Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Bring her by sometime,” he said. Dale popped the lid on my coffees and placed them in a small carrier. “I’d love to meet her.”
“You know, I think I will. Laurel loves gardens. This place is her dream.”
We said goodbye and I turned to go. The carrier slipped from my grip, exploding scalding hot coffee on my aquamarine boots.
He didn’t react to the spill. Damien didn’t take his widening eyes off me at all. “It’s true,” he hissed. “That fool hired you back.”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. It was like no time had passed. The man who praised my talent, tickled me when no one was looking, fathered my child, shouted that he wanted nothing to do with me, and ruined my life... stood there looking the same as the last day I saw him.
The most expensive patterned suit from Caddell Spring Line clung to his frame. Wrinkles framed the green eyes he gave our daughter, but they made him look distinguished rather than old. And the curl at the corner of his mouth, sneering me down like he did that day he stood behind Talia like a fucking coward. That was the same too.
“What are you doing here?” I spat.
“Excuse me? What are you—?” Damien flicked over my shoulder to Dale. “Come with me. Now.” He wasn’t asking. Damien grabbed my arm and tugged me after him, speeding down the stairs.
“Hey! Let me go. I said get your hands off me, Damien.”
He pulled off around the corner. I broke free of his hold, seized his arm, and wrenched it behind his back.
“Argh,” he cried, forced to his knees.
“I said let me go.” My hiss tickled his ear. “You don’t get to push me around anymore, Damien.”
I shoved him away, putting distance between us as he scrambled to his feet. We glared at each other across the divide.
“What are you doing here? How did you get Vance to give you a job?”
“How else? I impressed him with my talent.”
“Bullshit. He knows you’re a liar and a fraud. He wouldn’t do this unless you forced or blackmailed him.”
I scoffed. “No, Damien. He knows you’re the liar and the fraud. Hollywell hired me because I shouldn’t have been fired in the first place.”
He advanced on me. “What the fuck have you been saying?”
“Back up!” The scream startled him, halting Damien in his tracks. He didn’t need someone running over here to see what I was yelling about. “This is a foreign concept to you, but I haven’t told him anything but the truth. If you don’t like the light that casts on you, maybe you shouldn’t destroy people’s lives so your clueless fiancée doesn’t dump you.”
“Keep your voice down.”
“Fuck off.” I stormed off. “Fly back to New York, Damien. Talia and your three mistresses are waiting for you.”
He shot in front of me, pulling me up short. “You’re going to go downstairs, recant whatever bullshit you’ve told Vance, and then quit. If you do so, I will write you a check for a quarter of a million dollars.”
“Oh? Are you giving me all that money for back child support?”
Damien went rigid. “I don’t have a child.”
The rejection stung. After all this time, it crushed me hearing him reject our beautiful little girl.
“You’re pathetic, Damien. I don’t want or need your money. I have no idea what you thought you were going to accomplish by coming here, but you can’t get rid of me so easily this time. I’m staying,” I said clearly. “And until you’re ready to step up and be a father to your daughter, you and I have nothing to talk about. Stay away from me.”
“Mackenzie— Don’t walk away from me! Mackenzie!”
I marched off, leaving any lingering shred of feelings I had for him behind. Sunny said it perfectly. That man wasn’t my daughter’s father. Her real father wouldn’t give her up for all the money in the world. He’d do anything to protect her, keep her safe, make her smile. My baby girl has three fathers and a family who loves her. We’d be perfectly fine if we never heard the name Damien Stone again.
“Mackenzie, you leave me no choice. You’re fired.”
I tripped, snagging my stained hem and tearing a hole in it. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I may have transferred to the New York house, but I’m still your boss. We will not have a fraud and a thief stain our name. You’re fired,” he growled. “Clean out your desk.”
Stiffly, I turned on my heels—glare setting him on fire. “You can’t fire me. If you could, your first move wouldn’t be bribery. A fact I’ll be happy to share with HR when this inappropriate and threatening conversation comes up.”
“The only threats are yours. I bet you pulled the same crap to force Vance’s hand. Maybe I can’t fire you today, Mackenzie, but I promise you, your days at Caddell House are numbered. I suggest you start updating your résumé. Don’t put us down as a reference.” Damien brushed past me.