Their Weakness( Somerville Book #2)

Chapter Six

Lavey's Pov

"Maria." I called out as I held a bag of groceries in my hands from picking up some for her.

Now that she is older, and it takes her longer to get around I help her with small things that doesn't withhold any of her independence. She's self-reliant, and hates being a burden. I didn't mind coming to her heed though. I enjoyed being there for her.

I didn't have much of a family and all of Maria's family was back in Mexico. So we find comfort in one another.

"Eres tu Mija?" Maria yelled out her soft voice coming from out the kitchen.

"Sí. They didn't have the chiles you wanted. So I had to get Jalapeños." I said as I came into the kitchen seeing Maria sipping tea from a mug. Her facial expression one of panick.

I eyed her warily as I placed the bag of groceries down.
"What is it?"

She sighed loudly before placing the glass down, but before she could say anything else. A figured moved from behind the wall of the kitchen that lead to the living room.

At first I didn't know who it was, but the quick glances I made at the stranger.  His large body, and familar wavy brown hair. Lead me to believe I have met him before. The rapid beating of my heart, and the lodge in my throat told me exactly who he was, yet my mind refused to believe it.

His eyes though had me held in place.  I had no other alternative, but to trust in what I was seeing. My heart pumping in my chest. My palms sweaty. I didn't know how long I took all of him in. The outside world not even existing in this moment as we made eye contact with one another.  I knew those eyes. I loved those eyes. Yet now, I feared them now.

When did he get out? How long had he been walking unnoticed by strangers because of what he did.

Asher gave me a timid small before running his hands through the long grown out waves. The hair barley rested on his shoulder. The young boy who was arrested all those years ago, the one I absolutely trusted with my whole entire being completely eviscerated, and in his place a man that I didn't know stood. A stranger. Someone who shouldn't be here.

"Hi Lavey." His voice like a breath of fresh air. Deep and controlled. Deeper than before. It caused the same swirls in my stomach that I felt every since I was a little girl. But I ignored the igniting factor of my body's response to his voice.

My body aware of the prospect of a killer. The killer of our parents. I stepped back fight or flight response active. I couldn't help the adrenaline surge that controlled my body. That made me want to put as much distance as I could from him.

I contined to step back. "No." I whispered my fear evident.

My gaze immediately clashing with Maria's. "What is he doing here."

Her guilty expression pulling at my heart strings before she gave a comforting pat on Asher's chest. My heart pulling with discomfort at the mistrust.

How could she let him in here after everything he did. I didn't understand her calmness next to a killer.

Her small build coming closer to me as she placed her frail cold hands against my face. I jumped from the contact. Avoiding her motherly gaze.

I didn't want to hear what she had to say.

"Asher a good boy. You no undestand Lavey. Listen." Her broken English words making me even more confused. With her statement she grabbed for the groceries, but stopped and said one more thing to me. "Escucha Mija. Sé una buena niña"

With that she took the bag as she went into the kitchen so she could start putting up the groceries.

Leaving me alone in the living room with him. The fear unsettling as he tried to take a step closer towards me.