Part 18 (1/2)

As day s.h.i.+fted into the evening, the moon replaced the sun and the island came alive.

Workers crowded transport boats and headed home to Miami's mainland with dreary eyes. They left in h.o.a.rds-painters, day maids, ma.s.seuse, nannies, and on and on.

The rest of the island remained in a constant buzz of excitement. Warm air s.h.i.+fted to a cool breeze that rustled all the palm trees. Sweet smells filled the air, from designer perfume to the savory aroma of roasted meats. Giggling sounds rode the wind. Men headed out on the streets with heavy pockets and s.e.xy women on their arms. Tennis rackets and golf clubs also got good use that evening, clacking and booing at they slammed against b.a.l.l.s. Champagne gla.s.ses clinked at country clubs and high-end restaurants. The theater sparked alive and enjoyed packed seats. Some of the hottest celebrities came to perform each evening, and that night was no different.

Asher should've gone straight home that night. Surely, a beautiful women sat at his table, waiting for his company.

I need more than two days with Diana. I'll fix that first, then I'll fix that kiss that I messed up this morning.

Diana believed she was safe. It didn't matter that she was right. What he had to do was guarantee at least a week with her. There were too many questions rising in his skull, too many things happening within his chest.

It had started after that kiss.

No, it had started long before that. The moment she walked into that kitchen, she meant something to Asher.

In his head, a blackness had spiraled over and over just like the huge staircase in his mansion. After the kiss, the steps broke in some places. Things warmed where it should have been frigid, cold. The gloom in his core vibrated. That had never happened before.

He pressed his mouth against hers, and he changed.

If just a kiss could do that, then what would her body do to me?

In his limo, he sat in the back. He'd ordered the driver to take him to a secret address, one that only a few men knew.

I need more than two days.

What he was about to do would be dangerous. He hadn't thought it all out, and had planned on going straight to his house.

But, Diana believed that she only had two days with him, that there was no threat. Asher decided to change that.

She needs to be scared, and in my house for a little bit longer.

None of this made sense. Even as the driver parked him in front of the concealed brothel, he still wasn't so sure he was doing the right thing.

I have to do something.

His driver got out, walked over to his side, and opened the back door.

”Thank you.” Asher nodded at him. ”I'll be back in an hour or so.”

The driver said nothing and returned to his post.

What am I doing?

To any wanderer, the property that sat in front of him appeared to be a normal three-story house. Multi-colored tulips bordered the whole place. A swing hung from a tree. It even had a white picket fence around it.

Asher put his leather gloves on his hands, placed the black mask on his face, and headed down the lit path where music wandered out to him and mixed with feminine laughter.

Only a few knew what happened in this place.

It had taken him several months to be invited himself. After playing a long round of golf with some other CEOs that lived on the island, one fat meat head out of the group slipped him a black square of paper with the address written in gold.

”What's this?” Asher asked Len Gibson, the meat head who sat right next to him at Ovid Country Club's bar.

”You're a pretty quiet man, Asher.” Len waved for the bartender ”I am.”

Len turned to Asher and winked at him. ”I know why you're quiet.”

Asher grinned. ”I doubt that.”

”Men like us have pleasures that others. . .” Len leaned in closer and whispered. ”Basically, other men might not be able to stomach the things we like.”

The bartender didn't even ask for Len's order as she placed a tiny gla.s.s with brown liquid in it, right in front of the fat man. Len grabbed it and took a long gulp.

Asher had no idea what the man was talking about as he rubbed the gold numbers and letters with the pad of his thumb. ”So this place provides these. . .pleasures that most men couldn't stomach?”

”Yes.”

”And how do you know I like these things?”

”I saw the way you were looking at Thomas and his daughter.” Len took another gulp of his drink and chuckled.

”What do you mean?”

”You know what I'm saying.” Len nudged Asher's arm.

Asher held back the bile in his throat. ”I think Thomas may be a bit too friendly with his daughter. That's why I was looking.”

”Is that the only reason?” Len nudged him again.

It took everything in Asher to not break the man's arm. Instead, he directed all of his attention back to the address on the paper. ”So this place, provides those type of services?”

”I might have taken Thomas there a few times, but the girls aren't you know. . .young enough for him.”

Darkness. .h.i.t Asher's chest. Haunting images ran through his mind. He could see himself killing Thomas, even though hadn't planned on hurting anybody else that year. He'd already killed two men prior, but then he spotted Thomas placing his hand in the corner of his daughter's back. Although the action seemed simple, there was something wrong in the way the man looked at his little girl and smiled.

And her eyes. . .

He'd never forget the terror that lay beneath those lids.

It was why Asher sat at the bar in that moment. He'd been trying to decide if he would kill Thomas, and maybe Thomas's death would get that terror out of his little girl's eyes.

”Yes, buddy.” Len got up from the bar and tapped Asher's back. ”This is the place to have a little fun with a younger grew of women. They're still mature, of course, just not by society's ridged standards. I hope you'll see me there one night.”

Asher knew exactly where he would place the bow in Len's chest, could see the sharp object slicing through the air, slamming into the fat man's flesh, and bursting through to bone and blood.

”Thanks.” Asher formed his lips into a huge smile and shook the man's hand. ”I really hope I catch you there too, Len.”

He'd never got down to killing Len. There were too many others that snared his attention-too many piece of s.h.i.+t men to kill.

Asher decided to kill Len, when the urge just couldn't be stopped.