long enough for Asher to catch up with them. “Thanks,” She grumbled, taking the offer shoes. She tried to be upset but she was just relieved that he was fine.

Jael watched Celine hastily put on her shoes like she expected Asher to show up that very moment. He knew the moment his boss had told him that he hadn’t gone with violence that she was the reason why, and it was rather refreshing to see someone so delicate worry about someone like Asher who actively went looking for trouble.

He considered going inside but he didn’t want to leave her pacing in front of the mansion all alone. Now that he knew just how much influence she held over his boss, he planned to get her personal line, not just because she needed to know more about the business but because it’ll be easier to keep his Alpha in line with her help.

It shouldn’t really have come as a surprise though, Asher had marked her, and all the men already treated her like their Mafia Queen. She had already earned his respect, even though she hadn’t been around for long so he was very welcoming to the idea. Besides, she could be intimidating when she needed to be, like right now as she paced with a dark scowl on her face, the men looking at her nervously.

The moment the gates opened, she perked up, the dark shadow on her face immediately falling away. She stood patiently until Asher got out of the car and then she was dashing across the distance, dark red dress and white blonde hair swaying in the morning breeze. Asher caught her with ease like they had done this a hundred times and that was Jael’s cue to leave.

He had spent the entire night tackling the emails regarding their contract with Moonstone and he would take tens of emails about petitions to rethink their decision on withdrawing funds over dealing with the mess that would follow if his Alpha had gotten trigger-happy in the small town.

The exhaustion of the past two days hit Celine the moment Asher picked her up, her head resting heavily on his shoulder.

“Why did you wait outside for me?” Asher half-scolded as he started for the mansion.

Celine was unbothered, she was just happy to see him unharmed, “I also just got back.”She had a lot to say to him but she was just content to quietly rest in his hold while he carried her, it made her remember the first time they met and how she had tried to run away only to get caught by him.

She didn’t stay silent for long, “Want to take a shower together?” She asked when they got back to the bedroom.

Asher’s response was a steamy kiss and her clothes swiftly dropping off her body.

“Do you have to go to work today?” She asked, stepping out of her dress.

Asher’s hazel eyes were dark as he took her in, “Do you want me to?”

Usually, whenever Asher asked her something like this, she was always quick to back away, uncomfortable with making him miss important things for her sake but right now she wanted to be selfish. She would be selfish.

“No. Stay,” She said softly, pressing up against him.

She had lived all her life with people who made sure that she was always miserable and there was no one to listen to her but Asher always paid attention to her even when she didn’t ask for it. She had no idea why she thought talking to him was hard, he always listened, even when she was just property he bought off an auction.

Telling him everything would be so easy, he would always listen.