Free Hellfire by Robyn Masters

Chapter One
                  “Hello?”
                  “Hey it’s me. I’ve got to meet Jerry for a quick drink to talk over the marketing plan for the new product line. I probably won’t be home until late, so don’t wait up.”
                  “Again? This is getting to be a weekly thing. Tell Jerry to make time in his day schedule to talk about this crap instead of taking your time that you should be spending with your family. This is really starting to piss me off Ryan. I am feeling neglected and you know you don’t want that now do you?”
                  “Samantha, I need this job. We need this job. Since moving to Chicago, we are down to one income because you haven’t looked for a job yet. The new house payment is twice what the payment was for our townhouse in St. Louis and we have only two-thirds of the income.”
                  “Don’t blame me for this Ryan. You wanted to move to Chicago just as much as I did. Granted, moving here has made it much easier to see Tommy and I really wanted to avoid that six hour drive from St. Louis every week to pick him up from his dad, but you have family and friends in Chicago too, so we both agreed to this move.”
                  “I never said it was your fault for us moving to Chicago. I consider Tommy to be my son just as much as his real dad. Seeing him more often is great. I was just saying that money is tight and I need to do whatever I can to make up for the shortfall. I need to increase my commission earnings just so we can pay our bills.”
                  “Fine, I will look for a fucking job tomorrow. You better be prepared to start paying for childcare for Eva because I won’t be home to take care of her and Ashley told me that she pays $800 a month for Jason’s childcare. Hope I find a job that pays more than $800 a month or it will just be a waste of time.”
                  “Whatever Sam. I’m at the restaurant. I will try to make this as quick as I can with Jerry. Kiss Eva goodnight for me.”
                  “Yeah, okay. Be careful. Wake me when you get home.”
                  “Yeah, see you later.”
                  As the phone connection goes dead, Samantha sighs and lays her cell phone on the kitchen counter. A beautiful 29 year old, Sam is tall and thin with a $10,000 chest that Ryan gave her for her birthday two-years ago. Ryan and Sam were married three-years ago, just one-year after the birth of their daughter Eva. Tommy, Sam’s son from a previous relationship with his dad, Jesse was raised in Chicago when Sam accepted a job in St. Louis working for her brother.
                  Ryan works for a computer software firm as a Regional Manager and can pretty much work from any location as long as there is a major airport available within an hour away. Ryan is very handsome and could easily pass for a pop star. A grad from Northern University, Ryan met Sam one day coming back from a St. Louis Cardinals game and it was love at first sight. Ryan’s dad and several friends live in Chicago, so he thought Sam’s idea of moving there made sense to be closer to Tommy. As well he would have his wife back every weekend instead of seeing her leave every Saturday morning to either pick up or drop off Tommy at his dad’s.
                  “Mommy, mommy!”
                  “What Eva? What is it?”
                  “Where’s daddy?”
                  “Daddy has to work late again. I’m sorry sweetie.”
                  “So does that mean I have to go to Jason’s house now?”
                  “Yes Eva. Momma has to out since Daddy is not here. Ashley will take care of you until I get back later. Go get your shoes on okay?”
                  Eva ran off to her bedroom to get her sandals and as well, Sam