The ashes we left behind

Chapter 8

Being caught doing something bad has never happened to me. Indeed, I've always been the quiet and good student who never sneaks out in secret. It used to be Hailey who went to parties for whole nights without our parents knowing. And of course, they never caught her. She did it a thousand times. It's the first time for me. And I'm the cursed one, of course. Why?!

I peer at his dark and tough looking eyes. He doesn't seem surprised. But upset he is.

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" he repeats insisting hardly on each word. My skin instantly freezes. I'm screwed for good. "Answer!"

I don't. I can't find the words.

Thinking that I'm doing it on purpose, Asher raises an eyebrow. "Oh... You want to play. Then let's play."

He puts a hand around my wrist as if to hold me. And like earlier, my body reacts before my mind does: my elbow meets his chest. Unfortunately, I'm the one who gets hurt, his abs as hard as stone. I hear him chuckle. I have to use another alternative which is to hit, thanks to my elbow again, the in-between his legs. It's enough for him to let my wrist free.

Asher is too fast. He pushes me against the desk which hurts my back. I don't let it destabilize me. I'm as quick as he is. So the moment I try to punch him in the face, he intercepts my fist and pulls me close to him. I hit my left knee against his genital part again, but this time harder. He moans of pain and tries to steady himself. Except that it takes him more time. It gives me the chance to punch him in the face. My fist lands right into his right eye.

"Shit!" he shouts. He tries to look at me through both eyes. "Don't test me, sweet Kenzie. Don't teste me. you're going to lose and... I guess that you know it."

Connor calling me that way isn't a really big deal. But him! The nickname my sister gave me being pronounced by her enemy. God, he is going to regret it.

"Asshole!" I shout before rushing to him. I beat his eye three other times before attacking his lips that are now bleeding. I push him against the door and put my hand around his neck, anger getting over fear.

Asher lets a painful laugh getting out of his mouth, "Sweet little Kenzie seems like she doesn't like-

I tighten my hand around his neck, harder and harder. Asher doesn't show how much it hurts him. he continues to laugh and play. But my knee hitting thrice his genital part calms him down.

"Don't. Ever. Call. Me. Kenzie."

He keeps his glare at me as he says in the same tone I used, "Don't. Ever. Let. Your. Hostage. Use. His. Hands. Against. You."

I don't have the time to realize that his hands are free. He already has them around my wrist. In a fraction of second, we switch places. I let a gasp out while his face gets closer to mine. I feel like I can see the darkness of his heart deep into his eyes.

"Understand?" he whispers.

He doesn't except me to answer. So I don't.

Despite my protestations, he manages to push a chair in the middle of the room and to put me on it. Then he doesn't find anything but his belt to keep me from fleeing. He takes it off and ties both me hands at the chair's hands. I watch him do in silence. His eyes focused on the belt.

When he finishes, he puts his eyes on mine for a while.

"What am I going to do with you, Mackenzie?"

I get the courage to say at the guy who can kill just by a glance, "Leave my sister be, maybe?"

I instantly regret what I've just said. Indeed, he gets out of my way to grab a glass of wine and throw it at the wall. I jump at its sound.

As each glass' piece fly to every part of the room, Asher turns to me, his chest rising up and falling down. Then, his glare slides to his bodyguard's body on the ground. I completely forgot about him until now. His eyes are closed.

My eyes get wide. And without realizing, I demand, "Is he..."

Asher is already on his knees next to his friend. He touches a part of his neck before continuing at my place, "Dead? No. He's just... asleep."

The surprise gets me to frown both my eyebrows. It's not about the fact that he's asleep but it's the calmness of his voice. How can he change his temper that fast?

Then he adds, still focused on his friend, "God, Hailey taught you well... I have to call the nurse."

"The nurse?" I ask.

"The bar is near a hospital. What did you think?" He laughs, coldly. "That I have a nurse working at the bar?"

"No, I-

Someone breaking the window interrupts me.