Asher straightened the edges of his suit for the thousandth time that day. Everything had to be perfect for today. He promised it would be. He turned to the floor-length mirror, ensuring his appearance was satisfactory.

He ran his hands through his hair, pinning it down as much as possible. There were no longer small traces of gray in his hair. He had dyed it the night before in preparation for today. He didn't want to look like an older man even though he wasn't close to being old. The years of living on the run and being stressed had made his hair gray. Ezra had constantly teased him by calling him grandpa whenever the grey would pop out.

A slight sound of someone clearing their throat made him spin around. Tears threatened to pool as he smiled at the woman standing before him. He took the woman's hands and squeezed them gently. "You look beautiful, Aubrey," his throat squeezed as he tried to control his emotions. The love that he had for this woman was that of a brother. Her father had made horrible decisions and paid the price for them. Asher vowed to constantly watch over her and not fail her like her father did.

Aubrey's green eyes shone as she smiled at him. Her bright red hair cascaded down her back. A beautiful white gown hung close to her body. "Thank you, Asher." Her eyes snapped to the double wood doors behind him as muffled music began to play.

"Are you ready, my dear?" Asher asked her as he offered her his arm. "You could make him wait."

Aubrey chuckled as she nodded, her smile never leaving her face. "I am."

Asher grinned widely as she took his arm, and the double doors opened. He felt honored that Aubrey would ask him to walk her down the aisle. She was his sister, not by blood, but by love. Asher moved them down the hall, leading her to her soon-to-be husband, Ezra. He smiled proudly as his eyes locked with Ezra's for a split second before Ezra's attention turned to Aubrey.

It wasn't a big wedding. It wasn't even a medium-sized wedding. Ezra didn't want much attention to be drawn to them but had promised Aubrey a white gown. Asher knew that Ezra couldn't deny what Aubrey wanted. That is why they were here. Ezra had wished for a courthouse wedding, but Aubrey always got what she wanted from Ezra. She never had to ask twice.

Asher stopped before Ezra, waiting for the priest to give his order to release Aubrey. Once he did, he handed her hand over to Ezra's before turning around and taking a seat in the pew. He was extremely happy for Aubrey, and Ezra wanted to make her happy. Their little boy, Declan, was waiting for them back home, but they were officially tying the knot.

The ceremony wasn't a long one. It was sweet and short, precise. Asher knew that Ezra wanted to get Aubrey away and start their honeymoon soon. Asher would be the one to run the business for the two weeks they were gone and take care of their son. After the year that they had, it would be good for the two of them to have a quiet two weeks alone.

Asher stood up and followed the newly married couple out past the double doors and out of the small church. Ezra was helping Aubrey into his pitch-black SUV before turning toward Asher.

"We'll see you in two weeks," Ezra smiled at him as he extended his hand. "You know how to reach me if anything were to go wrong."

Asher clasped his hand and shook it once. "Be careful, boss." He watched as Ezra moved to the other side of the SUV and got in before driving away. Asher waited until he couldn't see the car anymore before walking towards his dark green charger. He unbuttoned his jacket, pulling it off when approaching the driver's side door. He climbed in and threw the coat back as he turned on the ignition.

Asher did love the city. He would sometimes only drive through the city, taking note of everyone he passed. He was a people watcher. He would often stand behind Ezra during their meetings and watch everyone else in the room. He could detect danger or an off behavior before anyone else could detect it.

Although, the city wasn't home to him. The forest was home. He couldn't help the smile spreading as he parked in front of his cabin. He could genuinely relax when he was here. Even when he hid Aubrey and Ezra here, the house still helped him relax. Opening the door, he was rushed with the smell of chicken. He walked through the house and found Ezra and Aubrey's babysitter, Jammie, placing a plate of cooked chicken on the table.

Jammie turned around and flashed him a pretty smile, her big brown eyes shining. "I'll take my leave, Mr. May. Dinner is ready, and Declan has already been put to bed."

"I've been gone that long?" He chuckled as he placed his jacket on the back of a chair.

Jammie nodded, her smile never leaving her face. "Yes, sir."

Asher grimaced slightly as he lowered himself into the chair, picking up the fork. "Have you already eaten?"

Jammie nodded again. "I did, yes, sir." She moved to grab her jacket, pulling it on. "I do have to get going, Mr. May. If you need me again, please don't hesitate to call."

Asher smiled up at her. "Thank you, Jammie, and I will. Also, you don't have to be so formal. Asher would be excellent." He took a bite of the chicken, his mouth watering at the taste. "Thank you for dinner, Jammie."

"You're welcome, Mr - Asher." She gave him another smile before walking out of the cabin.

Asher slowly chewed on the chicken, savoring the taste. Jammie was a good cook, but it was nothing compared to Aubrey's. Ezra had tried to hire a professional chef so Aubrey didn't have to cook for him, but Aubrey loved it. She had told him that it was a way for her to relax. Again, Ezra couldn't tell her no. Asher looked across from him at the empty seat and sighed. Time moved fast for him. It was only over a year since Aubrey sat across from him, both waiting for Ezra to come back alive from Jearon.

Asher placed the dishes into the sink, deciding to wash them in the morning. He stopped by one of the spare rooms to check on his godson. He opened the door quietly, careful not to make a sound. Declan slept peacefully in his crib, a soft lullaby playing from the Micky Mouse speaker beside him. Asher loved his godson. He felt overly protective of the boy. He would never understand Aubrey's decision to name him after her father, but that wasn't his place.

Asher closed the door quietly before turning to his room. The room was bare. Almost everything about his house was plain. There were no decorations. He had always believed that decorations and color in a place were a woman's duty. He didn't have an eye for décor. He wouldn't know where to place anything. Aubrey had once offered to decorate the cabin for him, but he had to decline. He wanted that duty to be for his woman.

If he ever got remarried.

He touched one of the few picture frames in the cabin and smiled sadly. He missed his wife. He missed his first love. Asher has always regretted leaving her that day. He wished he had never left; she would still be here in this cabin with him. But he knew that life had a strange way of going. He wouldn't have met Ezra or Aubrey. He wouldn't have a godson.

Asher placed the frame back on the table and began to shed his clothes. He started to lie in bed when a loud, desperate-sounding knock came from the front door. His heart leaped as he pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a shirt, rushing to the front door. It wasn't late, but the moon was already high in the sky. The knock sounded again as he hesitated to open the door. His eyes snapped over to the small table beside the door. His gun was there. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door.

"What the fuck?" he exclaimed as a young woman fell into his doorway. He could make out blood all over her from the dimmed hallway light.

Her eyes fluttered up to him. "Help me."