and I sit up, hopeful. “Ash?” I wipe the hair back from her forehead. “Are you okay, baby? I love you, come back to me, please,” I whisper.
This is torture. How long is she going to be under?
She screws up her eyes, her face scrunching tight. “C-Cam?” she whispers in the silent room.
I close my eyes and bend to kiss her cheek and hold her close to me.
“Oh my God, Bloss, I thought you were going to die on me.” I hold her tight for a long time and eventually kiss her softly on the lips.
Why do I love this woman so much when she is so obviously running such a different race to me?
“What happened?” She frowns.
“What did you take?” I whisper as I brush the hair from her forehead.
“What?” She frowns.
“You took a drug overdose.”
She screws up her face as though trying to remember.
“Who were you with?” I ask.
“Some of my friends from the club,” she whispers.
I sit up, disgusted. “What?” She has friends that work there? She mixes with these women by choice?
“We had drinks with some men.” She frowns as she tries to remember.
“What drugs did you take, Ashley?” I repeat as my anger starts to bubble.
“Some of the girls had something.” She shakes her head. “But I didn’t. I swear I didn’t.”
“Who were the men?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” she whispers as she drifts back to sleep. “I… don’t know.”
Adrian
I walk into Joshua’s office to find him seated at his desk. Cameron is staring out the window, deep in thought.
“What’s up?” I ask. “How come you’re not at work?” I ask Cameron. With both of them in their suits and looking solemn, they are the epitome of power.
Joshua just buzzed for me to come up from level two to see them.
Cameron turns to me. “Ashley took a drug overdose last night.”
My face falls in horror. “Oh my God. Is she… is she alright?” I splutter.
He nods and Joshua swings on his chair from side to side with his eyes fixed firmly on Cameron.
“What happened?” I ask.
Cameron’s jaw clenches in anger. “She was out with the girls from the Escape Club and took some drugs, although she’s denying it.”
Joshua runs his tongue over his front teeth in contempt.
I swallow the lump in my throat as my eyes flicker between them. “Is she okay?”
“They discharged her this morning,” he replies coldly.
“Who has Owen?” I frown.
“Jenna, her friend.”
“Don’t you think you should go and help out?” I ask.
Cameron’s eyes meet Joshua’s. “Yes. That’s exactly what I think I should do.”
I frown as I get an uncomfortable feeling sweeping over me. “What’s going on?” I ask.
“He has to protect his son. That’s what’s going on,” Joshua snaps.
Cameron walks back over to the window and stares out over the city, deep in thought.
“What choice do you have, Cameron? She’s out of fucking control. Working in a strip club, forgetting to pick him up… Overdosing.”
I frown as my brain catches up with what these two are thinking.
Oh my God, no…“Cameron, wait. You can’t do that. She will never forgive you,” I say in a panic.
He turns and lifts his chin defiantly. “This isn’t about Ashley anymore, Murph. It’s about Owen. I need to do what’s best for him.”
“But you love her,” I whisper, horrified.
“I’m a father first,” he pushes out, clearly pained.
My eyes flash to Joshua. “You can’t let him do this.” I have to ring Natasha.
Joshua drops his head as he contemplates the repercussions. “Just say the word, Cam,” Joshua says flatly.
Cameron puts his hands into his suit pockets as he stares into space.
How long have they been here together, contemplating this?
“What the hell are you two thinking?” I ask. “Stop it, whatever you’re thinking, just stop it.”
Cameron’s eyes meet Joshua’s. “She’s given me no choice.”
“I know,” Joshua replies sadly.
“Let’s do it.” Cam sighs.
Joshua picks up the phone and rings someone, while I stand still in horror as I watch on. “Hello, Max?” Joshua frowns and then listens for a moment.
“Get four guards over to Ashley Tucker’s house to watch Owen, please.”
He listens for a moment.
“Don’t let him out of your sight.”
He listens again.
“Around the clock.”
He hangs up.
Cameron hangs his head and exhales deeply.
Joshua rings another number. “Amanda?”
He listens for a moment.
“Send the legal team up to my office immediately.”
Ashley
I lie on the lounge in a semi-conscious state as Jenna sits by my feet. “And you don’t remember anything?” She frowns.
“I don’t know.” I shake my head as I try my hardest to remember. “I don’t know if it was