Page 90 of Selfless

I lift my hand. “You’re opening a clothing store?” I feel stupid for asking, but I don’t like feeling lost.

“Yes,” she says excitedly, nodding her head. “I want to open a clothing store. And for every article sold, we donate to a homeless shelter,” she informs me as tears come to her eyes. “I can’t believe you guys have been working on this.”

I smile as Jaycent leans over and hugs her. I have never been prouder of my sister.

We finish up our meeting, and as I go to walk out, my father stops me. “Ryder?”

“I’ll see you guys later,” I call out to Jaycent and Becca as they continue. I turn to face my father. “Yes, sir?”

“We need to talk.” He gestures to one of the empty seats at the conference table.

“So much for not having a family meeting,” I mumble, but I know he heard me.

“This is about business,” he says, clearing his throat.

Oh. “Carry on.”

“I did some research on the Anderson file and spoke to the company who bought it.”

“And?”

“They’re willing to sell for the right price.”

I smile, wanting that property, and say, “Give me their number.”

**

I walk into the apartment and place my briefcase on the kitchen counter, listening to the silence. It’s dark. I had to work late tonight, as usual, and I’m exhausted.

I remove my suit jacket and place it on the back of the chair at the dining table. I hear Harry meow as he comes down the hall.

I reach down and pick him up. He wears a shirt that says friendly pussy across his back, and I chuckle. The little rat is growing on me. Setting him down, I push the already cracked bedroom door open to find Ashlyn already asleep in bed. She’s naked, tangled in the sheets. Her back faces me with her laptop open. I walk over to the bed and pick it up, placing it on my lap.

She has employment for the Manhattan area pulled up. They vary from waitress to businesses needing a receptionist.

I look over at her when she stirs, but she stays facing away from me. I go to her browser history and see where Talia’s is selling all their current artwork due to closing. Running my hand through my hair, I sigh. Not sure what to do. I want her to do what she loves, but Ashlyn is also not the type of woman to sit around. She’ll take a job anywhere, and I hate that. I’ve come close to telling her several times not to worry, that she doesn’t even need a job, but she’s not like my mother. She doesn’t want to spend her days at the country club catching up on the latest gossip. She wants a job, a career. She wants to be independent. And although that won’t be the case as long as she’s with me, I can respect it.

I close the laptop and lie back, resting my head against the headboard. Closing my eyes, I run my hand down my face, letting out a frustrated sigh. My mother has literally pissed me off for the last time.

My eyes spring open when I feel a hand on my arm. Looking over, I see a set of very sleepy blue eyes staring up at me. “Hey,” I say softly.

She closes them and yawns. “What time is it?”

“Almost eleven,” I tell her.

She sighs heavily. I sit up and lean over, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. “Go back to sleep, baby.” She’s back to sleep before I even pull away.

The following morning, I was up and out of the apartment before Ashlyn was awake. I had an early meeting with Jaycent and a project manager on location. It ran an hour longer than it should have, and by the time I reached the office, I was in a pissed-off mood. My usual attitude lately. I should be getting used to it by now.

I sit in a board meeting, listening to these men discuss their golf game when my assistant comes barging through.

“Kelly?”

Her eyes are wide with fear. “Ashlyn has been in an accident …”

**

I rush into the hospital “Ryder?” I see my sister sitting in the waiting room.

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