Page 35 of Roped in Chaos
Esme
Iobviously knew there was danger lurking around the corner, ready to pounce at any moment. I knew that I shouldn’t have said anything to him. I knew that doing so would put him in danger. What I didn’t know was how little time it takes to fall in love with someone. I also didn’t know how quickly they’d be able to find out what I did.
I look down at my phone as another text comes through. I feel like my stomach has fallen out of my ass as I stare at the text.
Why did you go and have to tell him?
Now we have to kill him too.
What a shame, you guys would have made a perfect couple.
I swallow the lump that has formed in my throat and look around. I feel like the trees have eyes, and every one of them is on me. The hair on my arms is standing straight up, the chill racking my body. I’m so fucking stupid for getting comfortable.
I drive the heel of my hand into my forehead. “Stupid, stupid,” I say to myself. Sitting up and straightening my back, I hold my head high and take a big deep breath in. I close my eyes on the exhale, although it comes out shaky. I do it again, trying to convince myself that I’m okay right now. If I go back inside right now, Asher will know what’s up. When I saw the first unknown-number message come through, I ran to the barn to check it. I didn’t know what it was, but this was the last thing that I expected.
I open my eyes and almost jump out of my skin when Asher is leaning against the doorway, staring at me.
“Holy fuck!” I screech. “Don’t fucking do that, you ass. You scared the shit out of me.” I storm past him, pissed that he scared me so badly. He doesn’t know why I’m hyper-sensitive right now, but that doesn’t matter.
“Hey hey—” he says as he grabs my hand and pulls me into him.
I spin, my body hitting his body with a hard thud. He pushes a strand of hair behind my ear, and I nuzzle into his touch. It’s so easy to just give into it. He feels so safe, if only he knew that danger lurked around the corner because of me.
With that thought in mind, I step back to make some space between us.
“Okay, spill.” he says, “What’s going on?”
“Nothing—” I say, scratching the back of my neck. “Why, what’s up? Why were you out here?”
“Well, I came to check on you since you ran out of the house.”
“Oh yeah, I’m fine.”
“You can tell me anything, Princess,” he says, taking a step forward. He dips his head a little, to get more at eye level. “I will help you however I can. Ya know, I haven’t let you get hurt thus far.”
He gives me a lopsided grin, and I can’t help but smile back. This man is like a disease, everything he does is contagious.
“Would you rescue me?” I blurt out.
His smile drops, and his jaw tics.
“Who the fuck do I need to kill?”
I look at him and bark out a laugh, but he doesn’t break.
“Oh shit, you’re serious?”
“Of course, I’m fucking serious. I’ve never killed someone before, but there’s always a first time for everything.”
I gape at him with an open mouth. Am I turned on by this?
“Soooo—” I say, rocking back onto my heels. “I’ll take that as a yes?”
“Fuck, yes, it’s a yes. You say the words and I will take downanyonewho hurts you. No one will ever get away with that shit.”
Okay yeah, I’m turned on. Should this be a red flag? Eh, probably, but I like the color red.
“Okay, okay chill out,” I say with my hands out.
