Page 58 of Ash and Poison

“Yeah? Maybe I could have, if you hadn’t killed Doctor T,” I muttered, grimacing as he opened the door, reminding me of the reality of my situation.

Now that he found me, Declan wouldn’t stop. When the time came, I had to run again.

Mixing Asher into this weird concoction was a very bad decision, but I didn’t care anymore. I was tired of denying myself the things I wanted.

“You and the man who tried to kill you…”

“Declan Hart. Dex.”

“Was he only angry at you because you killed his friend?”

I whirled around, and Asher stumbled back. “We’re working together, but we’re not friends, Asher Elias Maddox.”

“Ah,” he said. “We’ll be fucking, too, or did you forget that part already?”

“Yes, but we aren’t lovers.”

“I know. Lovers would mean we are equal. We are NOT. I own you. Your body’s the collateral, and...”

This was a train wreck waiting to happen.

“Oh, shut up, you impudent piece of shit.”

“You sound grumpy,” he said, bending down. “Hop on.”

“You’re giving me a fucking piggyback ride?”

“Do you want to hobble to your cottage?” he asked.

Sighing, I wrapped my arms around his neck and wrapped my legs around his waist as he hitched me up with a grunt.

“Giddy up,” I said, pressing my face to his bare shoulder, taking in his scent. It was warm, addictive, and comforting. “Hey…”

“Yes?”

“Did you learn anything from Hannigan?” I asked after a few seconds of silence.

“Not much. This man knew Hannigan’s secret and used it to blackmail him. Hannigan was only an insignificant part. He gave me another name. The man who brought the girls out of the asylum. Rip. Hannigan’s job was to drop them at Duskwood Park,” Asher said, his voice tight.

“Do you know the park?” I asked.

“Yes. Just outside Hollow Heights. It recently became a protected area.”

“We need to go there,” I said.

“You know what protected means, don’t you?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. That’s probably the most legal thing we’d be doing, Ash.”

“I’ll go, Diya. You don’t have to. With Declan Hart out there…”

“I’m coming with you. It’ll be impossible to go there at night and find anything,” I said with a frown. “I want to go.”

“How do you suppose I sneak out in the morning?” he asked.

“You don’t have to sneak out. I’ll take care of the details, don’t you worry your pretty little head over it, Pussycat,” I said, rubbing his head.

“There’s no way I can talk you out of it, is there?”