Page 164 of Timeless

Troy arched his eyebrows, as if he knew the reality check he had just given me.

I shook my head. “It won’t get to that point. He will get sick of me before that.” I was positive Mason would move onto another woman, after he got bored with me being submissive.

“Say he does but you have a kid together. You going to be comfortable with him seeing your child, knowing you aren’t around to see what happens? Any man weak enough to hit a woman, is also weak enough to hit a child.”

Why was Troy doing this to me? Making me think where my current actions could lead me. I hadn’t factored in kids and I never factored in what if Mason was an abusive father; and I couldn’t stop him. I knew I’d never be able to prove to the police that Mason was abusive because I had tried once, and Mason was friends with the chief, who had a very low opinion of women, and the place a woman should have in a man’s life.

I ran my hands through my hair. Okay. Troy was making some points. I saw how his eyes were on me, as he let me soak up his words. The awful future I could cause my child to have.

“Fine,” I snapped, throwing my hands in the air. “What do you suggest I do? I can’t go to the police. I can’t tell Amber, because she gets trigger happy and then, if I tell you, you’ll just end up giving him more to blackmail me with.”

That was the truth. Troy hadn’t solved my problems; he had given Mason more information.

“So, he is blackmailing you about what I did? Just let him go to the police.” Troy said that like it would solve all my problems.

“It’s not you. He has all this information on Amber. Like someone’s feed him all this crap on things Amber did in the past. If he goes to the police, she could get charged or at the very least lose her job.” And that was the real cause of my issue. I looked at Troy. “Amber has worked really hard to get where to she is. I won’t cost her a job she is great at and a position she deserves.”

Troy listened to my concern. “Did your boyfriend and Will get along?”

I nodded. “They played poker together.” Though I don’t see how that mattered right now. I doubt Will would be coming back for his Friday weekly poker game.

I don’t know exactly what happened with Will and Amber but I had a strong feeling their relationship was over. Especially seeing as she headed to bed with the man she swore she would never let back in her life.

She certainly had some explaining to do.

“Seems Will is the cause of a lot of problems,” Troy muttered and ran his hand through his hair. He wasn’t implying Will was giving Mason that information on Amber, was he?

I frowned. “No way would Will be giving Mason information.”

Troy looked at me dryly. “Can you think of one other person who would know a detail about Amber’s old life?”

“Amber was open with him but I doubt she told him things she did with… I can’t remember their name.” I gave up on what they had been called “Some gang. Anyway, she did a heap of shit with them that Mason knows all about. Even things she did in the UK.” Now, I wasn’t sure if I should bring this up to Troy. But I guess he should know just how much Mason had on Amber.

I sighed. Yeah, I had to tell Troy. “He knows Amber is behind a murder that hasn’t been solved. Apparently, there is a reward for information.” I bet Troy was wishing he hadn’t forced me to open up to him now. “See, it’s just easier to do as Mason wants.”

Troy had to see that me being a slave to Mason was nothing compared to Amber going down for murder.

Troy had his arms crossed, staring at the floor. I didn’t want him to have to try and solve my problem. I had only told him, because he scared be about what would happen to my children.

“Just go to bed, Troy. It’s fine. I’m handling it.” I let him off the hook. “I need to get back to work.” Even though I wasn’t sure if my brain was up to it.

I walked around him, going to my handbag and pulling out Amber’s medication. I pulled a sheet out and turned back around to look at him.

“Pain killers.” I handed them to him. They aren’t mine. They’re Amber’s. She hurt her shoulder and I knew she wouldn’t get the script filled.” I gave him a smile. “I’m sure she won’t mind sharing with you.”

He took his eyes off the bottle and looked at me. “When you seeing this ex of yours again?”

“Why?”

“Just wondering how tight a leash he has on you.”

Tight enough to choke me. “Tomorrow. Well, today now. At work.” The fact I was seeing Mason today brought my mood even lower. I felt deflated. “Thanks for the reality check about having kids with him. I will try my best to not get in that situation.”

And that was the best thank you I could manage right now. I went back to the dining table. I needed to focus on work for another hour or so, then sleep, shower, change, and head in to the office.

“Chelsea?”

“Mm?” My eyes were back on my work, picking up my spread sheets.

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