I can’t take this. My eyes tear up and I leave the room in a rush and walk downstairs into Cameron’s study.
“Stop it, stop it, stop it,” I whisper. I close my eyes as I try to stop my tears from falling, but they won’t.
After a few minutes Cameron walks in and closes the door behind him softly.
“What’s wrong?” he whispers, concerned.
I scrunch up my face in pain. “It’s just so hard watching you give him everything I always wanted to but couldn’t,” I whisper.
His face falls and he pulls me into an embrace. “Ashley, this isn’t a competition.” He holds me tight against his chest and lets me cry.
“I know,” I whisper. “But it sure feels like it.”
He blows out a breath. “It’s not.”
I pull out of his grip. “Why did you pay my rent, Cameron?”
“So you don’t have to go back to the club.”
“What?” I frown, that’s not the answer I was expecting.
“You’re not going back, Ashley. ” He replies coldly. “Over my dead body are you stepping foot back in that place.”
Suddenly his motive is crystal clear: He wants to control me. He wants control over Owen and me.
I step back from him as uneasiness rolls through me. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Cameron. You lost that right when you ended it between us.”
His jaw clenches and his cold eyes hold mine. “The hell I don’t.”
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.