Something has to be done

*Chapter seventeen*

Dave sighed, brushing his chin. He was in oblivion, inattentively listening to the bickering of the stakeholders.They were all pissed,certainly not as he was. Krystal was drowning down,every stakeholders were withdrawing their shares. The company stocks was falling and there was nothing he could do. If the other night has gone down as planned, he would have had Natalie in his fingers. One way or the other,she would have helped a lot and now he still couldn't get a hold of her.

Dave threw an irritating look at Emma Brooke, whose gaze were all on him. It was obvious they hadn't settled the burning fury amidst them.

Dave jolted up,with Martin quickly on his feet.What Dave needed was a solution out of this not an additional headache. Before Krystal Group becomes a public ridicule he had to fix this.

He dashed into his office,Martin gently holding the door out for him. Dave fumbled around. Unfortunately nothing came to him. The only option now was selling some stocks at a lesser price. But hell wasn't going for it yet. He wasn't so eager in loosing his authority on the company.

Martin approached him,clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Martin if you have something to say,please do" Dave angrily huffed as Emma nimble in,her red-hair twirling to her side,taking ownership of the seat,opposite to his.

"It's the stock price,it's declining daily and-"

Dave pounced at martin,"Martin we re not selling any more"

Emma gave frantic Dave a wave of hand cutting him off,"Continue,Martin you are the best at this,what do you think this situation calls for"

Martin inhaled for long,discretely sending glances at Dave. He shrugged, unsure if he should say what's on his mind. "No doubt we need help. At this rate,the stock are deprecating, if you allow me, a friend recommended-"

Emma was getting bored by his heart wrenching story "Good gracious Martin cut your story short" She yelled,her rage shooting up to Dave's.

"We need a financial analyst. The best one at that,"

Both shot him a vexatious look which seemed to be saying 'There you go. It wasn't so hard,now was it'

"I did my research and there's someone whose capabilities match exactly what we need. " He paused, looking at the faces of his solicitous audience. "Remember the Empire group holdings, he scrapped what's was left of them and got them back on their feet" Attention from the duo were now undivided.

"How dare you compare Krystal Group with that Empire-" Emma retorted sharply,as Dave wittily interrupted with a wave of hand.

"What's his name" Dave ignored as Emma shot him an angered look.

"Frederick Brown."

"Make an appointment with him" Dave quickly discarded.

Emma was up now, "We haven't made a decision yet"

"But I just did" Dave rummage through the files on his office table.

Beaming with sheer anger,Emma sent a fierce look to Martin who was not enjoying the heat in their conversation. He didn't need words to tell him he should scurry away. After his departure, Emma clunk to Dave's side.

"What's with you Dave? Why all this hostility?" She nudge at him,while he carried on, nonetheless.

"It's Natalie right. I told you she was trouble.. See what's her mere presence is causing." Emma wrangled.

Dave still ignored her,Emma knew it,Dave had taking interest in that little whore. "Don't bite more than you can chew Dave,She's married to Asher Reed,he would cripple you for sure." She knew her words fell flat on the floor. Emma remained her cool, she didn't want to ruin things for the worse.

But her patience was at short length. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Her missy nicey hat was deserted.

Dave had also couldn't put up with her. "You know what Emma,you are the problem." He wasn't thinking. He was clearly still angry at her.

"I advice you choose your next words carefully Dave." Emma stoic words were daring. "I love you Dave...you are mine"

"And that's the point Emma,I'm not your property." Dave glared,shooting waxes at her. "I need some air" He packed up.

Emma was stone cold,her expression was icy,Dave couldn't even guess what she was thinking.

She watched as he thumped about moving to the door. Her icy expression suddenly mellowed, she gave a sinister hard laugh. Dave turned around, he was very well puzzled at her sudden mood swing.

Emma laughed hard,wavering on her feet as she moved closer to Dave stance. "Sorry..."she caught her breath. "Love,don't test me."Her voice hardened. "For what is what,get that tramp out of your mind." She motioned to the door. "I bet you don't need reminding what we've been through and what drastic action I can take for 'this' love." She stomped out of the office.

Emma was hurt.

For the first time Dave had hurt her. And all because of Natalie. Dave never even acted this way with little miss perfect Jeanine. She wondered what spell that witch had cast on Dave,but she was a master at wrecking things.

Dave was only infatuated,and she had to put an end to it before it got out of control.

......

Natalie's car screeched into the garage,as impatient Skylar quickly unbuckled her seat belt. She clutched her costume on one hand,as Carrie joggled with the rest behind.

They mumbled their way in,Natalie went into the house but Asher was no where in sight. He had gone for a business meeting since in the afternoon and hadn't received her call yet. She rushed into his office but still wasn't there. Gaiting into her room. She reached and pulled on the light.

Asher

There he was sleeping peacefully on the bed. A tight smile encamped her face. She bustled downstairs and back, after Skylar was successfully tucked in her bed.

Natalie slowly slid into the bed but she felt something was awfully wrong.

Natalie placed her hands on his chin,to adjust his crooked neck on the soft fluffy pillows. Her hands collided gently with his skin,she jolted back in surprise.

Hell was he burning hot.She gasped. 'Asher hadn't come down for dinner,she had thought he was tired from work but he'd been sick.

Guilt roared on her skin,allowing her heart clenched. She took a cursory look at the time,it was at the early hours of midnight. It was rather impossible for the doctor to get here so late.

She scampered out of bed,fixing her purple nighties,clutching it together to one side, and pushing her feet in motion to the kitchen. Natalie rummaged through the kitchen cupboards until she found the ingredients she sought, she had to stable his fever for the night to avoid his condition from worsening. This would help,it always did anyways. She prepared a chicken soup, leaving it mildly on the cooker.

She took hold of a plastic of water with a cotton brown towel. She scurried up the stairs to the room where Asher laid still never faltering in movement.

She placed the wet dipped towel above his forehead,in an attempt to ease his temperature. She frequently dug back into the bowl and back on his head. After some sort of satisfaction she hurled downstairs just in time,stopping the company on the cooker from turning into a disaster.

Just like a purple adorable bunny she bustled back up with the plate of soup and a bed table. She laid the wooden table on the bed,crouching forward, She gave a pull at the the sickened Asher.

His condition hadn't improved a bit,on the contrary it had worsened. But still hope was not lost. She still had her soup at her disposal.

Natalie soothed the pillows beneath him,allowing rest upright enough to sip through the soup.

She nudge slowly at him, having a spoonful in her hands, urging him mouth opened. Asher waggled free the first attempt, his perfectly double eyelids flapping inconsistently without success. He wobbled like a overly pampered six year old,displaying yet another tantrum to skip his meal. Natalie knew exactly how to handle this situation, just exactly what she would had applied in Skylar's case. Soon after so much failed attempt he finally,gulped down the hot soup. Almost until he wavered over drowsiness,no more could he handle.

Natalie let it be,after all he had finished it all,almostly. She quickly discarded the wooden table and plate of soup to one side. Due from the steamy soup,Asher's shirt also registered a disapproving look. He was all sweaty from the heat and in Natalie's own words 'it was no doubt a good thing'

She grabbed the bottom of his yellow striped shirt, pulling up in a gently yet firm manner. she removed his shirt,deserting him with nothing on this bare skin. The warmth of her hands collided with his skin,causing a satisfaction that even his sickened state couldn't overlook.

Natalie unaware of what damage her hands had on this sickly Asher. Any other day at another time would leave him fighting reasonably but his high fever wasn't helping.

But unfortunately in his present mental state,Asher burned up,not only by the sickening physical state but also by the disastrous effect Natalie touch sent down his body.

She wiped away the scattered trace of sweat constantly forming on his skin. Asher next course of action shocked her gut. His sweaty stud hands were on hers.

He mumbled open his cherry painted lips and closed. Again he tried to speak but what came out was an unconscious mumbling.

"Natalie.." Asher repeated severally, pulling closer her hands. Though he was sick,his strength and power were not surpressed. She gently tried to wiggle her hands free but it was a catastrophe.

"Natalie..." He called out again, pushing her forward causing her to stumble on his chest. He trolled her to his side,never letting go.

Natalie's eyes widened at her newly found situation, just as earlier, every attempts of hers were futile. She held in her breath,she was inches away from Asher's face. She was a prude, but she couldn't help the countless wild thought grazing her mind.

Asher on the other hand was unconcerned, like a child whose successfully acquired his candy in possession, he laid still. At least, that's what she had thought before watching the streamline of tears that danced down from his firmly closed eyes.

This threw her off balance than the earlier pull had done. 'Was he crying?'She asked a rhetorical question. Her heart shrank at the sight. 'Asher was crying'

'The cold expressionless Asher even had tears' Now she was mumbling to herself. She questioned in belief. But she couldn't deny the unfamiliar pain that it had brought to her...