Page 40

GOING DOWN

ASHER 17 YEARS OLD

M y dad stands in his office, looking out at the city while shaking his head. I don’t look up as I tap on my phone to get the party organized for my birthday in a few months. The little lap dog tries to make the unimportant bastard feel better as Kane clears his throat and begs for his treat.

“Dad, I’m sure whatever has happened isn’t the end of the world.”

I grimace with each word he says. My reflection is pathetic as fuck. It’s embarrassing having someone like Kane be the person who’s privileged enough to have my face, when he takes after our mom and cares about things, people.

The point is proven by him looking at me and gesturing for me to say something that will make Dad feel better. I only have to breathe, and my parents will fall over themselves in pride. If he wants their approval, I’m not going to speak on his behalf. He can do it himself.

So, I stand and speak to Dad’s back. “I’m going to take the lake house for the full month of my birthday. I’ll be home after it’s over and you can send the cleaners when I’m back.”

Kane stands like a fucking idiot and scoffs. He stares at me with my face, and I pat his cheek as I say, “Keep this clean for when I need it, reflection.”

He pulls his head back and I pat my thigh to get Delilah to stand up. The movement gets his attention, but he doesn’t say anything—another flaw he has. How can someone who is physical perfection be so deeply wrong? Everything about him inside is the opposite of who he should be. It’s empathy and selflessness. Fucking disgusting.

Delilah’s manners are like my own and she huffs as she stands. Dad turns and looks at her. It’s not perverted. I’d probably have more respect for him if it was. He only cares about my relationship because he thinks it makes me happy when I couldn’t give a fuck about her as a person. I need her daddy’s money and connections to consolidate it with my own family’s wealth. Then I’ll have everything as the heir and Leroux son-in-law.

Placing my hand on Delilah’s nape, I tighten my fingers and guide her out. She’s been in a foul ass mood since I picked her up and I’ll have to have a conversation with her mother about the way she behaves. It’s no different as we leave the office, and she tries to push me away by swinging her elbow back at the same time as she pushes herself forward.

My fingers tighten around her nape and she’s like a little puppy choking on her yelp. Nora, Dad’s receptionist, gives me a disapproving glare and I return it as I pass her desk. She’s younger than his last receptionist, but she dresses like a bore. The smart attire is useless at hiding what her real role in his life is. No man in his position should allow his power to go to waste so he better be fucking her.

“One day that office is going to be mine, and I’m going to chain you to your desk by your neck so you can’t lift your head,” I whisper with glee.

Delilah throws her elbow back again and hisses, “Stop being a dick.”

I nearly laugh at the fact she’s reprimanding me. She’s a bitch, a cruel one at that. If she thinks I don’t know about her fucking my pouty brother, she’s deluded, but she’s doing worse to him than I ever could by making him believe that she actually possesses any care for him. She fucks anything that looks in her direction and he's too in love with her to notice. When the time is right, for maximum pain, I’ll show him all the videos of her drooling on different cocks to the point that she can’t even keep her eyes open. We might even bond over it and compare notes about how loud we can make her scream.

The elevator doors open as we approach, and I smile over my shoulder at Nora. “Look at you being helpful for once. Or do you just want me to leave so you can fuck my father?”

I push Delilah ahead of me and let go of her since we’re going to be trapped in the elevator as I watch the uptight Nora turn to hide her grimace.

The cameras won’t stop me from disciplining Delilah like her parents told me to. They’re supportive, unlike my own, who only meddle in my life. As soon as the elevator doors close, the shiny steel is a mirror to show me my little bitch standing proudly in the corner. I stretch my arm to the side without turning and press the button for the ground floor. My lips twitch as Delilah flinches and I wait until we begin our descent from the seventy-eighth floor. As soon as the cables hum, I turn and ask, “Do you feel better now that you told him about your bruises?”

Her jaw hardens and she looks at me with murder heating her eyes, which is new. I’d successfully taken that quality away from her and she’d stopped fighting back. With everyone else she’ll act like a bitch because her daddy is from an important family, but we’re on equal footing with my own family being as powerful…

“Fuck you, Asher,” she spits out.

I grab her hair as my other hand balls into a fist while I smile into her pathetic glare and I bend her head back, forcing her to look up at me. Her eyes are darker, the bright blue has turned into a dark navy, and she dares me.

“Go on. Hit me again, you little fucking bitch. Remember to smile for the camera though.”

I shift to the side and cover her body from the camera’s view as I lean into her. My arm doesn’t cock back fully as I push my fist forward into her stomach and she swallows her scream. The pain is shown on her face, and I tighten my hold on her hair to whisper into her ear. “I told you I won’t ever let you leave me. Try it again and I’ll fucking kill you.”

My fist lands on her side and knocks the air out of her. She slumps against the wall and grips the handrail to remain standing as I let go of her hair. I step to the side and turn my head to look at the camera as I lift her jumper and expose her tits. There are red spots forming on her ribs and stomach, but whoever is watching will be distracted by her body as I roughly pull her bra down. Pressing my middle finger to my thumb, I flick her nipple and she whimpers.

I copy the sound, so she knows how fucking pathetic she sounds. There are no tears. It’s always intrigued me that no matter what I do, Delilah doesn’t cry. She’ll force her face to be blank and I test it. Tracing the curve of her ribs, I press my fingers to the bruise that will be forming. No tears, but she winces and sucks in a breath as she squirms to get away from me. “Get the fuck off me.”

I laugh and pull the zip of her skirt down, so it falls to her ankles as she tries to hide. My laugh gets louder as I press against her ribs. “Don’t be shy.”

A crease forms between her brows and I grab the waistband of her panties in my fist. The lace digs into her skin, leaving thin bleached lines against her hip as I pull. Once she’s bare, I step back and wait for the elevator to travel the last few floors.

Clothes rustle behind me and her breathing is erratic, echoing around the elevator like I’m stuck in here with a bull. Maybe she’ll learn not to run her fucking mouth anymore. My dad is going to be pissed about losing the Leroux contracts if he believes her bullshit that I’m mistreating her and Kane will play protector of his pathetic little friend.

She’s too fucking stupid to realize mistreatment indicates she’s owed something. I’m treating her exactly like what she is—my property to do what I want with.

The automated voice sounds as we reach the ground floor and she’s, unfortunately, managed to pull on her skirt in time as I step out, tapping my thigh for her to follow.

Heels click against the floor and my mom’s smiling face is in front of me. She’s a few inches shorter than I am in her heels and she leans forward to kiss my cheek, full of pride of what she created while I push my disgust at the fact she lowered herself by marrying my dad. She’s a fucking Kobalt and she left her family to be with him.

Her voice is full of care and that smile she wears to hide her true power.

“Happy birthday, Delilah.” She kisses my pet’s cheek.

I didn’t know it was her birthday. Who gives a fuck anyway? Her mom will give her a gift with my name on it at her birthday party to cover for me.