Page 112 of Restrictions

My lips press against hers in a rageful kiss that she briefly accepts. Her mouth presses against mine and opens for a tongue lashing, but it’sover in a moment as she shoves me away from her, wiping her mouth with her hand. “No.”

I stare at her, fury in my soul and a dull ache in my chest. “No?”

She’s never turned me down before. “No.” She’s firm in her answer. “I’m done with this. I won’t do this.” She shakes her head and grabs her purse, going out of her room, and I hear her telling Baz it’s time to go to his grandma’s.

I take a seat on her bed, hating how I can still smell her perfume and her shampoo.

Hating that I truly am the definition of a fucking coward.

47

ASHER

Ineed to apologize. I know that. I was a total dick.

After no sleep, a workout, and a shower, I head upstairs to try my best to make it right. I don’t want her to hate me.

I reach the top of the stairs and there’s a sinking feeling deep inside me, one I can’t explain. It feels similar to the night Colt died, when I heard the sirens coming from outside. I had a horrible fucking feeling of dread and just knew something was wrong.

That’s how I feel now as I walk past Baz’s room and see him playing happily, feeling slightly relieved that he’s okay. I give him a quick wave and still can’t shake the feeling as I approach Viv’s room.

Her door is open, and she has a maroon suitcase on the bed as she folds clothes and places them inside.

“Viv?”

My voice seems to jolt her as she turns around to face me, and I can tell she’s been crying.

“What are you doing?”

She wipes her face and sniffs as she places a sundress into the suitcase. “I’m leaving.”

No. “What?” I step closer to her. “Where are you going?”

She swallows and walks to her closet to grab more clothes. “California.”

“What? California? What the fuck?”

I can’t breathe. I’m not even sure I want to. “Why? To be around the rest of my fucking family?”

She walks back over, packing more. “Sawyer got a job offer there.”

I fight my body’s urge to double over from the extreme pain I feel in my stomach. She might as well have punched me in the gut. “Sawyer?”

She stops packing and faces me, choking on her words. “I can’t do this with you anymore, Asher. We aren’t good for each other.”

“You can’t just fucking run away.”

“I’m not running. I graduated. I can work with Lola and Penelope. Baz will get to know his aunts and other uncle.”

Baz. Fuck. I can’t catch my breath, and I wonder if this is what dying feels like. “Baz.”

Her eyes close as she tries to stop her tears.

“You can’t take him away from me.”

“I’m not.” Her voice is strained, and even if deep down I know this is hard for her, I don’t want to give her a pass. I’ll never fucking forgive her if she does this.

“Don’t do this. I love that fucking kid.”

---