When The Gang Leader's Son Hates You

Chapter 17

I only stopped marching until I reached the car. I went up to the passenger door and rested the side of my head against the window, waiting for Asher to open the locks. I let my hands hang at my side and closed my eyes, exhaustion finally setting in. I flinched when a hand touched my shoulder lightly. I jerked my head upright and glanced up, my heart skipped a beat when I saw that Asher was right in front of me. He stared at me intensely after I flinched away from him. I looked away from his piercing gaze, uncomfortable by how he was looking at me, like he knew what was going on in my head.

"What happened in there?" Asher asked softly.

I shook my head. I didn't want to remember what I saw, the way the blood flew everywhere and the sound of Tony's body hitting the floor. I shook my head harder to try and stop that train of thought. A warm hand rested on my shoulder and I couldn't help glancing down at it.

"Hey," Asher spoke softly. "Look at me." The gentleness in his tone made me eyes draw to him even without him asking, it was a softness I hadn't heard from him before and the warmth of it made the erratic buzzing in my body calm. His deep blue eyes were full of concern and it made me feel even more emotional. 

"Are you okay?" Asher asked seriously but it seemed like he was asking more than that. Asher dripped his head so his eyes were level with mine as his eyes searched mine. My lips parted as I breathed out deeply, my body reacting to the way he was looking at me with such concern. It felt nice. So nice, having him look at me like that. Like he cared about me instead of hated me. 

"Yes," I tried to say but I hiccupped halfway through as all my emotions I had tried to suppress bombarded me and I couldn't keep it in anymore. A few traitorous tears fell down my cheeks. I won't cry. Not in front of Asher. He already thinks I'm weak. 

Suddenly Asher reached out to me, his hands curling around the back of my waist and in the back of my neck and I'm pulled into his strong chest. His arms surrounded me and warmth blossomed in through my chest from the way his hands felt around me. He was holding me so tightly that I could feel my cheek brush against his neck and the warmth of his chest against mine. I was cocooned in Asher's arms.

I stood rigid for a moment not really knowing what to do or what was happening. Asher was hugging me. His hand slowly rubbed up my back and it felt so lovely that I relaxed into him. I slowly wrapped my arms around his back and for a moment I allowed myself to forget everything other than how warm and nice Asher felt. 

 A strange feeling of comfort overwhelmed me and I allowed my forehead to drop into his neck. His manly scent filling my senses and I inhaled a deep breath of it which calmed me further. My head cleared of anything but him as I focused on his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back. Asher didn't let me go for a long time and it made my heart start beating frantically in my chest and I didn't know why. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment longer before pulling away.

"Okay. I think I'm good now. Thanks," I muttered shyly, not really knowing how to act around him anymore. I thought we hated each other. Yet, he was just holding me like he wanted to take my panic away, like he cared about me. 

Asher smiled at me and it one of those smiles that reached his eyes, one that make his eyes seem like they sparkled. Then he patted me on the head like a dog. I huffed, way to ruin the moment.

"Good girl," he laughed and I swatted his hand away. The bloody idiot.

But I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips.

"Now there's the smile we all know and hate." Asher pinched one of my cheeks and I slapped his hand away again.

"Ha-ha, very funny." I folded my arm across my chest but when I did so I accidentally knocked my bullet wound and hissed in pain. Suddenly Asher turned stoic, his smile dropping and his good mood once again gone.