Chapter Twenty
Brianne
I can’t believe that Loretta is such a tramp, does this woman not have any morals whatsoever? I mean, she doesn’t care that she’s sleeping with married men, that she could be breaking up a home. What the hell is wrong with this woman?
“Loretta, he’s a man of god! He should know better as should you! God, to think I loved you once, knowing you were sleeping with that asshole was bad enough.” Jaxon’s dad, well Ben points to Mayor Ashwood with so much hate in his eyes that I think he may punch him again. “But you slept with our pastor! The man everyone goes to when they have problems, he’s the man who we went to for counselling. What the hell is wrong with the two of you?”
“You went to counseling?” Jaxon is just as shocked as the rest of us, “What the hell for?”
Ben looks at Jaxon with so much remorse that tears spring to my eyes. “Because I’m an asshole and I treated the one person in this world that I loved like they were garbage. I know that you hate me Jaxon, and I don’t deserve your forgiveness but it’s the main reason I came back to town. Once I got sober, I realized that you are my son and I love you.” Ben starts to move towards the front door, he’s just bared his heart and soul to Jaxon and in front of an audience.
“Ben, stay the hell away from my son! You hear me, you’ve caused enough heartache for the both of us.” Loretta shouts at him and it infuriates me to no end that she has the nerve to tell anyone to stay away from Jaxon after what she’s done.
“No matter what you say it won’t take away the fact that you’re an abusive asshole. I saw the bruises that you left on Loretta!” Sabrina stamps her foot as she inserts herself into the conversation, that bitch is giving me damn whiplash. One minute she’s slapping Loretta’s ugly face the next she’s so far up her ass she’s eating shit.
“I should have choked the fucking bitch while I had the chance!” Ben shouts looking disgusted at both Sabrina and Loretta before turning to Jaxon, “I’m staying the night, and then I’ll be gone again. I came to apologize to you and I know that it’s not enough and I have to live with that for the rest of my life.”
“Thank you for your apology but the damage is already done.” Jaxon’s being very polite and I’m so proud of him.
“I know son, I wish you and Brianne the very best. I always said that you both would make a wonderful couple; my grandbabies are going to have two awesome parents. I’m proud of you son. Forrester, thank you for raising my boy the way I should have. He’s grown into one hell of a man and that’s because of you.” Oh, my God, the tears are streaming down my face as Ben says his final goodbyes. He takes one last look at Jaxon before he leaves.
“Thank God he’s gone. That man shouldn’t be around my grandbabies!” Loretta says causing my mouth to drop open in shock.
“This is bullshit, you’re a two-faced bitch Loretta, I can’t believe you! You’ve wanted me and Jaxon together for years and now you’re taking her side?” Sabrina starts to sob, and her mom pulls her closer to her and tries to console her.
“Sabrina honey, don’t cry in front of these people. They are just here to see a show, they’re disgraceful. They thrive of seeing us suffer.” Sophia tells her insulting my family.
“Listen here Sophia, I tried to save your family from humiliation, and I shouldn’t have bothered! Hell, I should have let everyone in town find out about Loretta’s and your husband’s affair!” Dad tells her, and I watch as her cheeks start to redden.
“Like the whole town doesn’t already know. It’s not like I was the first or the last. There’s plenty of women who have had a taste of Henry and many have come back for seconds.” Damn, Loretta doesn’t know when to shut the hell up. Olivia is going to be mad she missed out on this!
“Shut up, for Christ sake Ma, will you just shut the hell up!” Jaxon shouts at her but she has a wicked smile on her face, she’s up to something, and I’m dreading whatever it is.
“Loretta, you’re a filthy whore! How dare you, you were supposed to be my friend. Why did you do this? How could you do this?” Sophia should take her own advice, if anyone in this room is thriving off her emotions it’s Loretta.
“He’s amazing in the sack, what can I say? What do you expect me to do?” Loretta is like the cat that has got the cream. I never thought I’d feel sorry for Sophia or Sabrina, but right now I just want to hug them both. Neither should have to listen to a crazy bitch talk about having sex with their husband or father.
“What about me?” Sophia whines and God, she’s making things worse. They should have all left when Ben left.
“What is it that Henry says again? Oh yeah, you’re as cold as a dead fish.” She starts to laugh but that laughter is cut short when Sophia walk up to her and gives her one hell of a slap, it’s so hard that Loretta stumbles but she quickly rights herself, “You bitch!” I gasp as Loretta throws herself on top of Sophia and the two of them roll around the floor of my parents’ home having a cat fight.
Dad and Jaxon pull the women apart but the damage between them is done and there is no way either of them can be friends again. “Ma, it’s time for you to leave.” Jaxon informs her, and Sabrina has a smirk on her face that makes me want to slap it from her face.
Loretta does as her son asks but of course she couldn’t leave things like this. She sways over to Mayor Ashwood who’s sitting on the couch, he didn’t get up to help his wife. She leans down and kisses him on the lips. What the hell? There is seriously something wrong with this woman. The kiss is still going on and I have to look away before I throw up.
“Ma!” Jaxon’s outrage causes me to look and they’re still going at it! What the fuck?
Loretta and Henry finally stop swapping saliva and turn to face the rest of us, Loretta has a smirk on her face and Henry has the decency to look embarrassed. “I’ll see you tonight.” Loretta blows Henry a kiss as she leaves the house.
“Dad, how could you do this to us?” Sabrina demands as she stamps her foot like she’s four years old.
“Sabrina, there are somethings you don’t understand about your mother and I. Things aren’t what they seem.” He gives Sophia a look, one in which has her cowering.
Sabrina starts to cry and walks over to Jaxon and tries to wrap her arms around his neck, Jaxon walks backwards out of her reach and looks to me for help. Hell no, she’s yours to deal with, “Jaxon baby, what are you doing?” She purrs at him while she has tears running down her face. Is she for real?
“I’m not your baby! What the hell are you all still doing here? Don’t you have your own damn house to go to?” Jaxon shouts, and I’m getting tired off all the bullshit drama.
“Jaxon, we’re not related! Don’t you want to celebrate?” She bites her lip as she walks over to him, swaying her hips as she does. As soon as she gets close to him, she runs her finger down his chest. “I miss your cock Jaxon and I need you.” She whispers loud enough for only Jaxon, and I too hear.
Jaxon leans in close to her, and she smiles, “If I went near you again, my cock would shrivel up and hide in my damn nuts! Now get the fuck outta here. How many damn times do I have to tell you that I’m with Brianne, I don’t want you, I’ll never want you so leave me the hell alone.”
“But Jax…” She starts to whine.
“But Jax nothing, you lied about being pregnant with my baby, and you’ve made the mother of my babies stressed so much that it isn’t good for her or the babies!” Jaxon says and a tiny bit of spit flies out of his mouth and onto the bitch’s face and I smile.
“Jaxon but that’s all in the past. You know that you want me, come home with me?” She purrs yet again as she starts to stroke his chest.
I’ve had enough, I’ve held my tongue for a hell of a long time when it comes to this bitch and it’s time I stood my ground. “You’re pathetic, take your filthy hand of my man. How many times can you be rejected and still go back? You reek of desperation. Now get your ass out of this house and take your parents with you!”
She laughs, “What are you going to do? We all know that you trapped Jaxon into being with you by getting pregnant. He doesn’t love you.”
It’s my turn to laugh. “And he loves you? Funny, he told me that every time he fucked you he thought of me. Hmmm, must be something about the Ashwood women, men always want someone else.” Oh my God, why did I just say that? I feel the heat rising in my cheeks, but I stand my ground, she’s not treating me like crap anymore. I hear Jaxon laugh and my dad coughs and I know that he’s trying to hide his laughter.
Mayor Ashwood jumps up from the sofa “You can’t speak to my daughter like that! How dare you, I’ll make your life a nightmare in this town.” He points his finger at me and I take a step back at the anger he’s displaying.
My dad has had enough, “You’re the talk of the town Henry. All the men are going to hate you, well those that don’t already as they’ll think you’ve been sleeping with their wives and the women will despise you for abusing your power. Everyone in town thinks that Jaxon is your son and that your daughter slept with her brother. Even think about doing anything to my child, and you’ll have me to deal with… do I make myself clear?” Dad is one hell of a papa bear when he needs to be, and right now he looks menacing, and every member of the Ashwood family have fear on their faces.
“Get the hell out of my house now!” I turn and see mom, Carson and Olivia standing at the door, when the hell did they get here? Mom looks so mad right now.
“Damn it! I missed all the excitement today! The town is buzzing with excitement, and it’s all about them.” Livie says with a mischievous smile. “Seems the perfect family ain't so perfect! Hell, sleeping with your brother… That’s just sick.”
“Liv, leave it. Jax doesn’t need this.” Carson says gently. Since when is Carson gentle especially to Livie and when did he start calling her Liv?
“She’s not my sister; dad was misled, seems the Mayor wasn’t the only married man mom was seeing.” Jaxon tells them and turns to the Ashwood’s, “It’s time for you to leave, you have a lot of sucking up to do, your reputation is in tatters.” Jaxon smirks as they start to rush out the door.
“Why do I always miss the good things?” Livie complains as she throws herself onto the sofa dramatically.
“So, want to catch me up on what happened here?” Mom demands and I’m too tired to talk about it, so I waddle over to Livie and get off my feet.
Dad and Jaxon recant everything that happened and just hearing it is unbelievable and I was here to witness it first-hand. It takes twenty minutes to retell the story and I’m hungry, dad and I never got our meal. I get up from the sofa slowly and I know that it’s not going to be much longer until I’m going to need a forklift to help me up. I make my way into the kitchen as mom, Carson and Livie ask dad and Jaxon questions.
I make us a sandwich and I probably should have asked if anyone else wants one, but oh well, they can make their own. I hear footsteps behind me, and I turn to see my dad with a big smile on his face, “I thought I smelled food, you’re a woman after my own heart.” I laugh, and his voice gets louder as he says, “You’ve always been my favorite.”
“Dad, stop saying that. You’ll give Carson a complex.” I know I shouldn’t find it funny, but I do, he always gives poor Carson a hard time.
“Dad, why do you hate me?” Carson shouts from the living room as I pass dad his sandwich.
“I don’t hate you, I just don’t like you. There’s a big difference.” Dad winks at me as he takes a bite of his sandwich, I shake my head as I waddle into the living room.
“Mom!” Carson screams like a little bitch! Damn, no wonder why dad prefers me, I take my seat next to Livie and she snatches half my sandwich.
“Carson, don’t shout. I’m right here honey. Your dad doesn’t mean it, he’s just messing with you. Isn’t that right Forrester?” Mom tries to calm Carson, but it doesn’t work as he’s such a baby.
“Uh-uh.” Dad responds, and I cross my legs as I start to laugh otherwise I may just pee myself.
“Why does dad like you better?” God, he’s like a broken record!
“Because I’m not annoying nor am I a little bitch.” I say as politely as I can. Dad, Jaxon, Livie, and my mom all laugh, and I swear it looks as though Carson’s going to cry.
“Fuck you! I’m not a little bitch. Anyway, now that Sabrina’s out of the way, things can go back to normal and you and Jaxon can live in marital bliss.” Carson can be so stupid at times.
“I swear that boy was at the back of the queue when they were handing out brains,” Dad mutters under his breath but loud enough for Livie and me to hear him.
“Um Carson honey, marital bliss is when people are married.” Mom informs him, and the clueless idiot just stares at her.
I turn to Livie when she asks, “Would you want to get married? You’ve never actually mentioned it before.” She’s right; it’s not something that I’ve ever given much thought too.
“If it was to the right man I would. I see no reason not too; if I love them and they love me, I would go for it.”
I hear a gasp from Livie and see that her eyes are wide and fixated on something behind me. I turn and see Jaxon down on one knee.
Holy shit, is this really happening? I think I’m going to cry!