by T L Swan
Owen concentrates as Cameron brushes it around the inside of his mouth and hands it to the technician.
The man smiles and passes me the swab. Owen laughs suddenly aware that everyone is watching him and he is the centre of attention.
“Owen, open your mouth, please,” Cameron says.
My eyes flick to Cameron. Don’t tell my son what to do.
Cut it out, I correct myself. This is hard.
Owen opens his mouth and chuckles loudly and I hold back tears. If only he knew the significance of this test and how it’s going to change everything for him.
“Ahh.” He giggles.
My nerves get the better of me. “Don’t be silly, Owen. I need you to do this, please.”
He lets me swipe the swab around his mouth and I hand it over, watching as the man bags it in a plastic bag.
“Now a snip of hair from you both.”
Cameron rolls his lips as he watches the floor. I watch as the technician snips a piece of hair and then pulls out a few strands and places it in the bag. He then moves on and does the same to Owen as he fiddles with his truck.
Cameron inhales deeply as he watches the man. “How accurate is this testing?” he asks.
“If it’s over a 95% match it is classed as a positive match. If it is over a 80%match it is a family match, but not necessarily a positive match to this member of that family and further testing will be required.”
I nod as nerves begin to flutter deep inside my stomach.
“Is there a chance that this is another family member’s child?” the man asks.
“No,” Cameron snaps, annoyed at the insinuation, and I shake my head immediately.
“It’s a positive match,” I whisper and Cameron frowns as he watches Owen.
“Alright then. It’s all finished. You’ll receive an email in approximately three hours from now.”
Cameron stands immediately and I clutch Owen tight in my arms as I look up at him. He glances down. “Goodbye, Owen,” he pushes out.
“Bye.” Owen smiles happily.
He nods my way and leaves the room in a rush. My eyes tear up. He can’t even look at me, so I glance back at the technician. He smiles sympathetically, knowing exactly what’s going on here. “These situations are never easy.”
I nod and kiss Owen’s forehead. “No,” I murmur sadly.
“Time makes a difference.”
I nod again and stand, placing Owen down on the floor. “Thank you for coming in late for this.” I smile.
He shakes my hand and smiles kindly. “Best of luck.”
Cameron
Joshua fills my glass with Scotch and ice, and then goes on to fill Adrian’s and his own. We’re sitting around my desk in my office. I don’t care for them to be here, but Murph made Joshua come in from Willowvale to wait for the results.
“It’s negative. I know it’s negative,” I murmur, almost to myself.
“It’s positive,” Adrian replies. “She wouldn’t have lied about this.”
Joshua looks at Adrian, deadpan. “At what point did you miss part of this conversation, idiot? Cam knew nothing about this.”
“Not telling is not the same as lying,” Adrian says calmly.
“Bull-fucking-shit,” I snap.
“Agreed,” Joshua adds. “I’m with Cam.”
I refresh my email again. Still nothing. “What’s taking so long?” I snap. “It’s been four hours.”
The email pings and I close my eyes. This is it. My nerves hit an all-time high.
I open the email.
Subject: Results
From: Testing
To: Cameron Stanton
DNA Match results. 99.9% match.
POSITIVE match result.
Owen Jack Tucker is the biological child of Cameron Stanton.
I close my eyes in physical pain.
The room falls silent as we all process the information.
Tears threaten to fall and the lump in my throat hurts. This isn’t how I wanted to become a father. I’m supposed to fall in love, have a wedding and a wife that I love and go through trying to conceive and then the pregnancy… the birth. I’m supposed to know my own child.
Suddenly, what I’ve missed out on becomes unbearable
I stand without saying anything and head to my bedroom, closing the door behind me.
I need to be alone.
Ashley
I walk into Club Exotic just before my shift at ten. This is the longest day in history. I’ve checked my phone every ten minutes since the results came through last night. Cameron hasn’t called. I didn’t see him at all today because he was in his office with appointments. I don’t know what I’m expecting, but it was more than this.
Does he even accept the test results?
This is the last place on Earth I want to be.
“Vivienne,” my friend the bouncer calls. “Where have you been? They told me you left?”
I smile, grateful to see a familiar, friendly face. “Hey.” I roll my eyes. “I wish I left, but I need the damn money.” I sigh.
He frowns. “You okay? You seem on edge.”
I slam my handbag down on the bar. “I’ve had the worst week of my life.”
“What happened?”
“I found the father of my kid and told him he was his, and he’s now my boss and he hates me… and I’m totally, totally fucked,” I blurt out in a rush.
His face falls. “Hell. That’s hectic.”
“I know, right?” I smirk.
“You want me to make you a drink?”
I glance over to the bar. It’s a long shift and I do need to unwind. “Yes, please. Actually, make it a double.”
He smiles brightly. “Coming right up, babe.”
“I’m going to put my stuff out the back. Do you know where I am tonight?”
“I think on the door for a bit and then maybe dancing.”
“What?” I snap as I screw up my face. “I don’t dance, she knows this.” I pick my bag up and throw it over my shoulder. “I swear to God, I do not need this shit job.” I growl.
He laughs. “How about I make you a triple?”
I nod. “How about it.” I walk toward the backroom. “And keep them coming.”
* * *
An hour later, I’m greeting men at the door and I’m on my fourth drink. These things are like rocket fuel and I need to stop soon if I plan to drive in eight hours.
“Hello, welcome to Club Exotic.” I smile as the men all start to file in. It’s a busy night and I can hardly keep up with the large groups of men arriving.
The sexy music starts and another girl comes to the doors to greet along with me.
“Why is it so busy?” I call over the music.
“God, I don’t know. Everyone’s horny tonight,” he replies dryly.
My little friend arrives with another two drinks for us and I shake my head. “No more. I’m seriously getting drunk here.”
“But your relaxed, right?” He laughs loudly.
I giggle. “Yes, I do have to admit that I’m relaxed for the first time in a long time.”
He winks. “My job here is done.”
He disappears down to the Escape girls, and Stephanie walks over to us. “Vivienne, I’m going to need you picking up glasses.”
“Sure.” I smile. My favorite job.
“You’re going to have to wear a dancing uniform, though.”
“What?” I ask.
She shrugs. “We don’t have enough staff on to cover all these men. If they see more of us around, they’re less likely to throw a tantrum.”
I glance around at the other girls in their sheer tops and their little hotpants.
“I’m going to get the girls behind the bar to change as well. It just makes it look better if they think there are a lot of dancers on,” she adds.
“I’m not changing.”
“You can go and tell Eliza in the office then because she’s the one who told me to tell you.”
&n
bsp; I blow out a breath and roll my eyes. “Fine!” I snap. I swear to God, I’m looking for another job tomorrow.
I storm out the back and change into a skimpy pair of hot pants and remove my leather top, throwing on an organza short top in its place.
I turn and check myself out in the mirror and smirk. I do look better in this uniform, to be honest. My bouncer friend comes out with another two drinks and my eyes nearly pop from their sockets.
“You’re going to have to drive me home.” I laugh.
He smiles cheekily. “Deal.”
I pick up one of my drinks and put it onto my tray and begin to walk around picking up glasses from the club. The music is loud and the women are sexy. With the warmth of the alcohol in my blood, I start to smile as I walk around and get on with my job.
I do like it here.
I bend to pick up a glass from a table, but when I glance up, I freeze on the spot.
Cameron is standing with a large group of men, a drink and cigar in each hand, laughing loudly and having fun.
I stand up as the room begins to spin around me.
He’s in the Escape Lounge, roped off section. Holy shit… and he thinks I left.
I walk back out the back and throw down my sixth drink as my fury begins to rise.
Who the hell does he think he is? He demands I leave this job, yet he’s here to fuck someone else just four days after he left me.
I’m here broken hearted and he’s here to orgasm with some random stranger.
I’ve never been so furious in my life. I storm back out into the club and I feel a hand on my behind. “Hey, Vivienne.”
I slap the hand off my ass and turn like the devil has touched me. “Don’t fucking touch me.” I growl.
“Hey, what’s with you tonight, hell cat?”
It’s the dipshit that tried to tip me the night in the Escape Lounge. “Don’t touch me,” I snap.
“I’ll do more than touch you. I’m going to fuck you hard.” He grabs my hand and tries to pull me down to the Escape Lounge.
I rip my arm from his clutches. “Get your hands off me, asshole!” I snap.
He leans in and tries to bite me, and I slap him hard across the face. He staggers back. I push him hard in the chest. “I wouldn’t have sex with you if you were the last man on this Earth,” I yell.
He lifts his chin in defiance. “Is that so.” He growls.
The bouncers arrive and pull him off me. I weave through the crowd to escape as my heart churns adrenaline through my body at double speed. Shit, I hate that guy.
I pick up my tray and turn just in time to see Cameron take a seat in the lap-dancing bay on a leather couch. He sits back in his expensive suit, drinking his blue label Scotch, waiting for a half-naked girl to rub her body up against his.
Spoiled fucking brat that he is.
Something snaps deep inside. I put my tray down on the nearest table and walk over to stand behind him. I swear to God, I could become Jack the ripper and cut his throat if I had the chance. The song Yeah by Usher comes on, and I don’t know if it’s the alcohol, the adrenaline, or the sheer bad luck from seeing him, but he’s going to pay for hurting me.
I slowly walk around, kneel in front of him, and our eyes lock. His jaw clenches in anger, yet his dark eyes blaze with arousal. He licks his bottom lip and I feel my insides clench.
For five minutes, he’s mine and he’s going pay for the week he’s put me through. I climb up onto is lap and spread my legs over his body, then I lean in and take his ear between my teeth and I bite down hard. He inhales sharply.
His cock hardens instantly underneath me. I reach down and grab it through his suit pants.
Rock hard and ready to fuck.
His jaw clenches again and I bend down to rub my breasts all over his face as I grab his hands and place them on my ass. He grabs me hard as I move my hips to the sexy beat.
“Fucking hell,” he whispers.
I circle my hips and he grabs me, slamming me down onto his cock. I moan and arch my back, and his mouth drops open as he watches me lean back as though I’m coming. His two hands slide underneath my top and he cups my breasts in his hand, lifting my top to take my nipple in his mouth.
I watch him as my sex begins to throb. I need him. I need to fuck him.
I begin to writhe uncontrollably, and he begins to lift his hips to grind me harder.
“Kiss me.” He growls.
I bend down, and as my hair tickles our faces, my tongue slides up against his.
He moans into my mouth and our kiss turns frantic, his hands grabbing my behind with bruising force.
He’s going to come.
No.
I break the kiss and stand immediately, smiling sarcastically as I wipe the hair back from my perspiring face.
“Blow your load on someone else, asshole.” I sneer.
He snaps suddenly and stands to grab me by the arm. He drags me outside, and next thing I know, he is pulling me across the road to his car.
“Get in the car,” he yells. “I told you to leave this fucking place!”
“And you told me you were cancelling your membership.”
“Ashley, get in the fucking car.”
“No! You don’t get to tell me what to do!”
“The hell I don’t,” he yells. “You are the mother of my child. You will do what I fucking say.”
The bouncers come out and run across the road to help me. “Vivienne, come back inside,” one of them calls.
“Get in the fucking car, Ashley, or I swear to God.”
My eyes flicker between the bouncers and Cameron, and I know that if I do what he says now, I will always end up doing what he tells me….and he will treat me like dirt forever.
This is a power play… and Cameron Stanton just lost.
I turn and walk back in the direction of the club.
“Ashley,” he yells.
I turn and give him the bird, and he turns and punches the windshield of his Aston Martin. It crackles as it smashes into a spider web of broken glass art.
I walk through the doors of the club with my adrenaline at an all time high.
Holy fuck.
What just happened?
20
Ashley
I stand in the hall of the hospital and close my eyes in horror as I get an image of myself writhing on Cameron’s lap last night.
Blow your load on someone else, I said. What kind of gutter trash woman says that? Oh God, I’ve hit an all time low.
Those drinks were just strong enough to take away my brain-to-mouth filter.
I shouldn’t have given him the lap dance. I should never have said that to him.
I’ve stooped to his level and I acted just like a dirty stripper last night.
Regret hangs heavily on my shoulders as I wait for him to arrive.
Would he have slept with someone in the Escape Lounge if I wasn’t there?
Nausea rolls my stomach as my mind races a million miles a minute. I don’t even know what to think of myself anymore.
The elevator opens and he appears and my eyes slowly rise to meet his.
He looks like shit. Has he even slept?
His hair is unruly, he has bags under his eyes, and his skin is pale. He approaches the group. “Good morning, everyone.”
“Good morning,” everyone calls back.
I watch him as he takes out the first folder for the morning rounds and he winces. I frown and glance down at his hand. It’s the size of a baseball mitt and a nice shade of purple.
Shit, he broke his hand last night when he punched the windshield.
Oh God, I need to do something. “Dr. Stanton, can I see you in the office for a moment, please?” I ask.
His eyes rise to meet mine and after a pause, he answers, “Yes.” He looks around at the other interns. “We’ll start the rounds in ten minutes, guys. If you want to grab a coffee, go ahead.”
He gestures to his office. I follow him in and he closes the door behin
d us.
“Your hand is broken,” I whisper as I pick his hand up and inspect it. “You need some x-rays.”
“I’m fine.”
I gently turn his hand over so it’s palm up. I inspect it carefully. It looks like a rubber glove that has been blown up. “You are not fine.” I sigh.
“My hand is the least of my worries.”
My eyes search his. “Cam, we need to talk.” I sigh.
He nods as he watches his hand. He can’t even look at me.
“Have you slept at all?”
“Not for a few days,” he murmurs.
My heart aches for him, and I want to just pull him close and hold him and tell him everything is going to be alright, but I just don’t know if it’s going to be.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
He frowns at the floor. “I have no idea.”
Empathy wins. This is a lot for him to get his head around.
“Can we have lunch today?” I ask.
“I’m going to the children’s hospital after my rounds. I have a patient over there to see.”
“Can I come? We could maybe stop for coffee?” I smile hopefully.
“Ashley, we have nothing to say to each other until you quit working at the club. I can’t stand it. I can’t handle the thought of you being there with other men.”
“Were you going to have sex with someone else last night?” I frown.
He screws up his face. “No. Of course not. Another woman is the last fucking thing on my mind.”
“What were you doing there then?”
“I was drinking with friends and just about to leave.” He shakes his head as he tries to articulate his thoughts. “I thought I’d get a lap dance to put me in the mood so I could jack off and release some tension when I got home.”
I watch him.
“I didn’t expect you to be there, Ash,” he replies shamefully.
I pick up his broken hand and inspect it again. I rub my fingers softly over his swollen skin and he frowns.
My poor, beautiful man is in pain and the overwhelming urge to fix him takes over.
“I miss you,” I whisper as my eyes search his.
He closes his eyes in pain. “Please… don’t.”
“Cam.” I lift his hand and kiss it gently. “You need some x-rays. Let me look after you.”
A knock sounds at the door and we jump back from each other. I quickly pick up a file from the desk as a prop.