Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
A knock sounded on the door.
“Maybe this isn’t a good idea,” I blurted as Fuller reached for the doorknob. “There’s no point since—”
“Uncle Sunny!”
A glittery purple streak shot between us and launched at Sunny. The missile popped him off his feet and dropped Sole laughing on the waiting wheelchair.
“Uncle Sunny, I missed you.” The little girl peppered his face with kisses, hugging his neck tight enough to strangle.
“I missed you too. Sienna, Kenzie, this is my niece, Tricky.”
“I’m his number one girl,” she said proudly.
“Actually.” The deep, mellow voice drew my attention, as it did every eye in the room.
I swallowed too hard. Stared too long. I couldn’t help myself. Liam’s blue Caddell suit went down, down, down over his long, sculpted legs, and around his muscled frame, clinging to his arms and stacked shoulders like a happy slut. The oversize pink unicorn under his right arm did nothing to lessen the effect.
“You’re my number one girl,” he finished.
“Daddy,” she said, expression serious as she explained. “I’m your favorite girl and Uncle Sunny’s and Uncle Bane’s and Aunty Genny’s.”
Daddy.
I would’ve known without her help. Tricky was the spit of him from the curve of her nose to the way she cocked her brow. Her blonde hair lay straighter than his, but otherwise he succeeded in creating a miniature female clone.
“Nice to meet you, Tricky,” I greeted.
“Her name is Elizabeth,” Liam corrected.
“Technically, that’s true,” Sunny said. “If we’re going by birth certificates. But my girl here was dubbed her true name, Tricky, when at an early age she displayed an aptitude for getting in and out of trouble. Slipping out of her crib for cookies whenever our backs were turned. Dyeing the family pet pink. A Merchant from birth.”
Damned if she didn’t look proud of herself too.
“Are you ladies ready to go?”
“I’m ready,” Sienna said before I opened my mouth. She lifted Elizabeth in her arms like they’d known each other for years. “That’s a beautiful dress.”
“Thank you.”
“Where did you get it?”
“My daddy bought it for me.”
Sienna walked out expecting us to follow—which naturally Liam did, seeing as a complete stranger was strolling off with his kid.
“Bye, Sunny.” I leaned over him and whispered, “I’ll spend dinner thinking of ways to get you back for letting me think your niece was your girlfriend.”
“Then you should know my safe word is pineapple.”
Penning in a laugh, I hurried away before it slipped out and encouraged him. Attraction sizzled between us like a live wire. I didn’t deny it even though I would not indulge. I got involved with too many men who hid their dark side till they were poised to destroy my life. Only an idiot who learned nothing would get involved with a guy who owned his darkness completely. I’d never be able to say I didn’t see the next blow coming.
Liam stood just outside the threshold. It took me a second to realize he waited for me.
“You didn’t have to do this. The dinner and...” I waved my hands over my clothes. “Verbal thanks is more than enough.”
“It’s not a bother.” He fixed straight ahead, making for the end of the hall. I fell in step beside him.
“I’m surprised you’re letting us meet your daughter after basically accusing me of orchestrating Sunny’s attack to get close to all of you.”
“The background check came back on you both rather quickly. Spotless records.”
“Of course you ran checks on us,” I muttered.
“Besides, Elizabeth screamed for ten minutes straight, then held her breath till she passed out at the suggestion she have dinner with Ms. Fuller tonight.” Liam dropped this like it was a staple of his life. “She insists I spend all my time when I’m not at work with her.”
I snorted, holding back a laugh. “Oh, I see. She’s got you wrapped around that little purple-painted pinkie.”
A ghost of a smile tugged the corner of his lips. “Not an entirely inaccurate assumption.”
We rode the elevator to basement level and were spat out into a parking garage. Two men emerged out of nowhere and joined us. I only jumped a foot in the air.
“Do you ever really get used to bodyguards following you around?” I asked.
“No.” Liam pulled ahead and opened the door of a scandalous beauty I clocked as a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
“Sienna’s going to sit with me,” Elizabeth announced.
The two piled in the back and Liam closed the door behind them. He opened the passenger side and looked at me, waiting.
“There’s room for three in the back,” I said.
“I’m not a chauffeur.”
“But...” I looked around like the guards would help me. The two were busy climbing into individual cars, preparing to trail us.
“Something wrong?” Amusement laced the question. Liam had his own ideas why I was uncomfortable sitting so close to him.
Don’t give him the satisfaction of believing he gets you hot and bothered. He’s just like every other attractive man who knows he is. Starve his ego and the cockiness dies like it leaped over a cliff and hit the rocks.