Page 15 of His Weekend Wife

“You have a rich husband, Ash.”

Taking a step back, Ash shook her head frantically. “No…”

“Yes, Ash. It’s the only way. You’re still married to him. He owes you.”

Suddenly her body became over-sensitive and aware. The cold floor under her bare feet. The dripping faucet. The loud motor on the refrigerator. And her thoughts racing through her mind like a train. “I couldn’t do this. He doesn’t owe me anything. What we had is over. I can’t just show up on his doorstep and ask for thirty thousand dollars.”

Abby took Ash’s shoulders, grasping them under her fingers, giving her a slight shake. “You can do this. I know you can. He loved you, was crazy over you. If you told him you’re in trouble, he’d do anything to help you. I know he would.”

Desperation shown in Abby’s blue gaze. Ash was reminded of when they were kids and Abby had broken their mother’s vase. She’d pleaded with Ash to take the blame because Abby feared what their mother would do. Ash had lied and said she had thrown a ball and hit the vase, shattering it all over the floor. She had been sent to bed without dinner. Abby refused to eat and went to bed without dinner too. Ash had pondered on that moment many times, knowing how much easier it would have been just to have told their mother the truth. But things were never easy with Abby. All through the years of childhood, the many times Ash had tried taking the heat for Abby, their mother had eventually caught on.

“I can’t do this.”

Abby dropped her hands, her gaze narrowed and her expression turned sour. “Oh I see. You’re more than willing to give advice, but when it comes to truly helping, you want nothing to do with it. Your hands are tied.”

“That’s not it and you know it. I won’t extort my husband out of cash.”

“You were always the good child—Mom’s favorite. You have no idea what it’s like to be the unloved child.”

Ash wrapped her brain around her sister’s words. “That’s not true. She loves you, she loves us both.”

Abby chuckled, but it was cold. “I’ll go to Mom. Maybe she can help.” She grabbed up her keys and purse.

“Stop, Abby. You can’t go to mom and tell her what’s going on. You’ll kill her. And you know she doesn’t have the money either.”

More tears built in Abby’s eyes. “What choice do I have? Should I hand myself over to these killers and allow them to torture me to death? Would you care?” She started sobbing, tears rolling down her cheeks, her shoulders bouncing in emotion.

Ash stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “I’ll go to Declan, Abby. I’ll do this for you and give you the money if he’ll give it to me, but on one condition.”

---