Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76559 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Terry is no longer employed by the Ashby Organization.” His words were stern and short, slightly bitter.
“Oh. Okay.” The news was too shocking for me to process in the moment, so that was the best I could manage. It wasn’t eloquent or sophisticated, but it was all had.
“Thanks for letting me know.”
Jasper snorted and let out a low growl to indicate he was pissed off. “What the fuck did you think would happen when I found out about you two, Kat?”
There it is, I thought with a stab of pain in my heart.
“And? Who I sleep with is none of your fucking business, Jasper. Maybe you ought to get laid so you can stop trying to run everyone else’s life! You might be in charge of the business, but you are sure as shit not in charge of me.”
Instead of waiting for whatever condescending shit he had to say, I ended the call and when Jasper called back, I muted the call.
There was nothing to say to Jasper, or Terry apparently, who decided to ghost me. At least now I knew why. Fuck him! And fuck this whole damn place!
I packed up my shit and decided to call it an early day. A small part of me wanted to go to Terry and demand answers, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear the truth. Not yet. So I did what any girl in my position would do, I went to talk to my mother.
I found Ma reclining on one of the lounge chairs on the back terrace “Kat, what are you doing here in the middle of the day?” she asked with a surprised smile. Just enough sun flooded the back of the house to feel good without getting the brunt of the desert heat.
I tossed my bag on the table beside Sadie’s bottle of whiskey and sat with a groan. “I came here to talk to you.”
Her brows rose, but that was all I could see of her expression with her sunglasses shielding her eyes. “Things must be bad if you’ve come to me for advice.”
I snorted and reached for the whiskey bottle, taking one big gulp for strength. “Somehow Jasper found out about Terry and me.” I was curious as hell to know how he found out. “I know Terry didn’t tell him. He wouldn’t because he was too afraid of what would happen.”
Sadie took a drag off her cigarette and blew the smoke out. “And Jasper is pissed off. How did you think he would react?” Her calm question put me on edge. I grabbed her gold cigarette case and pulled out a cigarette.
“Smoking will kill you, Kat.”
I took a long draw and glared at Sadie. “I don’t fucking care. My sex life is none of Jasper’s business. He doesn’t own Terry, and he doesn’t own me.” I knew he’d be pissed, of course I knew that, but this was ridiculous. “I guess you approve of the fact that Terry is no longer employed by the Ashby Organization,” I told her, mocking Jasper’s superior tone.
Sadie pushed the sunglasses onto her head, green eyes wide with shock. “I didn’t know, and I don’t approve.”
I didn’t think she would. Terry was family. He’d spent more time in this house than in his own over the years. He stood side by side with Jasper during every battle, put his own safety on the line to protect us, and he’d done it all because he loved us. He was one of us.
“Well that’s what happened when you anointed him king.”
“He’s the oldest, Kat.”
“He is in charge of the business, Ma. Not me or my life. Sometimes I’m not sure either of you realize there’s a difference.”
“As far as I’m concerned, there is no difference,” Jasper chimed in from the door.
I whirled around and frowned at him. “It’s a good thing I don’t give a flying fuck what you think, Jas.”
“That’s too bad. And don’t be pissed off at me. Terry should have known better. And so should you.”
“Fuck you, Jasper. What’s the real problem here? You want Terry for yourself? Because at least that would make sense for why you think you can control who we spend time with.”
I was so angry that I felt my hands vibrating, and I knew there was a good chance I might say something that would be difficult to walk back.
“He’s my friend, and you’re off limits.”
“Since you have so much time to meddle in business that’s not yours, you can get back to work at the casino because I’m done.”
The words flew out of my mouth before I even thought about them, but the moment they were out, I felt a sense of relief.
“No, you’re not.”
“Wanna bet?” I shrugged and stamped out the cigarette. “Since you don’t know the difference between business and personal, we should just take a break from each other for a while.”