Asher looks amused at first—until he sees whatever look I’m sporting.
“Chelcie, what is it? Are you okay?” He starts roaming his hands along my body, looking for something visible that would make me this upset.
I just keep shaking my head, my breathing becoming erratic. His eyes get hard, and I can see the panic he’s trying to hide.
“You have to tell me what has got you so upset so I can take care of it. Please,” he begs.
Words are still beyond me. I pick my hand up and point one shaky finger towards the living room.
“You stay here, okay? I’ll be right back.”
I nod my head and hear him walk through the apartment. I know when he finds it because I hear his roar and feel its power shake the walls.
He comes bursting back into the kitchen; his arms go around my body. One arm is holding me tight at my waist, the other cradling the back of my neck, holding my head to his chest. I can feel the power of his anger raging in his body.
“I promise you—I will find out who the fuck sent that. You let me take care of this, Chelcie. I mean it. No harm is going to come to you or our boy.”
I continue to shake in his arms, terrified for him, the baby, and me. He doesn’t let up on his hold. I can smell our dinner burning, but I can’t stop my body from the overpowering dread. What does this mean? Who was that for?
And more importantly, what now?
Chapter 24 – Chelcie
“That’s all it said?” Izzy asks from the floor, where she’s playing with Nate. She’s been in the same spot since she arrived at my apartment earlier.
“Yeah. Scary, right?” I look around, meeting each of their eyes.
Izzy looks confused, Dee’s worried, and Melissa looks pissed.
“What did Asher say?” Dee questions.
“He told me not to worry about it. That he would take care of it, but it’s been two weeks and he’s been so distant lately. He’s gone before I wake up and I’m already asleep when he comes home. The little that I have seen him was in passing when he came home to change his clothes.”
I’ve been so worried about the distance between us. I’ve tried to talk to him about it, but every time I try, he just gives me one of his sweet kisses and tells me to stop worrying. I’m terrified and I feel so alone.
“He’s been at CS. Axel says that he’s there every morning and stays long after they all have gone.”
“Goddammit. He’s researching that man again! I thought we had moved past it. I mean, I knew that he was still looking into him, but I didn’t think it was as bad as before.”
My heart hurts. I think I’ve known that there was a chance that even my love wouldn’t keep him from this crazy, quest for vengeance. There can’t be anything good that comes from his bloodthirst to avenge Coop’s death. I get it—I really do—but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel hopeless to stop this.
“What man?” Izzy asks.
“Dominic Murphy,” I shudder. “The man who put everything in motion. The man who is single-handedly responsible for everything that happened to you, Dee. And the man Asher is hunting so that he can make him pay for Coop’s murder.”
All of their eyes widen. I know Dee knew that he has been researching him, but I don’t think anyone besides Maddox and I knew just how deep he was swimming in this shit.
“Do you think it’s from him?” Melissa asks with worry clearly written all over her face.
She hands one of her twin daughters—Lyndsie, I think—over to Dee and shifts the other sweetheart onto her shoulder to give her a burp. I look over at Dee, who is doing the same. I have no idea how Melissa has learned to breastfeed both babies at the same time.
I meet her eyes and let her see my worry. Maybe if she talks to Greg, he can talk some sense into Asher. “I can’t imagine anyone else it could be. I don’t know anyone here beyond all of y’all, and unless Dee is pissed that I’m no longer working for her, then I can’t comprehend who else it could be. It makes sense. Who else would say that?”
The whole situation is both confusing and terrifying. I can’t even leave the apartment without becoming so fearful of my surroundings that I’m teetering on the verge of having a panic attack. And I know my rising anxiety isn’t good for the baby, so I haven’t left. I stay here day in and day out, praying that everything is going to be okay.
“You need to talk to Asher, babe. Don’t let this fester,” Dee whispers.
I know she means well, and Lord knows I love her, but I don’t keep things from Asher. She and Beck had a crappy start, and I know she’s speaking from experience, but my not talking to Asher has nothing to do with avoiding the topic. I haven’t been able to get him in the same room with me long enough to have a conversation. I think he believes that, by shutting me out completely, he’s doing me a favor, but the worry for him is worse than the fear of the unknown.