Hostage- taken by the gang leader

Chapter 27- He cares? Yes, he cares.

My palpitating heartbeat slowed down slightly once the silver convertible came into my line of sight and especially once I caught the gaze of those familiar blue eyes. He's here, I can finally go home...

I turned around to face the coffee shop, where no doubt my mother still sat, finishing her coffee with a faraway look in her eyes as she gazed out of the window. 

I could imagine the scene so well that it almost made me feel guilty for what i had done.

Almost but it didn't, this was right for both of us. We had gotten the closure we needed from one another and that was that. 

 I had no interest in trying to mend a terribly broken relationship.

A relationship that was linked with the past that I was running away from before it swallowed me whole, a locked door that I didn't want to open once again. 

Tainted relationships couldn't become pure, not with the amount of baggage that came with this one.

The car halted in front of me and I slipped in, sinking into the passenger seat and momentarily closing my eyes as I allowed myself to finally calm down. 

I felt his eyes bore into the side of my head, a feeling that once used to be intimidating but was now soothing, calming even.

I let a small smile grace my lips as I turned and looked at him, watching as his cheeks flushed slightly that he had been caught staring and he faced towards the road abruptly before starting to drive away.

"I , um, got this for you," He said with a slight stutter as he reached behind with his left hand and handed me a small bouquet of red roses that were surrounding a box of chocolate.

 My smile brightened upon seeing it, I didn't know that the once cold gang leader could be this caring.

I peeped at him from the side of my eyes to see him awkwardly scratching the back of his neck as his gaze remained fixated on the road.

 I let my attention drift back to the present in my hand, bringing it up to my nose and smelling the sweet scent the roses gave off.

"I know you just broke up with Blake so don't think I'm, um, trying to seduce you over or anything, this is just to make you feel better from the breakup and from whatever happened inside the coffee shop." 

" I know it's a personal matter and I don't want to intrude but I thought... I thought," He started off, absentmindedly muttering as he tried to find the right words for his kind gesture.

I reached over and pressed my lips softly against his cheek before sitting back in my seat, letting out a small laugh at the sight of his now very flushed complexion.

 "Thank you, Asher, this means a lot," I said truthfully, meaning every word.

And he knew it wasn't just this gesture I was referring to, it was the fact that he was slowly opening up to me as more than just a gang leader, as a person and as a friend.

✮✮✮

Once we had gotten back to the house, I had expected Asher to just walk off like he normally would. But instead, he lingered by the front door, waiting for me to walk up the steps as he scrolled through his phone.

I bit my lip to hide another smile from spreading on my face, or more so a grin that would make him yet again embarrassed. What was this sudden change of heart?

 Or maybe I hadn't seen the small tell tales of him opening up all along...

Either way, I definitely wasn't complaining.

Once I had reached him, he began to walk towards the stairs, a normal pace enough to signal that he wanted me to come with, instead of speeding off with his long-ass legs.

He paused at his floor, right before his room and confusion painted over my face. 

Maybe he didn't expect me to follow him?

 What were we doing at his room?

 Maybe I should go...

He opened his door and walked in before stopping when he realized I wasn't following and turning back slightly towards me.

I was slightly surprised to not see the hint of impatience that was always there when someone took too long or didn't obey his orders, he looked calm, tranquil.

"You had seemed interested in the books I had the last time and I said you could borrow them but I was wondering if you'd like to read together for a bit. Unless you have better things to do..."

He explained himself and this time I couldn't hide the small grin at how indecisive he was, what had happened to the very sure of himself, filtered gang leader? 

He was gone, a voice instead my brain told me, the gang leader is gone, this is Asher.

" I would love that." 

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I know this chapter is short, probably one of the shortest I've written but y'all wanted a Brooklyn and Asher moment, and you were delivered. I want to gradually build them up instead of diving straight into something serious like other books because them being friends is essential.

He is a dangerous, ruthless person but he also has a beating heart that cares for the people he lets in and I wanted to show that side of him to y'all, that side of Asher that Brooklyn and you guys are being let into. 

Once again, I apologize for the late update but I feel like I have to be honest and say this is probably how it's going to be, slow updates. I've got a lot going on right now with school and my life in general and although Wattpad is important, I'm not holding it as a priority. 

I hope y'all understand and I'm sorry to the people who want to stop reading my book because it's going to take time to complete, though it being completed one day is definitely my plan!!

Yours sincerely, 

Just another ordinary teenager.