Asher by Effy Vaughn Read Free Book Online Page A

I…” she trailed off, her voice sounding like it was far away.
                  “Our sister, Dixie. You’re our sister,” Steel said again and I charged him.
                  Two arms wrapped around mine jerking me back. “Don’t. He’s right. This shit is something she needs to hear. It’s her life too,” Bray’s voice was strained as I pulled against him wanting to shut Steel up. “Can’t believe you kept this goddamn shit to yourself,” Bray said, the pain etched in his words.
                  “Go home, Dixie. Go home, please,” I begged her before Steel could say anything more.
                  She shook her head and backed away from both of us. Her face had paled and I realized that driving probably wasn’t safe for her right now.
                  “Wait, don’t drive. Not like this. I’ll drive you and walk back,” I said jerking my arms free of Bray’s hold.
                  “How do you know?” she asked.
                  Telling her anything more would only hurt her more. The people who had conceived her had both abandoned her. This was all worse for her than it was for us. Didn’t Steel understand that? She was losing so much more. I wanted Dixie to live the life I couldn’t give her. The one I had planned on. The life where she was cherished and never once doubted how special she was or how loved she was. Not this… never this.
                  “This,” I said pointing at Steel. “You’re gonna ignore this,” I said, as if just saying it could make it all disappear.
                  “How?” she asked staring at me with a hopeless look in her eyes. The light that I loved seeing there was completely snuffed out now. Steel had destroyed her soul. I would never be able to forgive him for this. “You won’t tell me anything. How do I even know this isn’t some stupid mistake? Who told you this, Asher?”
                  If I told her about the letters, she would demand that I show her. I didn’t want this touching her anymore than it already had. I preferred letting her walk away not believing us. “Go home to your daddy,” I repeated.
                  “He found letters. From your mom to our dad. He found them under a floorboard in the attic three years ago. He didn’t tell anyone because he thinks he’s protecting you,” Steel said as he stood up, keeping his eyes leveled on me.
                  Bray’s hand clamped down on my shoulder. “She deserves to know this too. Stop trying to protect her,” he said.
                  “Letters? You have letters?” she asked, her eyes now glistening with unshed tears. “You have letters saying that my daddy isn’t my father? You have…” she stopped and covered her mouth letting out a sob that shredded me.
                  Her knees buckled and I started to move toward her but Bray stopped me. “No, I got her,” he said stepping around me. I let him go. He loved her too, but he loved her the way a brother should.
                  Bray pulled her into his arms and held her as she tucked her head under his chin and sobbed pitifully. Someone was holding her. That was all I had wanted. Someone to hold her the way she needed it.
                  “She deserved to know,” Steel said reminding me that he was still out here.
                  “No one deserves this,” I replied, then turned and walked to my truck. I had to leave. I couldn’t stay here and watch Dixie fall apart. Just when I thought I couldn’t hurt any more, I’m was proved wrong. Knowing that Dixie would now live this nightmare was more than I could handle.
     

DIXIE
     
                  For three years I had wanted answers. Countless nights I had lain in bed thinking that just knowing Asher still loved me would have made everything okay. Nothing else would