Page 15 of Property of Tacoma
Jen is the next to get out, still good-looking in that high-maintenance way of hers—bleached blonde hair, fake tan, designer clothes that cost a fucking whack. But her beauty is surface-level. On the inside, she’s the nastiest snake that ever slithered the earth, and selfish as fuck too.
Nose turned up, she struts over in heels that are sky high. “I won’t be able to get them next month,” she announces without so much as a ‘hey, how are ya’ first. “Kevin and I have a thing in Arizona.”
I feel Saylor stiffen in my arms, and anger surges through me. Jen pulls this shit all the time. Always, blowing off our kids like they’re an inconvenience rather than her own flesh and blood. It blows my fucking mind how she can go weeks on end without so much as a phone call. She’s their goddamn mother, for fuck’s sake.
Truth be told, I’m surprised she actually showed up this weekend to get them. Usually, she calls at the last minute with some bullshit excuse.
“Of course you do,” I say, trying to keep my tone neutral for Saylor’s sake. “You good?” I ask my boy.
His eyes dart to Foxy, who’s silently watching this family reunion play out. “Yeah.”
Jen catches Jagger’s smirk and opens her mouth to no doubt give me a shoveling of her shit. She’s always been jealous of other women. It’s not like we’re still married. Just as she opens her mouth to say something that is probably going to piss me off, another car pulls through the gate, drawing all of our attention.
Awk, fuck. I do not have time for all this shit today.
Melanie pulls up in her flashy BMW and gets out, her eyes immediately darting between Foxy and my ex like she’s sizing up the competition. “Hey, baby,” she purrs.
Jennifer snorts. “Another one of your whores?”
“Don’t start.”
“Ya’ know…thisis why we’re not married anymore.”
No. We’re not married anymore because she’s a whore who couldn’t be faithful to her man.
Jen looks from Foxy to Mel, turning up her nose.
Foxy’s eyes narrow, and I position my body slightly in front of her. As much as she deserves it, I can’t have her kicking the shit out of my ex in front of my kids. She’s still their mother.
Melanie scoffs, clearly affronted by being called a whore by someone she’s never met.
“Mom!” Jagger hisses.
Jennifer ignores him and turns to Saylor. “Bye, sweetie. Be good for your dad.”
My brows go up. Sweetie? I’m not sure who she’s putting on this show for. She usually doesn’t even get out of the fucking car. Just pulls up and lets the kids out.
Jen leans in to kiss our daughter, but Saylor ducks her face into my neck, avoiding the contact. Her lips thin into a hard line at the brush off. Not sure what she expected. This is the relationship she’s fostered since I got out. “Bye, honey.” She tries to hug Jagger, but he lifts his shoulder, blocking her attempt.
“Whatever,” Jennifer snaps.
There’s the woman we’re used to. With a huff, she stomps back to her car and slams the door. The engine roars to life, and she speeds away, leaving a cloud of dust behind her.
Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply, trying to calm myself.
I really don’t have time for bullshit today. There’s a body in my club, no doubt stinking up the place by now. I’ll probably never get the fucking smell of garlic and the Mayor out of the VIP room.
Opening my eyes, I train them on Melanie. “You need to leave. Something’s come up.”
Foxy chooses that moment to wave suggestively, as if she’s the “something” that’s come up. The corner of my mouth twitches despite the situation.
Melanie’s face contorts with anger. “Are you fucking kidding me? You told me to meet you here!”
“And now I’m telling you to leave,” I growl. I don’t owe her a fucking explanation. She’s not my woman. We fuck and she leaves. End of story.
“You’re an asshole, Tacoma,” Melanie spits.
“That’s a bad word,” Saylor pipes up, her voice muffled against my neck.
