Chapter 86:

AJ raced back into the club to find Amanda in hysterics and to find Nastasia and Howie clueless. His eyes were frantic as he clutched the ring in his hand, facing his best friends.

"AJ! I LOVE YOU!" Amanda cried as she flung herself effortlessly onto AJ. He pushed her away as Nastasia glared at her, Howie felt her tense and held her back for a moment. Deciding to let AJ take this one.

"I don't love you." AJ whispered back, anger flooding his words. Howie watched in silence as Nastasia looked lost and confused.

"Why?" Amanda wailed further.

"Because you left me when I needed you. When my SON needed you. So, I found comfort in other places. My friends and family. And my old girlfriend, which was my new girlfriend...in fact we were getting married...but yet again, I seemed to have fucked things up." AJ hissed as he gave Amanda one last hard glare and grabbed Nastasia. Pulling Howie along with her.

"What happened?" Nastasia asked as AJ, Howie, and her started to walk to their car. AJ felt like his heart had been smashed into tiny pieces, then ripped away.

"Lauren flung this at my face." AJ replied hatefully as he gave the gold ring to Nastasia. She held it in her delicate hands and looked at AJ with confusion.

"Why?" Nastasia asked softly, then she pictured Amanda. The name rung in her head like a clear bell. She looked at AJ as she quickly fit the pieces together. "JJ..."

"I have to talk to her Stazzie." AJ whimpered as Howie laced his fingers with Nastasia's small ones. She clutched the ring tightly.

"We'll go back to the hotel. I know she'll be there. We'll talk...we'll all talk..." Nastasia repeated as she dropped the ring into AJ's hands and jumped into the car.

********

Anger and rage took over my body as I slammed my hotel door loudly. I saw that Chase was sound asleep in my bed, he jumped from the sound of the door. He looked frightened as he whimpered. For once I didn't care.

I gave a growl and flicked on the lights, forcing my child awake. Chase stirred as he sat up in bed. I flung our suitcases out onto the bed. He looked up at me questioningly.

"Where daddy?"

"Out." I replied hurtfully as I began to pack our clothing away. Not folding it at all, just flinging it in as tears cascaded down my face. Confusion flooded Chase's face.

"With Aunt Stazzie and Uncle Owdie?"

"No, with some bitch." I hissed, surprising Chase even more. I growled again as I flung more clothing into the bags. Tears of rage pouring from my eyes as I began to punch the bag, imagining that it was Amanda.

"Mommy?"

"WHAT Chase?!" I replied irritantly, he wasn't the one I was upset with. But he did make it hard, I forgot how much he looked like his father.

Before Chase could reply, there was a knock on our door.