Floating (2nd book)

22. Save Her

After strenuous attempts of fighting Asher and failing, I finally just fall to the ground in defeat. Rivulets of perspiration run down face and neck, causing me to have a disgusting stench.

"We're the last ones in the training room. Come on Rose, let's go home," Asher pants and stretches his hand out to me.

I vigorously shake my head no.

"We can't. I have to kill Lucifer," I say (more to myself.)

I peel myself of the ground and take my fighting stance on the blue mat.

"Don't be easy on me this time," I demand.

Asher shakes his head and pulls back his sweaty black hair.

"Whatever you say, Rose."

Asher and I circle for a little bit before I throw the first punch. He immediately reacts, twisting my arm and then spinning my body until I land directly on my back in the middle of the mat.

Asher gets down next to me to check if I'm okay.

"I think we're done," Asher sighs. His slightly calloused hand brushes my hair out of my face as I try to start breathing normally.

"We're...done...when I...say we're done," I cough.

Asher furrows his eyebrows and puts the back of his hand on my forehead.

"I don't have a fever, Asher!" I whine.

He shakes his head.

"I'm worried about you," he mutters as he continues examining my face.

I grow annoyed by every touch he makes on my skin.

I push off the ground and push him flat out of the mat. I straddle his body.

"Stop treating me like your goddamn daughter!" I exclaim.

Asher smirks and lightly touched my arm.

"I like this position."

I roll my eyes. And huff. My inner feminist is going to crawl out.

"You like every position we're in," I say.

He smiles and traces my lips.

I smack his hand away.

"I'm serious!" I yell.

His eyes playfully widen and he jokingly tries to make a straight face.

"Asher!"

He laughs and then turns us over. I push at his chest, but I'm not strong enough to make him move.

"Rose, you're so...stressed," Asher lazily murmurs while pressing his lips to my jaw.

"Asher," I hiss.

He laughs and rolls off me.

"I'm serious, Asher. I'm scared," I whisper.

As soon as Asher was off me, he rolls back on top of me.

"Rose, I know you've been through some hard stuff. Loosing your parents isn't easy and having the pressure of killing
a demon God to save your brother sucks," he says with sympathy.

"What if Dante isn't the same as he was before?" I ask him.

Asher presses his lips to a tight line and strokes my hair.

"That may be a possibility," he sighs.

I shake my head. He was the same when he came back. Right?

Asher's eyebrows furrow and his eyes stare deeply into mine.

"I wish I could still read your mind, then I'd know how to help."

I smile.

"You have helped," I say. The weight of one thousand tons lifts off my back.

Asher kisses my forehead and rolls off me.

We both stare at the fall in silence, looking up at the ceiling.

After a minute of building up the confidence, I finally say something.

"Do you want to know what's on my mind, Asher?"

He turns to face me and props himself up on one elbow.

I lean in to kiss him and his soft lips brush mine.

"That's always on my mind," he mutters.

And for the first time in a long time, I laugh.