Page 72 of Ash and Poison

Asher waved a dismissive hand, his expression a mix of indifference and contempt. “This place is a dump,” he said with a shrug. “No one here gives a damn about how anything works. The cameras are outdated dinosaurs. I don’t think Sheriff Asswipe will get anything useful from the footage.” He leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips.

“What if they do work?”

Asher shook his head. “They don’t. I promise you’re safe.”

“Did you do something?” I asked, and he nodded.

“I did, just in case. I am good at hacking. Not hands, just computers.”

The hit of relief was so intense I slumped on the chair.

“When did you…”

“After you came to my room,” he said, handing me a bottle of water. “I knew Vince would come poking around sooner or later, and...” he trailed off, staring at me with a strange look in his eyes.

“I was so focused on you that I forgot everything else. I’m not usually this careless. I don’t leave evidence.”

But I almost did.

The flash of his grin was so brutally charming that my heart stumbled for a second. I wanted to grab him by his neck, slam him against the wall, and kiss him to show him how grateful I was.

It still surprised me to see him like this. Just a week ago, I would have laughed if someone had told me Asher knew how to smile like that.

“I’m glad you find me so fascinating that everything else just slipped your mind.”

“You’re enjoying this too much, Maddox.”

“Well, should I not? You bragged about being a professional,” Asher said.

“Shut up, just shut up.” I stood up, storming toward him.

“You were so smug, darling. This should teach you not to underestimate me. Doctor T was my second kill, but I have a plan, and I’ve prepared for it for eight years.”

The bastard was reveling in his twisted sense of superiority, savoring every moment of having the upper hand against me, and I was drinking his pride like a hungry vampire.

“Second?” I asked, taking a step back from him. If I stayed any closer, Vincent would find me either kissing Asher or killing him. “What do you mean?”

“The dead body I found after coming home? Well…”

Becca told me he had witnessed another murder five months ago, and that triggered a mental breakdown.

“You killed him?”

“Bingo.”

“Why?”

“He was the one who started this domino effect. He got Riley addicted to drugs.”

“Oh. How did—”

The door slammed open with a deafening crash, and Vincent stormed in, lunging toward Asher. Grabbing him by his shirt, Vincent shoved him onto the couch with such force that the old springs groaned under the impact.

“What the hell did you—” Vincent growled.

“Vincent, stop. You’re hurting him. STOP.”

With a curse, he punched Asher. Asher sat there, still as a statue, his eyes unchanged as he let Vincent punch him again.