I clutched the couch cushion to my chest as I watched the terrible horror movie that Chris and I watched the other night. Chris had yet to come home since our fight. My phone was sitting on the couch beside me. I had texted him countless times, but I was still waiting for his response. Was he overdosing on the street? If the hospital called me, at least I would know where he was.

I was not paying attention to the movie. I was staring at my screen, hoping that Chris would send me one text.

My heart pounded when there was a knock on the door. It was just past midnight. Who would be here? It had to be Chris. He had stormed out of the apartment, and I doubt he had brought his keys. I jumped off the couch and ran toward the door.

Ash was standing on the other side. I furrowed my brows before I looked over my shoulder at the clock. Why was he here at midnight? He was wearing a black suit, and I recognized it as the one he was wearing when I saw him at The Cave. It made him look mouth-watering.

He smiled as his eyes scanned me from head to toe. I was in a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. My hair was piled on the top of my head, and I did not have any makeup on my face. My eyes were still probably red from crying earlier. I had not been this bare before a man in a long time, and the vulnerability made me uneasy.

"Hey, beautiful," Ash said.

"Why are you here?" I asked. "It's late."

"Can I come in?"

I stepped to the side, and Ash walked in. I closed the door. Ash was looking around the apartment.

"Where is your brother?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Probably out with some friends."

It was easier to lie. It had always been easier to lie. Ash wanted us to be open and honest, but that would never happen.

"I have some great news," Ash said.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You officially no longer work at The Cave."

I raised a brow. What was he talking about? He said he would talk to Gio, but I could not see that going in Ash's favor. Gio was probably arranging for both Ash and me to be murdered right now.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"You no longer work at The Cave," he repeated.

"That is impossible," I said. "Gio won't let me leave."

"I told you that I would take care of it. Gio is letting you go."

I shook my head. Gio was scared of no one. All he cared about was money. My heart sunk in my chest when I realized what Ash must have done.

"How much?" I asked.

He furrowed his brows.

"What?" he asked.

"How much?" I asked. "How much did you pay Gio for me?"

I cried on Ash's chest because of how I sold myself to men. I thought Ash would be different, but he was just another man purchasing my body. There was an actual tangible number to how much I was worth. I braced myself to hear the number.

"I did not pay Gio anything," he said. "I didn't buy you. No one is ever going to buy you again."

"What did you do then?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it."

Ash extended his arm out. I stepped forward, and he wrapped his arm around me. I sighed as I rested my head against his chest. Whatever he did, I was thankful that I would never have to walk into The Cave again.

Something cold and wet was soaking through the fabric of my T-shirt on the shoulder. I lifted my head to look at the crimson stain that was forming. Ash's sleeve was resting on top of my shoulder. I could not see it earlier because of the dark colour of his suit, but he was covered in blood.

I gasped and pushed Ash back. I pulled at my shirt so that I could see the mark better. It was a dark red and smelled metallic.

"Why are you bleeding?" I asked.

Ash muttered a curse. He reached for me again, but I took a step back. My eyes scanned his body for a wound.

"It's not my blood," he said.

I put my hand over my pounding heart. I bit down on my lip to stop my jaw from hanging open. Gio's blood was all over my shoulder.

"What did you do?" I asked.

Ash took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He broke eye contact with me. A shiver ran up my spine. I was alone in my apartment with a killer.

"Get out," I said.

I crossed my arms over my chest. I took a shaky step back toward the door. How far could I go without Ash catching up to me? I was barefoot, and he had a car outside. He could grab me and kidnap me before brutally torturing me.

"Gracelynn," he said.

"I need you to leave," I said.

"Let me talk to you first."

I shook my head as I took another step back. My hand slid across the door until I grabbed the knob. Ash's eyes widened when he saw my movement and rushed forward. I opened the door, but Ash's hand shot out. He slammed it shut.

I squeezed my eyes shut. I struggled to breathe as my chest tightened. The smell of Ash's cologne was strong, and his warm breath fanned my face. He was so close. We had been close many times, but now it was different because I knew he was a murderer.

"Gracelynn, look at me," he said.

I shook my head. Ash touched my chin to lift my head, but I pushed his hand away.

"Don't touch me," I said.

"Okay," he said. "I won't touch you again until you want me to."

I buried my face in my hands. Tears were pricking at the back of my eyes. My nose burned. I could not cry in front of Ash again.

"Gracelynn, I've done some horrible things," he said. "I wish I was a better man. I wish I lived a different life."

I pulled my hands away from my face. I sniffled to stop myself from crying. I could not open my eyes. I could not look at him.

"How could you do it?" I asked.

"He was going to have you killed," Ash said. "I couldn't let that happen."

"Don't you feel guilty?"

"Without hesitating, I would kill every man on this planet to keep you safe."

I slowly opened my eyes and looked up at Ash. His arm was resting against the door above my head, leaning in. His face was smooth from the dark stubble I was used to seeing. The scar ran through his eyebrow. Without thinking, I reached up and dragged my fingers along the mark. Did he get it when he was killing someone?

"I'm never working at The Cave again?" I asked. "I'll never have to dance on that stage again? I'll never have to go to the Gold Room again?"

"Never," he said.

This was my dream. I always wanted to get out of The Cave. Even when I worked in a strip club, I dreamed of a life where I did not sell my body. I wanted to make a life for myself. I wanted to go back to school. I wanted a relationship. I wanted to be a wife and a mother.

"Did he suffer?" I asked.

Ash smiled. "No."

He reached for my face. His hand stopped before he touched me. He bit down on his lip before pulling his hand back. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself close.

"Can I touch you now?" Ash asked.

"Yes," I said.

He held me in a crushing hug. I listened to his heart beating as we stood in silence.

Ash was a killer, but I felt comfortable around him for some reason. Men were my biggest nightmare, but Ash treated me like an angel. It was stupid to stay around a murderer, but I did not care.

I pulled back and got on my toes. I kissed Ash. His lips were soft against mine at first. He curled his fingers into my hips as his lips grew hungrier. I moaned when his tongue swiped across my bottom lip. I parted my lips, and his tongue caressed mine.

I clenched my thighs as heat pooled between my legs. The blood from his suit was soaking a new part of my T-shirt. I pulled his hands off me and stepped back. Ash furrowed his brows.

"Stop covering me in Gio's blood," I said.

"Are you telling me to take my clothes off?" Ash said with a wink.

I giggled and shook my head. "At least your shirt."

Ash pulled off his jacket and hung it on the back of our wooden kitchen chair. He pulled his shirt out before unbuttoning it. My heart beat faster as I watched his toned chest slowly be exposed. I licked my lips when he pulled it off.

"Like what you see?" he asked.

I nodded. I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. I let the T-shirt lay crumpled at my feet. I was not wearing a bra, and the cold air caused my nipples to be hard. Ash's eyes locked on my chest. He did not look at me in the predatory way that the men at The Cave did. Instead, there was a look of love in his eyes.

He reached for my waist, but I snatched his hand. He raised a brow, and I smiled.

"What?" he asked.

I did not say a word as I pulled him into my bedroom. I flicked on the light and regretted not making my bed or cleaning my room. I hesitated by the door. Ash put his hands on my hips and pushed me forward. He leaned down and kissed my shoulder. His warm lips lingered on my skin.

"You sure you want to do this?" he asked.

I spun around in his arms. I put my hands against his bare chest. His heart was pounding. Was he nervous?

"Do you want to do this?" I asked.

"I want you so bad," he said.

I dragged my finger down his chest to his stomach. He watched my movements. I trailed my finger back up until I reached the stubble on his jaw. It was odd to have a man want me but not pay. I haven't had sex outside The Cave since I started there.

"I want you too," I said.

Ash leaned down and kissed me. With our lips connected, he pushed me back and onto the bed. He crawled on top of me. My lips were becoming sore from his stubble, but I was in love with the feeling.

I ran my hands around his sides and onto his back. Ash's skin was raised in thick, jagged marks. I dragged my fingers up the scar, surprised by how long these marks were. Ash grabbed my wrists and pinned them down onto my bed.

"Don't touch my back," he said.

I wanted to ask why, but Ash's lips were back on mine. He squeezed my wrists before letting go and reaching for the waistband of my sweatpants. I lifted my hips to let him pull them down. He ripped my pants and underwear down at the same time. The cold air hit my wet sex.

Ash's fingers ran up my slit. My wetness coated his fingers as he circled his thumb around my clit. I shuddered at his touch. He buried his face into my neck, licking and nibbling at my skin. I struggled not to reach around him and dig my nails into his back. I grabbed fistfuls of the sheets underneath me.

I gasped when Ash dipped two fingers into me. I squeezed my eyes shut, and my breathing grew heavy as the pressure built in my core. He pumped his fingers in and out of me at an expert pace. My toes curled, and my knees lifted as I was on the edge of an orgasm.

I cried out, and my body shook as an orgasm ripped through my body. It had been so long since any man cared about my pleasure. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. Ash removed his fingers and kissed my cheek while I tried to come back to Earth.

I opened my eyes to see Ash had two fingers in his mouth. The sight managed to turn me on even more. He got off the bed and stood. I propped myself up and watched him unbuckle his pants. He pulled them down, and his cock sprang free. He was hard, and this tip glistened with precum. He returned to the bed and nudged my legs with his knees.

He grabbed his cock and ran it up and down my slit. I pushed my hips forward, desperate for him to be inside me. Ash smirked as he rubbed the head of his dick around my clit.

"Please," I moaned. "I need you to fuck me."

"Say no more," he said.

He pushed his hips forward. I stretched around the thick length of his cock. My hands reached for his back, and he held them down. He slowly thrust into me little by little until he was completely inside of me. He stilled and let me adjust to his size.

"You okay?" he asked.

My eyes were closed. I was unable to speak. The pleasure was waving through my body. I nodded, and Ash let out a slight chuckle.

The bed creaked as Ash fucked me, and the sound almost pushed me over the edge. Ash was moaning and muttering curses under his breath. My breath quickened into panting. An orgasm snuck up on me, and I screamed in pleasure. My body shook as I tightened around Ash. His muscles tensed as he came inside of me.

Ash collapsed on top of me. His skin was slick with sweat. I giggled as he covered my face with kisses.

I had not had such a sweet moment with a man in what felt like forever.