LOVE SOAKED

CHAPTER 17- wrong person, wrong time

ASHER
The rain had stopped, leaving behind a city slick with moisture and the scent of petrichor. Guilt gnawed at me as I drove home.  The passionate intensity in the car had been exhilarating, but a certain degree of worry persisted.  Had I been too rough with Trisha?  Did I scare her?  My phone buzzed insistently in the cradle, a stream of unanswered calls from the office and my parents.  Tonight, the noise was a welcome distraction from the turmoil within.

Pulling into the sleek, underground parking lot of my penthouse, I stepped out into the sterile silence of the elevator.  The apartment, usually a haven, felt  empty, ironically like a bachelor pad without Trisha's vibrancy to fill it.  The silence was shattered by a gasp as I flicked on the living room lights.

Anna, was seated on the edge of the plush sofa, her face a mask of surprise, looked like a ghost from a forgotten past.

"Anna? What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded, voice laced with disbelief.

"Asher," she stammered, a flicker of nervousness crossing her face before she schooled it into her usual mask of calculated sweetness.  "I came to take you back to America."

My blood ran cold.  "Take me back? What are you talking about?"

"Your father," she began, her voice carefully measured.  "He… he doesn't care about the Bangalore branch anymore. He just wants you to come home."

A surge of anger coursed through me.  Her words were a blatant lie, an attempt to manipulate me, and I wasn't having it.  Years of pent-up frustration finally erupted.

"Don't you dare try that with me, Anna," I growled, stepping closer.  "I know about your little secret. About the inheritance you blackmailed Dad with."

Her eyes widened momentarily, a flicker of betrayal betraying her practiced facade.  "What are you talking about, Asher?" she countered, feigning innocence.

I wasn't fooled.  "Don't play dumb. You think I haven't noticed your lavish lifestyle? The designer clothes, the expensive vacations – all fueled by my parents. I have no idea why they care about you despite being blackmailed."

The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the rhythmic hum of the city outside.  Anna's carefully constructed persona was crumbling, revealing the scheming manipulator beneath.

Just as I was about to call security to escort her out, my phone buzzed again, this time with a familiar number flashing on the screen.  It was Mom.  With a deep breath, I answered.

"Asher, honey," her voice, laced with worry, echoed in the room.  "I know you're upset about the Bangalore branch, but… your father and I think you should come back now, its not safe honey.That's why we asked Anna to come and…"

I cut her off, my voice tight.  "Mom, I'm not coming back.  And what do you mean its not safe ? I have a group of bodygaurds always circling me.And Anna…" I glanced at the fragile figure across the room, her defiance replaced by a mask of vulnerability.  "She's not staying here."

My refusal hung heavy in the air.  There was a long pause, then a sigh.  "Fine," Mom finally conceded.  "But if you're staying in Bangalore, she's going to work at the office with you."

Frustration bubbled within me.  "Mom, I can't—"

"Asher," she interrupted, her voice firm.  "That's the condition.  Either you come back to America, or she joins you there."

The weight of her words settled on me like a leaden blanket.  My fingers twisted around the phone.  "Alright," I finally conceded, defeated." She's not staying with me though."

Before Mom could argue, I ended the call.   Turning to Anna, whose tear-filled eyes seemed to hold a glimmer of hope, I spoke with a steely finality. "You'll stay at a hotel.  I'll book it right now."

Her lips trembled, "But Asher—"

"My girlfriend will be moving in tomorrow," I cut her off, ignoring the shocked gasp that escaped her lips.  "So, a hotel is your only option."

The news seemed to deflate her completely.  Tears streamed down her face, but I remained unmoved.  I booked a room at a nearby hotel, instructed my driver to take her there, and watched her leave.

Guilt gnawed at me. But my mom's words on the call, about not being safe confirmed my suspicion. Anna isn't the one putting me in danger, it was something else or....perhaps,someone else...

After processing everything that happened just now I got a whiff of air, bringing trishas lingering smell on my fingers and the reminding me of her Devine taste. And I needed more.... but before that I had to inform her of today's fiance fiasco to prevent her from freaking out tomorrow in the office, so before dozing off I dropped her a text and slept without washing my hands.