Page 25

25

ASHER

TWO DAYS LATER

T he early sunrise floods through my window, waking me before my alarm sounds. I stretch my arm out, feeling the cool sheets, where she was just hours ago. I’m already missing Billie, wishing her warm body was pressed against mine. I love how perfectly she molds to me when we lie together. She snuck out after I fell asleep, per usual—which I appreciate because I hate watching her go.

After showering and getting dressed, I move to my home office and open the bottom drawer. Inside is a black leather folio with worn edges, and I pull it out, taking it to the kitchen with me. As I brew a cup of coffee, I open it.

I flip past the cover page after scanning over the words— Project Glass Slipper .

What started as a quiet mission has morphed into something else entirely. Maybe Easton and Weston suspected it would the entire time. Maybe they saw something I didn’t.

Once the caffeine hits, I pull eggs and bacon from the fridge. Just as I grab a skillet, there’s a soft tap at my door. I hurry to grab the folio, sliding it into a cabinet, and then rush over.

Billie stands before me in a sleek black pantsuit. Her hair is slicked back, and her lips are a bold, dark red. She holds a box of doughnuts. “Breakfast?”

I appreciate the view of her. “Are you on the menu?”

“I wish. I have to be at the office in thirty minutes for a meeting about London Fashion Week. Dreading it, honestly.”

I lean against the door as she hands me the box. “You do look good enough to eat.”

This earns me her perfect smile.

She grabs my tie, stealing a quick kiss. “Navy blue looks good on you.”

“You’d look better on me,” I mutter, unable to resist the tease.

“Stop. You’ll make me late, and I cannot be,” she says, sounding stressed, but she shakes her head with a laugh. “Have a great day, Banks.”

“So far, it’s the best, Ice Queen.”

Billie slides away from me and moves to the elevator. She steps inside and gives me a seductive smirk. I capture the moment in my memory and retreat into my loft, grinning like an idiot.

“She’s mine,” I say out loud, then throw my fist into the air. “Billie Calloway is mine.”

It’s then I realize I’m in love with her. I think I’ve always been.

I place the box on the counter, and when I open it, I find two chocolate-covered doughnuts and a pair of lace panties. I hook them with my finger and smile, noticing the crotch is soaked with her juices. “ Bad, bad girl. ”

I bring them to my face and inhale her sweet scent, knowing she was thinking about me this morning while she was touching herself. My girl is insatiable for me, and I will never be able to get enough of her. My breaking through Billie’s barriers in the Hamptons was exactly what we both needed. I’ll forever be grateful to Nick for that .

My cock springs to life, but I ignore it, saving every drop of myself for her, just as I promised. I stuff the panties in my pocket with a smirk. It’s already shaping up to be one of the best Mondays I’ve ever had.

I take a bite of one of the chocolate-covered, cream-filled doughnuts, looking forward to when we’ll wake up and fall asleep together. For once, I don’t think I’ll drift through this life alone because, for the first time in years, someone feels the same way as me. I’ve never experienced anything like Billie. Fuck, she’s glorious.

I grab the folio and flip it open to the notepad, where I’ve kept extensive notes over the years. I scribble something about today.

Wearing black pantsuit. Hair slicked back. Total fucking smokeshow. Brought me breakfast and panties. She’s a walking dream.

Billie Calloway might have been the purpose, but now she’s the entire plot, the only woman I want.

As I scan over the things I’ve written about her over the years, I realize that this—us falling in love—has been inevitable. Maybe that was Weston and Easton’s plan when they approached me about watching their sister.

Has Weston been playing matchmaker this entire time?

Apparently, he’s known for that.

Josh enters my office, wearing a snarl. I pull the USB drive from my computer and give him a smile.

“Please, sit,” I offer, being disgustingly nice, imagining how sweet it will be when I gain enough access to his systems to be able to prove that Lustre Fashion is nothing more than a money laundering scheme. That’s all it’s ever been.

Josh plops down and crosses his arms over his chest like a literal child. Billie was right when she once called him a man-child.

“What do you want? I told Nick I no longer wanted you on my contract,” he states.

“I owe you an apology,” I reply sincerely, knowing I have to be the one to hack into his system and gain the proof I need. No one else can, not even Nick.

His brows crease in surprise. He didn’t expect that.

“You’re apologizing ?” he asks incredulously.

“Yes. The only reason I got together with Billie was to figure out how I could better help you.” I give him an evil grin, trying to show him that we’re the same. Far from it, but assholes like him enjoy other assholes. Bird of a feather and all of that. “Come on. I know you dated her to get information about the industry,” I say, keeping it light and just toxic enough so he knows I’m not fucking around.

He’s intimidated by me, which he should be.

“At first, yes. But I fell in love with her. Her heart. Her tight ass.”

My stomach turns, but I keep up the act. “I realized that, and I ended things once I got the information I needed to help Lustre Fashion take over the world. Now, if you want to work with me, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to earn your trust. I will take you to the top, Josh.”

“Is that revenge I sense?” he asks, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Did the curse get you?”

“Actually, it is revenge.” I chuckle, knowing he doesn’t know it’s directed at him. “I’m her karma and curse. Now, what do you say? Ready to make the rest of our time together count?”

He cracks his neck, then stares at me. “I want you working in my office, at my headquarters, and working exclusively for me. I need help with my public image.”

“I can absolutely help the public see you for who you are,” I say without hesitation and without lying. “They should know who’s behind Lustre Fashion and the hard work you’ve put into increasing your cash flow and bottom line over the past six years.”

That’s when the money laundering began. How do I know? My sister figured it out and started a file on the people she wanted to expose. After I hacked into her locked folders, I extracted the information and found everything. In a way, I’m doing this for Billie, Eden, and just because I’ve never fucking liked the guy.

“I want her back, Asher,” he whispers.

I give him a knowing smile, my brow lifting. “You don’t need her, Josh. There are so many oth?—”

“You’re forbidden to be around her for the rest of my contract.”

“No issue at all,” I reply with a confident nod. “However, there may be times when we are at the same location. For example, London Fashion Week. I’d want to join you at that event. It’s going to be a huge night for you. Also, I work with Weston and Easton, so we may cross paths.”

“You are absolutely joining me for London Fashion Week. I want you to be my shadow. Make my company the best there is. When I’m better than her, she’ll want me back. I always get what I want, Asher,” he tells me.

“Me too,” I say. “Are you giving me another chance?”

He grins wide, extending his hand. “Yes.”

I grab it firmly, shaking it, knowing I can’t trust him.

“Don’t let me down, or I’ll fucking kill you.”

I grip his hand harder, ready to break every bone. “Threaten me again and see what happens to you and your entire family,” I warn him.

When we pull away, I see real fear in his eyes, but it doesn’t make him any less dangerous.

Josh’s methods and the way he deals with those who cross him aren’t exactly legal. He needs to be put behind bars because he is a danger to anyone close to him.

“I look forward to earning your trust again, Josh,” I say, keeping my tone steady. “Know, in any situation, I will always do the right thing.”

It’s a promise. One that I will keep .

“Thanks,” he offers as he walks away, rubbing his palm with his opposite hand.

My grip might have been too firm earlier, but oh well. The door closes behind him, and I let out a breath, realizing that was so much easier than I’d thought it would be.

Fuck. Josh. Lustre.

I roll my shoulders back, relieved that it’s over, but also hoping I don’t lose myself in the process. I’m worried I might become as ruthless as the men I despise—men like my father. These methods aren’t traditional by any means, and hacking is inherently dangerous, but no one has the guts or knowledge to put a stop to Lustre. Only me.

Before I get too caught up in work, I grab my phone and call my brother. “Please come see me.”

A few minutes later, Nick sits across from me at my desk, his eyes filled with curiosity. “What have you done?”

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be working at Lustre Fashion, exclusively for Josh, for the next month.”

“He has two months left on his contract,” Nick points out.

“It won’t last that long. Because of this change of events, this will be over much sooner than I anticipated. One month. Once I have access to his database, he’s cooked ,” I say, picturing it in my mind.

“Asher”—Nick shakes his head—“you said you were stopping with the boogeyman stuff.”

“Yeah, well, I changed my mind,” I reply with a shrug. “I only help ethical businesses, Nick. I destroy the others because they’re poison. Everyone knows that. Josh invited the vampire into his home, and now he’ll have to deal with the consequences of being so fucking stupid. He asked for my help because he sees me as a threat.” An evil grin spreads across my lips. “He should.”

“Why are you so determined?”

“For Eden,” I say, knowing Lustre was on her takedown list. My sister may have been sunshine, but she was also a wraith, the real Batman of business. This was her Gotham City. “I’ve almost finished everything on her dream list, Nick.”

He studies me. “And then what will you do? Leave the city?”

I lean back and smile. “I’m going to ask Billie to marry me.”

“Asher, it’s still really new,” he says.

“This has been going on for twenty years, Nick. She’s always been my dream girl, and I finally have the chance to make her my wife.”

He chuckles. “Too bad she doesn’t have a sister.”

“No, but she does have a best friend who just happens to be your brand-new step-sis,” I say.

Nick laughs. “Harper has always basically been my little sister because of Zane. A relationship with her will never happen.”

“That’s too bad. She seems like a lot of fun,” I say.

Billie sits beside me on the couch in her loft.

“Today, I told Josh I’d never see you again. I’m breaking a contract right now.”

She snorts. “He believed you?”

“Yeah,” I tell her, and she leans in and kisses me, pushing me onto my back. “I’m still trying to understand what you saw in him.”

She sucks in a deep breath. “I had his attention, and he understood my world. He’s attractive. Small penis. Could barely get me off. I usually had to finish myself, but he tried. And he still had the audacity to cheat on me. He broke my trust and once that’s lost, it’s over.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, knowing she deserved so much fucking better than that.

“The sick part is, had he not cheated, I probably would’ve settled for him,” she says. “No one wants me. ”

I grab her hand, pulling her closer to me. “Please shut the actual fuck up. Everyone wants you, trust me.”

“No, they don’t. I’m not approachable.” She grins wide, flames dancing in her eyes.

“You just need a strong man,” I say. “Someone who isn’t intimidated by you. Most are.”

“You’re not?” she asks.

“No, princess. I like that you don’t back down in what you believe in or how you feel. You’re authentically you in whatever situation you’re in,” I tell her, stealing a kiss, wondering if she knows what she’s done to me. “It’s admirable.”

Flickering candles burn on the coffee table, casting a warm glow around us as she lies on my chest.

“I have a confession to make,” I say, rubbing my thumb gently on her bottom lip.

“Okay,” she says.

“I applied to Stanford because I’d read that was your dream college and I wanted the chance to see you again.”

“Really?” she questions. “That’s actually kind of cute.”

“I made sure I was the best version of myself when I found you again.”

“And then I instantly hated you,” she whispers, her voice softer now. “I’m sorry. To be fair, I was really intimidated because I literally would’ve given you my virginity. When our eyes met, I was … pissed. The first cute guy I ran into gave me butterflies … weak ass .”

I chuckle. “I’m kind of glad, to be honest. I think I would’ve had a different life had we found each other sooner. Not a bad one, just a different one.” I imagine us, married, working for our parents at jobs we hated and going through the motions of life. “I don’t regret it.”

“I don’t either,” she says, grinning. “I’d probably have ten kids by now. ”

“Do you want children?” I ask, knowing this isn’t something we’ve talked about.

“I don’t know. Right now, I’m happy with my life. And Lexi is due in a few months. I’m going to see how I feel about motherhood after their triplets are born because I promised Lexi I would help her as much as possible …”

“I forgot it was triplets. Wow.”

She kisses me. “Did you really hate me?”

“I hated and blamed you for not ever giving me a chance when I knew I could make you so fucking happy,” I admit.

“Cocky. Love that.”

“But I did enjoy pushing you to your limits. Playing pranks on you because you’d get so mad that your face would turn red. Watching you act like a little brat, trying to make me jealous with other guys. The tension was always there in college. Fuck, I wanted you so bad.”

“Didn’t notice,” she says playfully, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “So, was this your plan all along? Make sure I got addicted to you?”

“No, but things change. Environments change.”

She nods. “Chameleons.”

“Speaking of, do you know who won your cuff links? Have the bids been finalized?”

“Not yet, but whoever wins will keep it anonymous,” she says. “I’ve tried to figure out who it was for years, but the auction house will not budge. I even tried to bribe them.”

I interlock my fingers with hers, kissing her knuckles softly. “Probably some rich asshole.”

“Obviously. I think it’s Easton and Weston because I’ve never seen the pieces worn. I think they’re just being nice and funneling money into the foundation with an anonymous purchase. Plus, it’s always outrageous amounts,” she says. “Are you attending London Fashion Week?”

“Actually, yes,” I tell her .

“Perfect.” Her eyes trail all over my face, as if trying to memorize every detail.

She’s admiring me, and I love being under her gaze.

“Can’t wait to sneak away with you,” I admit.

“I need to tell you something,” she says, swallowing hard, her voice a little shaky.

“Okay,” I encourage her, wanting her to spill it because the anticipation feels too heavy.

“There was this one time.” She pauses, then continues, “Okay, it was several times. But …” She swallows hard again. “I don’t know how to say it, so I’m just going to blurt it out.”

I laugh, finding it adorable that she’s so flustered. “Mmhmm.”

“There were times when Josh and I were having sex and I said your name.”

My mouth falls open, and then a grin spreads. “You fantasized about having sex with me?”

“It was the only time I could, you know …” she admits as she tucks her lips into her mouth.

“ Bad fucking girl ,” I mutter, leaning in to steal a kiss, savoring the taste of her. “No wonder he hates me.”

“He was convinced I was with you when he and I were together,” she says, a hint of mischief in her voice. “Only in my mind.”

“I fucking love hearing this. Ah, sweet victory. Winning without even trying is the best.” I lean in and kiss her again, feeling our electric connection. “I used to have wet dreams about you in college.”

“Really?” she asks, her eyes widening in surprise. “ Hot. ”

“And now I get to live those dreams with you,” I say, my voice teasing.

“But in secret,” she adds, a slight frown crossing her face.

“Does it bother you?” I ask, wanting to know how she feels.

“Kinda. I read several articles today talking about how in love I am—but with Louis. It’s not right that he gets credit for it,” she tells me, a hint of frustration in her voice. “I want the world to know about us.”

“They will,” I promise, trying to reassure her. “And our love story will be one of the greatest ones ever told.”

She has no idea how deep this really runs.

“It already is,” she whispers across my mouth, leaning in for a kiss.