Page 57 of Tempted

Victor charged toward Jasmine. “I told you not to talk to them!” he roared.

She glared at him with lifted chin. “I didn’t. They came to my room as I was packing.”

Chelsea threw herself against Jasmine’s back wrapping her thin little arms around Jasmine’s waist. “Don’t go Jasmine! You were supposed to be our Mommy!” she wailed.

Madison chose that moment to reappear from the downstairs powder room. The bleeding had stopped but her nose was red and swollen. “Oh, God, don’t tell me she’s brainwashed your children too. This woman is dangerous.”

“Shut up, Madison,” he snapped before refocusing his attention on his daughter clinging to Jasmine.

“Chelsea, let her go!”

“No! I don’t want her to go.”

“If you don’t let go, you will be in so much trouble.” Victor contemplated ripping the two of them apart but thought better of it. This situation was fast getting out of control.

“I don’t care! I don’t want Jasmine to go! You promised, Daddy! You said she could stay with us always. You promised!” Chelsea yelled through her body shaking sobs.

Victor glared at Jasmine. “Do something.”

For a minute Victor thought she would just stand there and let chaos reign but to her credit, she gently removed Chelsea’s arms and turned to face the child. “I’m sorry, sweetheart but I have to go.”

Chelsea threw her arms around Jasmine’s neck. “No! Jasmine don’t go. I love you, Jasmine. Let me go with you. Take me with you, Jasmine!”

“Really, Victor this is getting embarrassing,” Madison drawled.

He flared his nostrils on the verge of completely losing it. He didn’t need further comment from the peanut gallery. “If you say one more word Madison, I swear to God…” He stormed over to where Jasmine and his daughter were and forcibly attempted to yank them apart. He didn’t count on Tyler joining the anarchy.

He threw his arms around Jasmine’s waist and held on. “Leave her alone, Dad! We want her to stay!”

That was it. “I’m your father and you will listen to me!”

“No!” Chelsea screamed tearfully.

“No!” Tyler shouted stubbornly.

Finally it was Jasmine who was able to break the seeming death grips the children had on her and stood up. “Be good and listen to your father.” She grabbed her duffle bag and headed for the door.

When the children would have chased after her, Victor grabbed them by the arms and held them back. Jasmine hurried down the hall but paused and turned to give Chelsea and Tyler one last glance. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered before leaving. The room went silent, no one spoke or moved. It was as if time had frozen for a moment.

The sound of the front door slamming seemed to galvanize the occupants in the house to action.

Tyler pulled away from his Dad. “Why did you let her go? Make her come back!”

Chelsea shoved him away. His daughter actually shoved him and turned her attention on Madison. “This is all your fault! You’re an ugly evil witch!” The little girl charged at the unsuspecting blonde and gave her a hard push nearly knocking her over.

Madison raised her hand and backhanded Chelsea across the face. “You evil little brat!”

Chelsea clutching her face cried even harder. “I want Jasmine!”

“Madison!” Victor roared seeing red. He charged toward her and grabbed her arm before dragging her to the door.

“Victor take your hands off of me. I won’t be manhandled like this!” the blonde screeched.

“You’re lucky you’re not a man or you’d get more than a busted nose.

Ignoring her, Victor dragged her outside. “Don’t ever come around here again. I don’t know what made you think I could ever be interested in a vicious, bitter psychopath like you.”

“How dare you! I came here out of the goodness of my heart and this is the payment I receive?”

Victor’s response was to slam the door in her face. He turned to face his children. Tyler had that look in his eyes, the one when someone found out his hero had feet of clay. Chelsea cried.

Victor walked over to offer her comfort but she moved away from him. “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!” she screamed before running up the stairs.

“You broke your promise, Dad.” Tyler looked at him with such disappointment it cut Victor to the core. How could he explain to his children he’d gotten rid of Jasmine to protect them?

He noticed Adam for the first time standing at the top of the stairs, his expression unreadable. “Still breaking promises?” Adam shook his head. “Nothing’s changed has it, Dad?” The teenager rolling his eyes in apparent disgust turned away and headed to his room. Tyler followed.

Victor was left standing alone wondering what the hell had happened. He’d done the right thing. How could he knowingly leave a criminal in charge of his children? They would be mad at him for a little while but he was certain they’d eventually get over it.

The bottom line was,Jasmine was a liar, a thief and violent. She was a con artist and he was glad to be rid of her before hefell deeper in love. Convincing his kids of that would be a difficult task…convincing himself was an entirely different issue.

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