Elvie
"Can we just get this over with?" I said, my hands clenched at my sides. I didn’t want to beat around the bush. I wanted him to know that the only reason I was standing under this roof was because he has those pictures. There was nothing else.
I could feel Mrs. Evelyn’s glare burning into the back of my neck from across the room. Her eyes kept darting toward us as if she were ready to throw sharp daggers right through me. I needed to get the hell out of this house as fast as humanly possible.
Asher casually raised two fingers to signal a passing waiter, who hurried over in no time with a silver tray. "I bet you girls haven’t had a single drink yet," Asher drawled, his voice smooth and fake. "Give them a glass."
The waiter did as he was told, offering the tray. Gemma threw literal daggers at Asher with her eyes, but she reached out and snatched a glass of champagne anyway, taking a sip. I didn’t even touch it.
"I’m not here to drink with you, Asher," I said, keeping my voice calm.
Asher let out a low amused laugh. "Oh, trying to act like a spitfire tonight. Let’s do something fun," He murmured, tilting his head toward the grand staircase. "Let’s go talk upstairs."
"Let’s talk here," I countered immediately, holding my ground.
His jaw set tight, and the look in his dark eyes hardened. "If you want me to do what you want, you have to listen to me." He said through gritted teeth.
Gemma stepped up right beside me, her eyes flaring with pure disgust. "What exactly is wrong with you, Asher? Do you derive joy from messing around with people?"
Asher threw her a glare, "Shut the fuck up."
"Why you little—" Gemma started again, ready to blow up right there in the middle of the crowded hall.
I quickly grabbed her wrist, stopping her before she could cause an uproar. "Let’s not create a scene," I whispered softly. I couldn’t risk Mrs. Evelyn or anyone else making this even worse.
Without taking my eyes off Asher, I gave Gemma’s arm a gentle squeeze. "I’ll be back."
I turned on my heel and walked toward the staircase, with Asher following closely behind me. We walked up the carpeted steps and down the hallway until he stopped in front of a white door. He pushed it open, stepping inside first.
I stepped over the threshold. My old room came into full view—the window seat, the small desk, the light blue walls.
"Do you remember this room?" Asher said, turning around with that smirk still on his lips. "Where we used to hide to play around?"
I had zero energy for his fake trips down memory lane. "Can you just delete the pictures, Asher? I’m really not in the mood for this."
Asher turned around fully, folding his arms across his chest as he looked me up and down.
"Delete them?" he echoed smoothly, a mocking tilt to his lips. "Why would I do that so easily, Elvie? I brought you up here because I wanted to see if you still know how to obey me like you used to."
"I don’t play your games anymore, Asher," I snapped anger seeping into me. He must be sick if he think I was going to let him control me like a toy.
He let out a low laugh, taking a slow step closer until he was standing right in front of me. The heavy smell of expensive cologne mixed with alcohol was reeking off him. He reached out, his fingers brushing against my chin, trying to force me to look up at him.
I slapped his hand away. "Don’t touch me."
His smirk faltered and twisted back into that dark, arrogant grin. "You’ve gotten brave, haven’t you?" he said, his eyes scanning my face with a hungry, possessive look. "Must be all that time you’ve been spending with him. But don’t forget whose house you’re in, Elvie."
Keep it together, I told myself, gripping my hands into tight fists at my sides. Just focus on the goal.
My eyes flicked down to his phone tucked into the pocket of his tight trousers. It was right there. Just inches away. If I could somehow get my hands on them, I would delete the photos, and run out of this suffocating space.
"Who do you think caused that huh?" I whispered, forcing a tight, fake smile while my eyes locked onto his pocket.
Before he could answer, my hand darted out with lightning speed. I hooked my fingers over the edge of his trouser pocket and yanked his phone clean out.
I spun around instantly, sprinting toward the far side of the room. My thumb swiped across the screen, unlocking it. He still use his phone without a password. Great.
I tapped into his photo gallery, my eyes scanning through recent photos and right there on the screen were the pictures. I slammed my thumb down and selected the pictures just as heavy, furious footsteps thudded right behind me.
"What the hell, you bitch!" Asher roared, lunging forward.
I hit delete a millisecond before a hand yanked my arm back with violent force. The phone slipped from our grasp, clattering hard against the floorboards.
Asher slammed me backward against the wall, pinning me with his heavy weight. His face hovered inches from mine, his eyes wild, dark, and furious. "You must be foolish if you think those pictures are gone," he hissed, his breath making a sick knot formed in my stomach.
"If they’re gone, we can just make another video, you know. I know you want me so badly."
The filth of his words made my stomach churn. I felt a wave of absolute nausea wash over me. I had never hated his guts the way I did right at that exact moment.
"Get the hell away from me," I pushed at his chest but he held my wrist tightly. His other hand slide lower, his fingers groping roughly over my behind.
That was my absolute breaking point. Without a second thought, I lifted my knee and kicked him with every ounce of fury I had left, driving it straight between his legs.
Asher let out a strangled gasp, his eyes bulging as he staggered backward, dropping his hands between his legs.
I didn’t waste a single second. I bolted for the door, threw it wide open, and ran out into the hallway.
My heart hammered wildly against my ribs as I raced down the corridor toward the stairs. The only thought running in my head was leaving the place. I was going home.
Just as I rushed down, my body came to an abrupt stop when I slammed straight into someone. Crystal champagne glasses shattered loudly onto the hardwood floor. The cold liquid soaked right through my floral dress, sticking the fabric against my stomach bringing all the nearby conversation and chatter to a complete, stunned halt.
"I’m...so sorry!" I gasped out, keeping my eyes down as I scrambled to apologize to the tall man I had just run into. I looked down at his black pants, which was now completely drenched in liquid, with broken glass scattered around his expensive shoes.
Damn! This was the absolute last thing I needed. Being the center of attention.
"What on earth is wrong with you?!" Mrs. Evelyn crossed the room in no time, her voice cutting echoing through.
"Are you blind, Elvie? Do you have any idea who you just spilled a drink on?!"
My face burned hot with embarrassment. I swallowed and turned back to the man, bowing my head. "I am so sorry, Sir."
The man didn’t utter a single word, just looking down at the mess with an unreadable expression.
"Sorry doesn’t fix a thousand-dollar suit!" Mrs. Evelyn snarled. She pulled out a silk handkerchief from her clutch and shoved it against my chest. "Since you like playing the servant so much, clean it up! Wipe his shoes right now if you don’t want to humiliate yourself even further in front of everyone!"
I froze. My entire body went icy cold. My fingers tightened around the piece of cloth. My throat choked up. I didn’t know whether to cry or scream. This was what I dreaded. And it was happening.
Slowly, I began to lift my head, my eyes scanning the silent ring of onlookers surrounding us.
And then, my heart completely stopped. Standing near the bar stand, framed by the warm light of the chandelier, was Cassian. Every single hair on my body stood up on end, and my eyes widened.
His dark gaze locked straight onto mine. And his jaw was clenched so tight the muscle was ticking, and his eyes burned with a raw anger that made my blood run instantly cold.
Oh God. What was he doing here? Was he not out of the city?
Without breaking eye contact, Cassian began walking towards me.
"Are you deaf? Get-" Mrs. Evelyn started only for her sentence to cut short when Cassian towered in front of me.
He didn’t say anything only reached down, his large, warm hand clasping around my wrist. The heat of his touch shocked my frozen system. Before I could even draw a breath, Cassian turned on his heel and pulled me along with him out of the house.