116 Gangster Mother
(Jayden)
+25 BONUS
I don’t think I’ve avoided going back to my penthouse as much as today, ever. I just don’t want to have to face Ashlyn. But in another way, it’s all I want to do. Just face her and get her away from me.
But if I trigger her too much, I risk putting Winona and Abby at more risk.
key and
Ashlyn won’t let anything keep her away from taking Winona down. So, it seems anyway. I use my key go inside. There’s not much noise in here. I walk down to the kitchen, and I see Mother. I look around. No Ashlyn.
“Hi,”
Mother turns around with a start. “Jayden, you’re home. You gave me a start…”
“Sorry, I probably should have messaged given the circumstances.”
“The circumstances are still sleeping.”
I eye her carefully. “Did you give her something?”
“Nothing dangerous. I slipped some sleep medication into her breath freshener. I wasn’t to know she would practically drink that stuff.”
“She is obsessed about fresh breath.”
“She is in the guest room down the hall. Your old office, you converted. It was the nearest bed and I couldn’t carry her if she passed out completely.”
“She must have woken up at some stage because I spoke to her on the phone.”
“She did. She’s had some food and some water, and she just went right back to sleep.”
“Are you sure she’s still in there asleep?”
“Yes. I locked it.”
I stare at her. “You can’t just go locking her up.”
Mother shrugs. I mean, it used to be an office, it had a lock. May as well use it.”
“You better get it unlocked now I’m home.”
Mother sighs like this is the greatest inconvenience in the world. “Suit yourself.”
She goes off to unlock the door and I follow her so I can see Ashlyn for myself.
True enough. Ashlyn is sound asleep. I breathe out. Good.
We walk back out to the kitchen. “I made your favorite
“I can’t eat.”
“Serves you right for drinking so much last night. How’s Abby?”
“Doc says she can go home tomorrow. She’s recovered so well.”
116 Gangster Mothér
+25 BONUS
“That is good news.”
“Be better news if they were here with me where they belong.” I pull open the fridge and get a can of cola. “I need some rum.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m over twenty–one, so yes. Hair of the dog that bit me.” I walk out to go pour.my drink in the bar room. I just need some silence and alcohol.
I add ice and rum to the glass and splash in some cola. It burns going down but the warmth of alcohol from my belly to my extremities soothes my mind. So much has happened. I’ve told Ashlyn I don’t want to be with her any more but I still need to keep her within arm’s reach.
All I want is Winona back. My family back. But I can’t get near her.
“Darling, you’re home. Sorry, I’m so sleepy. Since I lost our baby, I just can’t function anymore.” Ashlyn
behind me. Her hands are touching me.
I move away from her and go behind the bar. “Would you like a drink?”
is
“Are you trying to get me drunk to take advantage of me? You know the doctors said my best chance of getting pregnant again is if we have sex right away.”
She seems to be completely oblivious to me saying it was over between us.
“That’s not happening. I’m off on a business trip. I’ve just come home to pack my bags.”
Her eyes flash at me. “At least I know that murdering bitch can’t go with you.”
I level my gaze at her. “Nothing has been proven yet.”
“But you believe me, you said you did.”
“I believe the truth will come out.”
“You won’t leave me, you can’t. I won’t divorce you.”
I swallow my anger with the rest of my rum. “The court will grant me a divorce eventually.”
“And she’ll be in jail. Where she belongs.”
“All I know, Ashlyn, is that if she is innocent, Gordon Brown will find a way to prove it. So maybe you’ll be the one in jail.”
Then Ashlyn just starts screaming. She’s screaming and screaming.
“Ashlyn, shut up!” I yell.
But she doesn’t. My ears hurt, her high–pitched voice is so shrill. My head is about to burst.
She’s just standing there screaming with her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
I’m about to walk around there and put my hand over her mouth or something but I need to be careful in case she pretends I attacked her.
Then mother comes in and in a flash, she tips breath freshener right into Ashlyn’s open mouth. The spray.
116 Gangster Mother
+25 BONUS
“That is good news.”
“Be better news if they were here with me where they belong.” I pull open the fridge and get a can of cola.
“I need some rum.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m over twenty–one, so yes. Hair of the just need some silence and alcohol…
dog that bit me.” I walk out to go pour my drink in the bar room. I
I add ice and rum to the glass and splash in some cola. It burns going down but the warmth of alcohol from my belly to my extremities soothes my mind. So much has happened. I’ve told Ashlyn I don’t want to be with her any more but I still need to keep her within arm’s reach.
All I want is Winona back. My family back. But I can’t get near her.
“Darling, you’re home. Sorry, I’m so sleepy. Since I lost our baby, I just can’t function anymore.” Ashlyn is behind me. Her hands are touching me.
I move away from her and go behind the bar. “Would you like a drink?”
“Are you trying to get me drunk to take advantage of me? You know the doctors said my best chance of getting pregnant again is if we have sex right away.”
She seems to be completely oblivious to me saying it was over between us.
“That’s not happening. I’m off on a business trip. I’ve just come home to pack my bags.”
Her eyes flash at me. “At least I know that murdering bitch can’t go with you.”
I
I level my gaze at her. “Nothing has been proven yet.”
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