CHAPTER 7

Jasmine sighed and chewed on her lips as she wrestled with the decision before her.

A part of her wanted to say no and follow through with her plan of leaving the city and starting afresh.

But the other part, the one fueled by pain and anger, desperately craved to make Charlotte and Jason pay for what they had done to her.

Still, what was the point of dwelling on their painful betrayal when it would be easier to move on?

She pressed her lips into a firm line and met Asher’s patient, yet expectant gaze.

“I appreciate your offer, Mr. Wayne, but I’ll pass,” her voice was polite, yet resolute.

Asher’s brows arched in surprise, but she didn’t give him a chance to interrupt as she continued.

“I don’t want revenge. I just want to leave this city. There’s nothing left for me here.”

Saying the words aloud made them feel even more real…and more devastating.

No family.

No friends.

No relationship.

Nothing.

Asher was quiet for a moment as he observed the slight downturn of her lips and the furrow in her brows.

Why was she giving up so easily?

The thought of her leaving didn’t sit well with him, so he decided to try another route.

Everyone had a price after all.

Leaning forward, his elbows rested on his knees and his fingers entwined as he tactically studied her.

“Surely there must be…something you want enough to make you stay.”

Jasmine stiffened and her heart palpitated.

Asher caught the slight shift in her expression and he smirked, knowing he had hit the spot. “There is, isn’t there?”

She hesitated as she looked down at her hands. “Yes,” she admitted in a barely audible voice. “I need to find my birth parents.”

“Your birth parents?” His smirk gave way to curiosity. “I thought you and Charlotte were sisters?”

“Foster sisters,” Jasmine corrected as she finally looked up, her expression crestfallen.

“The Lanes adopted me when I was little to boost their public image, and I only found out in college. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to find my real family.”

Asher’s gaze darkened as it all began to make sense. That explained why Charlotte treated her with so much animosity.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he mumbled sincerely.

Jasmine gulped down the lump in her throat as another wave of sadness washed over her.

“I begged them on several occasions to tell me about my family, but they refused. And when they finally agreed,” she sighed bitterly. “it was all a ruse to get me to do their bidding.”

Asher’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Jasmine wiped a stray tear away. “T-they wanted me to sleep with one of their investors in exchange for the information. But I…I mixed up the room numbers and ended up in yours instead.”

Her face flushed in embarrassment as she added. “I’m really glad it was you and not that old man.”

The thought of what could have happened otherwise made her stomach churn.

Asher’s lips twitched, but he fought to remain serious given the situation.

“I’ll admit that the circumstances were strange, but I’m also glad you came into my room instead.”

His words made Jasmine’s heart skip a beat, so she distracted herself with other thoughts.

“W-why didn’t you tell me I was in the wrong room, though?” She asked, unable to stop her curiosity. “D-did you think I was someone else?”

For the first time since they met, Asher’s confident demeanor faltered as he looked away, clearing his throat.

“Something like that,” he sighed. “I was tipsy from a dinner party I attended, and when you walked in…I thought you were someone from my past, so my emotions got the better of me.”

Jasmine bobbed her head as his explanation answered all the questions she harbored from last night.

She should have been satisfied, but for some reason, her heart squeezed instead.

The air was filled with a sudden awkwardness before Asher spoke again. “I can help you find your birth parents,” he steered the conversation forward.

Jasmine’s expression lit up with hope. “Really?”

He nodded firmly. “But in exchange, you’ll have to accept my marriage proposal.”

Jasmine’s hopeful expression faltered as she sank into her seat.

She honestly wasn’t ready to get married. Not after everything that happened with Jason.

Her heart was still too sore for it.

But then again, Asher mentioned it would just be a marriage of convenience.

And if it meant finding the true identity she had yearned for…

Taking a deep breath, Jasmine squared her shoulders and nodded. “Okay, I’ll marry you. But…there will be no form of intimacy between us.”

Asher smirked cockily. “Are you sure about that? You might not be able to resist, knowing how it feels to be with me.”

His words sent a rush of heat between her legs as she was struck with the memory.

But she managed to keep her emotions in check. “Don’t worry about that, Mr. Wayne. I can control myself.”

Asher’s gaze turned hooded as he observed the way her thighs clenched ever so slightly.

No matter how confident she tried to seem, her body betrayed how affected she was.

This realization caused a stir in his groin, and he rose to his feet, crossing the distance between them in a few strides.

Jasmine almost forgot how to breathe as Asher placed his hands on either side of the armrest and leaned in, so their faces were inches apart.

Up close she could see how deep blue his eyes were—like the ocean at night.

The air around them sizzled with hot sexual tension, and she instinctively leaned back, pressing herself against the sofa to create some space between them.

Asher’s smirk widened at her reaction, and he leaned in just a bit more.

“M-Mr. Wayne,” Jasmine stammered as she grabbed his bicep in a weak attempt to stop him from coming closer.

Asher’s eyes flickered to her hand on his bicep, then back to her face.

He tilted his head to the side of her face, and brushed his lips against the shell of her ear as he whispered. “Let’s see how long you can go without giving in.”

Jasmine shuddered at the electrifying feeling of his breath against her skin and she squeezed her eyes shut.

“I won’t give in,” She whispered at the back of her mind, but she found it hard to believe herself.

Shit.

Had she bitten off more than she could chew?