“Shit,” she murmured.
Ash frowned and started to turn around to see what Brittany was looking at, but before he could, a woman strode into view, standing between Ash and Brittany at the table.
Without needing to be told, Josie guessed that this had to be their mother. It was also obvious that she was who both siblings got their looks from. She had long, blond hair that was probably helped by a bottle to cover the gray because Josie couldn’t detect any sign of her age. At least not by looking at the healthy, glossy mane of hair.
For that matter, there wasn’t a single wrinkle marring the other woman’s face. No indication of her age. Her skin was smooth and free of blemishes. Her fingernails were immaculately manicured and expensive jewelry dripped from her wrists and fingers.
“Fuck,” Ash muttered.
His mother sent him a look that would have fried a lesser man.
“Watch your language,” she snapped. “There’s no reason to be vulgar.”
“What the hell are you doing here? In my hotel,” he bit out.
The emphasis on it being his hotel wasn’t lost on Josie or his mother.
Her eyes flashed with anger as she glared at Ash. Then her gaze turned to Brittany. Josie was just glad that so far the woman was ignoring her.
“When are you going to stop this silly game?” she demanded.
Color suffused Brittany’s cheeks. No matter what the younger woman had said about handling her mother before, it was evident that she was still no match for her.
“And you,” she said, rounding on Ash. She pointed her finger in an accusing manner toward Ash. “I know what you’re doing and it won’t work.”
Her voice was like ice and the coldness of it made Josie shiver. These were her children and yet she treated them like they were people she hated.
“And what, pray tell, is it that I’m doing?” Ash drawled.
He hadn’t moved his arm from Josie and in fact he’d tightened his hold around her shoulders. She could feel his fingers digging into her arm, but she made no move to get him to loosen it. She doubted he even realized how painful his hold was. It was her only indication of how his mother’s impromptu visit was affecting him.
No matter what he might say about his mother, it still hurt him that she was so . . . bitchy.
His mother’s eyes narrowed, fury spitting from the green eyes she shared with her children.
“Using Brittany to get back at me for some imagined slight. Really, Ash. Putting her to work in your hotel? How vulgar and common is that? Do you get a good laugh out of watching her work? Does it make you happy to know how it makes me feel?”
Ash sat forward like a shot, his face dark, anger gleaming in his eyes. Brittany cast a worried look in Josie’s direction, but at least it didn’t reflect hurt. She hadn’t believed her mother’s accusation. Josie gave her a look of support and sympathy, letting her know that she didn’t believe it any more than Brittany did.
“I don’t give a fuck how it makes you feel,” Ash gritted out. “All I care about is how Brittany feels. But don’t take my word for it, Mother dear. Ask her yourself. Ask her if she feels like I’m making a fool of her by giving her a real job where she gets paid a real salary for doing real work.”
His mother never turned to look at Brittany. But Brittany spoke up, her tone even and unaffected.
“I asked him for a job. He gave me what I asked for. Now please go, Mother. You’re making a spectacle of yourself and that’s one thing you’ve always hated.”