Page 10

Chapter 10

I had planned to spend the entire day as far away from home as possible, but after my chat with Penny, there was nowhere else I would rather be. Once we finished lunch, I high-tailed it back home with Hecate and went to scout out the house as if it was a new target property. No, I couldn't think like that. It was a target property with something I sorely needed inside it, but I had the added benefit of blending in with the crowd.

I reminded myself not to get too complacent as I took my shoes off at the front door. Asher worked in security now and his lifetime of burglary and trickery made him a less than ideal target. But I had managed hundreds of thefts without getting caught, so I was no wallflower either. Although , I thought, everything I knew in that department was because of Asher.

"What are you up to?" Hecate asked, still draped on my shoulders.

"Mischief," I said. "Maybe a little havoc thrown in. You game?"

"Oh, all right then. But after that, I'd like a nap."

I wouldn't have that any other way. Without her afternoon nap, Hecate had the demeanour of a pre-haunting Scrooge on Christmas Day.

"Sure," I said. "Can you sense where everyone is?"

Hecate's body warmed so suddenly under the force of her magic that I flinched. She was a great hot water bottle in the winter months.

"Laura's in the forge, and Edward's painting in his room. Priya's at work, and..."

"And?" Gods, she knew how to maintain the suspense.

"Asher is napping in the living room," she said.

Napping? Had my luck turned or what? There was no better time to snatch his phone.

"You're a gem," I said, hauling her off my shoulders and kissing her on the top of her head before putting her down on the ground.

I sneaked to the half open living room door and peered inside.

Sprawled on the sofa, one arm dangling off the edge and his lips slightly parted, Asher slept. On his chest, with his fingers curled around it, lay his phone. Bingo.

Tiptoeing into the room, I sealed my mouth shut to breathe through my nose, although a slight whistling noise every time I exhaled had my hackles raising. If he caught me trying to steal from him, I was going to get an intervention from the entire house.

But once I had made my way to his side and reached toward his phone, my gaze landed on his face; expressionless, calm, and serene. Memories rocketed to the forefront of my mind and with them, the feelings of safety and intimacy that had accompanied them. We had set our own schedules and run our lives together, and as such, never got up before 9am. Instead, we used to lounge together in bed, in each other's arms without a care in the world.

The sensation of his lips against my forehead still lingered even though months had passed since last experiencing his touch. It was my favourite place for him to kiss me. Well...second favourite.

But every glorious memory was almost instantly tarnished with his betrayal. Without warning and without explanation, he had turned his back on me, and for that, I would always hate him. But no matter what I did, apparently, I would also still love him. And I was doing myself no favours by denying it.

I inhaled a big breath through my nose. None of that changed what I needed to do. Gods, I had to stop letting him distract me.

Holding my breath, I reached toward Asher's phone. My fingers brushed the back of his phone but the second they did, Asher's head snapped around, his eyes zoning in on me.

"What are you doing?" he asked, blinking rapidly as his eyes struggled to adjust.

Every nerve in my gut lit up like a Yuletide tree, and it was all I could do not to flee.

"Trying to strangle you in your sleep," I said, my cheeks warming. "Guess I'll wait until you're in bed."

"Right." Asher frowned at me, suspicion leaching into his eyes as he stuffed his phone into his pocket. "Do you mind? I'm trying to sleep."

"In a public place," I said, straightening up, my limbs jerking a little as I forced a casual walk toward the door. "Really making yourself at home here, aren't you?"

"This is my home, Bea." Asher rolled onto his side and adjusted the cushions under his head. "Like it or not."

Well that was a big not from me.

My cheeks remained hotter than a ghost chilli burrito as I left the room. But all I could think about was the angelic look on his peaceful face as he slept.

"Happy Birthday!" A giant package in my arms obstructed my view as I made my way into the kitchen the next morning.

Just over the top of the box, I spied Priya serving up a hearty breakfast onto many plates, and Laura surrounded with presents at the kitchen table. Asher leaned back in a chair at the head of the table next to Laura, a smile on his face as she held a present in her hands. Edward leaned against the counter with a tea towel draped over his shoulder as several mugs of tea brewed at his side.

"Thank you!" Laura shot me a grin as I set the package down on the table. "Tell me you didn't break the bank buying that."

"That's not for you to worry about," I said, as Hecate jumped up next to the package.

I tried to avoid Asher's gaze, but when it inadvertently flicked toward him, I could see he was trying his best not to look at me either. Great. If we could just manage that for the rest of the day, we would have no problems.

"Go on, open it," Asher said.

Laura's shoulders hiked up around her ears with excitement as she tore it open, thankfully oblivious to the tension in the air.

My eyebrows raised a half inch as Laura opened up the jewellery box and a beautiful sapphire necklace glistened inside. Well, someone had decided to break the bank.

Laura gasped and plucked the necklace out, holding it up in front of her face. "Asher it's gorgeous , you shouldn't have."

"Ah come on. You could probably make one better in your sleep." Asher took the necklace from her and she turned around in her seat so he could loop it around her neck.

I tapped the top of the box as Laura gave him a hug. It was all bluster. Asher spoiled her every chance he got and he wasn't about to stop now he had a real job.

"Clear the table. It's breakfast!" Priya said, walking over with two plates and setting one down in front of Laura. "You're going to need a full stomach young lady if you're going to stay sober tonight."

"That is not the plan," Laura said, as I took her present off the table and sat down next to her. "I'm twenty-one, I want to get trashed ."

Asher rolled his eyes over the edge of his mug. "Young people." His voice echoed inside the cup.

"That's not even going to be the funniest part." Edward brought over a few of the tea cups. "It's watching these two get into a drunken fight or something."

"Edward." Laura whacked him on the arm as Hecate curled up in a loaf in the centre of the table and eyed her bacon. "That's not going to happen. Right?"

For the briefest of moments, Asher and I looked at each other. Without a word, we shared an agreement. As much as I wanted to punch him in the face, that night was about Laura. Whatever problems we had would definitely stay out of sight. We could do that for one night. Couldn't we?