Chapter 6

Chapter Six

ASHER

S he doesn’t see me, but I see her. Always . Every step she takes, every little decision—like the handfuls of bags she carried around before I sent Jacobs, one of the family’s drivers, to retrieve them. She did what I told her and used the cash I left her to treat herself.

Good .

I want to spoil her, to give her everything she’s ever been denied. Alex never fucking got it. He never cared enough to notice the little things, or the way she lights up when she feels appreciated. He treated her like some accessory, something to show off when it suited him.

My brother was fucking pathetic.

But me? I’ll show her what it’s like to be cherished, adored, owned. She doesn’t know it yet, but her life already belongs to me. I’d burn this whole fucking town to the ground if it meant making her happy and putting a smile on her pretty little face.

She slows at a crosswalk, her breath curling in the cold evening air, and my pulse quickens. Soon, my sweet doe will see the difference. My brother failed her, but I fucking won’t.

Moving through the busy downtown, I shadow her from a distance, keeping my steps light and steady, hidden by the flow of people coming and going behind me. Their boots crunch over patches of ice and snow as they shuffle about.

Holly Grove has always been a tourist town. For as long as I can remember, people traveled from around the world to hit the infamous slopes. To them, there is no better way to spend the holidays. Little do they know, everything about this stupid town and its people is fake. They’re not the warm, welcoming townsfolk you’d expect to find. No, this town is filled with judgmental assholes who turn on their own and anyone else who dares to be different from them.

Anyone who doesn’t share their beliefs or morals.

The people passing by are all wrapped up and half-hidden in their bundles of winter clothing, meaning Sloan won’t even think twice if she happens to catch a glance at me. I blend in with the crowd like another passerby caught in the season’s chill.

I’m just part of the fucking scenery—until I decide otherwise.

Not that I’m worried. My sweet doe doesn’t see me; she doesn’t even sense me. And that’s the beauty of this little game I’ve created.

She stops to check her phone, oblivious to how I’m closing in with each second that ticks by. She’s fucking beautiful like this—unsuspecting, wrapped in a red sweater dress that hugs her just right. Her gaze drifts from shop to shop as if in search of the precious boyfriend she thinks set up this little game for her.

Wrong again, sweet doe.

Tucking her phone in her pocket, she continues down the snowy lane. I bite my lip beneath my thick wool ski mask, watching the way her hips sway as she walks, each step giving me a perfect view of her plump ass jiggling just enough to make my mouth water. I’m only a few steps behind, savoring it, every part of me itching to sink my teeth into that warm, soft flesh to mark her as mine.

Icicles hang from the eaves outside the shops, catching in the yellow light of lamp posts while snowflakes drift lazily from the darkening sky, settling on the hats and scarves of tourists shuffling by amid their last-minute shopping. I track her silently, inhaling when the wind shifts, welcoming her scent as it hits my nose—a mix of amber and something sweetly wild.

Fuck. She’s warm even in the freezing air, and her scent lingers long after she’s walked through like she’s unknowingly marked a path for me. Every street she crosses and every alley she considers turning down leads exactly where I want her—I’ve made sure of it.

There’s only one path for my sweet doe to take, and I can already feel the thrill building as I watch her unknowingly walk right into my trap. The hunter in me savors every moment, anticipating the sweet satisfaction of watching her become my prey, helpless and bound to me.

There was a time when I loved this town and its people. It was home once, full of familiar faces, comfort, and laughter. But that was before they turned on me, before they looked at me with the same disapproval my parents did simply for being different. Before they cast me out and were more than willing to go along with my parents, pretending I never existed.

Now, I see them for what they really are: a town full of fucking cowards and sheep who sneer and gawk from a safe distance. They judge with their eyes, condemning anyone who doesn’t fit into their perfect little world or bow down to their silent god.

Every single piece of shit in this town is worthless to me—except for her.

She rounds the corner, and I follow without a sound, my pulse picking up as she turns into the narrow alley behind Sugar she doesn’t even pull away. No, instead, she presses closer, like she’s been waiting for this moment, for him .

Her lips part, and I can taste the air between us, thick with her need. A soft smile tugs at her lips as she whispers, her voice almost tentative, “Alex…”

I could fucking laugh. The sound almost bursts out of me, but instead, I let her have this illusion. I let her believe in the lie a little longer. She relaxes, sinking further against me, like I’ve unlocked something deep inside her. The words she breathes send a charge straight to my cock, pulling me in deeper, urging me to take what I want.

She’s already fucking mine .

Leaning in closer, I let her feel the heat radiating off me and the tension that crackles in the space between us. Her body presses against mine, soft and trembling. The way she moves beneath me is fucking maddening; she’s so unaware of the storm she’s invited by playing my little game. To think he had her like this for so long... It makes my blood boil. He didn’t fucking deserve her, not like this. He never knew how to take care of her, how to make her burn.

But I do.

She looks up at me, her gaze so trusting, it’s almost fucking cute. She has no idea. Her hands reach up, brushing over my chest, before hooking into the straps of my vest and pulling me in closer like she needs me—like I’m what she’s been craving .

Behind my mask, a smirk forms on my lips as I gently lift the bottom part of it up, exposing my chin and lips to the cool winter air. I lean in, my lips brushing against the soft skin of her neck, and she shudders with the contact.

She melts into me, her breath quickening, her pulse fluttering like it wants to break free. Every soft kiss or nip I leave along her jawline, every touch—it’s like she’s unraveling in my hands, and fuck if I don’t love it.

Her pouty lips part, and I can hear a soft sigh escape her, I can feel the way her body tenses when she whispers his name. “Oh, fuck, Alex…”

Fuck, this is too good. It’s good enough to have my cock rock hard, throbbing to sink itself inside her. This is just the beginning. Tonight, I’m going to fucking ruin her, and my sweet doe is begging for it without even knowing.

I press closer, our bodies flush against each other, and when she gasps, I can taste her need. Her hands clutch at me tighter, her nails digging into my tactical vest like she’s trying to hold onto something intangible, trying to find stability in this chaos.

But there’s no stability here, not anymore. Not when I’m the fucking one she’s falling into.

I pull her in, my mouth tracing her jawline, feeling every tremble she can’t control.

She whispers again, the heat in her voice unmistakable. “When did you get so good at this?”

I feel a sick thrill at the words. This ? Shit, my brother was slacking if she thinks this is good. She has no idea what I have in store. This is only round one, and I haven’t even fucking started. I know what she wants—what she needs—and now that my twin is out of the way, I’m the one who’s going to give it to her.

Not him. Not Alex .

I lower my lips to her neck again, letting my teeth graze her chilled skin. She gasps, her head tilting back, and at that moment, when I see her eyes roll back, I know I fucking own her.

There’s no going back for her now. She’s all fucking mine.

I bite back a smirk, savoring the secret as long as I can. The way she expects him, but she’s getting me—the better version. Fuck, I can’t wait to see the look on her face.

I let my hands wander, sliding lower until I find the curve of her hips. I pull her flush against me just enough to feel her breath catch. It’s intoxicating, watching her lose herself in her own carnal need.

I can feel her heart pounding against me, hear the uneven breaths escaping her lips as I slide a hand up her leg, slowly and teasingly, feeling the heat of her through the fabric of her dress.

She’s ready.

I drop to my knees in the snow in front of her, not giving her any time to react, not letting her question what’s happening. I look up at her through my mask, catching her gaze for just a second before I force her legs apart and shove her dress up her thighs.

“Oh shit,” she gasps, her head falling back against the brick wall as her hands find their way to my shoulders.

She’s soft and pliant, and I can instantly see just how fucking wet my sweet doe is for me. Her body is quivering like it can’t decide whether to fight or surrender, and I can’t help but smirk.

“Shh, sweet doe. You know the rules,” I add, keeping my tone dark.

Her breath catches when I pull her closer and run my tongue up the see through tights covering the inside of her thigh, tasting her sweat-coated skin and savoring the sweetness of her.

Damn. She is easily going to be the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted.

Without hesitation, I bunch the delicate see-through fabric in my fists. The sound of the tear is violent, almost as jagged as the thoughts clawing around inside my head. Her flawless skin appears beneath the ruined fabric. My chest tightens, my breath coming in ragged and uneven as I pull the pieces apart, baring more of her to me.

She groans, her body freezing as I glide my hot, slick tongue across her soaked center.

“Jesus Christ,” she moans with panted breath, using a hand to brace herself against the wall.

Smirking, I brush my fingers along the folds of her pussy. My gaze finds hers again as I teasingly flick my tongue against her clit, just enough to drive her crazy before I pull back.

“Fucking hell,” I mutter under my breath, the taste of her driving me insane. “You don’t even know how fucking good you taste.”

I don’t give her a chance to respond—my patience has long run dry, and gentleness is not on the table. I run my tongue across her slickness again. Lapping, licking and sucking at her sensitive flesh, claiming every inch of her with a possessive hunger as my fingers part her, holding her open for me. The sweet taste of her consumes me, and I savor it, drawing her to the edge of madness. Her moan breaks the silence of the alley, raw and unrestrained, and I feel it go straight to my hardening cock. She arches, pressing into the cold wall, as her body instinctively shies away from the heat of my tongue.

“Fuck, Alex. Yes—” Her voice cracks, breathless, but the words die in her throat as I flick my tongue over her again, teasing, devouring.

Slowly, I slide two fingers inside her, following the rhythm of my mouth, slow, deliberate, but insistent. Each stroke, each press , has her crying out. Gripping the wall and my shoulder for support as I force her to take it, to surrender completely to me.

Her legs tremble; every shudder from her is just another signal for me to push her harder. I slip another finger inside, stretching her, and I hear her gasp—a sound that drives me to the edge of madness myself.

Fuck. She’s already lost, and I’m the one who’s taking her. Not him .

I growl against her skin, pulling her closer. “Don’t you fucking pull away,” I rasp, my voice low, dark. “This is only round one, baby. And I’m not done with you yet. I caught you, my sweet doe, and you will let me have my prize.”

Her fingers tangle in the fabric of my ski mask, pulling me deeper between her legs as she guides me right where she wants me; little does she know, she’s not the one in control.

No, I’m in charge here.

I pull back just enough to flick my tongue over her clit again, but this time, I do something different. I sprinkle snow onto my tongue, feeling the cold bite against my mouth before I return to her. The instant shock of it against her sensitive pussy has her body jerking, her back arching as the cold slices through her, and I watch with a satisfied smirk as she flinches.

She gasps, her hands pushing weakly against my shoulders, but I don’t let her move. “W-what the hell?” Her voice trembles, but it’s nothing more than a desperate plea.

I growl, my grip tightening on her hips, holding her firmly in place. “Don’t pretend you don’t like it,” I snap, my voice rough and commanding, the dark edge of hunger dripping from every word. “Besides, I won this round, sweet doe. Not you.” I press my cold tongue deeper into her, forcing her to take it, forcing her to feel the bite of ice against her warmth. I watch her shudder, her legs trembling, but there’s no denying her arousal as she melts into it.

Into me .

“You’ll fucking take whatever I give you,” I growl, my voice a primal rasp, teeth grazing her skin as I push harder, relentlessly as my fingers pump in and out of her. “You’re such a good little slut for me, aren’t you? Come on, I want to hear you beg for it.”

She’s quivering, trying to hold back the moans, but she can’t. She’s already unraveling, caught in the tension I’ve built between us. The suspense. Every breath she takes, every shudder, tells me exactly how far gone she is.

“This Christmas, you’re going to give me the only gift I desire. You’re going to fucking break for me,” I whisper, the words dark, filled with a raw hunger as my fingers match the feverish pace of my mouth. She’s so close now, trembling with anticipation, ready to shatter under me. I feel it in every inch of her—her surrender is coming, and I’m going to make her want it.

“Please…” she breathes out, her voice shaky, desperate. “I’m so close…”

I push her closer to the edge, feeling her body quiver harder as I go deeper, faster. The sounds she’s making—soft gasps, desperate pleas—only push me further into a frenzy. And when she finally falls apart, her body shuddering, gasping my dead brother’s name, I feel a dark satisfaction settle deep in my chest.

“Oh my god, Alex─” she gasps, her voice vibrating, thick with desperation and panic, like she’s lost in the moment, completely fucking undone.

She doesn’t even know it, but she’s calling for me.

“That’s it, sweet doe,” I growl, my voice thick and rough, dripping with satisfaction and a twisted sense of ownership. It’s low and dark, like a predator savoring the moment before the kill. “Fucking break for me.”

Her body shudders, pussy clenching around my fingers as she unravels, and I can’t help but smile—this is my victory, my mark on her. But there’s something else gnawing at me, something darker. I hope Alex saw every fucking second of it. I hope he watched as his precious Sloan came on his sinner of a brother’s tongue. I want him to rot in hell knowing that she’s mine now—owned, used, broken.

I pull back slowly, the warmth of her still lingering on my tongue as I slide my fingers out of her and pull her dress back down, smoothing the fabric over her still quivering body. My fingers linger on the hem for a moment, just enough to send a shiver down her spine.

“Run,” I command, my voice now cold and sharp, starkly contrasting the heat still pulsing between us. “I’ll give you a ten-second head start,”

She’s panting, disoriented, her legs shaking as she struggles to regain some control. But I won't wait. I stand up straight, watching her, daring her to make a move. “Go,” I repeat, darker this time, the command carrying more weight than she can ignore. “Because round two just started.”