It has been months...

Months since the trip to Hawaii. And it has not been easy getting into the flow of things... actually far from that.

It has been the worst, with Miya, work, and most of all Asher. He has been so rude to me more than usual.

He treats me like I'm nothing. He barely talks to me at work, let alone at the house.

I don't know how many heated arguments we got in. I don't how many times I threatened that I'll leave the house taking Miya. I don't know how many times I tried to come up with solutions for us to get along.

But, I'm honestly done with it. It is coming to the point where I can't and won't do anything about it.

I was currently setting up an appointment for him during the week. He also had a big trip in New York in a month or so.

So, I was planning the arrangements for him through the phone, which was more complicated then it seemed. After this phone call, I was basically done for the day.

That's how it has been for weeks. Asher will assign me tasks that literally only take a few hours.

And then I'll have nothing to do for the next 7 hours. So, he just sends me home. I still get paid the same which is great, but it' still odd.

I just feel like I'm not doing my job, and most off all I think he sends me home early so he doesn't have to see me.

After I hung up the phone I got up, opened my office door heading to Asher's.

I knocked on the door and I heard a gruff voice say come in. Once I opened the door. I held my breath.

Stacey was sitting on his desk, facing him. He sat on the chair right next to her facing her as well.

He was already looking up at me, but she turned around as well when she realized that everything she was saying was not registering through his mind.

She looked so good, I mean she had a slick black dress with black heels to match. Her lips were covered with red lipstick, and her hair was curled and looked full.

She obviously gave me a dirty look, but I didn't even say anything I just looked at her dumb founded. I think I was staring for a long time because I heard a voice yell my name.

"Natalia!"

I snapped my head towards him, and then looked down quickly swallowing a lump in my throat before I could speak.

"Sorry sir, I was wondering if there was anything else you needed?"

I was expecting an answer, but there was silence. I was still looking down because I couldn't even look up. I waited another minute so he could just say something then I could leave.

When I heard Stacey mumbling words to him if he was going to respond. I knew he heard me. So, I finally looked up.

I met his piercing eyes, that gave me shivers down my spine. We held gaze for a long time, till I finally caught onto what was happening.

He looked at me with challenging eyes. He knew that this bothered me, and the sight of them made me uncomfortable and jealous...

He wanted to see what I was going to do. If I was going to coward away or do something.

I looked at Stacey beside him and saw her do an evil grin. I looked back at him and waited for an answer.

What was he even doing with her. Last time they were in contact he beat up her father, and left her at the ball without telling her that he was leaving with me.

So, if anything they were looking like fools, especially her.

"No, you're excused for the day." He said smiling.

Oh, he thinks this is funny. He really wants to go there. He thinks that he won that I will just coward away.

Well he has one thing wrong. Being adoesn't align with who I am.

"Okay, So I guess I'll see you at the house Asher?" I asked him with a smirk on my face.

As soon as the question came out my mouth. He had a shocked face, and Stacey had an angry one.

She was going to blow in any second. He didn't say anything so I took this as a sign to leave.

I walked towards the door, but before I actually opened up the door I turned around and said one last thing.

"I guess I'll take that as a yes." I said with a wink towards him and finally walked out the door leaving him with that.

I came upon the elevator, and stepped in and pressed the first floor button. The doors were closing, until I seen a hand reach out.

The elevators opened, and there was Jason stepping in. After the elevators closed he looked up at me smiling.

"Hey"

"Hey"

"Are you just getting off?" He asked

"Yeah, I am."

"It's only 6:00, why is he letting you off so early?" He asked.

I sighed answering with:

"Good question."

He looked at me with raised eyebrows, and then gave a mischievous smile to himself. Almost like he knew something.

"What do you know?" I asked.

He snapped out of it, and turned to me giving me a confused face, a fake one at that.

"What do you mean? I don't know anything? Why do you think I know anything? What do you know? Do you know anything? Maybe-"

"Wow!" I said cutting him off giggling.

He stopped quickly and asked what?

"You know for going for the slick, handsome, business, calm, and collected best friend of Asher you sure are a bad liar."

"I'm not lying-"

"Yes, you are that 1-minute ramble that you just did just because I asked one question, or the simple twitch of the fingers because I'm simply calling you out, or the mischievous smile that you had on your face from the beginning proves that you are hiding something, and that's just for starters. Shall I keep going or save the embarrassment?"

He had a shocked expression written on his face. We just stared at each other for a long time. Until he spoke up again.

"Man, you're feisty If Asher didn't have this long torturing crush over you. I will have a go at it."

"What Asher has-"

"Go to dinner with me?" Jason asked.

I looked at him with disbelief but I retorted back quickly, and responded.

"No, I can't go with you. What about this crush-"

"If you want talk more in depth about it go to dinner with me?" He asked one more time before the elevators opened.

He stepped out walking away not looking back. This was kind of a big moment. I mean either I stay in the elevator without knowing the unknown.

Or go to dinner​ and hear the unknown. However, the unknown with Asher is what I want.

I ran out of the elevator and spotted him walking towards the doors in the lobby. I called his name out loud to get his attention.

"Jason, wait up!"

He turned around, and looked at me. "I take that you're going to dinner-"

"Yes, it does now let's go before I change my mind." I said walking with my heels clacking on the floor out the door.

"Yes Ma'am." I heard him chuckle following me out the door.

*******

I unlocked the door to the house. It was so late well for me at least. It was 10:00 P.M

I just came back from dinner with Jason, and it was surprising. He literally spilled out everything about Asher.

How he never seen Asher act the way towards anyone the way he acts towards me.

Or the way he cares for me, and goes through his bi polar ways because I distract him, but in a good way and many more...

It was so much to take in and for a second I honestly thought he was just pulling my strings, but the more he talked about it, and the way he talked about it. I knew that he was telling the truth, and to be honest the truth was exciting but hurtful at the same time.

Because the more I thought about it, Asher treated me with so much disrespect, for a woman that he supposedly has feelings for.

And the worst part is that I don't know what to do with this, because the way he has acted these past few months. I don't want to even be bothered with him, and now I don't even know if he's home because his stupid limo drives him everywhere.

I opened the door finally. The lights were on, but the house was extremely quiet. I closed the door behind me and took my coat off hanging it up.

When I looked up I saw Asher leaning on his couch, with his arms across his chest looking at me with an angry face.

"Where have you been?" He asked.

"Out" I responded giving him a short answer.

"Out where?"

"None of your business!" I said yelling.

"It is my business you're living in my house-"

"I'm a grown adult, I can go where I want when I want. I might be living under your roof, but I'm not your teenager daughter!"

"I don't care if you're 14 or 50 where were you!?" He said raising his voice.

"I'm not arguing with you." I said in a threatening voice taking off my high heels.

I was walking upstairs, when all sudden he came from behind me grabbing my hand turning me around facing him.

"You're not going upstairs until you tell me where you were I-"

"I went to dinner with Jason okay!" I finally told him screaming close to his face.

"Why were you with him?" He asked with a disgusted look.

I shrugged my shoulders not saying anything. This made him furious, because he let go of my hand so quick, but he was still close to me.

"I knew it, you would go whore around. I should have never hired you as a personal assistant! You-"

"What did you just say to me?"

"I will gladly repeat it again, you are a who-"

I didn't let him finish that sentence, before I knew it my hand went flying into the air before it landed on to his face.

His face shifted from the impact, and there was a red mark that was left on his cheek from my hand. He moved his jaw around a little before he turned around fully staring at me.

I breathed heavily, with tears brimming down my face.

"I'm tired Asher, I'm so tired with the bickering and arguing with you. I can't do it anymore. I can't be disrespected, or insulted. As a woman and a mother, I can't put myself in an environment where I'm always getting attacked verbally too.

"So, I'm taking Miya and I'm leaving."

"No, you can't leave!" He said snapping out of it, by shaking and holding me by my shoulders.

"Asher stop, before you get worse than a smack to the face." I said trying to push him off me.

"Please-"

"Asher-"

"Please, stop talking for just a minute!" He stepped back and started yelling and moving his hands in anger

He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, and his eyes burned with rage.

"I was a successful man taking care of business doing what I need to do. Then you had to come along and screw everything up."

"You had to be you Natalia, and make me compromise everything, and actually care for someone not for my benefit but for someone else.

"I don't need or want anything because I have everything. But I don't want it if I don't have you. So, no you can't leave!" He said coming up towards the stairs staring at me.

"Please just stay." He said with pleading eyes.

He took his hands and wiped my tears.

I blinked a few times before I understood what was happening. He actually admitted it.

These are the moments of Asher that make my heart swell. This one moment was everything to me.

I dropped my heels onto the floor, and sucked in a breath. I placed both of my shaking hands on his face.

At first, he flinched away, but he relaxed when I lifted his head up to connect with my eyes.

"You don't need to compromise anything."

"You can be the same extraordinary, powerful, and sometimes sweet, and caring man that I know."

I chuckled little bit in between my words

"And to still have feelings for someone Asher."

He closed his eyes and rested his head into my hands. He looked like he was bothered by the whole thing.

"You don't have to be in so much pain. It hurts me that you don't allow yourself to feel."

"I want you to feel, feel something for me Asher without being ashamed." I said finishing.

He snapped his eyes open looking at me confused.

"You don't have feelings for Jason?"

I shook my head a little chuckling. "No, I don't have feelings for Jason."

"And you don't have feelings for Stacey?" I asked

He shook his head no.

He looked at me for a long time in the eyes. I felt the tension build into the room. Then he kissed me.

His lips felt so soft, and rough all at the same time. He held me by the waist gripping me tighter towards him.

All of sudden the kiss was so heated that I felt him bite my lip for entrance to my mouth.

He picked me up by my waist, and I attached my legs behind him. I felt him moving up the stairs still connected to me.

I then felt a comfort under my head. I broke the kiss for breath and looked at him.

His eyes were sparkling with passion. And we were both heaving catching our breath.

I was just looking at him for the longest time hovering over me with his hands on each side. Until I felt his fingers run through my hair.

I ran my hand over his cheek where the mark was located.

What the heck was I thinking hitting him like that?

"I'm so sorry" I said rubbing his cheek soothingly.

He shook his head disregarding my apology, and grabbed my hand from his cheek and rose it above my head, connecting our hands.

Which gave me a good warm feeling inside.

He bent down and kissed my forehead letting his lips linger there for a second, then he bent down and kissed my lips again.