by T L Swan
He then takes us upstairs. “This is my room.” He smiles to Owen and then glances over at me and my eyes drop to the floor.
I spent some of the happiest nights of my life in this room.
“And this is your room.” He opens the door and my heart sinks. This is the room I came into before, only now it’s painted navy blue and has a single bed and children’s furniture in it. He’s had it done already.
The linen is all expensive denim with little red, white, and blue flags hanging over the window. The same red, white, and blue cushions are on the window seat. A large, red, circular mat is on the floor near the desk.
It’s gorgeous.
Owen’s eyes nearly pop out of his head. “This is my room?” he whispers excitedly.
“Do you like it?” Cameron asks, his voice filled with hope.
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.
“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 c
ome,
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.”
&
nbsp; 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.
