Page 55 of Tempted

Chapter Eighteen

“Adam, take your brother and sister inside and see that they get ready for bed,” Victor ordered not tearing his gaze away from Jasmine. Why did she just stand there? Why wasn’t she defending herself?

Jasmine looked down at Chelsea who clung to her arm. “Go inside with your brother, okay?”

“No! I want to stay with you,” she wailed.

“What did I tell you about whining, Chelsea? You’re too old for that. Now do this for me and I’ll join you shortly.”

Chelsea poked out her bottom lip and shot Victora narrowed eyed stare. “Remember your promise, Daddy.”

Victor grinded his teeth together not bothering to respond. He waited until Adam hustled his younger brother and sister into the house before speaking again. Anger coursed through his entire being, his heart rate elevating as he thought of the times he’d held Jasmine in his arms and how he’d thought perhaps there could be something more between them. Yet she’d been lying to him the entire time. She’d deliberately deceived him and probably his mother, ingratiating herself in his family’s lives. She’d played on his sympathies by using her child. But out of fairness, he would allow her to explain. “Jasmine. In my office. Now.” Turning on his heel he strode up the driveway and into the house not waiting to see if she followed.

The last time he’d been this pissed was when he realized how Carolyn was using Adam as a weapon against him. He would be damned if he let some lying con woman tear his family apart.

Victor took the seat behind his desk to keep a barrier between them, otherwise he wouldn’t have trusted himself not to strangle her. Jasmine came in the office with Madison on her heel. He’d forgotten about Madison but maybe it was a good thing someone else was there to prevent him from totally going berserk. Jasmine stood while Madison took a seat on the couch.

“Well? What’s your explanation?”

A long pause fell over the room before Jasmine answered. “I didn’t mean for things to get so far out of control. I was trying to stop him…” her voice trailed off to a barely audible whisper.

“Stop who?”

“Phillip.”

“Phillip?” Victor demanded.

“Star’s father. We argued, things got out of hand and I kind of blacked out afterwards. I-I had to stop him.” Fat tear drops fell from her eyes.

“Stop him from what.”

“Hurting her. I wanted¯”

“Victor are you seriously going to listen to anymore of her lies? It’s the same lame defense she used when she tried to beat the rap. I’ve got everything here.” Madison stood up and produced a thick manila folder he didn’t realize she’d been carrying.

Slightly annoyed at the interruption he eyed the folder warily. “What’s in it?”

Madison smirked. “Everything you need to know. What your little nanny isn’t telling you is the real reason why she tried to kill her boyfriend. She conned him out of a significant chunk of money and when he confronted her about it, she became angry.”

Jasmine shook her head vehemently. “That’s not true! You know nothing about it.”

Madison flared her nostrils and looked down at Jasmine with ill-disguised contempt. “Don’t bother saying it was self-defense when you stabbed him three times. As for trying to stop him from hurting your daughter, it’s something you made up to save your ass.” She thumped the file she’d placed on his desk. “It’s all here Victor. She’s not only violent but she’s a thief. Why don’t you ask her the real reason she doesn’t have custody of her daughter?”

Victor took the folder but didn’t open it. He couldn’t look at either woman. “Why Jasmine?”

When she didn’t answer her fists were clinched at her sides, her body was trembling and silent tears coursed down her face.

“Why Jasmine?” he asked again surprising even himself with the way he’d spoke with such dead calm.

“Victor…you know me. You’ve seen me with the kids. I would never¯”

Her pontificating was pissing him off. “Why goddammit! Just answer the fucking question!”

Jasmine flinched. “It’s not true.”

He stood up then as rage built up within him. Victor walked around the desk and grabbed Jasmine by the arm and gave her a hard shake. “Why?”

“Child endangerment. But it’s not true. If you’d just hear me out for a minute, I’ll tell you everything. Please.”

---