Chapter 10: Now what?
Eden stopped trying to escape. She turned around and looked at Asher. Her eyes brimming with tears and her lips trembling just a little bit. It broke Asher to think she believed he was capable of such monstrosity.
"Don't look at me like that!" He snapped at her.
"Like what?" Eden asked him. The first drop of tears made Asher look away.
"Like I am the devil himself, Eden"
"Are you going to shoot me?" She asked in her velvet voice.
"No"
"I am not going to sleep with you" She declared bravely to him, it would have worked except her voice wavered at the end and she blinked twice.
"Yes, you will. I think you are confusing sleeping in my bed to making love, Ms Powells. You will stay in my bedroom but I won't make love to you, I already gave you my words, didn't I?" Asher asked her.
Eden blinked and she felt the mind numbing fear she had starting to slip away.
"Oh! I didn't think…I didn't…" Her surprised face and the stammering made Asher even more irritated.
"No, you didn't. I am beginning to think you don't do a lot of thinking before acting. Come willingly or I will have to carry you by force, either way we have to get out of the mafia's territory before he sends someone to put a bullet in your skull" Asher gestured with his hand for her to start walking.
"Alright. I will come willingly"
Soon he was walking behind her and hailing a cab for them. The hotel he instructed the cab driver to drop him off at had his name on it - Angelwings Hotels. It stood in all its majesty at the most expensive part of New York. Eden grew up wealthy but this hotel made her mouth drop.
"Your mouth is open" Asher told her and tried to use his hand to close it. Eden took a step back, away from him.
"This is yours?"
"One of many" He murmured and grabbed her hand.
Asher started pulling her towards the entrance. He wanted them off of the streets of New York.
"How rich are you exactly?" Eden asked him.
Asher hated discussing his wealth. It made him uncomfortable and made him want to make more money.
"I am comfortable" He mumbled with a frown.
Eden took out her phone and typed his net worth in Google and she screamed. Asher immediately pushed her to the ground in the middle of the reception and used his body as a shield. He didn't hear any gun shot but silencer was a thing now.
"Are you hurt? Are you injured?" He asked and started examining her body.
Eden blinked and her lips elongated just a little as a little frown appeared on her face.
"No…I am not injured but you are on top of me and people are watching" She reminded him.
"You are not hurt. Then why did you scream?" Asher maintained his position. He kind of liked it.
"No.. nothing. Google just told me your net worth. You are like the second wealthiest bachelor in the country" Eden said and blinked.
"Not anymore, just became number one two days ago. It's a bother" Asher stood up and pulled her up from the ground. He knew people were staring yet he didn't pay them any attention.
"A piece of advice, Ms Powells, when you have gunmen after you, don't scream unless there is something worth screaming about or I will tape your mouth shut, just for my peace of mind" Asher left her and started walking towards the elevator. Eden ran after him.
"Wait for me!"
Even though he held the elevator for her, he didn't say another word until they got to the pent house.
When she entered inside, she let her eyes wander for a moment. The penthouse was beautiful.
"You should take a shower first and change into something comfortable" Asher pointed towards the bedroom. He would have gone with her but he didn't want to take any chances that he would see her bare skin and break his promise to her.
Having her close but not close enough to feast on what he knows to be a strawberry flavored lipstick over a deliciously soft lips was torture on its own. He didn't want to tempt fate.
"I need help" Eden whispered. She must have sensed the change in his mood.
"in the shower?" he quipped with a raised eyebrow.
"No, I need help with my zipper"
"Oh... okay"
Asher dropped the phone he was holding on the bed and he took three steps towards her. She already had her back to him while she looked at her reflection in the giant mirror in the room.
He moved closer and he stopped. He watched as she ran her fingers through her hair before she slowly moved it to one side. Asher felt seduced by the singular innocent act. He took care to remember to act nonchalant. His whole feelings for Eden was hidden under that particular character of his.
He held her waist firmly like it was needed to pull a zipper down. It wasn't yet it lingered.
He let go and he grabbed the zipper. Slowly, he pulled down until he was under the immediate threat of encountering her underwear. He stopped even before Eden's hand stopped him.
Eden wondered why such a mundane act was making her feel something all of a sudden. it was like there was a tingling sensation at the very core of her being that she didn't quite understand.
She closed her eyes hoping it would clarify things but it didn't. she first felt the hot breath on her skin before she felt the soft lips. He had placed a kiss at the nape of her neck.
She turned around sharply and stared at him. Even Asher seemed genuinely surprised at his actions. He took a step back, panic spreading across his eyes as he watched her.
"I am sorry" He quickly murmured and took yet another step away from her.
"No, it's...fine" Eden murmured and tried to look at any place that didn't include his face.
Asher turned and headed for the door without another word.
"Where are you going?" Eden blurted out.
"Away"
(From you) Asher added silently in his head.
"But don't you need to stay close to me because of the Mafia boss?" Eden was quick to add.
"I will get someone to do it. Don't worry, you are safe here" Asher opened the door and tried to walk out.
"Asher, don't leave me alone!"
Even Asher noticed the panic in her voice. He turned around and he went back to her.
"I am...no, I won't" He murmured.
"Promise?"
Asher nodded. He watched her and kept his distance when she stepped into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
He made himself comfortable on the sofa. He would have turned on the television but he needed to hear her if she called out for help. He reason didn't make any sense. Unless, the Mafia hoodlums suddenly turned into Clark Kent with the ability to fly, the only way they can get through to Eden in 15th floor they were currently occupying was through the door in front of him.
But deep down, he knew Don would do anything to prevent going to war with him but he knew he had to find a way to sooth the old man's bruised ego before he cost him the woman he loves.
Then he heard Eden scream.