Chapter 8: let's take a walk.

Chapter 8: let's take a walk.

Eden turned and raised her face to watch him. It suddenly dawned on him that he was talking about himself. It must have been horrible for a child of fifteen to find his mother like that, she knew because she watched her own mother crash to her death.

"I am sorry" She apologized.

"There you go again with the apology?! Tell me to go screw myself or mind my own fucking business, Eden" Asher yelled at her.

"You are hurting me, Asher" she told him.

Asher suddenly realized that he was still holding her and his fingers were beginning to dig into her skin.

He let her go immediately.

"Why do you care about what and what I don't believe in? We are nothing but strangers. We've never met each other before."

Asher looked at her and he wanted to tell her the truth. He yearns to tell her the truth like he should have years ago. He wanted to say

(You are the love of my life! I have been in love with you ever since I was fifteen years old and I have never met anyone like you, Eden) 

He almost did until he remembered why he couldn't. Having someone as passive and good as Eden was a sure way to get killed in his world. Survival in his world meant getting one's hand dirty and until he was able to dissuade Eden of the ridiculous notion of hers, the faster he would confess his love and be happy with her. 

"I don't know" He murmured instead.

Eden stared at him and he held her gaze. A tiny part of him wished she would remember him. She had rocked his world but apparently, he barely made a dent in hers at fifteen years old. It was what good and niceness got him. it's was love at first sight for fifteen year old Asher but he was just a random face to her.

No-one would dare forget him now. No one at all. He was Asher Angelwings, even the most important person in the States knew his name.

"I want to go home" Eden told him.

"We will lodge in a hotel tonight and tomorrow we fly back," Asher informed her.

"No…no…our deal didn't include sleeping over, Asher" Eden objected strongly.

"I know but we can't take off on the jet. The weather is bad and unless you would rather risk a crash than spending the night in a luxurious penthouse, then I suggest we stay. I won't lay a finger on you if that's what you are worried about" Asher told her.

He noticed she was cold. He removed his jacket and placed it on her.

"Thank you"

"You are welcome"

As soon as they went outside, the valet brought Asher's car around but he saw the way she kept looking at the surroundings and so he asked her.

"Do you want to take a walk with me or just drive straight to the hotel?" 

Eden smiled. "Let's take a walk please. I have places to show you"

"Do you, now?" Asher raised his eyebrow. He had a smile. At least she was more receptive of him now.

"Yeah, Mom talked about this shelter where one can help serve food"

"...you mean, a homeless shelter?" Asher asked her.

"Yes" Eden nodded with excitement.

"Oh God" Asher turned and started walking away without giving her a second glance.

"Wait for me. It's going to be fun, I promise" Eden ran after him.

"I don't think I mentioned that I would rather eat a bullet!" Asher yelled without stopping "I am taking you to a nightclub!"

Asher didn't stop but he slowed his pace considerably until she caught up with him.

They walked for a while in silence until they got to a corner that Asher deemed too dark. He knew New York well enough to know they were in dangerous territory yet he knew that no one would dare attack him or the woman he was with but his protective instinct took over.

"Can you hold my hand?" He asked her out of nowhere.

Eden was puzzled, what was she supposed to say exactly?. Then it occurred to her that they were in a dark corner and he was a total stranger to her. 

"Why?" Eden asked him.

"Because we are…" Asher wanted to tell her that his old mafia boss had control over this area and it was a dangerous place for a beautiful innocent girl like her but he didn't want to spook her.

"I am terrified of the dark. I need you to protect me" He told her instead.

He waited for the mocking laughter, for the jest and the eye rolling at the ridiculousness of his statement but none came. Instead, he felt her hand on his and she squeezed it like she was comforting him.

"It's okay, Asher. I will protect you. I promise" 

"Oh" Asher was surprised to say the least. He has never met anyone like her.

Eden wanted to continue walking when she heard someone scream. She turned around and she raced towards the sound of the voice, Asher raced after her to stop her.

"Eden! Stop!" 

"They are hurting him. He needs help" Eden raced down to the sound of the voice.

"It's none of our business. This is dangerous territory!"

When Eden found the voice, she stopped. It was a young woman shielding her son as she received most of the kicks and the lashes from two men.

"Stop! I have called the cops. They are on their way now. If you leave now, you won't be caught" Eden told the men from the distance where she stood.

"I see…you are a pretty little thing, aren't you?" The shorter man asked her.

"That's…that's objectification. Just go away and we all live to fight another day" Eden told them with a shaky voice.

The taller man moved forward and tried to grab her. Eden screamed when she heard a gunshot and the taller man was on the ground. She turned around and it was Asher. He had fired the gun.

"You have a gun!" 

"Take your friend and go or the next place I shoot is your head" Asher's voice was cold, too cold. It sent thrills down Eden's spine.

She watched in horror as the shorter man helped the bleeding one up from the ground.

"Tell Donnie, Asher sends his regards and he should admonish you on the dangers of trying to grab what's mine. Take a look at her, she is off limits"