Chapter 170: Penny
Asher’s packing with precision–tight, methodical folds, every zipper pulled with just enough pressure, every seam flattened. He doesn’t look up when he says, “You’re staring.”
I blink. “Am not.”
A smirk. “You are.”
Then he turns, walks over, and presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth–slow and deliberate. “I like it.”
I roll my eyes, but my cheeks betray me.
He drops to one knee in front of me, hands on my thighs, his voice gentler now. “You sure you want to do
this?”
I nod. “Yes.”
Because I am. I don’t want to be here. Not near Tyler. Not near Rebecca or Zoe. Not after everything. This place holds too much weight now. The storm is over, the roads are clear, and Asher said we could go. I decided that I will.
Asher presses his forehead to my knee for a second, then grabs my suitcase and his duffle and heads out the cabin door.
Snow has piled up outside, a smooth white silence over everything, soft and powdery beneath our boots as we walk to his car. He loads the trunk like it’s nothing.
“I’m gonna talk to him,” Asher says, shutting the trunk with one hand.
I pause. “You can’t go alone.”
He raises a brow. “Why not?”
“Because you’ll punch him,” I say, crossing my arms. “Or worse.”
Asher’s lips twitch, like he’s already imagining it. “Okay,” he says, after a beat. “Come with.”
I laugh, a quiet burst in my throat, and we walk together to the lodge.
The moment we step in, the mood punches me in the chest. Breakfast is half–finished on most plates. No one’s talking much. Rebecca’s texting at the corner of the couch. Zoe’s crying in one armchair, rocking slightly, red–faced and sniffling. Max has a split lip. Tyler has a full–on black eye.
The second he sees me, he stands.
But Asher steps forward before I can even take a breath. His body moves like muscle memory, smooth and instinctual, placing himself between me and Tyler without hesitation.
Tyler’s eyes flare. “Move, Asher. I need to talk to her.”
Asher doesn’t budge. “Back up.”
Tyler shoves him. Stupid move.
In less than a second, Asher catches Tyler by the front of his shirt and slams him back against the wall with enough force to make the picture frames rattle. His forearm presses across Tyler’s chest. Tyler gasps.
“Try that again,” Asher says, voice low and calm, which somehow makes it scarier.
I rush forward. “Asher, stop–he’s not worth it.”
He hesitates. Then lets go.
Tyler coughs, rubbing his chest, but still–still–tries to make this about him. “Thank you,” he mutters. “I just want to talk-”
I cut him off. My voice comes out sharper than I expected. “No. No, Tyler. You don’t get to ‘talk‘ now. You’ve had weeks to talk. Months.”
He stares at me, eyes wide, like he can’t believe I’m not folding. Like I’m supposed to play the part of the sweet, soft–spoken girlfriend who just forgives and forgets.
“How long?” I ask, crossing my arms.
He blinks. “What?”
“How. Long. Were you with her?”
He doesn’t answer. His silence is enough. I press my lips together hard to stop my chin from trembling.
I step closer. “Do you have any idea what you did to me?”
Tyler winces. “Penny, I-”
“You cheated on me,” I say, my voice trembling. “You risked my safety, my career. You let her bring a phone into my studio. You knew what that would do. You let me fall. You watched me almost break my neck and said nothing.”
His expression shifts–guilt, shame, defensiveness all vying for space. “It was complicated.”
I laugh, cold and bitter. “No. It was cruel.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“But you did.” My voice cracks. “And then you lied about it. Every day. You let me believe it was my fault.
Tyler takes a step closer. “I was confused, okay? I didn’t know what I wanted.”
“Well, you made it very clear now.”
I hear the heavy scrape of boots across the floor behind us. Max steps in.
He walks straight to me, wraps one arm around my shoulder. I lean into it without thinking. Tyler’s eyes
narrow.
“Can I come with you guys?” Max says, his voice quiet, but steady.
I glance up at him, shocked. “You sure?”
He nods. “I’ve had enough of this place.”
Asher speaks behind me. “Go get your stuff.”
Tyler rounds on him. “You’re just leaving? With her? You’re really gonna choose her over your own brother?”
Asher laughs–a short, humorless bark. “Seriously? Is that how you think it works Tyler? Blood over loyalty?”
Tyler’s face twists. “You don’t get it.”
“No,” Asher says. “You don’t get it. Where I come from, traitors and liars get you killed. This might not be that serious, but I’m not standing next to you for this one. You don’t get to play the brother card after
that.”
“You’re blowing this out of-”
“No,” Asher says again, firmer. “Listen. I don’t know much about you anymore. I’ve been gone a long time. I know that. But I also know that this girl right here doesn’t deserve another second breathing the same air
as you.”
Silence hits the room like a slap. Heat creeps up my face.
“So, yeah. I’m taking her back home.”
Max comes back with his bag slung over his shoulder. He nods once. “Let’s go.”
Tyler starts to follow, but Asher steps in front of him again. “You’re not coming.”
“You’re not serious.”
“Dead serious,” Asher says. “Find another ride. Or walk.”
I don’t look back as we leave the lodge. I can hear Zoe crying harder behind us, Rebecca whispering something venomous under her breath. But I don’t care anymore.
Outside, the air bites at my cheeks, but I breathe easier. Asher opens the door for me. I climb in, heart still racing. Max slides into the back seat. Asher starts the engine, and the tires crunch over the snow as we pull
away.
I don’t say anything for a long time. Just stare out the window, watching the trees blur past, snowflakes dancing in the air like they’re celebrating something.
Because they are.
I’m not sure where we’re going next.
But I know where we’re not.
And that’s enough for now.
