Path To Resolution (Fighter's Den, #5)

Chapter 20 - Melanie

"Not sure if I should say," He says thoughtfully after a moment.

I get to the letter L. "Then don't say it."

He chuckles at that but immediately clamps down when I glare at him for the way he almost makes me mess up. I can still feel him staring at me and I almost ask him a second time but he beats me to it. "Wolfe dropped a barbell on his foot today."

That startles me a little. Whatever I was expecting it wasn't that. I guess it's good news he's been at the gym at least. "Uh...is he okay?"

"He's fine," He reassures me. "I don't think he even felt it. He seemed distracted."

Isn't that the fucking understatement of the century? I frown as I get to the letter W. "Sounds about right."

There's even more hesitation from Asher and I start to grow restless wondering what this is about. It seems like there's something bigger here that he wants to say and I can feel him holding back.

"Spit it out, man," I sigh. "Don't bullshit me. We don't do that."

I finally look up at him to find him watching me with a serious expression. "How well do you know him?"

I raise a brow at how ominous that sounds. "Pretty well. Why?"

He nods again like he believes me and takes a minute to consider his words. Something about the look on his face makes me stop the gun so I can focus on what he's clearly struggling to say.

"Asher," I prod.

"Nothing," He shrugs. "Forget it."

"Fuck that. You can't just act all ominous and take it back like nothing happened. What're you trying to say?"

"I don't want to worry you for no reason."

"Better than keeping me in the dark when there's something to worry about."

He curses under his breath then, looking away. He looks just as tense as I feel. "Just...keep an eye on him. I heard something about him and I'm not sure if it's true so I don't want to say but...make sure he's being careful."

Careful? My brows come together in confusion. For a second I thought Asher might have figured out Wolfe is talking but what would he have to be careful about? Something in my gut tells me this is way more than it seems.

"Is he in trouble?" I ask bluntly. I'm not trying to be dramatic here and Wolfe's secret could be the most mundane thing for all I know but something just isn't adding up and I want to know why.

"He could be," Asher days after a brief pause and I suck in a startled breath. I was counting on my imagination running wild but...I'm right? Wolfe is in trouble? "You know the big guy way better than I do so I obviously can't vouch for what he's up to but keep an eye on him, okay?"

"You lost me, Asher. What did you hear that's making you do this?"

He hesitates, looking away from me. "It's not my place to say. I just wanted to give you the heads up because I care for the guy. He shouldn't be doing what I think he's doing."

Because that makes so much sense. I clamp down the frustration I feel at not being able to decode Asher's words. "Why didn't you just go to Wolfe about this?"

"None of us, me or the rest of the guys, know him like that. We don't know jack-shit about him and all of a sudden I'm in his business like that? He already has his walls up around us. If I said anything I can't exactly imagine that going so well."

He has a point. But even so... "What makes you think this will go well for me?"

He pauses again. When he finally looks at me his eyes are knowing and confident. "I don't. But you have the best shot."