22
Ashley
I flinch. “What do you mean the hell you don’t?” I step back from him angrily. “I’m telling you straight up, I left that job last week to please you because I thought we had a future, but now that it’s quite clear that we don’t. You don’t have a say in my life.”
He glares at me. “Yes, I do.”
“You don’t.” I snap. “I’m giving you half a son. That’s all I’m giving you.”
“Well, let me tell you one thing. My job as a father is to make sure my son’s mother is in line.”
“In line?” I yell.
“Yes. In fucking line.” He growls.
“I’m not a circus animal, Cameron.”
“Then stop acting like one!”
I shake my head. “You selfish son of a bitch. This is all about you and your pathetic image.”
He narrows his eyes.
“Guess what, Cameron? I work a bar job and if I want, I can work in the Escape Lounge, too. It’s none of your goddamn business what I choose to do.”
“Isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not. So butt out!”
“I’m warning you, Ashley. If you go back, there will be fucking hell to pay.”
“Go fuck yourself,” I snap and then I walk out the door to find Owen standing in the hallway, wide-eyed and listening.
My face falls in horror. “Oh, hi, baby.”
Cameron walks out behind me, closes his eyes then shakes his head in regret. “Don’t worry about us, mate. We’re just being silly. Sometimes grownups are ridiculous.” He walks past us and back into the kitchen.
Oh shit. What a nightmare. Owen shouldn’t have heard that. What the hell am I doing? I need to be the bigger person in front of him and pretend everything is okay. I walk out and sit at the counter next to Cameron. My heart is slamming hard against my chest in fury.
“Can you make us a hot chocolate, please, Dad?” I ask Cameron flatly.
His angry eyes flash my way. “Sure, Momma.” He sneers sarcastically.
I fake a smile at Owen and his little eyes glance between the two of us. Cameron starts making the hot chocolate, and I think I’d better watch closely in case he puts rat poison in mine.
He hands us the hot chocolate and we drink them as Owen chats happily, soon forgetting all about what just happened. Half an hour later, when I’m sure there is no issue, I turn to Owen. “We better get going, baby.”
“Okay.” He jumps down of the stool and smiles up at Cameron.
“I will pick you up on Saturday.” Cameron smiles down at him.
Owen nods an over the top nod with a huge smile on his face, and Cameron goes and retrieves the keys to the new car. He returns holding them up in the air.
I narrow my eyes and snatch them out of his hands. He smirks.
“Can you give Mom a spoonful of honey before she goes to bed tonight, Owen?” he asks.
I shake my head, of all the nerve.
“What for?” Owen asks.
“Sweeten her up a bit.” He smiles and throws me a wink, and it’s all I can do to not scratch his eyes out.
“Goodbye, Cameron,” I snap.
“Bye. Dad.” Owen waves as we walk down the driveway.
That man is a pig.
I don’t know what’s more annoying: the fact that Cameron gets to me or the fact that he knows that he gets to me and plays on it.
We are sitting in the cafeteria while I watch every damn slutty nurse in this god-forsaken hospital make fuck me eyes at him.
One of them is going down real soon and he’s going to end up in the ER.
There isn’t a doubt in my mind.
He sits with his legs crossed in a fancy suit with everyone hanging off his every word, being all witty and charismatic. I sit on the other side of the table drinking my coffee while I imagine nailing his head to the table. Either that or having sex with someone else on his desk, just to piss him off.
He probably wouldn’t even care, to be honest, but it’s nice to imagine I could get to him as much as he gets to me.
I’m supposed to be working tonight, and although I have no desire to go—and now that my rent is paid, I technically don’t need to—I’m going anyway.
I will leave on my terms and when I’m good and ready. I already called this week and begged for my job back, so I’m not turning around and leaving in the same week. It’s bloody embarrassing.
I’ll give it another four or five shifts and then I’ll scratch it.
However, if they try to make me wear that stupid lap dancing uniform again, I’m walking straight out on the spot.
Screw that, bar work only. A text beeps through and I open my phone to read it. Speak of the devil. It’s Eliza.
Hi, Ashley,
I keep forgetting to message you.
I’m taking all of the girls out for dinner on Sunday night f
or a staff meeting and as a bit of a thank you.
I would love for you to join us.
See you tonight with the details.
Eliza x
I click out of the message and look up to see a nurse leaning over Cameron’s chair talking to him and being all seductive. He’s listening to what she is saying and being super attentive.
Stupid slut.
My blood begins to boil and I smirk. Imagine if Cameron knew I was mixing socially with the Exotic girls. He would flip his frigging lid.
I should go just to piss him off.
I glance back up and the brunette nurse laughs out loud. “Oh you are so funny Dr. Stanton. You kill me.” She laughs.
I look at them, deadpan. He’s a complete fucking twat. I go back to my phone and I reply.
I would love to come,
Eliza.
See you tonight.
Ashley.
I smirk. That will teach him to try and piss me off… because that is what he’s trying to do. It’s blatantly obvious.
Well, it’s not working, asshole. I can piss you off more…
Just watch me.
I pull into the Club Exotic parking lot at 9.45pm and sit in the car in the dark. God, I don’t feel like this shit tonight. I pull down the sun visor and stare at my reflection in the mirror for a moment. I run my fingers under my eyes to neaten up my mascara and I take out my phone and check my messages. There’s nothing important.
I reapply my lip gloss and sit for a moment. I wonder what Cam’s doing now? I get a vision of him cooking someone dinner like he used to do for me.
And laughing.
He has the most beautiful, intoxicating laugh in the world. So wild and carefree. He has this almost childlike happiness… or at least he did when we were together. He still has it with everyone else, just not me anymore. It’s depressing.
I blow out a sad breath. This time two weeks ago I was resigning because I thought we had a future and we were about to go away with his family to San Fran for the gala ball.
Now I’m just the mother of his son.
The one he wants to control.
The more time that ticks by, the more I face the reality of what it is I’m really sad about it. I miss him.
I would have loved for him to have fought for me, but I knew he wouldn’t. I knew everything would change once he found about Owen. Much to my disappointment, I was right. He’s a great dad, though, and I guess I should be grateful for that. It’s been raining on and off all day and the roads are wet and crisp. I climb out of my car and cross the busy road. I’m walking down to the club when I stop on the spot and frown as uneasiness fills me.
Two cars sit down from the entrance and I see the dreaded Aston Martin. The windshield is fixed and Cameron is leaning against the car with his ass. Wearing his customary expensive suit, he is still in his work clothes.
His arms are folded in front of him as he watches me walk down the road.
His face is expressionless, but I can feel the animosity from here.
He’s not here to come to the club. He’s here for the sole purpose to see if I’m coming to work.
And here I am.
“Hello.” I swallow nervously and I glance at the door to see the two bouncers on high alert from my last shift when Cameron dragged me out.
He raises an eyebrow in return.
I walk closer towards him. “What are you doing here?”
He tilts his head. “I could ask you the same thing.”
My stomach flutters with butterflies. “Cameron, I’m here to work. I can’t just leave without notice.”
“You did last week.”
“And last week I thought you were in love with me.”
His eyes hold mine.
“And this week you want nothing but to control me. I’m not your puppet, Cameron.”
His eyes hold mine, yet he gives nothing away. Why is he being so calm? It’s freaking me out.
Why can’t he just tell me that he wants us to work on things? Promise that we can try again?
Why is he treating me like nothing but his child’s mother? A fucking incubator.
I thought we had something. How could I have been so wrong?
Sadness fills me, and I close my eyes as I work up the courage to walk past him and disappear into the club.
Just give me a sign. Just give me a sign that there is even a flicker of a chance that there will be hope for us, and I promise you, I won’t go in.
My eyes search his. Cameron… please…
“Is that it?” I whisper. “Is that all you have to say?”
His eyes continue to hold mine. “I’ve asked you not to work here and I told you why.”
“Because of Owen…” I say in a strained voice, pushing through the lump in my throat. Don’t let him see that he’s getting to you.
“Yes,” he replies coldly. “Don’t mistake my softness for weakness, Ashley. It will be your undoing.”
I screw up my face as my anger takes control. “What the hell does that mean, Cameron?” I shake my head. “Are you threatening me? Is that what this is?”
“Yes.” He leans back, puts his hands in his pants pockets, and crosses his legs at the ankle in front of him.
“Threatening me with what?”
He shrugs.
I’ve had enough of this shit. “Go home, Cameron.” I shake my head in disgust. “Why don’t you go and bang one of your slutty nurses and tell her what to do? Unlike me, I’m sure she will love it.”
His jaw clenches in anger and his eyes flicker with anger.
That’s it. I’m done. I walk past him and through the doors of the club with my heart beating hard in my chest. I head straight down to the back room. I’m grabbed from behind on my way through the crowd, and I turn to slap the hand from my behind.
I look up to see him. It’s the same stupid asshole that’s been hitting on me for weeks. “Go away.” I growl.
“No.” He smiles as if I just challenged him.
I shake my head and Eliza comes over immediately. “Is there a problem here?” she asks me.
“He won’t stop groping me. I’m going to leave because of it,” I snap.
Give me a reason to walk out right now. I fucking dare you.
Eliza glares at him. “Do not approach Vivienne again or you will have your membership terminated, Judy.”
He curls up his top lip in disgust. “You wouldn’t terminate my membership. I have too much pull here.”
Eliza smiles. “Oh, yes I would. Just watch me.”
He looks between the two of us before he finally replies, “She’s not worth it.” He sneers. He looks me up and down and then disappears through the crowd.
“Are you okay, dear?” she asks as she runs her hand up my upper arm.
I shake my head, because in all honesty I’m not. “That guy freaks me out. He won’t leave me alone. He’s been hassling me every shift.”
She watches him as he walks through the crowd. “Ignore Judy. He’s on my list and I’m watching him. He’s harassing another girl as well. I’m sorry the bouncers haven’t done their job protecting you.”
I frown after him.
“Let me know if he bothers you again, okay?”
I nod and smile. “Thank you.”
I blow out a breath and head out the back. Time to get to work on my terms.
The alarm rings out. It only seems to wake me five minutes after I crawled into bed this morning. Owen is sound asleep beside me. I didn’t get home until 4am. It’s now 6.15am and already time to get up.
I’m delirious.
I crawl out of bed and open my blinds. I’m so tired and I feel like shit.
Just have a shower and go to work and then you have the whole weekend to sleep, I remind myself.
Thank God it’s the weekend. I really need some me time.
It’s been a long, hard week.
I trudge to the bathroom and shower to get myself ready for my day. I can’t do this for much longer. I am going to resign. This is bullshit, putting myself through Hell to prove a point.
I hate that he wins.
I’m sitting at the kitchen table eating my breakfast when Owie comes down for his morning cuddle in my lap.
“Good morning, baby.” I smile as he climbs up.
“Morning, Momma.” He smiles as he wraps his little arms around me.
“You have preschool today.” I smile. He’s not really liking it, but we are trying our hardest to get him excited about going.
“I might stay with Jenna today,” he announces.
My eyes rise up to Jenna across the table and she smirks while holding her coffee cup.
“No, remember you have to go to get ready for big school.”
He frowns.
“But I don’t like it.”
I smile. “You’ll like it if you give it a chance. Just hang in there. Plus, your friend Alison is going today.”
His eyes widen. “Alison is going today?” he asks in wonder.
I nod and smile. “Aha, and she is your friend.” I giggle as I tickle his chest. “You can play with her all day long.”
He smiles as he bites his cute little bottom lip.
“You’ve got to get going, Ash,” Jen murmurs. “You’re going to be late.”
I blow out a breath. “At least it’s Friday.”
“I have assessments due. Yay! Go me,” she mutters with an eye roll.
I smile as I stand and kiss them both. “Twelve months from now, this shit will be finished with.”
“Hallelujah,” she replies dryly.
I grab my lunch from the fridge and go take my phone off charge only to notice that in last night delirious state, I didn’t turn the power on.
“Damn it,” I snap, annoyed with myself.
Jen rolls her eyes knowing what I’ve done.
“Just ring me at the hospital if you need me,” I murmur as I grab my bag. “I’ll get Owen this afternoon on my way home so you can get your assessments done. Let’s get pizza for dinner.”
“Pizza, yay.” Owen laughs as he puts his arms in the air.
“Sounds good,” she calls from behind me. “Love you. Have a great day.”
I hotfoot it across the parking lot to my car. It’s been a bloody hectic day to say the least. Cameron had two emergency surgeries and I didn’t get to speak to him all day, although the look he threw me from across the room was scary enough. He went to his surgery this afternoon and I know he’s going to growl me out about going to work last night as soon as he gets the chance. I glance at my watch. 4.15pm. Shit, the bloody preschool closes at 5pm. I need to hurry. I pick up my pace and start to power walk.
Thank God. Pizza, wine, and bed tonight. I’m so excited to get home. It’s been such a long week. I walk up toward my car and notice that someone is parked behind me, just pulled up in the middle of the parking lot behind my car. I go over to the car and it is all locked up.
I frown. What the hell?
I look around for the driver. Where are they? I don’t have time for this shit.
I walk up and down the parking lot to try and locate the owner. Who the hell parks their car in the middle of a parking lot behind someone?
For fuck’s sake!
I see a man approaching. Oh great, this is him… but he gets into another car parked a few cars down. I run over. “Excuse me, do you know whose car this is?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “No, I don’t. Sorry.”
I keep searching for the owner with no luck.
Bloody hell. I run down to the office. “Excuse me, there is a car blocking my car in and I can’t get out,” I splutter in a panic.
The bored attendant looks up form his gaming magazine. Man, this guy is such a dipshit.
“Hmm, go back into the hospital and have them page the number plates,” he replies flatly.
“What? I don’t have time for this. I have to be at the preschool to pick up my son in...” I glance at my watch. “Fifteen minutes.” Ah, shit.
“Sorry, sweetheart, there’s nothing I can do. We can call a tow truck, but they usually take over an hour to get here.”
“Fine,” I snap as I run back to my car. I hate this hellish car park. I’m going to have to ring Jenna to go get him. Bloody hell. I wanted to give her the afternoon off.
I’m not in the mood for this.
I take out my phone and dial Jenna’s number. My phone lights up and then goes dead.
My eyes widen in horror.
No.
Oh my God… oh my God. I begin to panic and I run to the cab bay, nearly hyperventilate. 4.55pm. The preschool closes in five minutes and nobody will be there to pick him up.
I get a vision of his little face waiting for me and my eyes tear up. The cab line is ten people long. “Please, let me go first,” I beg. “I have to get my son from preschool before five and someone has blocked my car in. This… this is an emergency,” I stammer. “Please.”
“Of course.” The kind people all smile.
“Thank you so much,” I splutter as I take my place at the front of the line. “Please hurry. Please hurry,” I whisper again and again.
The cab doesn’t arrive until 5.10 pm. “Where are all the cabs?” I panic, and the woman next to me rubs my arm sympathetically. “Have you rung them?” she asks.
“My phone is dead,” I whisper through my tears. Owen is there waiting and I can’t get to him. I feel sick knowing that he is the last little kid on his own waiting for me. How must he feel?
“Do you want to use mine?” she asks.
“Oh, please.” I take the phone from her and quickly Google the preschool’s number and dial them up. It rings and then I get a message.
Hello, you have reached
ABC Learning center.
We are currently closed right now.
Please call back during the operating hours o
f 8am to 5pm,
Monday to Friday.
My eyes widen in horror. “Oh my God, it’s the answering machine,”
I cry.
The lady in the line behind me speaks up. “Do you want me to ring my daughter to go and get him. Where is it?” she asks, concerned.
“This is a nightmare. They wouldn’t let her get him anyway.”
We wait and we wait, and I can’t even ring Jenna because I don’t know her number by heart. Why the hell didn’t I charge my phone properly?
A cab finally pulls into the parking lot and everyone sighs in relief. “Thank you so much for letting me go first,” I thank them as I climb in.
“ABC learning Centre… on… on Russel Street,” I stammer. “And please drive fast. I’m so late.”
The driver nods and pulls out into the traffic and I glance at my watch again. I’m now thirty-five minutes late.
I’m a terrible mother. How could I have let this happen?
After the longest ten minutes of my life, the cab pulls up at Owen’s kindergarten. “Wait here, please,” I tell the driver as run up the driveway just as the woman is locking the front door.
“Oh my… God,” I pant. “I’m so sorry. My car got blocked in and couldn’t get here.”
She looks at me, unimpressed. “He tried to call you but your phone was turned off. Owen’s father came and got him.”
My eyes widen in horror. “What?”
“We called his father and he came and got him. You know what time we close.” She looks at her watch. “Forty-five minutes ago.”
“Yes. I… I apologize about that...” I stammer. I turn and run back to the cab and shuffle through my purse to dig out Cameron’s address on a piece of paper. I hand it over. “Take me here, please.”
The car pulls up outside Cameron’s house and I gingerly climb out. “Just wait a moment, please. I need to see if he’s here,” I tell the driver.
I go over to the gates and push the doorbell. The security guard comes out. “Is Cameron home with Owen yet?” I ask.
“Yes, Ashley. He got home about half an hour ago.” He smiles.
“Thank you.” I smile awkwardly, then I turn and pay the cab driver, not hanging around to watch him as he drives off into the distance.
Cameron’s going to lose his shit, and I close my eyes because I know I deserve it.
I walk up the front steps and knock on the door. Owen bounces in to view through the glass. “Hi, Momma.” He waves.
I smile as relief fills me. He’s safe. Thank God, he’s safe.
Cameron opens the door and glares at me.
“Hello.” I smile as I bend and take Owen into my arms. “I’m so sorry. I got blocked in and I couldn’t get a cab.”
Cameron holds his arm out for me to come inside, and I walk in sheepishly.
“Momma, Dad picked me up and I made him a painting today.” He smiles happily as he leads me through to the kitchen and shows me his painting in its prime position on the fridge.
Cameron is in navy suit pants and a white shirt. His tie and suit jacket have been discarded, and my eyes fall to his biceps and shoulders that I can see through his shirt.
Why does he have to be so fucking gorgeous?
Owen is drinking hot chocolate and there’s cartoons on the television.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” I ask.
Cameron glances at Owen.
“Alone,” I add.
He points to the stairs. “Let’s go upstairs.”
I gulp. Shit. “Okay.” I turn to Owen. “I’m just going to talk to Daddy for a moment, darling. Watch your cartoons and then we will get going, okay?”
“Alright,” he calls, distracted by the television.
Cameron walks upstairs and I follow him like a naughty child.
Fuck’s sake.
He walks to his bedroom and I follow him in as he closes the door behind me.
“Cameron, it was a nightmare. I got blocked in by some inconsiderate asshole, and then my bloody phone was dead and I couldn’t get a cab. I didn’t know anyone’s number by heart.”
He glares at me. “Do you have any fucking idea how angry I am with you?”
“I know.” I shake my head. “I’m angry with myself.”
“He was there by himself. You should have seen his face. He was so worried.”
My face falls.
“Why was your phone dead?”
“Because I plugged it in and forgot to turn the power point on.”
“Because you haven’t slept,” he says, his tone eerily calm. “How the hell, do you expect to parent when you’re not sleeping?”
My eyes fill with tears. “It was just a mistake.”
“No, Ashley. It wasn’t a fucking mistake. It was a choice to go to the club last night and get naked for other men. It was a fucking choice to neglect Owen today.”
“This has nothing to do with last night.”
“It has everything to do with last night!” he yells, making me jump.
My eyes narrow as tears form—guilty tears.
He puts his hands on his hips and drops his head as he tries to calm himself down. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on with you.” He sneers. “But you better get your fucking act together real quick.”
He leaves the room in a rush and I stand still as the weight of his words swirl around me.
I hate that this happened. I hate that I let this happen.
I slowly walk downstairs and back out to the kitchen to see Cameron pick up Owen off the sofa and put him on his hip. “Come on, mate. I’m going to drive you both home. Mom’s not fit to drive tonight.”
My eyes close with regret because he’s right… I’m not.
Cameron
“What days do you go to preschool, Owie?” I ask as my eyes find his in the rear-view mirror. It’s Saturday morning and I have just picked him up for the day.
Ashley’s greeting was as icy as ever, but I don’t care. I’m off her. She fucking shits me. She can hate me all she wants.
“Tuesdays and Thursdays,” he replies as he looks out the window. “But I don’t really like it.”
“Why not?” I ask.
“Ryan is mean to me.”
I frown as I watch him. “What do you mean?”
He shrugs. “He takes my toys and won’t let me play chase.”
“Well, you just tell him you’re playing.”
“Yesterday he told me he was going to punch me in the dick.”
What the hell? “What?” I snap. “When did he say that?”
“Alison said I could play chase, and then he said if I did he was going to punch me.”
“And what did you do?”
He shrugs as he looks out the window. “I just went away.”
“What did Mom say?” I ask.
“She said…” He hesitates as he tries to remember. “She said to stay away from mean people.”
“Has he been doing this for long?” I ask.
He nods as he stares out the window.
“Owen, I want you to do something for me,” I say as my eyes flicker between him and the road.
“What?”
“Next time he says he’s going to hit you, I want you to do this.” I hold my hand up and then make a fist. “You do this with your hand and you tuck your thumb around the outside.”
He frowns.
“Can you do that for me? Show me how you do your hand?”
He makes a fist.
“Now, tuck your thumb around the front of your fist.”
He does it.
“Next time he says he’s going to hit you, you hit him first. You pull your arm back and hit him straight in the nose as hard as you can with your fist.”
He frowns.
“Bullies will only pick on you if they know you won’t fight back, Owen.”
He frowns at me.
“You don’t put up with crap, mate. If someone’s going to hit you, you show them you’re not scared, and they won’t be mean anymore.”
He watches me.
“Next time he says something, you do that, and I promise you he won’t be mean again.”
A trace of a smile crosses his face. “I might get into trouble.”
“It doesn’t matter.” I smirk. “It’s better than putting up with crap.” I pull the car into the parking lot. “Now, let’s go and buy our new skateboards.”
His eyes widen with excitement.
“You and me are learning how to skateboard this morning. How does that sound, buddy?”
“Good.” He smiles cheekily and makes a fist at me.
I smile broadly and hold my fist over to the back seat and he hits it with his.
Game over. This kid’s got me already.
It’s 2pm when the doorbell rings. Owen and I have been skateboarding up and down the driveway for hours. He’s actually pretty good and has natural balance.
It’s time for my family to meet my son, and it feels weird to be honest.
“That’s them, Owie.” I smile.
His little hands wring in front of him nervously and I smile to reassure him. Ashley was right, he is timid. We head to the front door and find Joshua, Tash, and their five kids. The kids are bouncing balls and the two younger boys are wrestling, as always.
Joshua has wild kids and I guess I didn’t realise how wild until I met Owen. I thought all kids were the same. My mother and Murph are with them and I open the door in a rush.
“Hello,” they all yell and Owen cowers behind my leg.
“Hello.” I smile as I pull Owen out from behind me. “This is Owen.” I present him.
Joshua and Natasha’s faces fall when they see him, and Joshua instantly chokes up. The resemblance Owen has to me is uncanny. “Say hello, Owen.” I smile.
He forces a scared smile as he clings to my hand for dear life. “This is Uncle Joshua and Aunty Natasha, and this is Grandma, and this is Murphy,” I introduce.
They all step forward and shake his hand one at a time.
“You look like your dad.” Joshua smiles with a cheeky wink. “You poor thing.”
Mom bends and grabs him into an embrace and kisses him. “Oh, he’s beautiful, Cameron.” She smiles happily. “I’m so happy to meet you, little man.”
Owen wriggles out of her grip and comes immediately back to my side, grabbing my hand for reassurance.
Natasha smiles and puts her hand on her chest as she gets teary. “You’re gentle like your dad, Owen.” She smiles.
“We’re not gentle, are we? We’re tough.” I smirk as I swing his hand in mine.
“These are your cousins. Jordy, Ellie, Blake, Joel, and Jackson.” The kids all stand in a row as they sum up their new cousin.
“Hello.” They smile and Owen cowers deeper behind my leg.
“Come in. We’ve got lunch ready, haven’t we?” I smile down at him.
Owen stays silent as the kids all run off like maniacs through the house. It’s going to take him a while to get used to all this action. My family is full on.
It’s just gone 5pm and Joshua and I are sitting at the fire pit drinking a beer. Tash is inside with Murph, while Mom and the kids are all playing chase in the yard around us.
I shake my head. “She was there after I told her not to go.”
Joshua sips his beer with a murderous look on his face. “So, let me get this straight. You paid her rent for a year and told her not to go back to the club and she went anyway?”
I roll my lips in contempt. “Yep.”
He frowns. “What was her reasoning?”
“I swear, she just wants to piss me off.” I shake my head. “I don’t know. She probably worked in the Escape Lounge that night and fucked someone. How would I fucking know?”
He narrows his eyes. “She’s a hooker?”
I shake my head. “No.” I hate the thought of her being with anyone else and I blow out a deep breath. “But I don’t want her there. Simple as that.”
“But you told me you were in love with her only two weeks ago?” He frowns. “You said she was the one.”
“I thought she was, but then she springs this on me and she lied about it. How am I supposed to feel?”
He blows out a deep breath as he watches the fire. “Fuck, man.”
Mom walks out onto the back patio and calls the children
and our eyes flick up to her. “What’s Mom said about it?” Joshua asks.
I shake my head. “She’s hating Ashley’s guts.”
Joshua smirks. “She hated her before she knew any of this.”
I smile as I sip my drink. “Mom would hate anyone I dated, true, but...” I hesitate and smirk. “Well, she has a good reason with Ash now.”
We sit for a moment as the fire dances in front of us.
“And get this, yesterday she forgot to pick Owen up from preschool. I got an emergency call saying she hadn’t shown up and her phone was off.”
Joshua screws up his face. “What the hell?”
“I know, right? She was shattered from the night before and forgot she was picking him up.”
Joshua glares at the fire as it crackles in front of us.
“I need to pull her in line,” I murmur as I feel the fury I felt bubble under the surface.
“Yeah, you do. I wouldn’t be taking that shit with my kids,” he replies.
The children all come running over with marshmallows that Mom has just given them to toast on the fire. Blake picks up a drink can and throws it into the flame.
We all jump back from the fire in fear it may explode.
“What the hell are you doing? Blake, what the frigging hell are you doing that for?” Joshua growls as he stands abruptly.
“You do not throw things in the fire. Do you hear me?” he yells at the top of his voice.
The kids all stop for a moment and Blake nods “Sorry,” he murmurs.
They then carry on as if this is a normal occurrence, and when we know it’s safe, they carry on toasting marshmallows. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Owen standing back. His eyes are filled with tears and his little hands are clenched tightly up in front of his chest. I stand and scoop him up into my arms.
“Hey, what’s wrong, Owen?”
His tears fall free and roll down his face as he clings to me, terrified.
“Did Joshua scare you?” I ask softly as I pick him up.
He nods through his tears, and I pull him close to kiss the top of his head. “Oh, baby. It’s okay. Don’t cry.”
He puts his head down on my chest and I can feel him shaking with fear.
“Stan, stop being a big gorilla, scaring my kid,” I snap with a shake of my head.
Joshua comes over and rubs Owen’s hair. “Sorry, mate, but sometimes I just lose it at Blake. Pay me no attention. He’s naughty and drives me mad.”
I sit back down in my position by the fire with my son on my lap, clinging to me for dear life, and for the first time in my life, I feel my protective instincts kick in.
Owen comes first. I need to protect him at all costs.
I stare into the dancing flames…
Whatever it takes.