Behind the CEO

Chapter 39

"I told you that I chose them-" Denise rushed out as soon as Jonathan stepped outside and closed the door behind him. The angry scowl on his face frightened her a bit but not enough to actually leave. Denise was there for her daughters and Jonathan needed to know that. She was going to force him to listen. If Jonathan walked back into his home in this moment, she would just show up another time to try again.

"Get out of here, Denise." Dry, but stern, Jonathan told her.

"Jonathan, hear me out!" Denise pleaded with her tone as well as her eyes. It didn't move him a single bit.

"Leave, now." Jonathan demanded without a care in the world.

"You gave me a choice between the streets and our daughters. I chose them!" She exclaimed with panic.

"Yeah, and then you fucking disappeared!" Jonathan spat angrily. "Get the fuck off of my property."

"Jonathan, I was getting my life together-"

"I don't want to hear that bullshit! I called you countless times, and you never answered! Eventually, you just blocked me."

"I didn't block you." Denise corrected. "When I left here that day, I went to see Alex to tell him that I couldn't do it anymore and that I wanted to be there for my children, one hundred percent. I couldn't keep breaking into houses, holding and dropping drugs off for money. Alex was upset and took my phone because I broke up with him."

Jonathan narrowed his eyebrows. "He took your phone?" Incredulously, he asked. Denise is a grown woman! How can someone just take what belonged to her? It didn't make an ounce of sense to him. He didn't care either way.

"Yes." Denise answered. "It wasn't really mine. He gave it to me in the beginning of the relationship. It's in his name, he paid the bill." She explained.

"That's always your excuse. Get out of here. I'm not putting them through this shit anymore. I'm done! Do you hear me?! I'm fucking done, Denise! I'm not letting you hurt my kids anymore! You're not running in and out of their lives! We're done. Get out of here." Jonathan meant every single word and Denise could see that in his eyes. She felt the passion in his voice- his voice vibrated through her body.

"But I got my life together!" Denise exclaimed holding up a manila folder. Jonathan didn't look at it. He didn't care to. His mind was already made up.

"It's too late! It's too fucking late! Get out of here. I'm done with you! I'm fucking done! Joy is three now and Serenity is six! They're literally about to be four and seven soon! These are the most important years of their lives! Their entire lives are important! You carried them in your body for forty weeks and you don't even act like it." Jonathan said completely disappointed.

"You don't give a damn about them!" He continued. "All of that other shit you do is more important. You just bounce in and out like it's nothing. That shit is over with! You don't get to be a mother when you fucking feel like it."

"I got my life together! I got two jobs- they're kind of bullshit jobs compared to your job but I'm working, Jonathan. Two legit jobs! They're taking taxes out of my checks. They are real jobs."

"What kind of jobs?" Jonathan asked thinking that she was only bullshitting yet again. But, he couldn't bring himself to dismiss her. He stood in front of her before opening his mouth, trying to gain the strength to walk back inside. He feet wouldn't budge.

"The first job is company that sells internet, cable and phone. I make twelve an hour. I get commission and bonuses. The second job is a warehouse on the weekend. I make enough money to completely support myself." Denise came prepared with copies of her "new hire" paper work and paycheck stubs from both of her jobs.