Chapter 82: Asher
Ene’s laughing so hard his drink nearly spills. We’re tucked into the conner bruch of a small her that smells like filed onions and cheap whiskey, the shut of place we used to bount during leave. Fech like another lifetime ago, and maybe it was,
we’re out in this godforsaken came in the middle of nowhere,” Eric says between wheezes, “and Murphy’s like, “Let’s try the ridge instead of going amond,” and we’ve all like, “That’s stupid, Murph, you’ll blow out your
I shake my head, laughing. “Dida’t he trip trenty seconds latre?”
Eric nearly chokes. “Face–plated as hand his helmet cracked or in pol, man, he rolled like a cartoon character, Straight down the slope. Took not both med lits, a comms unit, and Tank’s ego in the way dowi”
“Tank’s ego survived,” | mutter, smirking over my drink.
The grin, but then checks the time on his phone, “Shit. Almost midnight. If I’m not back in ten, my fascfe’s
“Guess she loves you.” I lean back. “Somebody’s gotta.”
He laughs and slaps a few bills on the table. “You sticking around”
“Nah,” I sas, tossing mine down. “I’ll head out.”
murder.”
du that
awkward side–hug thing where we’re both trying not to crash each other’s injuries–his arm’s still bandaged, mine is mostly healed but pare
We do t
“Drive safe,” he says, heading for the door. “You good to drive?”
“Only had one,” I nod, and he vanishes into the night
y car, flick on the ignition–and check my phone.
Two missed calls, Penny
My stomach dogs. The time stamps are from ten minutes ago, I call back immediately,
She picks up fast. “Asher?”
“Penny,” I say, sitting up straighter. “Are you okay? Why did you calf?”
She doesn’t answer right away.
I hear a sniffle.
“Penny, what’s wrong?” My pulse spikes.
“I didn’t know who eke to call,” she whispen.
“Are you with Tyler?”
A paine. “Y–yeah.”
I grab the wheel like it might stabilne. “Olay: Don’t move. I’m coming.”
I flick open the app. The tracker I installed on Tyler’s phone lights on the map like a goddamn fare. I punch the gas and fly down the highway. If a cop pulls me over tonight, take the damn ticket. I don’t care. I’ve got one priority and she’s waiting at some house surrounded by beer–soaked strangers.
The house comes into view, lit up like Yega
1/4
Chapter 82: Asher
There’s people passed out on the low & pay’s thening up in a bush, Musir thumps from the walls, and a girl’s dancing on the railing.
an the stairs-
And there mean
She looks awamall it makes my then she. I puk like a demon and get out, striding straight for her.
are whether
She sees me and stands up fast, clutching herself like she’s not mire whether to cry or bolt
I try not to let my eyes dag over het, but damm. That outfit. The hale. It would wreck me if I
“What happened?” I ask, trying to stay ralin,
She
se besitates. “How did you know where we wear?”
“Tyler’s bracker.” I say. “Now tell me what happened.”
She’s too shaken to talk. So I scan her instead.
There’s still a healing cut on her cheek, faint but visible. I lift her sleeve. Nothing. She doesn’t even inch–the’s that out of it. That scares me more than
anything.
Then I check her other arm, lift her sleeve up–and stop
Her weist in red. Ugly red. Derp
My throat closes.
I step back to get a better lock, and that’s when i see it–her thigh. Sarie angry red mark.
“Who did that to you?” I ask, voice low and deadly.
es her head, silent.
I crouch in front of her, gently but firmly. “Penny Give me the name of the fucking asshole who hurt you.”
She blinks. “… I called because Tyler–he’s out of control”
That slams into me harder than a punch.
“What do you mean?” I say, standing back up
“He’s so drunk, Asher. Like, throwing–up, barely–standing drunk. And still drinking. He got mad when I said I wanted to leave. Told me to go home if I wasn’t having fan. Mila’s gone. I had no way to get home”
I press my mouth into a hard line. She’s spiraling, so I interrupt.
“Where is he?”
“Downstairs
I hand her my car keys. “Go Sit in the car. Lock the doors.”
“Penny. I’m not asking
She flinches and nath, taking the keys with shaking fingers
Chapter 82: Asher
As she walks towed my car, I turn back towel the house.
I’m going to made tomrone.
inside, it’s chaos, Bodies everywhere. The air smells like sweat, booze, and pud komen what else.
The basement is lender–fuse, yelling, slanted singing. I head down.
Tyler’s there, laughing his head of
Left Beer pong, Bed sole caps. He’s swaying
People notice me. “Hey! Army guy’s back!” someone yells.
Rebecca stumbles toward me, barely wearing a dress. Her makeup’s smeared, her eyes glasty. “Hey, you,” she e pures, running a hitd down my chest.
I grab her wrist and move her aside.
Tyler hasn’t seen me yet.
I tap his shoulder.
He turns–and holy hell. He’s wasted. His pupils are blown wide. He grins. “Big bes! Come drink with “
me to go,” I say flatly.
“What? Nooo, man. C’mon, have some fun.”
“Who hurt Penny?” | ask.
“You didn’t see anyone hurt her?”
“No! What are you talking about!”
“Hee wrist. Her thigh. Tyler, look at me.” He’s so wasted his gaze keeps difing away from me.
“Ildn’t see anything,” he mutter
Then Z, from what I remember, pipes up from the corner. “Imran… maybe it was you, Ty. You were pretty rough when she got all dramatic and wouldn’t shut up. Not saying she didn’t deserve it,”
Some of them laugh.
I don’t.
I scan the room. “Whose house is this?”
“Mine,” this guy says, raising a hand.
“How drunk are you?”
“Not like… Markout.”
“Can he stay here tonight?”
He nods. “Yeah, of course
“Then do whatever the fuck you want. But if he drinks one more drop. I’ll call the cops. You hear me?
Chapter 82: Asher
The whole hogement freezes.
The guy gulps. “Yes, sir.”
She looks up when I open the dost,
“Let’s get you home,” I say, soft this time.
fary. Outside, I see her in my car, huddled in the seat like she’s trying to disappear.
She doesn’t answer.
But she’s safe. And that’s the only thing keeping me from forming around and burning that whole fucking house to the ground.
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