Sanctum (Masters and Mercenaries #4.5)(14)

He’d been a * rat bastard. He hadn’t even given her a chance. “I’ll take the second deal.”

“Are you sure?”

Sure? He sat for a minute, allowing the sounds of the busy bar to flow around him. He’d been so damn sure once that he wanted to compartmentalize his life. Jillian went in one box, his work in another. When one had fallen apart, he’d shoved the other aside because he’d been too scared to open that damn box and see if it could work outside. He’d been too ashamed to tell her what a failure he’d been.

“I’m sure.” Keith had been right. The shock of having a family placed in his hands had gotten his priorities straight. A baby didn’t necessarily make a family. Jillian had been his family, and he’d been too arrogant to see it. “I’m very sure.” And something else was clear to him. If he was going to bet on himself and Jillian, he needed a whole new attitude. He’d thought he’d lost his chance when his first company had gone under. He’d hoped maybe he could get back to where he’d been. He’d taken a grim view of life, but he couldn’t now. There was no “one” chance. There was simply the next chance, and that was the way life could be if he just tried. “And Keith, you got this idea for a bargain.”

Keith snorted. “I don’t think so. Six hundred and fifty thousand plus points?”

Even that small percentage of the company would potentially make him a lot of money. “This is small potatoes compared to what I’ll charge you next time.”

“Oh, you think you’ll get another brilliant idea?”

He nodded, a deep confidence settling inside him. He’d done it once. He could do it again. He could find another business if he wanted to, but there was only one Jillian and he would need every ounce of attention he had to win her back and build a life for them. “I will and I just might make you bid on the next one, *.”

A brilliant smile played over his face. “No, you won’t. You wouldn’t do that to your best man. Tell Jill ‘hi’ for me.”

He would. If she didn’t slam the door in his face first.



Jill stared at the latest collection notice and wondered who the hell wrote those things. It vowed that her life would erupt and she would be placed in eternal purgatory if she didn’t pay such and such M.D. Sure it used all sorts of polite technical terms like lawsuits and seizing assets, but the truth was purgatory. She could have told them she was already freaking there.

The door opened and the only ray of sunshine in her life made an appearance.

Ashley managed to nudge the door open as she pushed the stroller through, a grocery bag planted firmly on her shoulder. “Hey, big sis. I know this is a change, but I got us some green stuff for dinner.”

Jill shoved the bill into the desk drawer. It wasn’t anything Ashley needed to see. She was stuck in purgatory too. “Seriously? Wow, you are going for healthy, aren’t you?”

“Hey, Trevor finally sent a small fraction of what he owes me in child support. You have to thank that hottie for me. I’m absolutely certain he would have kept changing his phone number if the incredible hunk hadn’t gone after him.”

Simon Weston. Such a nice man. She’d told the hot British Dom her sister’s story of woe one night. He sat at the bar most evenings. He had his habits. He would spend a little time with a sub, rarely the same one twice, and then he’d come and order a pint. Jill had started keeping a six-pack of imported British ale at room temperature just for him. Over the weeks, they had formed a friendship. She’d meant to get a referral for a less wretchedly expensive agency than McKay-Taggart, but Simon had assured her it would be his deepest pleasure to hand “a wanker his arse.” Apparently he’d done just that.

“Are you serious? How much did he send?” Anything would be helpful. Emily had been born premature, and they were still paying for the neonatal unit bills, not to mention the OB/GYN and hospital. She knew most other people would just declare bankruptcy, but that would close a bunch of doors on both of them. It might take years to pay off the debts, but they would come out of it with a clean slate.

She just needed to call again and make new arrangements.

“A thousand,” Ashley said with a smile. “And before you freak out on me. I only spent fifty bucks on groceries and diapers, and the rest of it goes to you for the bills. I’ve been assured we’ll get another payment in two weeks.”

Two thousand a month was a godsend. Oh, she was going to stock that Brit’s favorite beer all of the time. “That’s so wonderful.”

Ashley picked up Em, her little baby’s legs kicking. “So maybe you can quit that job.”

“Quit working at Sanctum?” She hadn’t even thought about it. Even after that mortifying episode with Ryan, she hadn’t thought about quitting. She loved Sanctum. She had friends there. It kept her connected to a lifestyle she still loved, even if she couldn’t participate. What would she do if she couldn’t see him every day?

She winced.

Ashley pointed with her free hand. “There. That’s the look you get when you come home. That’s why you should look for another job.”

A long sigh issued forth. “I love the club. I actually think you should come with me when we can find decent babysitting.”

Ashley shook her head. “No. I’ve been screwed over by one man. I don’t need to find another who would screw me over and spank me while he’s doing it.”