Page 48 of Asher Black (The Five Syndicates)
“Hello?” It’s Monica.
“Hey, Monica. Can you put Asher on the phone?” I ask sweetly, mindful that she knows the truth and can burn me and Asher in a snap.
“Sorry.” She doesn’t sound sorry at all. “He’s in a meeting right now.”
I don’t believe her. The sound of honking in the background confirms my suspicions.
I roll my eyes, my tolerance for Monica already gone. “No, he’s not. Put him on the phone.”
“I said he’s in a meeting. Are you deaf?”
In the background, I hear Asher say, “Who is that?”
“No one,” Monica says at the same time I shout “MEEEEE!!!!!” into the microphone.
I feel like I’m five. Xavier peeks his head into the restroom, eyeing me in confusion. I push his head back out with my free hand and close the door again, locking it this time.
There’s a shuffle on the line.
“Lucy?” It’s Asher this time.
“Hey,” I say. And because I already shouted like a five year old, I decide to go all in and tattle on Monica. “Is this a bad time? Monica said you were in a meeting.”
He sucks in his breath. “I wasn’t in a meeting. I’ll have to talk to Monica about always putting your calls directly through to me.” He pauses. “Is everything alright?”
“Yeah…” I lower my voice, “I was just wondering if Xavier knows about our deal. I already asked you through text, but Aimee is really itching for me to tell her everything. And Xavier is there with us, so I can’t say anything if he doesn’t know anything.”
“Oh. Yeah, he knows. Go ahead and say whatever you want in front of him.”
“Okay,” I say.
“Okay,” he says back.
We stay on the line, not saying anything. It’s surprisingly not awkward. I like the sound of his breathing.
Wait… what?!
I like the sound of his breathing?!
Who thinks shit like that?
I don’t even recognize myself.
Finally, he says, “See you later? Feel free to help yourself to whatever’s in the kitchen. I won’t be home until late.”
I thank him and hang up the phone, but I’m distracted by what he said.
Home.
It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m living with Asher, but after hearing him call it that, I’m beginning to realize the gravity of our situation.
I’m about to move in with Asher Black.
And suddenly, I’m glad Aimee signed the NDA and I have someone to talk to… Even though she’ll inevitably give me some piss poor advice about having sex with Asher before he changes his mind about this.
When I enter the hall again, Xavier is leaning against the wall beside the bathroom door. Some of the girls are in the hallway chatting with one another, but I can see their eyes darting to Xavier. These are the neutrals in the hall, neither ascribing to Aimee’s side nor Minka’s.
Like Switzerland.
