Page 33 of Ashton

“Serena, a word in my office, please.”

She screwed up her nose. “No, you can say what you want here.”

His mouth drops to an unforgiving angle, and you can feel the temperature drop. I’ve never seen him angry in all the years of knowing him. Prescott stands and faces Serena.

“You wanted to host a dinner party for your friends, so I suggest you be a host. You aren’t making a perfect impression now, are you?”

Her lips flop open; putting her in her place doesn’t take much. She slowly moves her chair back to the table and sits. That image is everything when you have nothing. Ashton chuckles before shoving turkey into his mouth. There is no love loss there.

“Didn’t know I was signing up for dinner and a show. This is a perfect night, hey Odette,” The douche next to Jinx says, nudging her. A flash of repulse passed over her face.

I need to know who this asshole is. Douche looks a little too comfortable with her. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

“Me?” Douche points to his chest. “I’m Roan, and I work with Prescott.”

I raise an eyebrow slowly. “And why are you all touchy-feely with my girlfriend?” I lower my voice.

“Odette?”

“Is there anyone else at the table that could be my girlfriend? Don’t act all stupid.”

“Oh, we go way back, don’t we?” He looks at her and grins.

“No, we don’t. We met yesterday at the meeting, and for some reason, he thinks we’re friends.”

Atticus wraps his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. “Touch or talk to her again, and that will be the last thing you do.”

Roan looks between Atticus and me. “I’m confused. What’s going on here.”

“It’s not that hard to figure out, asshole. She has more than one boyfriend,” Ashton adds.

Prescott coughs. Oops, guess we forgot he didn’t know that the twins were dating his daughter.

“Odette? They are your brothers,” Prescott spoke in a strangled voice.

“Stepbrothers, Prescott. There is no blood,” Atticus says. And it’s not like we grew up together.”

He glances between the twins with pure shock. His whole world is crashing around him. When his eyes land on Jinx, pain fills them.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” she sniffs, backing her chair away from the table, and rushes out of the dining room.

Serena scoffs. “Go figure she would go after my sons, can’t keep her grabby hands to herself. Must’ve gotten that from her mother.”

The air drains from the room; words fail me. That’s one subject we never bring up, and if we did, those words in that sentence would never be a thought. I’m glad Jinx isn’t here to hear them.

“Mother, I suggest you fuckin leave now,” Atticus’ voice turns icy.

Prescott hadn’t moved; his face turning dark with anger. Staring forward, he says. “You have half an hour to gather your things and get out of my house before things get out of hand.”

“You can’t do this,” she shrieked.

“I can, and I did. You will never speak about my daughter or my wife like that.”

“I’m your wife,” she spits out.

“No, Serena. You most definitely are not.” He finally looks at her. “You are nothing. Dinner is over. Everyone get out of my house.”

I watch everyone leave, minus Roan.

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