Chapter 154: Asher
Penny is asleep in my lap, her small body curled against my chest, her head resting met my heart. She’s finally breathing evenly, her fingers tangled in any shirt, her lips slightly paried. Her legs are still wrapped around my waist, and I’ve pulled a blanket around both of us, conning her in warmth. I’m not moving. Not a fucking inch. She can sleep on me like this forever if she wants.
I run my hand up and down her back, feel the delicate curve of her spine through the thin fabric of her shirt, the warmth of her body seeping into miss. I trace my fingers over her waist, up to her shoulder blades, then back down to the soft curve of her thigh, and the small, warm stretch of her lower back.
It’s torture, Pete, unadulterated torture.
But I wouldn’t trade it for anything
Earlier, when I picked her up and sat on this bed, she fell apart completely. Tears, broken words, shattered breaths. She kept whispering things like, “I don’t understand… I’m not enough. I must’ve been boring to him… I should’ve worn ware mekap… I should’ve gone to more parties…”
Every single sentence was a knife to my chest.
And I countered every one. “Nis, Penny. That’s not it. That’s not why. You’re perfect as you are. None of this is your fault. You’re enough. More than enough, tra kom. It’s him who is enough *
I whispered the words against her hair, my hands running soothing lines up and down his back. And eventually, she felt quiet, her breaths deepening, het tears drying, her small body relaxing in my arms.
But then, an hour in her phone started ringing
At first, I ignored it. Just wrapped the blanket tighter around her and rubbed her back to keep her asleep. But then it kept singing. Over and over. Burning angrily against the floorboards where she’d dropped it.
Finally, I leaned over, careful not to disturb her, and grabbed it.
Tyler-
| clenched my jaw, every muscle in my body locking up.
I exhaled slowly. Control yourselt Hayes.
I hit answer, bought it to my ear..
There’s a beat of silence. I can almost hear him freeze on the other side.
“Yeah.”
“Where’s Penny?”
I glance down at her. Her eyes are still closed, but her fingers tighten in my shirt, her body tensing. I feel the small tremor of in her, and my anger spikes again,
“She’s here.”
He lets put a br
put a breath. “Good. Put her on yeah?“.
Penny’s body shakes against my chest, ber little fists clenching tighten. I rub a hand down her back, hold the phone tighter with my other.
“No.”
He go quiet. “What?”
“I said no.
“What the hell, Asher? I need to talk to her.”
“You’ve done enoug
“Did you really punch Max?” I cut him off, my voice going colder.
He hesitates, “What?
“You heard me. Did you really punch Max? And grab Penny’s arm?”
“It’s not like that, okay? He was getting in my face and 1–
“You bruised her.” I grind the words out, my jaw tight, my eyes locked on the small, end mark just above her elbow.
“What? No, 1–
enough to leave a fucking mark. Wasn’t it enough for you to cheat
“You bruised her.” I snap, my voice lowering to a dangerous growl. “You grabbed her. Hard end on her? To lie to her? You also had to go and physically leave a mark?“–
He stutter. “I–I didn’t mean to. I swear, it was an accident. I regret it. I’ll talk to her. I’ll break things off with Zo-
“Ch, now you’ll break things off?” I hite out, my hand tightening on the phone, Penny shifts slightly in my lap, her breath hitching her hands clenching my shirt even tighter. “You told me it wasn’t you whose phone rang. You lied to me.”
He goes silent,
I wasn’t,” he says, but his voice tracks. “It wasn’t my phone, ukay?”
“No,” I star. “But you were there. And your girlfriend did it. You lied. You knew,”
“Asher, 1-
“You’re my brother,” I cut him off, my voice a low, dangerous rumble. “And I want that to mean something. I really do. But where I’m from, a brother is someone you trust with your life. A brother never, ever lets you down. A brother doesn’t betray you. Doesn’t betray the people you care about. You betrayed her. You lied to me”
“It’s not like that?” Tyler snaps back, his voice rising. “I didn’t mean for this to happen, okay? I just
“Don’t,” I bite out “Don’t fucking try to explain it away. She’s done with you, Tyler. You hurt her enough. Give her time. Leave her alone. You re fucking locky that she stopped me from coming to you in person because then I know you’d be really sorry.”
“But-
I hang up before he can say another word, my jaw locked, my heart thundering i and bury my face in her hair, breathing in the sol, vanilla scent of her shampo
chest. I toss her phone to the side, wrap my arms around her again,
Penny shifts in my lap, her breath hitching again, her fingers loosening slightly in my shit as if she knows, even in her sleep, that ve got her. That I’m just letting her ga
I close my eves, tighten my hold on her, and try to calm my racing heart.
