She gestured toward the man next to her. “This is my husband, Samuel.”
I held my hand out and he clasped it in his own. “It’s nice to meet you. Ashton, good to see you again.”
Ashton gave his aunt a hug and shook Samuel’s hand before asking, “Mom’s in the kitchen?”
Malcolm laughed. “Where else did you think she would be?”
Ashton lightly touched my elbow. “Will you be okay here, if I go help Mom finish dinner?”
What was I supposed to say? I knew Ashton loved to cook and his food was fabulous. “Sure.”
“She’ll be fine,” Veronica spoke up. “We don’t bite.”
Ashton shook his head, his tongue darting out to swipe over his white teeth and flashbacks of that tongue on mine in the car nearly had my knees buckling. “I’ll be right through there if you need me.” He pointed toward a set of double white doors and waited for me to respond.
“I’ll be fine. You go.”
“Elena, come sit with me.” Veronica turned to Malcolm. “Can you get us each a glass of Chardonnay?”
“Anything for you ladies.” Malcolm immediately moved to fetch our drinks. It wasn’t hard to see where Ashton had learned his manners. It must be a family trait.
As he waited on us, I realized that Malcolm did not fit any of the molds I’d tried to place him in before we arrived, but while he had been extremely kind to me since we arrived, I had a feeling that under the surface was a man not to be tangled with. He bore the demeanor of a man used to getting what he wanted. He’d protect and defend what was his, no matter the cost.
Not wanting offend Veronica, I took the seat on her other side.
“Samuel, I need you to look over an account for me.” I turned at Miller’s voice, watching him turn to Malcolm. “Dad, can we use your office?”
“Sure,” he called over his shoulder. “Let me finish getting these ladies their drinks and I’ll meet you there.”
Making his apologies, Samuel stood and followed Miller down another hall, just as Malcolm returned and handed us each a glass. “Thank you,” I said, taking hold of the stem, grateful for something to do with my shaking hands. I might have told Ashton I was fine but that didn’t mean the nerves hadn’t returned in full force.
“If you need anything else, just yell.”
Malcolm turned and took the same path as his son and brother in law, leaving Veronica and me alone in the room. I took a sip of my wine, struggling to think of anything to say. Luckily, Veronica was not so awkward.
“So, Elena, tell me about yourself.”
“There’s not much to tell.” I took another sip. The dry flavor of the wine definitely appealed to me. I reminded myself to slow down. It wouldn’t look good if I got drunk.
“I think there’s plenty to tell.”
My shoulders hunched. How much did she know? “I guess you talked to Ashton.”
She laid her hand on my leg, giving a gentle squeeze as she said softly, “No. I spoke with my brother. He told me what happened at the baseball game when you ended up with Ashton, but I didn’t need to know that to read it all over you. It’s easy to spot when you’ve been there yourself.”
My gaze snapped to hers and my eyes widened.
“My husband verbally abused me for years.”
“Samuel?” My voice came out squeaky and I was aware my eyebrows had made their way up into my hairline.
She laughed. “Oh God, no. That man wouldn’t hurt a fly. Samuel is my second husband. My first husband was a raging asshole, but it took me a while to see that.”
I shook my head, feeling the need to leap to my husband’s defense. “Dominic doesn’t mean what he says.”
“He does.” I flinched at her direct tone, but she ignored it and continued. “He means every word of it because it helps him control you. Every time he puts you down, you believe more of the shit he says. You worry you’re not good enough, that he’s the best you’ll get. And bam! you’re his slave. Any of this sound familiar?”
She didn’t pull any punches. “A little. But I’m not his slave.”
“Oh, you’re not? Don’t feed me lines. You already know all of this is wrong—what’s stopping you from admitting it?”
There was no point trying to talk my way out of it. While Veronica may have been in my position at one point, it was clear that she was no longer that woman. I doubted she’d accept anything less than the truth. “He’s the only one who wants me.”
“Have you seen the way my nephews look at you? One in particular?”
“Ashton’s only stuck with me because my husband owes him money and can’t pay it.”
“That may be how you met, but trust me when I tell you that boy wants more.”
“No he doesn’t.”
Taking piece of hair in my hand, I began to twirl it around my fingers, her words running through my mind, confusing me, but I knew the truth. Ashton didn’t want me. He’d near enough said it in the car. I looked away, not crazy about admitting this to a complete stranger, but she needed to understand. “Ashton kissed me tonight, but only for a moment before he pulled away. He said he was sorry, and that he shouldn’t have done it.”
She groaned. “Please tell me that’s not what he said?”
“It is.”
“Hmm . . .” She tapped her forefinger on her chin. “Did you say he said shouldn’t have?”
“Yeah.”
“Doesn’t want to scare you,” she muttered into her glass, her eyes focused on something in the distance.
“But he said he shouldn’t—”
“Exactly, shouldn’t have not didn’t want to. There’s a huge difference, Elena. I know my nephew and there is very little he does without wanting to.”
It was an interesting theory, but I remained unconvinced. “Maybe.”
“Elena, Ashton called because he wants me to try and help you. He knows what I went through and set up this whole dinner so we could talk.”
“He told me he wanted me to learn something tonight.”
“Yes, he does. He wants you to understand you don’t need to put up with the bullshit—that you’re better than that, and deserve to be treated as such.”
“You really think I can do better?”
“Of course you can. I thought the same way with David, but he was wrong. Malcolm helped me see that. Now tell me about your husband so I can show you why everything he says is wrong. It’s what helped me overcome all of David’s garbage.”
It took another glass of wine and a good while, during which time I noted that none of the other family returned to the room, but I told Veronica everything about Dominic; including what led to me staying with Ashton. My throat burned as I tried to hold back my emotions, but the tears slipped from my eyes anyway, and the whole time Veronica held my hand, offering me a tissue when it got too much, never pressuring for more information but waiting for me to continue. The experience was cathartic to say the least. With each admission I began to see what I’d been living with; what I’d let myself live with. And in getting everything out in the open, talking about things that I’d pushed down for so long, some I’d forgotten until that moment, I began to realize that Ashton and Veronica were right. I didn’t deserve the life I was living with Dominic. I was a good person. He was not. And the biggest realization?
I was worth more.
CHAPTER 9
Ashton
I left the room knowing that Elena had no idea what she was in for. Miller and Dad had been briefed and I was confident they would get the hint and leave the room, probably with Samuel in tow. Aunt Veronica did not pull any punches when it came to abusive men. Once she’d pushed David from her life and found herself again, she used her time and energy helping women in the same position she’d been in. If anyone could get through to Elena, it was Aunt Veronica.
I pushed through the double doors and found Mom at the stove, wooden spoon in her hand, glasses perched on top of her head. “Hey, sweetheart.” She smiled over her shoulder. “What are you doing in here?”