Page 161 of The Harder You Fall (Rixon Raiders 3)

We wandered around the store, stopping to look at a rack of bras. “Does anyone else wish we were doing something low key to celebrate?” I asked, fingering a simple black bra with a small heart detail in the front.

“You’re not feeling the party?” Hailee asked.

“It’s cool, I just... our time together is limited. I thought it might be nice to hang out, just the six of us.”

“If you tell Asher that, he’d cancel in a heartbeat,” she replied.

“I know but I don’t want to ruin his fun.” Asher deserved a party. After a tough few months, he was finally in a good place. His mom was in and out of physical therapy, but she was home and doing okay. His dad had turned over a new leaf, being the husband he should have always been. And we’d recently had news Jermaine had pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a d

eadly weapon which meant there would be no trial and the prosecution were confident he would receive the maximum sentence.

It wasn’t easy hearing my oldest childhood friend would spend a long time behind bars, but it was no less than he deserved and I’d made my peace with the fact I hadn’t been able to save him. Love wasn’t always enough, and that was okay. To make a relationship work it required compromise and trust, communication and respect. Both people had to accept responsibility for their actions and hold their hands up and apologize when they got it wrong. They had to fight for each other and stand up for what they believed. But most of all, they had to realize you couldn’t change someone who didn’t want to change themselves.

“Know what I think?” Felicity pulled me from my thoughts.

“What?” I asked.

“I think tonight is going to be epic.”

“Oh yeah,” I chuckled, “and why’s that?”

“Because, my friend,” she looped her arm through mine, “we survived high school. And if we can survive high school, we can survive anything.”

“Where is everyone?” I asked as we approached Asher’s house. It was steeped in darkness, no sign of life as we reached the door.

“You’ll see,” Felicity replied cryptically, a knowing glint in her eye.

“What did you do?” Hailee whisper-hissed.

“Me? Oh, this isn’t me, this is all—”

“Ladies.” The familiar cadence of Asher’s voice hit me and my stomach clenched. “Welcome to the party.”

“Party?” I gawked at him. “You do know the definition of party is people? Noise and laughter. Music.” My eyes went to the house again as I strained to hear something—anything—which hinted at the chaos inside.

Felicity shot me an amused look. “Don’t say I didn’t tell you so.” She disappeared inside, Hailee trailing after her.

“What was all that about?” Asher’s eyes danced with intrigue as he closed the distance between us, hooking his arm around my waist and bringing me flush against his body.

“Nothing,” I smiled coyly. “What’s going on, Ash?” My brow rose as my hands smoothed up his hard chest.

“Don’t you trust me, Hernandez?”

“Always,” I said without hesitation. “But you’re up to something.”

“Maybe.” He kissed the end of my nose, one of his hands brushing my face. “Come on. I think this is a surprise you’ll like.”

Taking my hand, Asher led me into the house. I’d never felt comfortable here but over the last three months it had become my second home. With his parents spending so much time at the hospital, we’d stayed here a lot. And even when his mom was finally released, I still came over. She loved spending time with us.

A sultry beat drifted down the dimly lit hall, sending shivers up my spine. That, and the sight of Asher in dark jeans and a fitted Henley. He always looked good, but tonight he looked good enough to eat. I smiled to myself, still in awe of how a girl like me had caught the eye of someone like him. But Asher had taught me that what people saw didn’t define us. It was what was on the inside that counted. And our souls were the same.

“Asher, what is—” The words died on my tongue as we entered the living room. Jason was serving the girls cocktails from the temporary bar set up in the corner of the room while Cam messed with the docking station, selecting a song he knew we loved.

“Surprise.” Asher pulled me in front of him, pressing up against me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

“But the party...”

“Is right here. There is no one else I’d rather celebrate with tonight than you and my best friends, Mya. Congratulations, babe,” he whispered against the shell of my ear. “Tonight, we celebrate.”