Page 24 of Ash and Poison

I opened the Hollow Heights website on my laptop and entered Vincent’s name. Before he became the sheriff, he was a firefighter. His brother, Holland Bricks, was the Mayor of Hollow Heights.

The town seemed to love him and his brother. They were kind of local heroes.

I dug more and came across an old family photo when Vincent’s father was the Mayor. I immediately recognized Vincent and Holland. Blonde, perfectly styled hair, and an equally perfect smile. Another boy was standing sullenly next to Vincent. He looked angry, and he didn’t fit into that perfect picture. He looked out of place. His smile was forced, stiff, like someone had told him to smile but forgot to teach him how.

“You shouldn’t trust everything you find in the local news.” I whirled around, startled by his voice. I had no idea when he snuck in. “Vincent is… a bastard.”

“He said the same about you,” I said, staring at the picture. “Who is this?” I pointed to the boy.

“That’s Jonah. Vincent’s brother.”

Nodding, I closed my laptop.

“Why are you looking into him?” Asher asked with a frown.

“I always research men I’m interested in dating.”

Asher’s nostrils flared. “So, you’re going out with him?”

“Why won’t I? At least, he isn’t trying to kill me.”

There was a long pause. “Why did you help me, Doctor Sharma?”

“Because I want Riley to have her justice,” I said with a sigh. We all deserve someone who would kill for us. “She deserves it.”

“Is that all?”

“I don’t trust you, Maddox. And to be clear, I don’t like you either,” I said with a frown, and his smirk widened. “But I don’t think what you did was wrong.”

“You don’t like me? You hurt me, Doctor Sharma.” His lips tilted up, his smile devilish. “How am I going to survive this?”

“You use sarcasm as a way to deflect your true feelings. It’s like armor, but it’s okay to let the shield down once in a while.”

“Says the woman who never lets her walls down. Does that make you a hypocrite, Doctor Sharma?”

I sighed. He was right.

“I’m not your patient, Maddox.”

“Well… you should be.”

“Go sit.”

“No,” he said, crossing his arms and making the tattoos pop. I licked my lips, berating my traitorous eyes.

“I’m in charge here, not you.”

His grin widened. “You might like letting someone be in charge for a while,” he said with a wink, casually crossing his arms and flexing his muscles. “I’m offering.”

I disliked how much I wanted Asher even when everything else in me begged to strangle him.

“I’m sure you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I arched my brow.

“Oh yes. I’d love that,” he said. “I’d love to tie you to your bed and eat you out. Or… or you could sit on my face and let me enjoy the treat.” He groaned. “Oh…”

My pulse quickened as his eyes zeroed in on my lips.

That delicious bastard.