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“Court … are you kidding me? You want me to take the baby away from her?”
“Don’t you want what’s best for the baby?”
I snort at that. “You don’t give a damn about the baby.”
“The baby, at least, is innocent. And it’s one of our own. I want what’s best for this family. And that girl is not what’s best for this family.”
“Mom, she’s my girlfriend and the mother of my child. That’s the end of it.”
“Christian-“
“What the hell happened? You liked her a few days ago, when you met her.”
“That was before I knew what she was. Just another gold digger. And you’ve allowed her to worm her way into your life.”
“I think it’s time for you to go,” I say finally.
“You’re going to throw your own mother out of your club?”
“Don’t make me call a bouncer to do it,” I retort and she scowls at me, indignity radiating from her as she stalks out of the office.
Meanwhile, much as I don’t want to think about it, I sit for a long time poring over financial documents and running numbers. Because if this is really Emma’s family … Mom’s right. They really are dirt poor.
But does that really matter? Is there an issue with it?
Sure, she didn’t have money growing up. And the money I offered her for this deal probably played a huge role in why she accepted it. It’s likely why she wanted the dancer job in the first place.
Because it’s evident from the statements on the other house that she’s depositing checks every week. And every so often they’re depositing cash or they stop taking out money, which means she must have given them cash.
“Hey, what’s going on here?” Ethan strides in and plunks himself down across from my desk.
His eyes sweep over the papers in front of me and are immediately drawn to the bright red stamp ‘past due’ on the table.
“What happened? What didn’t we pay? I’ll get the checkbook-“
“Slow down,” I reply, holding up a hand. “These bills have nothing to do with the club. Or with me. They’re just … here.”
“Just here,” he repeats, eyes narrowing as he glances over them but I sweep them away quickly. For some reason I don’t want him looking at any of it. It’s not that I’m embarrassed about her; at least that’s what I tell myself. But I don’t think it’s right for him to be prying into her situation when she doesn’t want me to know. “You’d tell me if there was an issue.” It’s meant as a question, but it doesn’t come out as one.
“I would,” I agree, because if there really was a problem I’d need Ethan’s advice and guidance. But there’s not. Right?
As he’s walking out the door I hesitate. Then, “If you liked someone would money be an issue?”
“Nope. I’ve got enough for the both of us,” he replies with a shrug.
He’s right. I have more than enough for the both of us. More than enough for whatever is going on here too, I think, glancing down at the papers on my desk.
But before I decide on anything or start trying to figure out what the next steps are going to be I’m going to need to talk to Emma. Because I’m fairly certain that whatever is going on with her family, this financial situation is probably the reason she’s been so cagey about where she’s going and what she’s doing.
I glance through the papers one more time and then set them off to the side. She hasn’t told me about this stuff for a reason. And going through all of this right now just feels like … like I’m betraying her. Going behind her back to find out things.
But even as I’m curious about what’s going on with Emma, I’m furious with my mother for dredging everything up.
Emma should have had the chance to tell me when she was ready. When she wanted to talk about it. But now … now my mother has forced the issue.
I’m going to have to talk to Emma now. Before Mom does or says something that makes the situation worse. Emma and I need to be ready for her.
I sigh again and try to shove the whole thing out of my mind. There are other things that need to be done and I need to focus for the rest of the day. There will be time to talk to Emma about this whole thing. I’ll see her tonight. As long as she doesn’t run off again.
