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I turn to Ainsley, and she shrugs like it’s no big deal. Lennon doesn’t live the way her father thinks. All the spending is Ainsley’s fault.
I refocus my attention on Leni and her father as he waves his hand around the room. “Look at this. You are in a three-bedroom suite. You spend money like it’s going out of style. I’ve decided it’s time to force you to grow up.”
“But, Daddy, it’s not like that?—”
He holds up a hand to shut her up. I want to go out there and give him a piece of my mind. He gives her no chance to explain. Lennon lives off a meager budget and the money she makes as the head of Clare’s House.
“It’s done. You have until Christmas to prove you are mature and will get a real job.”
“A real job? I work at the shelter almost every day. It’s a job?—”
He interrupts her again, and I can’t believe he doesn’t realize how hard she works. Not only does she run Clare’s House and organize everything, but she also manages all the businesses that rent from her.
“You’ll never forgive me for putting your precious Gina’s daughter in danger. That’s what this is all about.” She stands up to him. Gina was Sparrow’s mother, and he supposedly loved her very much. “I tried to be a good big sister, but I failed. I didn’t know they had been together that long. I didn’t even know they loved each other.”
“It’s not only that,” he continues. Ainsley covers her mouth to keep from laughing when Lennon’s dad scolds her for jumping into bed with Dmitri, a practical stranger. “Dmitri isn’t the kind of man you can play with. He’ll kill you if you cross him.”
“I know what kind of man Dmitri is.”
“No, you don’t,” he shouts, his face darkening, and I’m scared for her.
He orders her to break it off with him, or he’ll take matters into his own hands. As for the rest, he informs her that her credit cards have been canceled and he’s selling the condo she lives in.
“You can stay in your suite at the casino, but you can only order room service. No shopping at the stores. You have plenty of clothes. You can keep the car.” He lists his conditions.
I glance at Ainsley. She doesn’t look one bit remorseful for putting our sister in this situation. Instead, she’s upset because she just lost her cash cow.
“A fucking three-bedroom suite is a bit extravagant, Lennon. Maybe you should look at those women who come to the shelter, or even remember where you started,” her father adds.
Tears flow down her face as she lays it out for her dad. “Remember where I started? How can I forget? I was there. You weren’t.” My heart aches as she recollects the times her stomach hurt from hunger, or when she’d pray the cockroaches would stay away as she slept. She grabs her purse from the sofa and faces him once more. “I watched her die.” She speaks of her mom. “I work my ass off in that shelter. I earn the salary I make. You don’t know because it has nothing to do with your precious Melody.” It’s no secret his casino takes priority over his own daughter.
“It would only take a no-confidence vote started by me and you won’t have that anymore.” He drops the bomb, and it’s like all the air left the room.
“I dare you. At least I’m moving on with my life and not living in the past.” She fires back.
His hand cracks against her cheek, and I struggle to get out the door. I’m going to take him down for putting a hand on her. Ainsley holds me back and whispers in my ear.
“He can’t know about us. Not yet.”
I’m pissed at my twin. We should be more worried about our sister and not the stupid plan that almost got Sparrow killed and Lennon kidnapped.
“Leave,” Lennon tells him.
He apologizes, but Lennon continues to order him out. He then defends his actions by bringing up her sister and the fact she put her life in danger, and I can tell Lennon has had enough.
“It’s always going to be her.” She silently cries, and I hate that she will always be his second and third choice.
Ainsley releases me when her father exits the suite, and I stomp out of the room.
“I’m going to fuck him up.”
“We should trash the suite and leave it for him to take care of,” Ainsley interjects as she moves to the glass bar.
“No.” Lennon wipes her tears and looks at us both. “It will be okay.”
“Well, how am I supposed to pay rent this month? I was going to ask if you had a couple hundred you could loan me,” Ainsley says as she heads to the room to get her bags.
“Come on.” I take Lennon’s hand and lead her toward the door. We need to get out of here. He gave her thirty minutes to vacate the suite, or she would have to settle the bill herself.
