Seriously? Her contract allowed for hospital and recovery time. Ashley helped her up another stair. “So you’re not taking time off?”
Jennifer gritted her teethand said, “I shouldn’t have missed any work at all. How is Cosimo?”
Now this sounded exactly like Jennifer. Her cousin valued her work. She always had. It was her one constant, so Ashley didn’t argue. They turned at the top stair and shuffled down the hall. “He’s good. Adorable.”
Jennifer sank carefully to the edge of the mattress and Ashley helped her remove her shoes. In the past,she would have resented this, but not tonight. Her cousin was in pain, and needed rest. “His nanny will be back tomorrow, as I’m on schedule again. I’d given her the day off. Thank you for stepping in.”
Huh? Yes, Jennifer had staff, but to dismiss her so easily seemed… strange. Ashley put the shoes in the closet and nodded, though now she needed to fess up. Ashley braced for the theatricsbut decided honesty was what she wanted in life. “No problem. Look. I was with Matt when I found out you needed me.”
Jennifer scooted higher on the bed, wincing as she asked, “And?”
Ashley lifted her chin. “And, he called his brother. Anthony.”
Jennifer’s lips pursed. Ashley’s adrenaline grew as she prepared to defend herself—though it hadn’t been her fault. “Did he see Cosimo?”
Right. This was it. Ashley lowered her head. The Morgans had used her to get to Jennifer. “I think he has a bottle.”
Jennifer shrugged and tugged her sheets down. “Okay. I’ll have my lawyers ready.”
Wait. What? Ashley came closer. Was her cousin on meds? Her eyes seemed clear, but Ashley sat beside her and took her hands. “I’m sorry, Jennifer. I didn’t know.”
“You’redating a Morgan.” Jennifer squeezed her fingers. “They will stop at nothing to get what they want.”
No. Her heart raced now. Ashley stood and saw the serenity on Jennifer’s face.
This wasn’t drugs.
Somehow Ashley had been out-maneuvered again. The calmness from Jennifer was the same as when Ashley had been talked into being pregnant. Ashley’s spine was like steel as she asked,“That’s it?”
Jennifer batted her eyes. “What do you mean?”
Fire shot through her veins, igniting her insides. Ashley stepped backwards without taking her eyes off her cousin as she said, “Normally when I screw up your life, you’re… well you’re much more vocal and upset.”
Jennifer tilted her head like she was innocent, but Ashley… she’d seen that look all her life as Jennifersaid, “I just got out of the hospital, Ashley. It’s okay. I need to sleep. You can go home now.”
None of this made sense. Ashley ran her hands through her hair to stop herself from breaking anything. “Did you… did you want the Morgans to…”
“Prove the case that I did in fact have a Morgan child and Cosimo is mine?” Jennifer supplied with a sly cat-like smile.
Her pulse zipped.This was too much. Ashley’s fingers curled into her palms at her side as she said, “So you used me.”
Jennifer didn’t argue. She didn’t even move the covers back as she said, “You presented an opportunity.”
Ashley had been played, once again. Her life would be so much better if she just stayed far away from Jennifer.
And Matthew. Her heart had brought her here, but now it wastime to protect herself. She stormed to the door and said, “I’m out and I quit. Lose my number.”
“Ashley-” Jennifer said but Ashley didn’t care. She would have slammed the door but didn’t want to wake the baby so she took the steps down two at a time, her sneakers on the red carpet.
She had to get her life in order and that wouldn’t be with movie people who saw no problems with usingher. Outside, she stared at the Bentley for a second before she hopped in.
Matt’s car smelled of leather, and him.
Maybe when she got settled somewhere, she’d buy her own Bentley.
Or not. It was probably better to avoid anything that made her think of any of these people.
The roads were quiet, except for one house party that reminded her of a movie for college studentswith cars even parked on the manicured lawn. She was back at Matt’s in minutes. As she drove onto his property, she couldn’t believe that the house was completely dark.
