Page 59 of Wicked Titan

Clasping my hand, Asher leads me down several hallways before we stop in front of a metal door. Taking a deep breath, he knocks before a deep voice hollers for us to come in.

The door pushes open as a tall man, resembling Asher stands from behind a desk. I can see similar features, shared between father and son, but Victor’s hair is graying and heavy lines circle his eyes, marking years of stress.

“Dad, this is Quinn. Quinn, my father, Victor.”

He moves around the desk and I step forward to meet him, extending my hand as he firmly grips it. “Quinn, my dear. I’ve heard a great deal about you from Nathan. I feel like I already know you.” The words might be meant as cheerful, but his tone comes off as menacing to say the least.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Hastings.” That’s the brightest response I can muster since I’m intimidated by Victor’s mere presence.

“Oh, call me Victor. I’ve been wanting to meet you, but my son has been hiding you away it seems.” He directs an unnerving stare in Asher’s direction.

Asher tenses beside me, a challenging look passing between the two men. “I’ll be upstairs in a few minutes, if you want to wait with Victoria until I get done with my dad?”

He’s asked it in the form of a question, but I understand there isn’t an option. He wants me out of his father’s presence as much as I’m ready to flee it.

“Sure, I’ll wait up there with her. It was nice to meet you, Victor.” I give him a forced smile as he nods in my direction. I walk out of the office feeling like I’m abandoning Asher, but I pull the solid, very heavy metal door closed behind me as I exit the office, running through the hallways to make my way back upstairs as quickly as possible, an unsettling feeling overwhelming me. Monica Hastings I can deal with. Victor Hastings is a different, disturbing beast altogether.

I’m out of breath by the time I return, finding Victoria and Elliot bickering while Wade has his nose in his phone. No one pays me any mind, so I sit, waiting for Asher to return, unable to focus on anything but the door I can’t wait for him to walk back through.

It’s less than ten minutes before Asher returns, but it feels like it’s been hours. He walks over to take a seat and pulls me onto his lap, looping his arms around me, holding tighter than he had earlier.

“What was that about?”

“Just some school stuff.” His words are nonchalant, but his body is rigid, tense beneath my touch. “When did you meet my mom?”

“What?” I ask, stalling to try and think of what to say.

“I know she doesn’t talk to Candace. They haven’t been friends in years.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe Candace is just insisting on tormenting everyone with safe-sex talks.” I attempt to joke as it falls flat, Asher’s accusing eyes show no humor. “I don’t know, Asher. That’s the first time I met your mom.”

He shifts, turning so I’m straddling him in the chair, his fingers entwine in my hair as he grips, bringing my lips against his as he speaks. “I told you not to lie to me.”

Rocking against him, I feather my tongue over his lips, distracting him as much as I can because I don’t want to lie to him. There are enough lies around us without us lying to each other too.

“Get a room!” Elliott hollers.

Victoria tells him to shut up, but suggests we go to Asher’s room so her eyes stop burning.

Smiling, I give him a quick smooch before leaning my forehead against his.

His fingers are still tangled in my hair, holding on, our eyes are locked together. He whispers, “You’re supposed to hate me.”

Closing my eyes, I tease, “I do.”

“You’re lying again, Weakling.”

“I hate that name.” My hands grip his shirt as I lean back, giving him the best angry pout. “Stop calling me that.”

“I’m not calling you that.” His hands drop to my hips, squeezing before he moves his arms around me, snaking his hands up my back to pull me to him. “You’re my weakness.”

Before I can react, his mouth covers mine. The kiss is tender, patient, and generous as it pulls me under. I feel every bit of a weakling as his words penetrate my mind, seeping into my heart. I try to hold on to this moment with everything I have left.

48

“We should probably start getting ready.” Standing from the lounge chair, I tug down my tank before rubbing my hands down my jean shorts.

A groan comes from Victoria as she sits up. “I say we just go catch a movie and bail on the party.”