it on purpose.”
“Bollocks, you do so.”
“Don’t use that language, and it’s not my fault you won’t quit that horrible job.”
“For frig’s sake, stop gettin’ on my case ’bout work, you damn well know I can’t quit.”
“So, your job’s more important than your son? Than me?” She said the last two words so soft he almost missed them. Behind her, he could hear Dante telling her to give it a rest.
Ash breathed out. “You know what happened when I tried to give it up. Christ, my boss is dangerous; I don’t wanna go through that again, I hafta keep my family safe,” especially Angelo. I couldn’t deal with Craven sending his men near him again.
“I don’t want my son around drugs or criminals.”
“He won’t be around drugs and I’m his father regardless of what I do.” When she didn’t reply, he added, “Please, Tiana, I miss him, and a boy needs his father.”
“You didn’t.”
Ash went still, her words a shock.
“Oh God, Ash, I’m sorry, it just came out. I’m so sorry.”
Ash threw the phone across the lawn, then stormed back into the house, slamming his bedroom door behind him. Tiana fucking knew everything about his relationship with his father, and knew how much it stung. Just because he couldn’t be around his old man, didn’t mean he didn’t want one that cared about him. At one point, he’d thought that maybe his father could change, that he could be a “dad,” but then again, he just had to admit his old man was unwell, not right in the head, so what did he expect. And his cousin, the man who acted more like a father than his biological one, couldn’t be around either. He missed Hunter, but knew his cuz was just as damaged as his old man. But at least Hunter was safe in the psyche ward, and couldn’t harm himself there. Although it hurt having to admit him, it was still the right decision.
Ash closed his eyes. Was he psychologically up the wop too? He had fits of uncontrollable rage like his father. Maybe Tiana was right, that his son was better off without him—safer. But that hurt, and unlike the way his father had treated him, he’d never hit Angelo. And if his stepdad hadn’t come into his life, he might not have gone to live with Hunter and been pulled into the drug trade. He could’ve become a graphic artist, something his old art teacher had suggested. He swore, realising what he was doing, falling into that same old trap of regret.
He stripped and headed into the shower, letting the water wash away the remnants of the day, and wishing it could do the same for Tiana’s words. Once done, he checked out his face in the mirror, surprised to see how little damage Len had done. Just a split lip, but without the swelling, though the back of his head still hurt like a bastard. He grabbed one of Beth’s mirrors and angled it so he could see the damage, gingerly touching the sensitive area. Other than being sore, it seemed alright, the bleeding having stopped. Satisfied, he headed into his room and pulled on some clothes, then lay down on the bed, wanting to catch some shut-eye before Dante returned.
***
His shirt was tugged over his head, suffocating him briefly. ‘I’m sorry, I tried; I really did,’ Chaz said, undoing Ash’s belt. ‘But I promise you won’t remember a thing, I’ve made sure of that.’
Blackness took Ash, then movement brought him back. He was lying naked on his stomach, with his legs pushed apart. The realisation of what was going to happen hit him hard. He cried out, desperately trying to get away, but his body remained motionless. Pain entered him below, ripping out a scream. Chaz swore, then pushed Ash’s face into the pillow. Fighting to breathe, Ash threw the pillow onto the floor and bolted upright, knocking Chaz off him. Panicked, he turned around and swung out, then froze. Instead of Chaz, Beth stood before him, the drawn curtains blocking out most of the daylight and shrouding her body in shadows. Confused, Ash
“Bollocks, you do so.”
“Don’t use that language, and it’s not my fault you won’t quit that horrible job.”
“For frig’s sake, stop gettin’ on my case ’bout work, you damn well know I can’t quit.”
“So, your job’s more important than your son? Than me?” She said the last two words so soft he almost missed them. Behind her, he could hear Dante telling her to give it a rest.
Ash breathed out. “You know what happened when I tried to give it up. Christ, my boss is dangerous; I don’t wanna go through that again, I hafta keep my family safe,” especially Angelo. I couldn’t deal with Craven sending his men near him again.
“I don’t want my son around drugs or criminals.”
“He won’t be around drugs and I’m his father regardless of what I do.” When she didn’t reply, he added, “Please, Tiana, I miss him, and a boy needs his father.”
“You didn’t.”
Ash went still, her words a shock.
“Oh God, Ash, I’m sorry, it just came out. I’m so sorry.”
Ash threw the phone across the lawn, then stormed back into the house, slamming his bedroom door behind him. Tiana fucking knew everything about his relationship with his father, and knew how much it stung. Just because he couldn’t be around his old man, didn’t mean he didn’t want one that cared about him. At one point, he’d thought that maybe his father could change, that he could be a “dad,” but then again, he just had to admit his old man was unwell, not right in the head, so what did he expect. And his cousin, the man who acted more like a father than his biological one, couldn’t be around either. He missed Hunter, but knew his cuz was just as damaged as his old man. But at least Hunter was safe in the psyche ward, and couldn’t harm himself there. Although it hurt having to admit him, it was still the right decision.
Ash closed his eyes. Was he psychologically up the wop too? He had fits of uncontrollable rage like his father. Maybe Tiana was right, that his son was better off without him—safer. But that hurt, and unlike the way his father had treated him, he’d never hit Angelo. And if his stepdad hadn’t come into his life, he might not have gone to live with Hunter and been pulled into the drug trade. He could’ve become a graphic artist, something his old art teacher had suggested. He swore, realising what he was doing, falling into that same old trap of regret.
He stripped and headed into the shower, letting the water wash away the remnants of the day, and wishing it could do the same for Tiana’s words. Once done, he checked out his face in the mirror, surprised to see how little damage Len had done. Just a split lip, but without the swelling, though the back of his head still hurt like a bastard. He grabbed one of Beth’s mirrors and angled it so he could see the damage, gingerly touching the sensitive area. Other than being sore, it seemed alright, the bleeding having stopped. Satisfied, he headed into his room and pulled on some clothes, then lay down on the bed, wanting to catch some shut-eye before Dante returned.
***
His shirt was tugged over his head, suffocating him briefly. ‘I’m sorry, I tried; I really did,’ Chaz said, undoing Ash’s belt. ‘But I promise you won’t remember a thing, I’ve made sure of that.’
Blackness took Ash, then movement brought him back. He was lying naked on his stomach, with his legs pushed apart. The realisation of what was going to happen hit him hard. He cried out, desperately trying to get away, but his body remained motionless. Pain entered him below, ripping out a scream. Chaz swore, then pushed Ash’s face into the pillow. Fighting to breathe, Ash threw the pillow onto the floor and bolted upright, knocking Chaz off him. Panicked, he turned around and swung out, then froze. Instead of Chaz, Beth stood before him, the drawn curtains blocking out most of the daylight and shrouding her body in shadows. Confused, Ash
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