Until Series(42)

“When I was around seven, I had a school show coming up and was so excited because I had gotten the main part. I ran home to tell my mom, hoping this was something that we could share. She lived to be on stage and was always away following her dream, so I couldn’t stop thinking that she would finally be proud. She would finally see that I existed as more than just some kind of obligation. When I got home, she had already gone out so I went to Miss B. like I always did. I was so excited about the part that I spent all night making sure I knew every line, word for word, so when my mom got home, she would see how hard I’d worked.

“Later that night, my mom called Miss B. and told her she was going out after her performance and to just put me to bed. So, like always, Miss B. took me across the hall to our apartment and put me to bed in my own room. It was the middle of the night when I was woken up by being beaten with a broom. I thought someone had broken in and was trying to kill me until my mom started yelling about me not doing my chores. She kept hitting me over and over again. I remember begging her to stop. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she made me get out of bed and clean the house from top to bottom.”

She took a breath and pushed closer to me. “When I told her why I had forgotten about doing my chores, she told me that I wasn’t allowed to do the play because I was too irresponsible. Then, she made me kneel on dry rice for an hour while apologizing for being so stupid and unappreciative. The night of the school play, my mom, who had never gone to a school function, made me go and watch another girl play the role that I had been chosen for. When the play was over, my mom dragged me backstage and gave flowers to the girl, hugging her and telling her how amazing she was.” I could feel her tears wetting my skin.

“My whole life she did things like that,” she whispered so softly that I almost didn’t hear.

“Why didn’t you live with your dad?” I asked, pulling her closer.

“She told me he didn’t want me either.” I couldn’t handle any more about her mom so I pulled her tighter against me, rubbing her back until her breathing evened out and I knew she was asleep.

“Asher? Where’s my daughter?” I hear Mike ask on the third ring.

When I met November at the strip club, I was only there to make sure the new guy we hired was doing a good job. I saw her with Mike at the bar and wanted to walk over and take her from him. Then Justin, a new bouncer, caught sight of her walking out to her car alone and was headed to tell her about the rules, but I told him I would take care of it. I was pissed at myself for wanting her and disgusted with her for dating someone old enough to be her father.

Obviously, the joke was on me. When I walked up to her and she turned her keys over in her hand to use them as a weapon, I was instantly proud. She was so small that it wouldn’t take much to hurt her, but she didn’t back down. Then she argued with me and I saw her cheeks flush. It took everything in me not to wrap her hair around my fist, press her against the car, and kiss her.

When Mike called from the other side of the parking lot, she said, “Over here, Daddy,” in a way that had me biting the inside of my cheek to avoid asking her what the fuck she was doing with someone as old as Mike.

Then Mike came over and patted me on the back and introduced November as his daughter. You could have pushed me over with a feather. One, I’d known Mike my whole life and he never mentioned a daughter. Two, she was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. When she laughed at me, I swear I felt that shit in my soul. Then she shook my hand and electricity went through me. I knew I had to get out of there. I said her name, turned around, and walked off.

Then, a week later, I go to visit Gran and I see her there. I was in shock, and a dick, as usual. So what do I do? Force her to walk out with me then crowd her until she agrees to meet me at the bar.

I knew she was as attracted to me as I was to her. When I was standing in front of her and her eyes glazed over and her lips parted, I knew she was mine.

“Asher?” Shit, I spaced out.

“She’s out with Ma. They went to spend a girls’ day in Nashville. You get any word on the break-in or have any idea who may have done it?” I ask, putting on my boots.

“No. I made an appointment to have a security system put in on Monday. I have no idea who she could have made an enemy out of or who would hate her enough to follow her to Tennessee from New York. That shit doesn’t make sense. She hasn’t dated much. Her mom kept her under her thumb. She got free when she went to college and that’s when she got engaged. I think that situation fucked with her head so much, she stopped dating all together.” I know it’s irrational, but every time it’s mentioned that she’s been engaged, I want to find the fucker and slaughter him.