The Good and the Bad

Assignment of the Year

Chapter Forty-Eight

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"I'm killing myself working two jobs to pay for a house that I can raise our kids in. The same house that they've been raised in their whole lives." Antonio could feel the anger and frustration boiling within his veins as he stood outside a club that Asher and Layla had forced him to escort them to. All he wanted in that moment was to be in his bed at home, to have his arms wrapped around Scout as they slept the night away before their shift in the morning. Instead, he was there, waiting on his boss and his wife to get tired enough to head home while he argued on the phone with his ex-wife.

"You know that if you want more time with the kids that all you have to do is move out here." Laura countered, her words only making Antonio's grip tighten around his phone. "I'm sure you could find a job out here, maybe even leave the force altogether."

"There's no way I'm gonna agree to that and you know it. It ain't gonne happen," Antonio scoffed at the idea. "Chicago is home, Laura, and it's the kids' home too."

"You mean it's where Scout is," Laura called him out.

"I'm not having this fight with you again," a tired sigh escaped his lips at the mention of his girlfriend. "Look, it's over. We both already know that; we already signed the papers. Who we each see now isn't anybody else's business. But, Laura, please. You're treating me like I'm some part-time dad, and you know I'm not. And we both know why you're doing this."

"Asher, just come back inside." Antonio glanced over his shoulder at the sound of Layla's voice, spotting her rushing outside after her husband.

"You don't make a fool of me," Asher glared at his wife.

"Ha! You did that all on your own, sweetheart," Layle chuckled.

"I got to go. Can I--" Antonio didn't have a chance to finish his question before Laura hung up, not giving him a chance to say goodnight to Eva and Diego.

"Get in the car," Asher ordered Layla as he moved towards the SUV himself.

"No. I'm going back inside," Layla shook her head. A smirk filling her lips as she quickly made her way over to Antonio, a determined gleam in her eyes. "And Antonio's coming with me."

"Look, are you out of your mind?" Asher shoved his way between the pair, much to Antonio's relief.

"What? That's what you pay him for, right? To look after me?" Layla taunted. "You want to come look after me, Antonio?"

"Go on back inside, you whore." Asher glared daggers at his wife while Antonio shifted his attention to the road behind him. Silently cursing Roman out for saddling him with the dysfunctional couple before him. "Say 'hi' to Terry when he shows up. Isn't that what you want? Come on, let's leave her ass."

Antonio hesitated for a moment. No matter how uncomfortable Layla made him, he didn't feel comfortable leaving the woman alone on the street in the middle of the night. However, Layla only rolled her eyes before she headed back into the club. Leaving the Dawson man to head back to the car, climbing into the driver's seat while Asher got in the back.

"She was a cocktail waitress at the Admiral when I met her." Asher ranted as Antonio pulled away from the club, starting the familiar drive back to the Rosyln residence. "You married?"

"Divorced," Antonio offered, his own attitude still sour from his call with Laura.

"Congratulations," Asher chuckled.

"Home, then?" Antonio guessed, eager to get away from the man and back to his girlfriend. Knowing it was more likely than not that Scout was trying her hardest to wait up for him-- just like she did every time he worked for Asher.