I squealed as his hands grasped my waist, and he picked me up. I tried to tell him to let me down, but I couldn’t stop laughing. We were carefree. Not a single worry weighing down on our shoulders.
“You’re a little cheater!”
“Am not!”
“Are too.” He lifted me higher and placed me over his shoulder, causing my head to hang upside down.
“Now who’s cheating?”
“Not me.” His arm locked around my thighs as he continued running, but the house wasn’t getting closer. Instead, it was getting farther away.
“Asher…what are you doing?” My eyes widened, and I tried to turn my body, but I already knew where he was heading. “Asher! Don’t—”
“Don’t what?” he asked, and I heard the splashing of water. I saw it lapping against his ankles, but he didn’t slow down, not until he was nearly waist deep, and my head was only centimeters from the surface.
“Asher.” I tried to sound stern, I really did, but the happiness in my voice couldn’t be mistaken. When it was just him and me, we didn’t have to think about anything else. We could just be Asher and Elodie. And it was my favorite part of the day.
“What?” he asked innocently, then a second later, I was flying through the air.
Cold water met my back, soaking through the T-shirt and leggings I was wearing. I flapped my arms as I went completely under, but not a second later, Asher was diving down with me, wrapping his arms around my waist, and breaking us through the surface.
The grin on his face was so wide his eyes crinkled at the corners. I was mesmerized by the way he stared at me—like I was the most beautiful thing in the world. And for the first time ever, I truly felt it. I was standing in the lake, my body drenched with water, my hair a wet, matted mess stuck to half of my face, but he made me feel like I’d just stepped off a runway. Like all eyes should have been on me.
His chest pressed against mine, his one hand burning at my hip and the other on the side of my neck, tilting my head up to face him. “Stay with me.” I frowned, not understanding what he was saying. “Stay with me when we leave here.”
“What?” I swallowed, feeling like the moment we were having was evaporating, but all he did was hold me closer—tighter.
“When we leave the lake house and go home, I want you to move in with me.” I opened my mouth, but he slid his thumb over my lips to stop me from talking. “Don’t say no. Don’t say yes. Just think about it.” He paused, his gaze not moving off mine for even a split second. “Okay?”
I nodded. “Okay. I’ll think about it.” I needed to process what he was saying. Understand what he was suggesting. But I already knew the answer to it. I couldn’t go back to the apartment, not yet anyway. And my only other option was my car.
I wouldn’t do that, though. I’d spent so many years fighting for myself. Trying to yank myself out of the position I’d been born into. But I’d refused Asher’s help before. I’d also taken it. And I knew life was so much better when I let him help me. I wanted to tell him yes now. I wanted to tell him I couldn’t imagine sleeping somewhere he wasn’t, but instead, I pushed higher so I could be closer to his face.
“Asher?”
His breath fanned over my face, his lips so close all it would take was a slight sway, and we’d be touching there too. “Yeah?”
“Are you gonna kiss me anytime soon?”
“I was debating…” He licked his bottom lip. “I think we have an audience, though.”
I glanced over his shoulder, spotting several of his family on the deck. “We do.” His hand squeezed harder on my hip, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. “But I don’t care.”
“You sure?” he asked, and I fell even harder for him.
“When I’m with you? Always.”
He pressed his lips against mine, soft and gentle to begin with, but as I pressed closer to him, he swiped his tongue along the seam, asking me to open up. And in that moment, I forgot about the people watching us, forgot all about the lake water we were still standing in because Asher consumed every single inch of me.
A kiss was never just a kiss with Asher. It was a promise. A promise of a better life. A promise that the pain I was going through would soon be over. A promise that he’d be by my side every step of the way.
ASHER
“Can you pass the real potatoes?” I asked Elodie, smirking over at her. Belle had set the table and decided where everyone would sit, and apparently, that meant each couple opposite each other with Leo next to Elodie. Even as kids, Belle had to control the seating arrangements. I’d never been bothered about it before, not until Elodie couldn’t sit next to me. It was irrational, and I knew I couldn’t keep her all to myself, but since they’d gotten here, I felt like I’d barely seen her.
“Real potatoes?” Mom asked as Elodie passed them over to me.
“Just something from when I was a kid,” Elodie answered, but her grin and the twinkle in her eyes told me she found it funny—at least I hoped she did. Each day we both learned more about each other, and today, not only did I find out about “fake potatoes” but also that I could touch her hip and the side of her neck without her flinching.
I hadn’t touched her much since we’d been here, but slowly, each day, she was getting used to it again. The bruises on her face were completely faded, but I knew the pain she felt inside her heart wouldn’t heal as quickly.
“Thanks.” I trailed my finger over hers as I took the dish and scooped a big pile on my plate. There was nothing like my mom and dad’s Thanksgiving dinners. It was the one thing I missed most when I’d been on tour and out of the country. I’d forgotten all about it this year until a couple of days ago, but what I’d planned to cook wouldn’t have come anywhere close to this. The table was full of dishes with a perfectly roasted turkey in the middle and Ford’s famous pumpkin pie. Dessert was always my favorite part.
“We drove past East Ink on the way up here,” Cade said out of the blue, and all smiles and conversations halted. “Did you know it was closed?” The silence echoed in the house louder than when Belle was shouting at the top of her lungs.
“Cade,” Aria gritted out, and the table wobbled, so I could only imagine she’d kicked him. “Shut up.”
Cade’s gaze snapped to Elodie, then me. “Shit. Sorry. I wasn’t—”
“Thinking?” I answered for him. My nostrils flared. What had been a good day so far was taking a turn for the worst, and all it had taken was a handful of words. I didn’t want Elodie to know the shop was closed. She didn’t need to worry about what was happening back home. All she had to think about was getting better and feeling safer.
Elodie’s face paled as she pushed the food around on her plate. I wanted nothing more than to push my chair back and hold her. Her eyes glazed over, her attention now not in the room with all of us, but instead somewhere else entirely.
“Elodie?” She didn’t answer me, her body freezing at the sound of my voice. “Sweetheart?” Her gaze slowly moved to me, the pain shadowed in her eyes on full display. Fuck. “It’s okay.” I leaned forward, hating the table that separated us. “You’re okay.”
“Why—” She cleared her throat and shook her head, pushing everything away to a place no one could see it. She was a pro at pulling the mask on her face, but I was starting to learn where the cracks appeared. “Why is the shop closed?”
“I…” I swallowed. I hadn’t spoken to her about what was happening back home because I didn’t want to burden her. “I closed it for a while.”
Elodie frowned, her stare not moving an inch off of me. “Why?”
“Because…” I left the single word hanging in the air.
Her brows rose. “What about Lara and Jez?”
“They’re guesting in a few other shops until I figure out what I’m gonna do.”
She tilted her head to the side, and I shuffled in my seat. “What are you not telling me, Asher?” I didn’t answer her. I couldn’t. I’d already made the decision in my
mind that I was closing up shop there. She didn’t need to be constantly reminded about what happened in that place. “Are you doing this because of me?”
I glanced over at Mom and Dad, silently asking them for their help, but they were focused on Elodie, as were the rest of the table. “I—”
“Are you serious, Asher?” She stood, the legs on her chair scraping against the floor. “You can’t close the shop because of me.” She looked panicked, her shaking hands gripping on to the base of her neck. “You need to go back and open it. You’re going to lose clients and—”
“Nope.” I placed my fork on the edge of my plate. “I’m not going back until you’re ready to. Even if it takes a year.” I shrugged, trying to act indifferent, but from the way her face was turning red, it wasn’t working. “I might even move the shop.”
“Don’t be stupid.” She chortled, the sound so weird coming from her lips. “You can’t do that.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “We’re going home after this holiday, and you’re gonna open back up.” My lips quirked at the corner, and I leaned back in my chair. I liked bossy Elodie. “It doesn’t matter whether you work from there or anywhere else, the memories will always be in here.” She tapped the side of her head. “I refuse to let you uproot what you’ve spent so much time building.”
“It doesn’t bother me—”
“It bothers me.” Her chest moved rapidly. “He’s not going to win. I refuse to let him win.” She stared me down, not giving even an inch of leeway. “I’m done with him winning.”
“Yeah, girl!” Belle shouted, throwing her hand up in the air. “You tell him.”
“Belle,” Mom ground out.
“What?” Belle shrugged. “She’s right. She can’t keep letting him win. I spent years afraid of everything after this.” She pointed at the scar on her neck, and Elodie turned to face her. “Every time I went out of the house, I wondered if something would happen. I’d constantly be looking over my shoulder.” She let out a breath, and I hated seeing the pain on my sister’s face. “I wouldn’t go out. I stayed inside all day, hiding away from the world. But it didn’t do me any good.” She smiled at Elodie, the kind of smile that told her she understood how she was feeling. “The moment you tell him he’s not going to win is when you get your control back.”
“I want that,” Elodie whispered, and it was as if no one else was in the room. “I don’t want to feel…” She pulled in a breath and held it for several seconds, but it did nothing to keep the tear rolling down her cheek at bay. “Trapped. I want to be free. Free from my past.”
“You can do it,” Dad said, his voice soft. “This family has been through so much sadness and look at all of us.” He stood and moved toward her. “And you’re part of this family now, Elodie.” He smiled down at her, the same smile he used on Belle and Aria. “We’ve got your back. Always.”
Elodie hiccupped a sob, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t sit here and watch her fall apart. She needed more time to heal. I pushed my chair back and stood, prepared to catch her when she fell.
“You do?”
“We do,” Dad answered her, and without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her to his chest. “You’re never alone. Not now. Not with us.”
Elodie grabbed on to the front of his T-shirt as Mom stood, and it was only seconds until she was joining in on the hug as well, whispering something in her ear.
“Well, shit.” Ford leaned back in his seat. “I feel like crying now too.”
Belle snorted, but as I turned to face her, tears streamed down her cheeks. “This is so sad and happy all at the same time.” She pushed her chair back and ran over to them. “I want in on this hug too.” She wrapped her arms around Mom and Elodie, and they parted a little to let her in.
“Me too!” Leo shouted and scampered out of his seat.
Slowly, everyone moved from their seats and joined them. But I stayed standing there, wondering how I’d managed to be born into a family like this one. They loved hard, supported the people who they cared about, and fought for what was right.
I took a step toward them as they started to part, and by the time I made it to them, Elodie was standing in the middle, wiping the tears from her face. “Elodie,” I whispered, and it was all she needed to dart toward me and wrap her arms around my waist. I held her tight, not willing to let go.
“I think we should go home,” she murmured into my chest.
I blew out a breath, knowing deep down it was the best thing for her now. She’d had time away, she’d started to heal, but what she needed were people around her who would have her back. She needed the support of a family—our family. “I think we should too.” I pulled back a little and placed my hands on the sides of her face. “When you say home, what do you—”
“Your home.” Her lips pulled up on one side in a small smile. “Our home.”
“So, you’ll move in?” I asked, my eyes wide. I was sure she was going to say no. She was fiercely independent, and that was just one of the reasons I loved her so much.
“I will.” She lifted up onto her tiptoes, then placed a kiss on my cheek.
“I’m so proud of you.” My forehead pressed against hers. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she choked out. “So much.”
I’d never get tired of hearing those words from her.
Chapter Ten
ELODIE
“You sure about this?” Asher asked, standing at the trunk of his car. His hands were pushed into the front pockets of his jeans, his gaze firmly focused on me. “We can stay longer if you need to.”
“I’m sure,” I told him, my voice firmer than it had been for the last few weeks. We’d been at the lake house for nearly a month, and it was time we went home. Time we got back to normal—our new normal anyway. I couldn’t deny I was nervous to leave the safety this place held, but I also couldn’t keep hiding. Glancing around, I took one final look at the front of the lake house, knowing we’d come back. It held a special place in my heart, just like it did for everyone else in the family.
The gravel in the driveway crunched under Asher’s boots as he stepped toward me, and I tilted my head back to stare at his face. He’d shaved this morning, only leaving stubble behind, and although I was missing the beard he’d started to grow, I preferred him like this. “Ready, then?”
Inhaling a breath, I smiled, a real smile, not the forced ones I’d used so many times before. “I’m ready.” He placed a kiss on the top of my head, and we stood there, only the sounds of chirping birds and the wind flowing through the trees surrounding us. It was peaceful here; a heaven I hadn’t known existed. But all that would be over in the matter of hours. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell Asher I’d changed my mind, but he pulled away before I got the chance to say anything.
He opened up the passenger door for me, and within a couple of minutes, we were out on the road, heading home. Everyone else had left yesterday, but we’d decided to stay an extra night. We’d stayed out near the lake until the sun started to come up, then napped for a few hours before we packed our things, which was why the car lulled me to sleep as we drove through the tree-lined roads.
I wished I’d been awake for most of the ride home, but I knew if I had been, I would have only stressed about how close we were to all the bad memories. My nerves would have gotten the better of me, and I would have told Asher to turn back. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t stay away forever. I had to go back. I had to finish my school year out. I had to face everything—both the good and the bad.
“Elodie?” A hand grasped my shoulder softly. “Wake up. We’re here.”
I groaned as I slowly opened my eyes, seeing Asher’s house right in front of me. The last time I’d been here was after he’d found me sleeping in my car and— “Why is my car here?” I asked, confused. It had been outside the tattoo shop and…I shook my head. I couldn’t think about that place yet. I’d been brave when I’d talked about it at the lake house,
but now it was even more real. We were back in town. We were home. We were close to Knox.
“Dad brought it here for you.” Asher’s hand whispered down my arm and to my hand. “Look at me.” I couldn’t stop staring at my car. I hadn’t driven it since before that night. I hadn’t—
“Elodie.”
I whipped my head around to face Asher.
“You’re okay.” He wasn’t asking, he was telling me.
The prospect of getting out of this car petrified me. What if Knox knew I was back here? What if he was waiting to strike again? My heart pounded in my chest, and my breaths quickened. He got me last time, so would he be able to get me again? Asher’s hand squeezing mine pulled me from my thoughts, and I stared at him, watching his dark-brown eyes to keep me centered.
“I’m okay,” I repeated. If I told myself it enough, maybe it would come true. “I don’t think I can do this,” I admitted, my voice a low murmur.
“Sweetheart.” Asher’s hand moved to my face, and his thumb swiped over my cheek. “You can do this.”
I didn’t move my gaze off his, soaking in all of his strength and using it to help me keep going. I wasn’t sure what I would have done without Asher by my side. He’d been my rock through everything, and the idea of him leaving me here alone scared the hell out of me, but I knew it would happen. We’d come home to get back to normal, and normal was him going to work and me going to school. But I couldn’t do it yet. I couldn’t face the same halls Knox walked down. But what I could do was get out of this car and walk into Asher’s house.
I shoved all of my fears down and slowly reached for the door handle. At my movement, Asher got out of his side of the car and darted around the front to me. He pulled the door open the rest of the way and held his hand out to me. I took it without a second thought, not moving my attention off him as we walked up the side of the driveway and to his front door.
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