Page 86 of A Dirty Business
I straightened, the washrag in my hand. “What was that about?”
His eyes narrowed. “You honestly don’t know?”
“No.” I was done with this. After tossing my rag into the sink, I moved toward him until I was standing a few feet away. I crossed my arms over my chest. “She called my mother a whore and a slut and said she wants to make us homeless. We’re past games right now. What was that about?”
First things first. I wanted to know.
Ashton was going to tell me. I knew it. I was banking on it.
He stared at me, long and hard, and I was aware of the attention we were getting from the other workers because it was not often our owners came down to the floor after we’d closed, or at all. Like I said before, I’d worked here for how long and had had no clue who really owned the bar. That spoke volumes.
“Your mother had an affair with Dominic West. It was before your father died, and no, Trace has no idea, but he will after tonight. He was told just moments ago.Yourmother was the reasontheirmother killed herself. She found out about the affair.” He moved closer. “It’s the reason your father stopped working for Trace’s.”
Jesus.
I was rocked.
I was wheeling.
My mother ... their mother.
I kept hearing Trace’s words earlier today.
The coincidence was too much, but ... my father had worked for his. I was never told the specifics. I was kept out of it on purpose, my mother saying on more than one occasion that I didn’t need to bother with that “stuff.” That’s what she said. Stuff.
But she had affairs. I knew she did, and so did he. My father.
He was in that world before he died.
It could be true. It could all be true.
“For what it’s worth, Dominic is a piece of shit. I’m told your mother is cut from the same cloth. My advice? Stop fighting and just fuck Trace. It’s getting old, this whole torture episode the both of you have going on.” He drew back, his face firming again. “Remmi won’t bother you again, and we took the liberty of moving your car into the secured spot. Your ride is waiting outside when you’re done.”
I was still reeling from the mother/father thing, but right. Okay. Back to business as usual.
Trace was waiting for me, because I had texted him earlier, agreeing to the ride home.
“Jess.”
I drew upright, focusing back on Ashton. He was waiting.
“Yes?”
“I don’t care what kind of badge you’re carrying. You need to be aware of what I’ll do if you hurt him. If you hurt my best friend, I will kill you.”
With that said, he smiled, waved, and left.
Right. Okay.
Trace:Are you coming?
CHAPTER FORTY
TRACE
I was in the back lot, waiting.
It’d been thirty minutes.
