Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 92782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“I didn’t come to ask for permission, Liam,” she said tightly but managed to continue smiling at me like we were having a friendly discussion.
It was at least a three-mile walk to the closest bus stop, and at eight this morning, it was over ninety degrees. It was probably close to, if not at, the one hundred mark right now. She couldn’t walk three miles in this heat.
Shoving the chair back, I stood and stalked toward her. At least she had the good sense to look worried as she took a step back out of the room.
“This will just take me a minute,” I told the others before slamming the door behind me and crowding her until her back was against the wall.
“Do you know who is in that office right now?” I asked her through clenched teeth.
She inhaled sharply, lifting her chin up in defiance. “I don’t care. I told you last night, I’m not sitting in that room all day. I need a job.”
Leaning down, I placed my palm flat on the wall beside her head. “The fucking Mafia, Liberty. They didn’t stop by for a chat. Did you notice how quiet it was last night? That was because some shit went down, and now, we are dealing with it. So, I need you to take your ass back into that room and stay there until I come and get you.”
Her eyes glanced behind me at the closed door. There was the briefest glimpse of fear in them. At least she was smart enough to understand the situation. Maybe she’d listen to me then and stop being a fucking brat.
When her eyes swung back up to meet mine, that moment of fear was gone. Determination shone bright in them instead. “I’m sorry I interrupted. But I’m leaving. I’ll be back this evening.”
I heard the door open, and I tensed. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw Gage leaning against the doorframe with an amused grin.
“Am I interrupting?” he asked.
I sighed. “I’m coming. Just give me a minute.”
He looked from me to Liberty, then smirked. “All right, but we don’t have all day.”
Cocky fucker.
I turned back to Liberty, anger radiating through every cell in my body. I was going to have to explain her. Blaise would have questions, and I had to make sure whatever he told my daughter didn’t make this look like something it wasn’t. It also couldn’t be the truth. I hoped Madeline never had to know about this. I just needed that paternity test to come back negative.
The door clicked closed.
“It’s a hundred fucking degrees outside, and the closest bus station is three miles. You might not care about your health or safety, but until I know if that baby you’re carrying is mine or not, I fucking do. So, take your ass back into that room and stay there. I don’t have time to argue with you. That man who just came out here is a damn psycho. I have to get back in there.”
She blinked, then bit her bottom lip nervously. I tried real hard not to look at her plump lips because even now, when I hated her, I wanted a taste.
Shoving off the wall and stepping back to get distance from her, I pointed to the bedroom door. “Go.”
Thankfully, she didn’t say anything more and walked toward it instead of the stairs. I waited until she was inside before going back into my office.
Glancing at Drifter, I nodded my head toward the hallway.
“Make sure she doesn’t leave the room,” I told him.
He didn’t question me and left to go do as he had been told.
I walked back over to the desk, feeling every pair of eyes in there locked on me. I could almost feel the amusement coming from Gage.
When I sat back down, I looked at Blaise. “Sorry about that.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s not the doctor.”
I didn’t ask him how he knew what Selena looked like. I already knew how he worked. The moment I’d started dating the woman, I was sure he’d had a complete background check done on her. He probably had a file with every tiny detail about her in it, along with several photos. Blaise allowed no one into Madeline’s life until he checked them out thoroughly. That meant anyone who was connected with me too.
“No,” I sighed. “It’s her sister.”
I couldn’t lie to him. There was a good chance he had a photo of Liberty in that file of his. He’d know all of Selena’s relatives.
“Half-sister,” Huck replied.
My eyes shot up to the tall brick wall of a man who stood with his back against the wall and his arms crossed over his chest. He lifted his shoulder in a small shrug. “I was there when Levi got all of Dr. Selena Dillard’s information in. I saw the photos and the family tree. Six wanted to know if the sister was single.”