My Twist of Fate Read online

  “Whatever you want them to be, sweet cheeks,” Aislyn giggled.

  “Come over when you get off and I will cook dinner,” she told her.

  “Do I get an invite to dinner too?” asked a voice from behind Adalyn.

  “No,” Adalyn told him without even turning in his direction.

  “Come on, baby, don’t be like that,” he told her as he walked into her line of sight.

  “My name is not baby. I suggest you go back to work and let me finish my conversation,” Adalyn scolded, rolling her eyes.

  “I am working. Just working on you at the moment. You are worth it,” he winked.

  “Oh, shit!” Aislyn said, looking toward the door. “How long have you been standing there?”

  “Long enough,” Ashton growled, stalking toward Adalyn. He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her back into his chest, leaning down and kissing her neck.

  Ashton was so mad his entire body was vibrating. “I suggest you watch how you talk to women when they come in here. You don’t know who they belong to,” he growled at the new piercer, Adam.

  “I don’t see a ring on her finger,” he grinned, staring at Ashton.

  Aislyn jumped in between the two men. “Adam, shut the fuck up,” she yelled at him.

  “Not gonna happen. I am not afraid of him. He can take his ego and kick rocks,” Adam said, his gaze never leaving Ashton.

  Then all hell broke loose. Ashton punched Adam in the mouth knocking him on his ass, then picked him by the throat against the wall. Adam’s feet were just out of reach of the floor, and Ashton was staring him straight in the eye.

  “You must not be aware of who I am,” Ashton growled. “Not only does she belong to me,” he said as he pointed toward Adalyn. “That is my sister you just disrespected on top of it. If you are keeping up and have paid any attention whatsoever during the hiring process with her, then you would know I own this shop. You best learn your place here, or you won’t have one. This is your one and only fucking warning, shithead!” Ashton said as he dropped him, watching him land on his ass on the floor, gasping for breath.

  Ashton held his hand out to Adalyn. Without a second thought she walked into his waiting arms. She leaned up and kissed his neck, in hopes that he would calm.

  “Let’s get Ronda to the park before she eats my car,” he told Adalyn. He leaned over and kissed his sister on the forehead, “watch this dick,” he told her as he glared at Adam.

  “Anything for you, Ash. Go enjoy your girls,” she said waving bye as they exited the shop.

  They eventually made it to the park, with a very excited Ronda pacing the backseat.

  “Let me put her leash on her then you can walk her if you want, “ he told Adalyn.

  Adalyn bounced on the balls of her feet and clapped her hands excitedly. She had never had a dog and was excited for this experience. She watched as Ashton clipped the leash on her quickly and she calmly jumped out of the backseat.

  “Sit,” Ashton told Ronda, and she sat immediately at Adalyn’s feet, calmly waiting for her next command. Ashton handed Adalyn the leash, “just tell her to come on when you are ready.”

  Ashton grabbed a water bowl he kept in the car just for times like this. He grabbed Adalyn’s hand that wasn’t carrying the leash.

  “Come on, Ronda, let’s walk,” she told the dog. Ronda immediately started walking at a leisurely pace, but she could tell that Ronda really wanted to run. She was trying very hard to behave though.

  The walked slowly toward an open grassy area where there was no one around close by. Ashton reached under the back of his shirt and pulled out a frisbee. He leaned down and unclipped Ronda leash, and watched as he threw the frisbee and she took off like a shot after it.

  Adalyn watched as Ashton ran back and forth, playing with Ronda. After about twenty minutes, Ashton came running over to her with Ronda on his heels. “Stay right here with her. I am going to fill up her water bowl, right over there,” he pointed toward the bathroom that was about a hundred yards away.

  “I can walk with you, so you don’t have to carry it back all the way over here,” she told him.

  “We are going to have a hard enough time getting her back in the car, just hang out, I will be right back,” he told her as he leaned down and kissed her.

  Adalyn watched Ashton walking toward the bathroom for a few minutes, enjoying the view. That quickly changed though when the giant dog decided she wanted her to throw the frisbee again. Adalyn threw it, not as hard as Ashton, but Ronda still took off after it just as fast. When Ronda brought it back and dropped it at Adalyn’s feet, she leaned into her asking for attention. Adalyn was leaning over petting Ronda when she felt a smack on her ass.

  “How did you make it back so quick?” she asked as she turned around. That is when she realized it wasn’t Ashton that had touched her. She instantly started to shake and feel nauseous. She was staring at Andrew.

  Andrew smiled and grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. Before she could make contact with his chest, Andrew was on his back on the ground with a very pissed off Ronda, teeth around his throat and growling, daring him to move.

  Adalyn was in such shock she couldn’t make sense of what was happening. Ronda had always been such a sweetie pie. Right now, she looked downright vicious. Just like Cujo. Plus, she never thought she would actually ever see Andrew again, at least not face to face. She was in such shock that she Adalyn hadn’t heard Ashton approach, until he lightly touched her arm, causing her to jump and scream.

  “It’s just me, baby. What is going on?” Ashton nodded toward Ronda and the guy on the ground. He wanted to know what was going on before he gave the command to let the guy up.

  “Ronda wanted me to throw the frisbee for her after you left to get her water. I threw it once, and it must have been enough because when she came back, she leaned against me tired, asking for attention. I was leaned down petting her when I felt you smack my ass. I turned to tell you I was surprised you made it back so fast. That is when I noticed it was Andrew. Ronda didn’t do anything until he grabbed my arm and tried to pull me to him,” she explained, still shaking and confused.

  “That is Andrew?! The guy that you moved to get away from. The guy that has broken into your house on two different occasions?” Ashton bellowed.

  Adalyn knew he wasn’t mad at her, but she still didn’t like when he yelled. Ashton noticed her shrink away from him when he yelled. He instantly felt like shit. The last thing he ever wanted to do, was scare her. She was the most important person in his world.

  “Baby, I would never hurt you. You know, that right?” Ashton pleaded. Adalyn gave him a small smile and nodded her head. She gave him a kiss, letting him know that she wasn’t afraid of him.

  “Get your hands off of her,” Andrew gasped.

  Ashton looked down at him, glaring. “I suggest you keep your fucking mouth shut, unless you want her to rip your throat out, asshole.”

  Ashton grabbed his phone out of his pocket and called the police. He explained to the dispatcher what the situation was. As he hung up and placed his phone back in his pocket, he wrapped his arm around Adalyn’s waist pulling her into his side.

  “They are just around the corner,” he told her as he kissed her forehead.

  “Are you gonna get in trouble because of Ronda?” she asked him, looking down at where she still had Andrew pinned by his throat.

  “No, babe. They trained her. That is why she didn’t attack until he touched you. All I would have to do is say one word though and he wouldn’t have a throat left,” he explained to her laughing.

  “Oh,” was all she could say at this little nugget of information. She didn’t know Ronda was trained like that.

  Officer Costa was walking toward them, shaking his head, and laughing.

  “Girl, can’t you stay out of trouble?” he laughed, winking at her. He knew the situation and would never blame her for anything that was happening.

  “Hey, Silas. Thanks for coming man,
” Ashton said as he reached out and shook his hand.

  “No worries. What seems to be the problem?” he asked, looking at the massive rottweiler with a very pissed off man in her jaws.

  “That’s Andrew,” Ashton told him as he pointed to the ground.

  “So, this is the piece of shit causing all the issues in our little town?” Officer Costa said in disgust.

  “Are you ready for her to release him?” Ashton asked.

  “Let me take Adalyn’s statement before you do that,” Officer Costa said with a wink. “Tell me every detail, darlin’, and don’t leave out anything. Take your time.”

  Adalyn couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. She took her time telling Officer Costa what happened as he requested. She had tears running down her cheeks by the time she finished her story. She was embarrassed and angry.

  “Ronda, release,” Officer Costa said. She instantly released Andrew’s throat and sat at Adalyn’s feet, growling if Andrew moved to close as he was trying to stand.

  “Bro, isn’t she your dog?” Officer Costa asked, laughing.

  “Yeah, but I’m willing to share with my girl,” Ashton said with a heart stopping grin. He leaned down and kissed her neck.

  “Silas and I have known each other for a few years. He is actually the one that trained Ronda. He is also one of my most loyal customers. Even if he hasn’t been in for about two years,” Ashton razzed him.

  Adalyn watched as Officer Costa moved almost gracefully as he handcuffed Andrew. He read him his rights and then began walking with him toward his car.

  “I will be in over the weekend for some ink,” Officer Costa called over his shoulder.

  “Sounds like a plan,” Ashton told him.

  “You have no clue how badly I wanted to hurt him,” Ashton told Adalyn.

  “Well, I am glad you didn’t. I don’t need to have to visit you in jail,” she smiled, giving him a kiss.

  “I hate to cut our afternoon short, but I need to head to the gym to work off some of this tension. I need to spar with someone,” he explained as he guided her back toward the car. A sad Ronda trudging along beside them.

  “What do you mean you need to spar with someone?” she asked him curiously.

  “When I was younger, I needed an outlet for my frustration, so my parents put me into mixed martial arts. I have been training for about ten years now. It has taught me a lot and now I use it as a stress reliever, so I don’t fight out of anger,” he explained.

  “I thought I heard your parents saying something about that, but I wasn’t sure. I didn’t feel like it was my place to ask for an explanation,” she told him.

  “You have every right to know whatever you want about me. I am an open book. I can’t promise that you will always like what you hear, but I will never lie to you,” he told her as he opened her door and placed Ronda in the backseat.

  “I am going to drop you and Ronda off at home, then head to the gym. If you need me, don’t hesitate to call me, babe,” he told her.

  “I don’t want to interrupt your workout, especially if it is something you need to do for frustration release. It is important that you don’t change your routine, just because I am staying with you until my house is repaired,” she told him.

  “You are my perfect stress reliever, but I have to work in a little while. I know well enough that I won’t be getting out of bed, if I get you in it,” he winked at her with a sexy grin.

  “That is actually something I wanted to talk to you about. We have had sex a few times now, but if I was paying close enough attention, we didn’t use any form of protection,” she said, unable to look him in the eye.

  “You are correct we didn’t use anything. I am sorry about that. I just tend to lose all rational thought when we are together like that. If it makes you feel any better, I have been tested and am clean. I have never had sex unprotected before you. I would never do that to you, sweetheart,” he told her.

  “Aren’t you worried about pregnancy? I mean, we just met each other, and we don’t know what the future holds for us. You could decide tomorrow that you don’t like me anymore and want to be with someone else. I mean, um, do you consider us together. I don’t even know what to consider us. I do know that I really like you…like a lot,” she told him in a single breath. By the time she was finished, she was gasping for breath.

  “I have claimed you in every possible way I can think of without scaring the shit out of you. I have told you that you are mine. I have told others that you are mine. I made your sexy body mine. My family knows you are mine. The only other option I have for you to know that I am serious is to put a ring on your damn finger,” he growled.

  “I just don’t want you to regret what we are doing is all,” she told him, not looking in his direction.

  “Babe, I don’t want anyone else but you. As far as I am concerned, you are staying with me in our bed. You are not going back to your house, even when it is finished. We belong together and that is just the way it is. If you happen to get pregnant in the process, I am totally fine with that. I have a great job, steady income, a hefty savings, you will never want for anything,” he explained, giving her hand a squeeze.

  “This is a lot to take in. Are you sure this is what you want?” she asked him, finally making eye contact with him since they had parked in the driveway, and she could look him in the eye.

  “I want that and so much more. I just need to know that you feel the same. As much as it would kill me to let you go, I would if this isn’t what you want,” he told her in a serious tone.

  “I love you, Ashton. I think I loved you the first time I saw. It just scared me. Then with everything that has been happening, I didn’t want to think that you were helping me out of pity or something,” she told him.

  “Say it again,” Ashton told her with a slight strain to his voice.

  “I didn’t want…” she began.

  “The first part,” he said with a grin.

  “I love you, Ashton,” she told him.

  Before she knew what had happened, she was across the seat and in Ashton’s lap. His mouth was devouring hers, and she could feel how happy he was. That thought made her grin against his lips.

  “I have to stop before I start something I can’t stop. I need to go workout. Get your cute ass in the house and lock the door. Ronda will keep you safe. I will be right around the corner, and I have my phone on me. If you need me, I will come home,” he told her as he swatted her ass and nudged her out of the car, with the dog in tow.

  Adalyn watched as Ashton backed out of the driveway. She finally headed into the house when Ronda tugged at the leash in her hand.

  “Come on girl, let’s get in the house before he thinks I didn’t listen,” she laughed as she walked into the house.

  The light was blinking on the phone, indicating there was a voicemail. Adalyn pressed the play button and began listening to the message:

  “Hey Ash, its Silas. I hate to leave this message over voicemail, but you didn’t answer your cell. As soon as I had Andrew booked into the system, he was able to bail out. We couldn’t hold him. He has a court date, but that is over a month away. I am so sorry, bro,” he said with total defeat in his voice.

  Tears were running down her cheeks by the end of the message and she was shaking. She had to tell Ashton right away. And this is something she had to tell him face to face, it wasn’t something she could tell him over the phone. She grabbed her purse and ran out the door. She knew where he was at, and it would only take a couple minutes to walk there.

  Taking a deep breath, Adalyn pulled on the door to the gym. As soon as she entered, she was met with the smell of sanitizer and the sound of skin hitting skin.

  She heard a couple of whistles as she walked toward the back of the gym where she could see several guys sparring. She saw Ashton and he had his back to her and was kicking the guy he happened to be in the ring with.

  “Hey, mama, come over here and talk to me,” she heard a guy
yell across the gym.

  Before she had the chance to take another step another guy stepped in front of her.

  “Hey, baby. What brings you here? With that fine ass body, you definitely don’t need to work out, but if you want, I can work you out, for hours,” he winked.

  Adalyn rolled her eyes. She couldn’t believe guys actually talked like that.

  “Don’t walk away baby, you know you want this,” he told her as she walked around him. He grabbed her arm before she was able to make it too far.

  “If you like breathing without the help of a machine, I suggest you release my arm, ass,” she said as she looked down at the hand wrapped around her upper arm.

  “Don’t be like that, baby,” he told her with a grin.

  Before his smug ass could say another word, Ashton had him pinned against the wall by his throat, his feet dangling several inches off the ground.

  “I believe the lady said to let her go,” Ashton seethed.

  “I was just saying hi, no harm done,” he gasped between breaths that were barely able to form because of Ashton’s grip.

  “If you even think about looking in her direction again, I will put you in the ground,” Ashton growled, inches from his face, then dropped him on his ass.

  Ashton turned around, pulled Adalyn into his arms, and kissed her with a soul searing kiss.

  “What are you doing here, babe?” he asked her once he released her mouth.

  Adalyn’s gaze immediately went to the floor, unable to look him in the eye. She knew he was going to be pissed.

  “Why won’t you look at me? I didn’t mean to scare you,” he whispered, pulling her closer.

  Looking up at him, tears started streaming down her cheeks again.

  “Officer Costa called the house while we were gone. I guess he tried to get ahold of you on your cell, but he couldn’t. He left a message. I listened to it. It said that they had to let Andrew go, they couldn’t hold him, he posted bail,” she almost whispered.

  “I’m going to fucking kill him,” Ashton growled. “You are not going to be alone until he is found and put behind bars.”