What If You Read online

  “Asher, good to see you.” Jack smiled as he stood from his seat and shook my hand.

  “Good to see you too, Jack. Margot, you’re looking lovely as ever.” I smiled as I kissed her cheek.

  “You’re too sweet, Asher.” She blushed.

  “Jack, Margot, I would like you to meet Everly King—my girlfriend.”

  “It’s lovely to meet you, sweetheart.” Jack smiled as he brought Everly’s hand up to his lips.

  Everly smiled but she also had a look on her face. A look as if something was wrong.

  “Are you okay?” I whispered in her ear as we sat down.

  “Yep. Totally fine,” she whispered back.

  “I must say, Asher, you have excellent taste in women.”

  “Thank you, Jack. She is very beautiful.” I smiled as I placed my hand on hers that was resting on the table.

  “So Everly, what is it that you do?” Margot asked in a snide way.

  “I’m a life coach.”

  “Really? And you’re how old, dear?”

  “Twenty-eight.”

  Margot let out a light laugh. “And what could you possibly know about life at your age.” She picked up her wine glass.

  “You’d be surprised what she knows, Margot,” I spoke.

  “Retract your claws, darling,” Jack spoke to his wife as he placed his hand on hers.

  Everly

  I was uncomfortable all during dinner with Jack and Margot, and I couldn’t wait to leave. I excused myself to the ladies’ room and as I was washing my hands, Jack walked in the bathroom.

  “Is anyone else in here?” he asked as he looked under the stalls.

  “No. And you can’t be in here, Mr. Klein. I need to get back to Asher.”

  “Hold up there, little lady,” he said as he tightly wrapped his arm around my waist from behind. His grip was tight, and it paralyzed me. “I think you’re a very beautiful woman and I’d love nothing more than to fuck you.” His hot breath traveled down my neck. “So I’ll make you a little deal. Spend one night with me, and I’ll sell Asher my property. In fact, I might even sell it to him at a fair price.”

  “Aren’t I a little too old for your taste,” I said.

  “I can overlook that for someone as gorgeous and sexy as you. I bet you got some real hot stuff underneath that dress.” His hand started to roam up my thigh. “So what do you say? Do we have a deal? Or do I tell Asher tomorrow the deal is off, and he won’t get to build his precious little outdoor shopping center?”

  I gulped as I freed one arm from his grip and elbowed him in the stomach as hard as I could. He released me as he doubled over. Taking my knee, I slammed it up into his balls and watched him drop to the floor.

  “You better think twice the next time you lay your hands on a woman who doesn’t belong to you.” I spit on him before walking out of the bathroom.

  I raced back to the table and grabbed my purse.

  “We need to leave, now, Asher.”

  “What? Why?”

  “I’m not feeling well, and I need to go lie down.”

  “Sure. Okay. Jack just went to the bathroom. Can you wait a minute?”

  “No. I cannot wait. It was nice to meet you, Margot.”

  “Give my apologies to Jack,” Asher said.

  I high tailed it out of the restaurant while Asher followed behind me.

  “What the hell is going on?” he asked as we climbed into the limo. “I’m sorry, Everly, but that was rude.”

  “RUDE?” I shot him a look. “I’ll explain everything once we get back to the hotel.”

  “What did you see?”

  “Asher, please. I’ll explain in private.”

  He sighed as he turned his head and looked out the window. When the limo pulled up to the resort, I climbed out and took off my heels. Asher didn’t say a word to me until we stepped inside the hotel room.

  “Do you know that this just probably cost me the property?” he said as he walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink.

  “Oh I know it cost you the property. When I was in the bathroom, Jack came in. He grabbed me from behind and told me that he wanted to have sex with me and if I turned him down, you would lose the deal.”

  “WHAT!” he shouted. “Are you okay?” He walked over to me and pulled me into an embrace. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

  “I’m fine. I elbowed him, kicked him in the balls and then spit on him.”

  “My God, Everly. I’m sorry.”

  I broke our embrace and stared into his eyes. “Listen, Asher. That man is a sick fuck. When he took my hand, I saw things. He’s into child pornography. His computer is loaded with it. He has a room at a place called the Roadside Motel. It’s about ten miles from here. He lures these young girls there he meets on the internet and has sex with them. Then he pays them to keep their mouth shut. He has a hidden camera in the room, and he videotapes them.”

  “Jesus Christ, Everly.” He turned away and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “I need to call Daniel. I swear one time he said he worked with a detective from here on a drug ring case.” I pulled my phone from my purse, told Daniel everything and got the name and number of Detective Ron Lowry.

  “Are you going to call Detective Lowry now?” Asher asked.

  “No. I’ll call him in the morning. I’m sorry, Asher.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for. None of this is your fault. I’m the one who’s sorry. I wasn’t there to protect you.” He wrapped his arms around my waist.

  “Don’t you dare apologize.” I hugged him tight. “You couldn’t have known. I’m going to take a hot bath if that’s okay.”

  “Of course it is.” He kissed my forehead.

  This. This was exactly what I meant when I asked myself if we could ever have a normal relationship. I was shaken. I wouldn’t lie and say I was fine. But I knew how to take care of myself. I’d taken more than my fair share of defense classes over the years. After my bath, I slipped on my robe and found Asher sitting out on the balcony at the table.

  “Hey.” I opened the sliding door. “What are you doing out here?”

  “Enjoying the night air and the sound of the ocean. Since I will no longer be meeting with Jack tomorrow, we can do anything you want. Just name it and I’ll make it happen.”

  “I want to take walks on the beach, go swimming in that amazing pool, maybe try some scuba diving and do some shopping.”

  “Do you scuba dive?” he asked.

  “No. But I’ve always wanted to.” I smiled.

  “Okay. We’ll go scuba diving while we’re here.”

  “I’m going to head to bed,” I said.

  “Okay. Go get some rest.” He softly kissed my lips. “Good night, Everly.”

  “Good night, Asher.”

  I awoke at two a.m. as my heart raced out of my chest. I wasn’t sure why it was doing that, but I really didn’t want to be alone. Especially when I knew Asher was in the next room. Climbing out of bed, I walked into his room, pulled back the covers and climbed in. Instantly, I felt his arms around me.

  “Are you okay?” he asked in a sleepy voice.

  “I just don’t want to be alone.”

  “You don’t ever have to be. I’m here.” I felt his lips press against the back of my head.

  35

  Everly

  “Miss King, I’m Detective Lowry. Thanks for coming in. Now you said over the phone you were attacked last night?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where at?”

  “The ladies’ room at Prime Steakhouse.”

  “Do you know the name of your attacker?”

  “His name is Jack Klein,” Asher interrupted.

  “The Jack Klein?”

  “Yes, detective. The Jack Klein. But that’s not why I’m here. He didn’t hurt me. Actually, I hurt him, but that’s beside the point. Mr. Jack Klein is a pedophile. He has a bunch of child pornography on his computer and he has sex with underage girls at the Roadside Motel wh
ere he videotapes them. He keeps the videotapes locked in his safe in his home office.”

  “Do you have proof of this, Miss King.”

  “If you go talk to the manager at the Roadside Motel, he knows all about it because Mr. Klein pays him well to overlook it. He uses the same room. Room 12. In that room you’ll find a hidden video camera in the smoke detector on the ceiling.”

  “I’m sorry, but how do you know all this?”

  “I see things, Mr. Lowry. And I saw it last night when I met him for the first time.”

  “So you’re a psychic?”

  “Yes.”

  “Miss King. I’m sorry, but—”

  “You listen to me, detective. Jack Klein assaulted her in the bathroom last night. He told her if she didn’t agree to have sex with him, he would cut off our deal,” Asher angrily spoke. “He is a sick man, and he needs to be stopped.”

  “Fine. I’ll go to the motel and talk to the manager and have a look in the room.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “I’ll be in touch, Miss King.”

  After Asher and I left the station, we grabbed a bite to eat and spent the rest of the day shopping and relaxing by the pool. When we went up to our suite to change for dinner, my phone rang.

  “Hello?”

  “Miss King, it’s Detective Lowry. Are you near a TV?”

  “Yes.”

  “Turn on the news.”

  I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. The news of Jack Klein’s arrest was everywhere.

  “I take it you found everything I told you about?”

  “We did, and he’s going away for a very long time.”

  “Thank you, Detective Lowry.”

  As soon as I ended the call, I felt Asher’s arms wrap around me from behind.

  “That sick bastard,” he said. “Now that he’s going to prison, I’m going to swoop in, take his property from him and build my mall.” I felt his lips press against the side of my neck.

  The next day, Asher rented a boat which took us to a remote and secluded beach. It was our own private oasis for the day. When we arrived, there was a small round table and two chairs set up in the sand inside a small white canopy tent.

  “What’s this for?” I grinned.

  “I’ve arranged for a private lunch for us.” He smiled as his lips brushed against mine.

  “You think of everything, don’t you?” I wrapped my arms around his neck.

  “I’m trying.” He leaned his forehead against mine.

  There was a large blanket spread out in the sand with a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket and two glasses. It was the most perfect day as the sand glistened under the summer sun, and a light wind swept over our faces, providing some relief from the heat.

  “Let’s go swimming,” I said as I grabbed Asher’s hand and pulled him up.

  Our hands stayed locked together as we ran out into the water and the waves splashed all around us. Asher grabbed me and pulled me into him as we stood in the water. The smiles never left our face.

  “I love you, Everly.”

  “I love you too, Asher.”

  We made our way back, dried off and ate lunch. We stayed and watched the sunset. It was magnificent and the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. We lay on the blanket, holding each other and Asher took hold of my hand and interlaced his fingers around mine.

  “Move to New York, Everly. Move in with me.”

  “What?” I smiled at him. “Are you serious?”

  “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”

  A frightening sensation overwhelmed me as I got up from the blanket and walked towards the shore, letting the salty water sweep over my feet.

  “What’s wrong?” Asher asked as he hooked his arm around my waist.

  “I’m scared.”

  “Scared of what?” he asked as he turned me towards him and swept the back of his hand across my cheek.

  “I’m not normal and—”

  “Shh.” His finger touched my lips. “Don’t say that. You are normal. You just have a special gift that’s beyond the average person, and that’s what makes you so extraordinary.”

  “I have doubts we’ll ever have a normal relationship.”

  “What is a normal relationship anyway?” The corners of his mouth curved upward. “We’re two people who love each other and want to spend time together. I know exactly what I’m doing when it comes to you. I know what I’m getting myself into and it’s a beautiful thing.” His lips brushed against mine. “I want you in New York with me permanently. I want to be able to kiss you whenever I feel like it, hold you, and comfort you when you’ve had a bad dream. I want to wake up to your smile every morning and share my life with you, Everly.”

  “You left out one very important part, Mr. Remington?”

  “What?”

  “The part about having sex whenever you want.”

  “Ah.” He grinned. “I left that one out on purpose because I don’t want to rush you. I don’t want there to be anymore band-aids for us.”

  “You know what I think?” The corners of my mouth curved upward as my arms tightened around his neck. “I think the wounds are healed.”

  The smile on his face widened as he pulled me down with him. His back lay against the sand as I hovered over him and the water swept up over us. Our lips tangled as I could feel the hardness of his cock against my belly.

  “Is that the boat I hear?” He sighed.

  Looking up, it had just docked against the shore.

  “Yep.” I smiled.

  “Of course.”

  “Don’t worry. I promise we’ll continue this the second we get back to the room.” I kissed his lips one last time before climbing off him.

  Grabbing his hand, I helped him up and we gathered our things and headed to the boat.

  36

  Asher

  Her body was as soft as silk, and I could feel the trembling of her skin from my touch. Sweet and satisfying moans escaped her the moment I thrust inside her. She welcomed me with a warmth that made my heart beat out of control. I grabbed her hands and interlaced our fingers as I brought her arms over her head. Thrusting in and out at a slow pace, I stared into her eyes. She was my angel, and I was never letting her go. The connection between us was strong. The lifeforce of two people whose souls were tied together. Her body shook as she orgasmed for the third time, making it impossible for me to hold back as I exploded inside her. Looking down at her beautiful face, I smiled as my lips softly brushed against hers.

  “I don’t want to leave you in Rhode Island tomorrow,” I said as I held her in my arms.

  “I know. I don’t want you to leave, but we don’t have a choice. I can’t come to New York until everything is settled.”

  I let out a sigh. “And I need to get back to the office. But I will be flying out on Friday’s so we can spend the weekend together.”

  “I’d love that.” She smiled as she lifted her head from my chest and kissed me.

  We flew back to Rhode Island and I had arranged for a limo to take her home. Saying goodbye to her was the hardest part and my heart ached like it had never ached before.

  “I love you.” I held her tight against me.

  “I love you too.”

  Our lips met and tangled for the last time until I saw her again.

  “You better call me the second you land,” she said.

  “I will. Don’t worry.”

  I gave her one last hug and kiss and it was too hard to let her go.

  “Behave yourself.” I smiled as I ran my thumb across her lips.

  “Me? You better behave yourself, Mr. Remington.” She grinned as she fought to hold back the tears.

  I gave her one last wave as I stood on the steps of the plane. Taking my seat, I looked out the window as I watched the limo with her in it drive away.

  Two Weeks Later

  Everly

  I had looked forward to the weekends because that’s when I got t
o see Asher. He’d fly in around four p.m. on Friday and leave for the airport around seven a.m. Monday morning. I had called a realtor right when I got back from Key West and the house went up for sale within a week. It sold in one day to a nice couple who had just had a baby. The best part was, they bought the house fully furnished, at least that’s what the realtor told me. But when she came over in person to tell me the news, I saw who really bought the house. Was I mad? Absolutely not. He did it because he wanted me in New York as quickly as possible. Plus, he could afford it and it was money in my bank account, so who was I to complain.

  “Now that the house sold, when are you coming here?” he asked over Facetime.”

  “Probably another two weeks or so. I still have some things to pack up here and at the shop.”

  “I thought you had a huge closing sale?”

  “There are still a lot of things left that need to be packed up or sold. I’m running the sale until the end of next week.”

  “I need you here, Everly.”

  “And I want to be there. But these things take time. You should be happy my house sold in one day.”

  “I am. Trust me. Now get that damn shop packed up and get to New York. I love you.”

  “I love you too, Asher. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  I ended the call and climbed into bed with a smile on my face. I may have told him a little white lie. The store was already closed down. A couple who owned their own metaphysical shop in Massachusetts drove to my shop when they heard it was closing and bought out all my stock. Since I wasn’t going to be needing my jeep anymore, I sold it to Sam for a very good price. The only things I needed to bring with me were my personal items, which was more than I could fit in two large suitcases, so I hired a moving truck to transport the rest of my things to New York. They would be here tomorrow morning at seven a.m. and my flight out of Rhode Island left at ten a.m.

  The next morning, I answered Asher’s Facetime call promptly at six a.m.

  “Good morning, beautiful.” A wide grin crossed his face.