Chapter 2.2 Asher

    Asher had kept his eye on her all night, even when another girl was climbing over him at the bar. He had seen her walk into the bar and look around. Her pretty little face was confused as she looked down at her phone and that oh-so-tiny dress that didn't quite fit her correctly. She had this softness to her features, and her pouty mouth made Asher shift in his seat. He downed another whiskey and handed it to the redhead, kissing his neck. He didn't need to tell her to get him another one. She knew the routine.

    "Asher." A voice pulled his attention from the girl across the bar long enough to see Xavier calling his name. "Are you even listening, man?" Asher nodded and smirked at Xavier.

    "What else would I be doing?" He chuckled as he leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees.

    "Couldn't tell you, but you look spaced out as hell. Something on your mind?" Xavier asked while putting his arm behind a brunette who was eyeing Asher. When she caught him looking at him, she crossed her arms a little bit, showing off her already borderline nudity in that top she was wearing. Asher scoffed like he was a middle school boy who would go berserk over a pair of t*ts.

    "Just thinking about my dad." Xavier nodded and smiled a bit.

    "Ah, he is still pushing that arranged marriage sh*t on you?" Asher leaned forward, grabbed another glass of whiskey off the table, and threw it back, the burn a welcoming feeling down his throat.

    "When is he not, the newest chick is Gwyneth Percheron, and if I am to marry that stuck-up b*tch, I might just go to Italy and never return." Xavier cackled at that.

    "Isn't that your old man's rival's daughter?"

    "Yes, it is. He said something like 'at least if you knock her up we can get some of their shares.'" Xavier's mouth dropped open, and he laughed again. He laughed so hard that he slapped his knee and knocked over the girl beside him. She glared but quickly put on a nice facade and fixed her hair, crossing her tanned legs.

    "I'm so glad you find this so entertaining," Asher said in a dull tone. His eyes traveled across the bar again to land on her. Now, he would gladly put the effort in for that fine piece. What would he do to wrap his hand around that long blonde hair.

    "There you go again," Xavier said. He leaned over to try to see what Asher was looking at. It took him a minute, but he finally pinpointed what had caught Ashers' eye." Oh, I see what caught your eye. Maybe if you ask Gwyneth to dye her hair, it'll be easier for her to win your affection, hmm?" Asher chuckled as he took the drink from the redhead. Oh, what was her name again? It occurred to him that he had never cared enough to ask.

    He watched as a man came up behind Blondie. The look on her face as she told him off was priceless. The way her pretty little mouth curled and told him to polity f*ck off. God, he couldn't take his eyes off her, she had such a perfectly curved body, and on top of all of that, the dress damn near didn't cover that a*s of hers even as she sat at the bar.

    She didn't have the right to make him react this way, but the feeling always disappears after he's gotten what he's after or when they inevitably open their mouth, and something comes out of it that pisses Asher off to no end. Either way, women don't last long in Ashers' life.

    He watched the encounter for a bit longer, watched th as*hole put his hand on her back, and watched as he grabbed her arm. He watched as the panic set in on her pretty features, and suddenly, he was standing.

    "Asher..." Xavier warned.

    "I'll only be a moment. Don't fret, and we'll be back to drinking in just a moment." Standing, he adjusted his jacket and the gold bracelet around his wrist. He heard Xavier huff and lean back against the booth.

    "Just don't do anything stupid; I don't want to be the one your father goes after," Xavier muttered. Asher pointedly looked at him.

    "You let me worry about my father. Like I said, I'll be back momentarily." He saw Xavier toss his hands in the air as Asher made his way over to the woman. He didn't bob and weave in and out of the people crowding the bar; they did it for him. He could only imagine the look on his face as he frowned at the man's actions. It took him ten seconds before he stood behind her,

    "Don't be a little bit-"

    "I think she asked you to leave her alone, or did I hear her wrong?" Asher stared into the cockroach's eyes as he slid an arm around her shoulder. The look in Asher's eyes could only mean one thing: back off or regret it. This one already had plans for later. He watched as the man's arm fell.

    "Sorry man, I didn't know she was spoken about." He muttered. The way he cowered in front of Asher made him smile slightly, furthering the man's panic.

    Asher tilted his head slightly and jutted his chin out, motioning for the man to piss off, which he did without hesitation. He threw his hands up and backed off.

    Asher stood behind her and looked down at her as she turned around. Stunning gray eyes looked up at his, and he found himself captivated by them, so much so that he didn't even register his arm falling from her shoulders or even the words that spilled from her beautiful mouth.

    "Thank you..." She whispered, "Thank you for your help." Almost as if she was afraid of speaking too loudly, she barely whispered her words. It seemed like the time slowed as they stared at each other, and then her phone rang. He slid his eyes to the phone in her hand.

    "Excuse me." She said, and she made her way to the front entrance. Asher stood there, watching as she picked up her phone and worriedly answered it as she exited the bar. After a moment, he adjusted his jacket again and turned to where Xavier was sitting, watching Asher with a gleam in his eyes.

    Asher returned to Xavier, and a hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. The grip on his shoulder made it clear whoever this was pissed.

    "You better have a damn good reason for putting your grimy hand on my custom suit." He watched as Xavier, without a moment's hesitation, stood up and made his way toward Asher, his brows pinched. Asher spun around to a group of men standing behind him. With his hand on Ashers' shoulder, the one tilted his head to the side.

    "You have some nerves being all 'king-like' in this bar when it sure as hell isn't your territory, Valentino." He made eye contact with a dark-headed man, one he would recognize anywhere. It was the son of the man who killed Asher's sister in a car 'accident' seven years ago. He lost his best friend and family member on that day, and his sister had been six months pregnant when she was killed in that accident. He would never forgive that family, and he would never forgive this man for his involvement in his sister's downfall. After all, at one point, they had been brothers.

    "You messed with one of my own when I know damn well that broad isn't yours. Maybe you should mind your own damn business." Asher's eyes moved to the man standing directly behind Mark Callisto. It had been the a*s messing with the woman at the bar. Asher chuckled. Of course, he was one of Mark's goons.

    He quickly tallied up the group. Four in all? The odds weren't in their favor if they continued to piss Asher off, and he was looking for a fight tonight.

    "Well, if it isn't the son of the piece of sh*t Callisto family," Asher smirked, "Tell me, does your girlfriend still have that fine a*s? It's been a minute since she hit me up. Maybe that's where I should go tonight to get off. I'm sure she would enjoy it when she's so used to putting on an act with you for so long."

    That was enough to set Mark off as he balled his fist and clocked Asher in the side of the jaw. Asher smiled as he spit out a bit of blood. The whole bar had gone silent. In the corner of his eye, he watched a group of people begin to leave the bar.

    "That's all I needed." He threw the second punch, one full of pent-up rage. His father had prevented Asher from retaliating first, but he never said he could defend himself. The group took a few seconds to go after Asher and Xavier.

    Asher laughed, and his fist collided with the man who touched the woman at the bar. A satisfying crunch echoed as the man's nose shattered beneath Asher's knuckles.

    "Enough!" The bartender yelled," All of you get the hell out of here, settle your differences outside my damn bar!" Asher watched Xavier throw another punch, knocking the man out flat on his a*s.

"This isn't over, Valentino. We will find you on your turf. Just you wait." The man with the broken nose said while holding it. Asher's eyes roamed over toward Mark. He didn't say anything, just turned on his heel and walked out the back door, his men following behind with scowls on their faces.

    Asher rubbed his jaw, a slight ache filling his teeth. Xavier sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck, "You're lucky I like you, I took a pretty good hit to my moneymaker." Asher glanced over at Xavier and smirked. He opened his mouth to speak, but the bartender interrupted.

    "You two can leave, too. You ran out of all of my business." The bartender glared at them.

    "Sorry, Charlotte." Asher amended, "I'll pay you double your night's normal revenue." She shook her head.

    "Not necessary, Asher, just please go." He nodded and felt slightly bad about his actions. He came to this bar so often because Charlotte had made it clear that this was a neutral zone from gang- and mafia-related meetings, and Asher had gone against that rule by fighting with another rival heir.

    "I'll make it up to you, Char." He stated as he motioned for Xavier to follow. She waved him off and turned around to walk to the back. Nobody wanted to go to a bar surrounded by the mafia, and he knew that before he decided to throw the punch that it was on him and nobody else.

    "You messed things up, huh?" Xavier muttered as they pushed open the door, and the chilly air hit them.

    "I'll make it right," Asher stated.

    They turned to walk down toward the car when Asher heard the sound of a woman crying. He turned in the other direction and saw the woman he had helped at the bar. She had sunk to the ground with her back against the wall. Something in him was drawn towards her. Maybe it was the way the light reflected off her almost white hair, or maybe it was because her body looked so small against the ground.

    "Damn, something must've happened." Xavier whispered. He turned around and began walking away. Asher nodded and turned toward Xavier and began walking with him. He heard her gasp and sob again. Then she gasped again. He stopped abruptly and turned toward her again, watching her shoulders shudder.

    "Asher..." Xavier warned, but it was too late. Asher had already started towards her. He had heard those sounds too often in his life, sounds that he had made too many times as a child.

    She was panicking, and she couldn't breathe.

    Every other sound was drowned out by Ashers' footsteps against the concrete and her muffled cries. He picked up his pace and was suddenly in front of her. He knelt on the ground and softly gripped her shoulders, praying that she would feel his touch, even if she had no idea who it was in front of her.

    "What did I ever do?" she whispered, the words echoed harshly in the quiet night. Only her tears and gasping sounded in the chilly night air.

    "Breathe." He leaned in and scooped her up into his arms. Her frame was so cold in his arms, "Breathe for me, princess." His arms encircled her back, and he squeezed tightly. He felt her take slower, deeper breaths, and finally, she was breathing normally. He smiled slightly and leaned his head against hers, her warm vanilla scent filling his nose. Something about it calmed his raging soul, calmed the war that constantly waged in his mind daily.

    "There you go," he whispered. He moved his hand to the back of her neck, cradling her head against his shoulder. He leaned back to look down at her face, which was still buried against his chest.

    Look at me, his mind screamed.

    "Just keep breathing." he said. Slowly, as her breathing returned to normal, she lifted her head, and her gray eyes met his.