The Trouble He Always Wanted: Devil's Reach MC. (part three)

(Harlow) I stood in front of my closet and stared at the dresses hanging inside. I had been at the compound all day, and I was ready to get out for a few hours. Sitting around on a Saturday night wasn't happening. I pulled out a black dress and held it against myself. It was short, fitted, and exactly what I wanted. I changed into it before checking myself in the mirror. My hair was already done, so I grabbed my purse from the dresser. I was putting my phone inside when Asher came into the bedroom. "No." I turned toward him. "Excuse me?" "You're not going out dressed like that." I looked down at myself before looking at him again. Asher was standing near the door, and I could tell his leg was bothering him by the way he kept most of his weight on the other one. He was supposed to be resting more than he actually did. Telling Asher to rest usually worked about as well as telling me what to wear. "Good thing I wasn't asking permission." "Where are you going?" "Out." "Where?" "I haven't decided yet." His expression told me he didn't like that answer. I walked over to the dresser and picked up my perfume. Asher had been worse since getting shot, probably because he hated not being able to do everything himself. Unfortunately for him, I wasn't going to sit around because he couldn't go anywhere. "You're not going out alone." I put the perfume down. "Stop trying to control me." "Then stop giving me reasons to." I turned toward him. "I don't need a babysitter." "I didn't say you did." "You don't have to." Asher took a few steps toward me. I watched him even though I pretended his change didn't affect me. There were moments when something about him changed and I knew I had pushed him far enough. This was one of those moments. "Come here." "I'm already standing right here." "Closer." "No." His eyes stayed on mine. "Harlow." "Asher." "Come here." I should've ignored him. Instead, I walked over because some stupid part of me always wanted to know what he would do when I challenged him. I stopped in front of him and lifted my chin. His hand went around my waist. "Don't tell me I can't control you when we both know that's bullshit." My lips parted. "Excuse me?" "You heard me." "Being your old lady doesn't mean you own me." "I know exactly what it means." "Then act like it." His fingers pressed into my waist as he pulled me closer. I hated how easily he could change the argument just by touching me. I was still angry, but my body wasn't nearly as interested in helping me prove it. Asher knew that too. "You don't have a problem with me taking control when it suits you." My face grew hot. "We're not talking about that." "I am." "Well, I'm not." I stepped back before he could say anything else. Asher didn't follow me, but I knew that had more to do with his leg than anything else. I picked up my purse and put the strap over my arm. I was still going out. "Don't walk out that door." I stopped. There it was again. That voice. The one that made something inside me react even when I wanted to tell him to go to hell. I turned and found him watching me. I wasn't giving him what he wanted. "You really need to work on asking nicely." "I'm not asking." I smiled. "That's unfortunate." I started toward the door. "Harlow." I turned back and looked directly at his injured leg. It was a terrible idea, and I knew it before I opened my mouth. Knowing that had never stopped me before. I smiled at him. "What are you going to do, chase me?" Asher's face changed. He moved before I expected him to. I watched him grab the dresser when his injured leg failed to cooperate. Any satisfaction I'd felt disappeared. I immediately stepped toward him. "Sit your ass down before you hurt yourself." His head came up. "Did you just give me an order?" "Someone has to." "Keep f*****g pushing me." "You shouldn't even be standing." "And whose fault is that?" "Yours, because you don't listen." He stared at me for a few seconds. I could tell he was angry, but I wasn't taking back what I'd said. He needed to stop acting like his leg was already healed. I wasn't going to be responsible for him making it worse. "This leg is going to heal, Harlow." "Eventually." "And when it does, I'm going to remember every f*****g thing you're doing right now." I smiled again. "I hope you do." I left the bedroom before he could answer. My heart was going faster than it should've been, and I refused to think about why. Asher had always been controlling, but there were times when I saw something more from him. Tonight he'd let me see it again. I reached the common area and headed for the exit. Several brothers were around, but I wasn't interested in stopping. Mira and Ridge were sitting together, and I knew the second Ridge saw my dress. His eyes went from me to my purse. "Where are you going?" "Out." "Where's Asher?" "Being annoying." Ridge frowned. "What happened?" "Nothing." Footsteps came from behind me before Ridge could ask anything else. I turned and saw Asher coming toward us. He should've stayed in our section, but apparently being angry with me mattered more than following instructions about his leg. I crossed my arms. "I told you to sit down." Asher stopped. "Try ordering me around again." I smiled. "Sit." Mira covered her mouth, but I saw her laughing. Ridge looked between Asher and me before deciding he wanted no part of whatever was happening. Smart man. Asher didn't take his eyes off me. "You're not leaving alone." "I am." "No." "Watch me." I turned toward the door. "Harlow." I looked back at him. "Have a good night." I walked outside before he could stop me. He couldn't follow fast enough, and we both knew it. Maybe using his injury against him made me terrible. I could live with that. I reached my car and unlocked it. Part of me expected Asher to find some way to appear behind me anyway. When I looked back, he was standing near the clubhouse door. Even from there, I knew he was furious. I blew him a kiss. Then I got into my car. His leg would heal eventually. Until then, I planned to enjoy every advantage I had. Asher wanted control, and I enjoyed making him work for it. I started the car and smiled. Tonight, I had won.