Page 126

God no. Not him.

Just when Violet thought her day couldn’t possibly get any worse, here he was, grinning at her like he owned not just the universe, but her as well. The sheer arrogance radiating from him was enough to make her stomach churn.

Unfortunately, after the emotionally draining encounter with Micah, Violet didn’t have the energy to deal with Asher’s antics.

She immediately attempted to shut the door in his face, but Asher, ever quick, slid his hand in the way.

His sheer strength overpowered her, and the door slipped from her grasp, hitting the wall.

Asher stepped inside as if he owned the place, closing the door behind him. Violet instinctively stepped back, her chest tightening as she realized she was trapped.

"Get out right now," she commanded him, even though her voice wavered slightly under the intensity of his unreadable gaze.

But Asher ignored her, intentionally moving slowly and closing the distance between them.

Violet stepped back with every step he took forward until her back hit the edge of the desk.

With panic, she tried to sidestep him, but Asher moved faster, his hand snaking around her waist and pushing her back against the desk.

"Not so fast, little purple queen," he teased her.

Violet struggled against him. She then tried to kick him in the same spot she had once before, aiming for his groin, but Asher was prepared this time. He brought his legs together just in time, blocking her.

"Haha, not again," he laughed smugly.

"What the fuck do you want?" Violet shoved him hard against the chest, having calmed down a little. But Asher didn’t so much as budge, his stance as solid as stone.

"You, of course," He said simply, his words dripping with infuriating charm.

"No." Violet said firmly, her frustration boiling over. "You can’t keep doing this to me! I’m not yours, Asher! And just in case you’ve forgotten, I’m currently in a relationship with Alaric. So this — whatever this is between us—it has to stop now!"

The room was thick with tension, Violet’s chest heaving as she glared at Asher. His darkened eyes locked onto hers, narrowing dangerously.

Violet’s heart pounded wildly, every instinct telling her she had just made a grave mistake. Yet, when she expected him to lash out or in the worse case, hit her, his smirk returned instead, except it was more dangerous than ever.

"Approved by who?" Asher asked, his voice a velvety murmur that sent a shiver down her spine.

"What?" Violet stammered.

"I didn’t approve of your relationship with Alaric," he said, his tone light but laced with menace. "At least, not yet. You’ve moved my pieces too early in this game of chess, little purple." His hand lifted, brushing her face with an almost tender touch, his expression heartbreakingly soft.

Violet slapped his hand away with fury, her golden eyes liquid fire.

"How dare you?! Who are you to tell me who to date?" she roared, her voice trembling with anger.

Asher didn’t flinch, his calm demeanor only fueling her rage. Violet took a breath, her voice cutting through the silence. "I like Alaric, and nothing you say or do will make me stop dating him. Don’t push me too far, Asher Nightshade." She spat his name like venom.

But Asher studied her, unphased, his gaze trailing down her heaving chest as though savoring her anger. His lips curled into a knowing smile.

Violet noticed where his eyes lingered, and heat rushed to her cheeks, her anger now tangled with embarrassment. "Stop looking at me like that!" she hissed.

"Why?" Asher asked, his voice daring. "Does it bother you?"

"Don’t!" Violet warned through gritted teeth, every nerve in her body screaming for her to leave. She was toeing a dangerous line. Except there was no way to go, trapped by the asshole.

Also, Asher wasn’t the type to back off. He pressed closer, the heat of his body merging with hers until there wasn’t an inch of space between them. Her breath caught as his heat overwhelmed her.

"You say you like Alaric," his voice was silky. "And yet you like me."

"I don’t—!" Violet gasped, her words cutting off as Asher’s fingers brushed across her chest, an intentional, featherlight touch that sent an electric jolt down her spine.

Asher tilted his head, his lips hovering near her ear. "You might lie to me, but your body doesn’t."

Panic swelled in Violet’s chest as her heartbeat roared in her ears. She was in trouble, and she knew it. She shoved against his chest, but Asher was already ahead of her, grabbing a fistful of her hair and tilting her head back. A pained gasp escaped her lips as his control tightened. It hurts.

He leaned in, his lips grazing her throat before moving to her ear, his voice a seductive whisper. "Good thing I love to share."

Her eyes widened in shock, her breath hitching, but before she could speak or fight back, Asher captured her lips in a searing kiss.

His grip in her hair kept her firmly in place, and she fought against him, biting down on his lips hard enough to draw blood.

The metallic taste of his blood mingled with her own fury, but instead of deterring him, it seemed to spur him instead.

Asher’s kiss grew fiercer, deeper, as though he was determined to claim every part of her.

Violet resisted, her hands pushing against his chest, but slowly, her resolve faltered.

His lips were relentless, drawing her in, until the fire of her resistance melted into the storm of his dominance.

Violet hated herself for giving in. And yet, she couldn’t stop.

Violet moaned, the sound slipping past her lips before she could stop it. Asher swallowed the noise greedily, his hands tightening around her as though he couldn’t get enough.

When he finally pulled back, his breath mixed with hers, and he said, "You reek of Alaric, but by the time I’m done, my scent will be all over you as well."

Violet’s eyes widened, her mind spinning. Wait—if Asher’s scent lingered on her, Alaric would know. He’d smell him, and there would be questions, anger, and most likely a fight to the death.

Her heart began to pound as panic mingled with the lingering heat of the kiss. She had to stop this before it went out of control. Alaric would kill him if he found out.

"Asher, we can’t—" Violet began, but her protest died on her lips as Asher took her mouth again, silencing her words with another hot kiss.