SLAM!Asher brought down the bundle of papers on his table before he ma.s.saged his bloodshot eyes. Any more than this and the blood vessels in his eyes would really burst, and he would literally be seeing blood.
His fingers unconsciously reached for his cigarette case only to find that he already finished a whole case of his custom made cigars!
His throat itched while his tongue smacked against his lips, asking for that addicting taste, not letting him off.
Each custom made cigar was carefully calculated for him. Being careful not to affect his health while he indulged in the taste and the feeling it gave him as the smoke caressed his lungs.
He must have been extremely agitated and stress that he didn"t notice he finished his whole case, and the next batch would be delivered not until next week!
Though he would go back to BlackPine later tonight, his compulsion, however, wouldn"t wait for another second.
Irritated, he got up from his seat and almost fell if not for his palms plastered against the table. For a second, all he saw where burnt spots while his head pounded, dizziness attacking his brain. He regulated his breathing to stabilize all his organs. He was sitting far too long that even his legs hibernated!
When he sensed that everything was working normally again, he reached for his coat, rode the elevator, and went out towards the open air.
He inhaled the cold chilly air, feeling refreshed as he placed his hands inside his pockets. He remembered there was a convenience store near Heaven"s Tower.
He decided to walk in that direction to buy a cigarette as well as dinner while he was at it. He knew it himself that he wouldn"t be able to rest, not until Evangeline was found. Guess I have to buy energy drinks as well.
The refreshing winter air made his nerves calm down, and his emotions somewhat stabilized, yet his feet still hurried to get everything done so he could go back and search for Evangeline once more.
Though his appearance was dangerous and intimidating with a tall, robust physique draped in a long dark cashmere coat, messy uncombed hair, dark circles around his eyes, stubbles outlining his jaw –– many pa.s.sersby still stopped and took a second look at the dangerous yet mysterious man.
Asher widened the distance of his steps. If it were another day, he would indulge those women who were checking him out. But for now, he was only irritated. Must be the lack of sleep and the growling of his stomach.
When he stepped inside the convenience store, he wasted no time and walked towards the cashier to ask for a pack of cigarettes. And the crumple on his forehead deepened when someone was blocking his way.
Seeing the drama happening in front of him, he inwardly cursed. Can"t even buy a cigarette in peace?
He made a sidestepped, wanting to cut in line since the man in front of him didn"t seem like he was there to buy something.
However, his eyes narrowed and squinted, zeroing at that familiar woman behind the counter.
Her again?!
"What?! Business sleeping with men ain"t booming right now?"
Asher"s stunned expression at seeing Satele again was broken when he heard the man"s mocking voice, which caused his brow to rose. Judging by the man"s posture and alignment, he was clearly talking to Satele, who was behind the counter. Besides, there was no one else near the counter except the three of them.
Asher couldn"t help but thought. Sleeping with men? As far as he was concerned, Satele was a virgin when he f.u.c.ked her that night. And it was almost two years ago. And judging from her personality, he highly doubted she had gone and slept around men after that night with him unless his talent for judging people had disappeared.
"Oh please, stop with the crocodile tears. It might work for those men you"re sleeping with, but not on me. Never again on me. You only disgust me!"
Asher"s thoughts were disrupted when he heard that mocking voice again. Looking at Satele, he saw her shoulders subtly shaking while hiding her face in desperation.
His pupils constricted, and waves of irritation attacked him from all sides, which left him a little baffled as to the reason why. And before he could take time and a.s.sist his feelings, his mouth already parted.
"What are you still doing here?"
Feeling irritated and annoyed that she was showing a weak side to some man, he walked and stopped beside her. He then rudely placed his big palm against her head like they were familiar with each other.
"Didn"t I tell you to come home early?" He didn"t know why he said that, complete with possessiveness in his voice.
His eyes then flickered at the man opposite him.
Him again?!
His mood worsened when a realization hit him.
At first, he thought that the guy was simply an a.s.shole at that time at the b.i.t.c.h"s birthday. However, judging by how this woman who he known to have a . . . unpleasant personality to be this weak and submissive in front of this man made his blood boil in anger.
They must have known each other. This a.s.shole must be important to her for her to be this docile.
Anger bubbled in Asher"s heart while he unconsciously put more pressure on his hand against her head that Satele frowned and made a sidestep to put distance between them, escaping his clutches.
Satele"s pain and the heartaches which were drowning her vanished, replaced by annoyance at the sudden appearance of Asher –– yet again.
The man, who she, from the life of her, didn"t know why was always appearing during her weakest moments. Time and time again.
Though she hated him, that hate, however, was continuously being dispersed bit by bit, even though she didn"t want to. And now, what she felt towards him was complicated that she couldn"t identify the right words.
Were they friends? Definitely not!
Then strangers? No . . .
If anything, they were more than strangers.
Satele"s mind blanked out while her eyes registered a confused glint. That was right. She couldn"t put words on what kind of relationship they have. They were supposed to be a one-night stand. Nothing more.
Nonetheless, due to his repeated interference in her life these past few days, she was at a loss as to why he was doing it. And for a while, she could only stare blankly at him with wrinkling thoughts in her mind.
At the side, the hatred in Aldrick"s eyes intensified when he saw Asher again. The guy who was rude towards Angel. He didn"t care what he was doing with Satele, dismissing it that he was one of her many customers. The moment she betrayed him, all compa.s.sion, love, sympathy, the kindness he had towards her evaporated with only the lingering mist left covering his heart were pure hatred and disgust.
Snorting, Asher glanced at Aldrick. "You again?"
Aldrick frowned, returning the glare. "I didn"t know Mr. Cole"s tastes in women degraded so much."
Satele didn"t say anything. She only lowered her head and avoided her eyes when Aldrick sized her up. Though his words pained her, she still felt conscious at his every stare.
When his expected retort coming from the woman beside him didn"t come, Asher frowned. He shot a peek towards Satele, and irritation tickled his heart almost at the sight of her lowering her head.
He snapped and growled, "Mind your own business. What is it to you who I f.u.c.k with?!"
Aldrick"s face went blank for a moment. Then red from anger he didn"t know he still could feel when it came to the woman who betrayed him. He thought all lingering emotions had already burned to ashes blown away by the years. But clearly, there were still some cinders left.
While all colors drained from Satele"s face. Her mind turned empty, leaving her all alone without a word to response, wishing the world would end. Maybe that would distract Aldrick, and he would forget what the jerk had said.
Nevertheless, her wish was only wishful thinking, and Asher smirked in triumph when he managed to make Aldrick swallow his tongue.
At the side, Angel was having the time of her life, until Asher interceded that is. And when she saw Aldrick was acting kind of strange all of a sudden, her gloating and joy turned to gloom. She thought she already conquered Aldrick"s heart. That there was no s.p.a.ce for his ex anymore. But clearly, she was mistaken. I guess the years they had been together was no joke.
Angel gently slapped her cheeks. A rosy tint sprinkled across it while she bit her lips, triggering it to moisten and reddened before she arranged herself and flipped her hair and sauntered out from her hiding spot. Snaking her hands around Aldrick"s arm, Angel smiled her sweetest at Asher.
Once upon a time, when she learned Asher Cole took a liking to Evangeline, she constructed schemes to steal him. However, she hadn"t even managed to come close to him when she was hurled away by those murderous glares he was directing at her.
She felt it was no ordinary threat in his eyes every time he saw her. Every bone and nerves in her body were warning her to stay away or else –– he would really kill her.
And thus, her conquest hadn"t even started, and she already turned tail in defeat.
Though she was surprised that Asher knew someone as unappealing like Satele Risova, she didn"t pay it too much thought, for she was confident Satele was nothing more than a toy to the notorious playboy biker gang leader.
"Mr. Cole, it"s nice to see you again. What a coincidence." Angel, as usual, remained polite and friendly.
Not even glancing at her, Asher"s eyes focused on Aldrick. Though his stare turned even more sinister.
Aldrick frowned, completely forgotten all the pleasant feelings he had. The anger and irritation he felt intensified when the man ignored and disrespected Angel right in front of him –– for the second time no less!
Stomping forward, Aldrick was ready to punch away the arrogance on Asher"s face. But Angel tightly held him back. Unconsciously, he glanced at her, and the violence in his heart died down.
"Aldrick, they don"t sell the items I needed here. Let"s go and have that dinner you talk about."
Aldrick"s eyes softened. He swept one more glare towards Asher, and his gaze lingered for a second at the woman behind the counter before he led Angel out of the store.
Satele watched the two left without a word. Five years after he said goodbye, she still remembered how they first held hands under the clear winter sky . . . and now, she had to watch him walk away, holding hands with another woman under the pouring snow on a lonely winter night.
A drop of water, carrying five years of grievances, shattered hopes, and dreams, streaked down to her cheeks, to her quivering lips, struggling before it dropped to the ground.
Her sadness and self-pity were short-lived, however, when she heard that annoying voice.
Asher snorted when the two people left, barking out, "Throw some salt. The evil energy here is thick––ouch!"
Asher rubbed his biceps when a sudden pain hit his flesh. His eyes narrowed at Satele, who harbored a scowling expression. His eyes dimmed when he saw anger in hers.
"What"s wrong with you?" Asher snapped, annoyed as he rubbed his injured arm though he didn"t feel much pain.
Satele croaked out the words she was dying to slap on his face, "What the h.e.l.l are you talking about?! Don"t talk like I am your wh.o.r.e in bed! He will misunderstand!"
Asher"s irritation was reaching its limit at the mention of that a.s.shole from her lips. He was this close to shutting her up with his tongue plunge in her throat.
"Why do you care?! He already thinks you"re sleeping with men! What are you angry about?!"
Satele stopped. She was rendered speechless and immobile. The realization hit her. Indeed, whatever she said, Aldrick already deemed her as a disgusting woman who was sleeping on rich men"s bed for money.
Biting her lip, she snapped, changing the subject, "What do you want anyway?!"
Asher was still angry and didn"t have time to think why he was this ruffled when it came to her. Pushing away the uncomfortable sensation that was rising in his heart, he barked.
"Give me a pack of cigarettes. I don"t care about the brand. Give me the most expensive you have."
Glaring at him once more, Satele did what he ordered.
And not before long, Asher went out from the store, stomping his feet. He didn"t know why he was hurrying to get out of that suffocating place. Like if he stayed there for another second, he was afraid he would punish that woman from liking that piece of s.h.i.t!
And when he said punish, it meant she against the bed, and he on top, violently f.u.c.king her until she was a complete pleading mess.
It was undeniable that the irritating girl liked that man, Aldrick Loire, for reasons he didn"t know. And this realization kept bugging his mind to no end, which left his heart feeling stuffy.
He unpacked the cigarette and lit one, dragging a mouthful to cool his mind.