Page 89 of Asher

I wiped below my eye before turning to her. I would not walk away from her without telling her I was coming back.

I wouldn’t do that to her.

“I need to go check on my house. I’ll be back at your place later.” Nix nodded and gave me a hug. Asher let out a relieved breath at my promise because he knew, more than anything else, that I would never break a promise to Phoenix.

I stepped away from the table and started walking toward the door, but Asher caught me right before I could actually leave. His strong arm hooked around my waist pulling me back into his hard body. His comforting scent surrounded me making me want to break down and cry.

“It’s our house, Haley,” he whispered into the crook of my neck and just like that I knew that she really was crazypants. Asher wouldn’t promise me the world like he did last night just to pull the rug from under my feet. He liked my ass too much to toss me out on it.

But I needed to go before I ripped Stella’s hair from her damn head because now the hurt was wearing off and the anger was setting the fuck in. I couldn’t be in the room with her and Carrie’s family right now.

I needed to cool down.

“Just wait and let me explain. Please.”

I turned, wrapping my arms around his waist, burying my face in his chest. I believed him, but I did. “I need space.” Pulling back, I cupped his jaw and searched is face, knowing I was right. He pressed a kiss into my palm before nodding. I walked out without look back. I’d have to apologize to Asher later for having to deal with the aftermath that was sure to explode when I walked out because the room was so quiet that you could’ve heard a pin drop.

A ticking time-bomb.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

ASHER

“Mom,take Nix next door to get some ice cream, please.” I didn’t take my eyes off Stella who stared back with equal anger. I could feel the vein in my forehead throbbing, but I didn’t want to blow up at Stella with my daughter still in the room. As pissed as I was in that moment, I still knew Stella was her family.

I probably should send Sheila and Jim away too so they wouldn’t think less of me, but they sat at the table looking confused as fuck. They both stared at Stella like she was a stranger, and I knew they wouldn’t be leaving until we got to the bottom of the shitstorm that just lit up my world.

“Sure. Come on, Phoenix.” My mom smiled down at my daughter, holding her hand out. She eyed me with a worry that only my mother could have and I knew, fucking knew, she wanted to stay for this. She loved Haley like a daughter and the way Haley left hurt was probably eating at her.

Not to mention Rylie who looked ready to claw my eyes out.

Fucking clusterfest.

As soon as my mom and Nix left the room, Sheila looked between me and Stella. “What the heck just happened?” She wasted no time getting to the point.

“Why don’t you ask her.” I threw my hand in Stella’s direction before I started pacing.

“Stella?” Sheila’s brows dipped in confusion.

Stella clenched her jaw and rolled her eyes. “All I did was tell her the truth.”

“What truth was that?” I asked, stopping in my tracks. Eyes narrowed. “That you kissed me, and I pushed you away? Because if that were the case, I don’t think she wouldn’t have run.” I threw my hand toward the door and ground my teeth together.

Stella huffed. “No. I told her that we kissed.”

“Stella?” Sheila’s voice was full of surprise and a little disappointment, but I ignored her and kept going.

“Did you tell her the part where I pushed you off?”

Stella’s jaw ticked, ignoring the question because she clearly didn’t like that part of the story. “This was a family dinner. She doesn’t belong here, Asher,” she said, forcing the words through clenched teeth.

The fucking nerve.

“She is my family.” I slapped my chest, biting my tongue to keep from yelling at her. “She’s Nix’s family because Haleychoosesto love her and not because of blood.”

“She’s not her mother.” Stella hissed back and Sheila sucked in a sharp breath. Regret flashed in Stella’s eyes but disappeared quickly.

I clenched my fist at my side, flexing it repeatedly. I would never hit a woman but fuck she made me want to punch a wall. “She’s not trying to be. But she is our family. She’s my wife.”