Page 95 of Deceit

The room is dark, but the moonlight streaming in and the hallway light allows us to see just enough. Her eyes blink open softly, shock and fear splashing across her face as she first sees Asher, or more precisely, Asher’s gun. She whips her head down to see who I now can tell is Vincent Griggs holding a gun to us, his arm around her tightening in protection.

Skyla and Griggs?

What the fuck.

“What’s going on?” she asks shakily.

“What’s going on is I’m engaged to a stupid fucking whore!” Asher spits out, refusing to lower the gun.

I hear the flick of the safety from Vincent’s gun before he speaks.

“Say that again, Putnam. I dare you.”

Asher lets out a hollow laugh as he shakes his head.

“Fucking hell. I was just joking in the car about her having another man on the side. I didn’t think she actually would. You get around pretty well for a little virgin, Princess. Though, I’m sure after a night with Griggs, you’re the furthest thing from one now.”

She pushes out of his hold and surprisingly, he lets her. She stands to her feet, as her eyes come to me and Liam. Regret splashes across her features while this led ball that has dropped into my gut only seems to sink lower.

“It’s not what you’re thinking. He’s only trying to protect me.”

“Oh, he looked like he was guarding your pussy real well from where I’m standing,” Asher snarks.

“Baby…” I trail off with a shake of my head, as I try to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“Did he touch you, babygirl?” Liam asks in a tone that doesn’t sound all that upset. More so curious.

“No!” she says quickly. “Of course not. Well, he did kiss me, but it ended there. I swear.”

Asher lets out an annoying as fuck laugh as he shakes his head.

“Aw, did you hear that guys? She swears,” he says, imitating her voice.

She ignores him, looking straight at me as she takes several steps to me.

“Ronan, please. He’s just been watching over me for a little while, that’s it.”

“Why?” I ask, doing my best to reign in my temper and allow her a chance to explain.

She hesitates, sharing a look with Griggs that pisses me the fuck off before he stands, coming too close to her. He isn’t touching her, but he might as well be with the way he seems to wrap himself around her.

“She has a stalker. They’ve been leaving her poems and gifts since her first day here. I’ve been watching her for weeks and I haven’t been able to track them down.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Asher scoffs, as he tosses his hands out at his sides. “There is your fucking stalker!” he says, pointing to Griggs with the gun. “Can I just kill him and be done with it?”

Liam steps beside Asher, forcing the gun down and sharing a look that clearly says, ‘no more bloodshed tonight’. Surprisingly, Asher concedes and tucks his gun into his waistband as I turn to face Skyla.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

She shrugs. “I didn’t want to worry you guys. At first I thought it was Asher being a prick, nothing out of the norm,” she says with a sneer, to which he flips her off before she continues. “Then I thought maybe it was Vincent. He’s always…watching me,” she trails off, stealing a look at him. He stares down at her…I don’t want to say adoringly, because that’s not it. More like, possessively. Like she is property. Like she ishisproperty.

“When it wasn’t him I guess I got a little scared and I wanted to pretend it wasn’t happening,” she says as she runs a hand through her hair. “I haven’t gotten anything since Vincent started watching my room. It’s probably just someone trying to mess with me, right?”

My feelings about walking in to find my girlfriend laying on top of another man are pushed to the side, my sole focus of her safety is at the forefront of my mind as it begins racing.

“So, yesterday morning, he was outside watching over you? That’s why he heard your nightmare?” Liam asks.

“You slept with her last night?” Asher scoffs in disbelief.

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