Page 123 of The Love Penalty

There’s a knock at the door, and we both look toward the entryway, then back at each other.

Rachel’s eyebrows dip together as she wanders to the door. It’s probably a Jehovah’s Witness or someone collecting money for charity. I hope it’s the latter. I have some cash in my wallet, and we can get rid of them quickly and get back to the problem of finding Asher.

“Hi. Can I help you?” Rachel’s always so polite, her sweet smile appearing automatically.

“Yeah, I’m looking for Asher. I need to talk to him.”

My heart does a hard double tap, then lodges in my throat.

I know that voice.

Shit, it’s Harvey.

I need to scream at Rachel to shut the door. Lock it! Bar it!

But her pleasant smile is still in place. “Uh, he’s not home right now. Can I take a message?”

“Yeah, that’s cool. Unless it’s okay for me to come in and wait for him. I won’t be any trouble.” His voice is so cordial and sweet. So fake! “I can just read a book in his man cave or something.”

Rachel hesitates and glances back through the archway to look at me. I shake my head, and she looks back to this unwelcome visitor and politely tells him, “I don’t actually know you, so…”

“That’s okay, sweetie.” Harvey softens his tone, and my skin starts to crawl. “Man, you’re beautiful. I bet people tell you that all the time.” He sounds so fucking sincere. “What’s your name?”

Rachel pauses, and I would rather slit my throat than have her answer that question.

A fury like nothing I’ve ever felt before rises inside me—an erupting volcano. He will not touch Rachel. He will never touch any innocent woman again!

Storming into the entranceway, I fire a glare at Harvey’s flirtatious smile and warn Rachel, “Don’t say a word.”

Harvey’s eyes bulge, and I know he recognizes me immediately.

As much as it terrifies me, I raise my chin and keep my glare in place. “Get out of here, Harvey.”

Rachel gasps and tries to start closing the door, but he grabs the edge and forces it back open. She’s not expecting it and lets out a little gasp as she trips backward. She finds her feet before falling over, but not in time to stop Harvey from charging at me with a spit-filled rant. “You are so out of line with everything you’ve started here!”

Fezzik starts barking, his little puppy growl sounding way too feeble against this big, mean man. Flicking out his foot, Harvey lightly kicks him aside and Fezzik yelps, scampering away to cower behind Rachel.

She picks him up, soothing him with soft words while Harvey decides to yell some more.

“I’m not going to let you get away with it! You can’t just make up lies about me and drag my name through the mud!”

I shuffle back before he can touch me, fisting the flash drive in my hand and willing myself to stay strong. I need this healthy dose of rage to keep burning. I won’t fall back into the pit of fear that’s held me hostage for so long.

He’s a liar… and a rapist! And a… a shit-eating fucknugget!

And he has no power over me. Not anymore.

Harvey wouldn’t dare touch me in this place. I remind myself of that as I ping my shoulders back and tell it to him straight. “I’ve got evidence now. And I won’t stop until you go down in a burning ball of flames, you arrogant piece of shit!”

CHAPTER 54

ASHER

I was halfway to Lennox when I got a call from Aunt Carla. She sounded worried and a little annoyed.

“You haven’t spoken to Harvey since you stormed out of my house, have you?”

“No,” I spit into the speakerphone, wishing I hadn’t answered. My stupid brain went to autopilot, and I answered without thinking. I should hang up.

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