“How did I ruin your life?” I asked.
“You took the only person I ever loved away from me. You walked into his life, and he completely ignored me. He was the only person that ever paid attention to me.”
Standing there, I could see how unstable this woman really was.
“You burned down Connor’s building. You hired someone to destroy it. Now you have to suffer the consequences for your actions. Did you think you wouldn’t get caught?”
“I wouldn’t have gotten caught if that weasel wouldn’t have said anything.”
“Ashlyn, do you have any regrets about what you did?”
“No, I don’t. Connor hurt me deep down to the very core, just like he did my sister, and now I’m going to make him pay for what he’s done. I’m going to make sure he never hurts me again, even if I have to destroy you and his precious little baby.”
A fire burned through my body like never before and an anger I never knew I had emerged from deep within my soul. She threatened my daughter. To threaten me was one thing, but to threaten my child was another. She had just crossed a dangerous line. I felt like my body was out of control as I lunged at her and knocked her ass to the ground. I sat on top of her as I clutched her face with both my hands.
“Don’t you ever threaten my daughter. Do you understand me, you psychotic bitch?”
Ashlyn struggled and managed to break from my grip as she pushed me off of her.
“I’m going to fucking kill you, bitch! It’s something I should have done instead of burning down that building!” she screamed.
She came at me and grabbed my hair, knocking me down as I hit my forehead on the table. I heard Peyton scream as she tried to grab her. Suddenly, the door flew open and two men came running in. Connor grabbed me from behind and Denny grabbed Ashlyn and restrained her.
“Ellery, you’re bleeding,” Connor said as he wiped the blood from my head.
“She threatened Julia,” I said.
“What?!” Connor yelled as he looked at her.
Peyton went and got a cloth from the bathroom and handed it to Connor as he held it over my cut.
“You’re in big trouble,” Connor said as he applied pressure to the wound.
“How did you know I was here?” I asked.
“We aren’t talking about that now.”
“Believe me, we’re talking about it, Connor.”
Two police officers walked into Ashlyn’s apartment and took her from Denny.
One of the officers walked over and asked me what had happened.
“She just went crazy and came after me. She knocked me down, and I hit my head on the table,” I said innocently.
“Would you like to press charges for assault and battery, ma’am?”
“No, I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Connor said.
I glared at him in disbelief at what he just said. “Yes, I do want to press charges,” I said.
Suddenly, Ashlyn yelled. “She came after me first. It was self-defense!”
The officer looked at Peyton. “Were you a witness, miss?”
“Yes, I was, and that woman made a clear threat to kill her and then she came at her and pushed her into that table. I was so scared, I couldn’t move.”
As Ashlyn was screaming in her defense, the officer handcuffed her and escorted her out of the apartment. Denny looked at me and smiled as he walked over to me.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he took my hand.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Connor removed the cloth from my wound, and it was still bleeding. “You’re going to need stitches, Ellery,” he said as he shook his head. “I’m so angry with you right now.”
“Save it, Connor. I’m in no mood for a lecture.”
“Henry’s at the hospital. I just talked to him, and he’s waiting for us. I’ll drive the Range Rover and meet you there,” Peyton said.
I looked at her and nodded my head as I asked, “Did you get it all?”
“I sure did.” She smiled as she held up the little device she had in her hand.
As Peyton walked out of the apartment, Connor and Denny helped me up.
“It seems to me I’ve done this with you before.” Denny smiled.
“What did Peyton get?” Connor asked as we walked out of the apartment.
“Evidence.” I smiled.
Chapter 21
Connor helped me into the limo and then shut the door. He walked around and slid in next to me. The pain in my head was starting to get worse, and I didn’t need him yelling at me.
“What the hell did you think you were doing?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“Trying to save our family.”
“I told you to stay away from her and you disobeyed me. You know how unstable she is. She could have killed you, Ellery.”
“Connor, please stop yelling. My head really hurts,” I said as a tear sprang from my eye.