Page 3 of Dirty Deadly & Mine
“Any chance for one of those ripper hugs you give before I get dragged away?” he whispers, and a sob bursts from my lips as I lunge forward, throwing my arms around his neck and squeezing him tight.
His hands slide to my back, and I can feel his breath against my skin as he buries his head in the crook of my neck, like he wants to hide there, trusting that I’ll keep him safe.
Dammit, I wish I could. He deserves better than this.
“Step away, now!” a bobby yells, and Asher’s hold on me loosens.
“Love you, Lil.” He breathes against my ear, his words taking me by surprise as he pulls back, raising his hands in the air.
Our tear-filled eyes meet, and he offers me a hint of a smile before he takes a step aside and turns his gaze to the police.
“I’m surrendering!” he calls, and voices yell from all directions as they scream demands at him, the sound of heavy feet pounding our way.
Asher’s words, the deep baritone of his voice sounding more like man than boy, run through my head. He’s never told me he loves me before, but I guess emotions are high, and even though he has a mother, I’ve been more of a mother to him than her.
I stagger back as the police swarm in, rough hands draggingme away as they shove Asher face first to the ground, his eyes never leaving mine.
CHAPTER 2
ASHER - PRESENT DAY
Iwas hoping freedom would taste sweeter than this, yet as I step foot out of the prison gates for the first time in two years, I have the urge to turn the fuck around and go back in. At least in prison, I had a roof over my head and got fed daily. Sure, I had to watch my back, especially when I wasn’t in my cell, but maybe that’s better than walking out a homeless man.
Fuck.
“Hey, you prick!” a familiar voice yells, and I look to the left to see my two best mates leaning against a car, looking like the smug pricks I’ve come to love. “I thought you’d look more chuffed about getting out?”
I chuckle. “Fuck you, Ronan. Thisismy chuffed look.” I point to my face, and the identical fuckers laugh and scoff at the same time in that creepy twin way.
“Get the fuck over here, Asher, and give your best mate a squeeze.” Jude laughs, opening his arms as he steps away from their car.
I can’t help it, I fucking smile. Something I haven’t truly done for months. It feels weird on my face, but I keep it there for my mates because I don’t want to drag them down.
As Jude barrels into me, Ronan, who I often call Ronnie, scoffs behind him. “I’m his best mate, you daft prick. Back the fuck off him.” He slaps his twin brother across the side of thehead, trying to get him away from me, but Jude’s arms wrap around me and squeeze tight, so Ronnie joins in, too.
“No way.” Jude laughs, “He’s mine!”
Before I know it, the two twits have forgotten about me and start to wrestle each other across the prison parking lot.
“You two haven’t changed a bit since I’ve been gone.” I chuckle, rounding them to make my way to their car.
“You haven’t been gonethatlong,” Jude puffs, escaping his twin to come to my side.
“It feels like I’ve been in that place for fucking years.” I gesture to the looming walls of the prison over my shoulder.
“Nawwww, did you miss us?” Jude pouts, fluttering his dark lashes, so I shoulder past the funny prick and speak honestly.
“Yeah, I fucking did.”
“Come on, you sap. Let’s get you home.” Ronnie wraps his arm around my shoulder before pulling the car door open for me like I can’t fucking manage it myself.
“Home?” I frown, glancing back over my shoulder at Ronan. “I thought I couldn’t stay on campus with you guys.”
“You can’t.” Jude’s voice draws my attention as he opens the driver’s door and stares over the car roof at me. “We can’t risk getting caught.”
Ronan shoves me then, so I lower into the front passenger seat and close my door as they get into the car as well, Ronnie’s voice coming from behind me in the back seat.
“We also don’t have a bed for you there, and even though I love you and all that, I ain’t sharing a bed with you.”
