“They’re lies, Zoe.”
“I don’t give a shit. You should’ve given me more in the divorce settlement, and you shouldn’t have let your mama screw over me like you did. If you didn’t pay the way I wanted you to pay, you will pay one way or another. So I’ll keep traipsing my ass to all these talk shows that are willing to pay money to hear my story. I’m gonna get paid, baby, one way or another, unless you want to offer a settlement.”
“I’m not offering you a gahdamn thing, Zoe.”
“Then I guess I’ll be doing the talk show and blog circuit.”
The vein in my left temple was throbbing, as was the nerves in my shoulders. If I didn’t calm down, I would blow a fucking blood vessel and have an aneurysm. Zoe wasn’t worth any of that. I clenched my fists and bit down on my back teeth before I spoke.
“Zoe, . . . look out your window.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you know not to fuck with me.”
“I’m not scared of you.”
“Look . . . out . . . your . . . window.”
I heard the sound of her heels clicking on the marble floors of her apartment moments before I heard the curtains rustling.
“Ashton! Who the hell is that?”
I chuckled.
“Ashton, I’m not playing with you? Who is that man waving at me?”
I stopped laughing long enough to explain. “It’s your worst nightmare if you don’t keep Chanel’s muthafuckin’ name outta your mouth, and mine, too, while you’re at it.”
“You’d better stay away from me Ashton, and call off your thugs!”
“You ain’t ever gotta worry about me again as long as you do what the fuck I tell you to. Got it?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
I ended the call and quickly made another one. “Salvatore?”
“Yeah.”
“Thanks, man. I think she got the message.”
“I’m sure she did. But just to be on the safe side, I’ll show my face here and there over the next few days.”
“A’ight. Cool by me. Do what you need to do.”
“Ciao.”
“Bye, Sal.”
I ended the call and blew out a breath before I turned to see Chanel watching me from the doorway.
“They know where my parents live?”
I sighed and dragged my hand down my face. “Yes, they do. But don’t worry; I’ve already got protection on them.”
“What kind of protection? Police? Because Tommi hasn’t mentioned a police detail.”
I sat down in a chair at the island and pointed at the one beside it. “Sit down, Chanel.”
