Free Stain (King's Harlots MC Book 2) by J.M. Walker Page A

together. Asher and I had become closer because of the situation we were thrown in but would we remain the same once everything was done and taken care of. I didn’t know. I couldn’t know. And I refused to worry about it.
    “Meeka?”
    “I’m tired.” My body hurt, my muscles straining over my bones.
    “Sit.” He led me to the couch, sitting us both down. “I could continue telling you all of the rules and what you should do and shouldn’t do. What they will expect. What Charles will do if you don’t listen. But, honestly, that shit doesn’t matter. I need you to trust me .”
    “Of course I trust you.” But my heart raced at his words.
    “We are going in as one, and we are coming out as one. Whatever you see, whatever you hear, I need you to know that I will erase all of it. I will take it from your mind.”
    “You’re scaring me,” I said, my voice shaking. His pleading with me, his eyes darting back and forth, his hands gripping my arms. He was scared.
    “Baby, I am only as strong as the woman beside me. You are beside me. Not in front. Not behind. Beside . We are equal.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shook my head. “It doesn’t make sense.”
    He grabbed my hands, rubbing his thumbs back and forth over my knuckles. “I’m not good with words.”
    “You’re doing fine,” I encouraged him to continue because I had no idea what was going on at the moment.
    “I want more.” He cupped my cheek, leaning his forehead against mine.
    “What are you telling me?”
    “Nothing,” he shook his head, releasing me. “Forget it.”
    “Tell me.”
    He rose to his feet, brushing a hand through his hair. “I can’t.”
    I gaped, watching him head up the stairs. What the hell just happened?
     

 
    WHAT WAS that? God, I was such a moron. My words fumbled when I became nervous. I wanted to tell Meeka that I wanted more out of whatever we had. When everything was all said and done. When everyone was safe. I knew I shouldn’t worry about it. It wasn’t the right time, but me being the dumbass that I was, almost let the words slip out of my mouth.
    “Asher?”
    A light knock sounded on my bedroom door. Ignoring it, I crawled into bed. The cool satin sheets slid over my skin.
    Another knock. The knob jiggled, but I had locked it.
    Eventually, Meeka went across the hall, shutting the door behind her, and left me in the loud silence of my mind.
    What the hell was wrong with me? Was I that desperate that I almost screwed things up with my best friend? I didn’t even know what I wanted. I wasn’t sure what I was about to tell her. The kisses we had shared and the almost fucking part messed with my head. The nightmares were coming on strong, and Meeka was the only person who could calm me. She kept me sane. Made it so I didn’t want to hurt myself or worse. I smiled to myself, remembering the first night I had broken into her bedroom.
    “Asher, what are you doing?” Meeka’s wide-eyed stare glared at me. “My dad will kill you.”
    “I couldn’t sleep, Hummingbird,” I explained, because that would make everything better.
    “So you decided to break into my bedroom?” she cried, taking a step back.
    “I’m not breaking in.”
    “What do you call it then? Why didn’t you call me? I could have let you in the front door.” Meeka placed her hands on her hips, jutting out her chin.
    “Because it’s after midnight, and your dad would have killed me,” I stated, crawling through the window.
    “What’s wrong? Did something happen?” She chewed her bottom lip, closing the window behind me.
    “Yeah.” Something always happened when my step-father was involved. No one knew what I had been dealing with for the past several years. It felt like a lifetime ago since the first night he touched me. I wasn’t stupid. I needed to tell someone. I knew that. But adults didn’t understand. They always asked what you did to make the other person upset. Implying it was your fault and