Yesterday, his gaze was that of a hunter stalking his prey, hungry and intense. Today, it’s a glare filled with animosity, as if I’m an enemy he’s about to crush. Before he can strike, I throw the first verbal punch. “You lied to her.”
“Excuse me?” he challenges, his voice icy.
“You don’t plan on giving her the emancipation.”
He takes a step back, seemingly taken aback. “I—”
“Don’t lie to me,” I interrupt, my voice firm.
“I won’t give up Kenzington just because you think that’s the easiest for you. Why would you need her?” he retorts defensively.
“Kenzy,” I correct him, anger seeping into my words. “She hates when you full name her. If you had been in her life, you would know.” I pause to sneer at him. “It’s been—what—five minutes, and you’re already the best father? Should I remind you that you rejected her before she was born? You. Don’t. Deserve. Her.”
“I didn’t know,” he mumbles, his voice faltering.
And I can’t help but scoff. “Sure, you didn’t.” I tap my temple pointedly. “I was there when Aunt Elsie came to the house, telling us how you rejected her. You didn’t want anything to do with her or your child. She cried every night. I remember hearing her. Simon, her friend, would be there for her. She would wail and cry.”
He arches an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “So she had a guy over at night and she was crying.”
I nod, my tone resolute. “Yes.”
“Come on. You can’t be so gullible to think they weren’t having sex.”
The frown on my face deepens, my anger bubbling dangerously beneath the surface. “No. When I asked Nonna if she was hurting, she always told me she cried because you left her.”
He narrows his gaze. “And you believe her? How old were you?”
“Almost eleven,” I say proudly, and he exhales loudly, his frustration evident.
He scrubs his face with both hands, the weight of the conversation bearing down on him. “Jesus, you’re a child, and I almost…”
“Twenty-six, almost twenty-seven,” I snap, correcting him with a sharp edge to my voice. “And I’ve had sex before.”
“With your scumbag ex-boyfriend?” he shoots back, his tone mocking and infuriating. I gape at him, his intimate knowledge of Ronan astonishing me.
My mouth opens and closes, the words caught in my throat. I feel trapped, as if anything I say will be used against me.
“This is my version of the story,” he says, his voice firm and resolute. “I just learned I have a daughter earlier today. A very neglected and probably abused daughter, who needs someone to love and care for her. She now has a father and a family who’ll give her everything she lacks. The door is wide open.”
My heart shatters within my chest, the pain suffocating. He’s trying to snatch away the only person I have in the world. But I won’t let him.
“She was never neglected and always loved,” I choke out, my voice thick with emotion. “Nonna left me as her guardian. You’ll have to fight me—and you can’t keep her.”
“If that’s how you want to play this game, bring it on,” he challenges, his eyes icy. “I know from a reliable source that you might end up in jail.”
I swallow hard, my throat painfully dry as a wave of dread washes over me. My lawyer had warned me about the same thing, and they’re working tirelessly to resolve the issue. If he’s aware of that, he must know everything else. “Then you also know that while this is sorted out, she’ll be in foster care.”
“It’d be only a few days,” he dismisses, his tone cold and indifferent.
“You don’t know that!” I snap at him, anger and desperation mingling in my voice. “One misstep, and she can end up in foster care for six years.”
“She’s fifteen, so technically it’ll be…” He trails off, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. “Oh. That’s what happened to you.”
A shudder runs through me. How does he know about my past? Did Kenzy confide in him about me? That child is going to be the death of me.
My resolve hardens, and I meet his gaze, my eyes pleading. “Let her go,” I insist, my voice trembling.
“How are you going to support her?” he demands, his tone harsh and accusatory.
“I always land on my feet,” I say, my voice wavering, even as I lack a concrete answer.
Do I have a plan? A temporary fix where I work for JJ’s family. Afterward, I’m moving back to North Carolina, where I have plenty of friends and job offers waiting. We’ll be just fine once this is sorted out.
He shakes his head, his expression filled with disbelief, and heads toward the door.
“I’m not leaving without her,” I say, crossing my arms and standing my ground. My voice is as firm as my gaze.
“No. I’m the one who’s stepping out to make a call,” he says with annoyance. “The kitchen is right there. Why don’t you eat something?”
I shake my head, refusing to let my guard down.
“Have you eaten something today?” he asks, his tone softening, just slightly.
“I just need her to come with me,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.
He huffs, turns around, and leaves me alone in his apartment. As I approach the small table, I spot Kenzy’s backpack. Inside, my heart lurches as I find my notebook and wallet. I swear, once this ordeal is over, I’m going to wring her neck.
Or something less illegal and more painful, like canceling her social media accounts.
Chapter Eight
Camilla
The apartment is silent, and I wonder what my options are. This guardianship needs to be fixed. I wish we had taken care of everything before Nonna died, so we wouldn’t be in the middle of… what is this? A battle, a war, or a terrible bad dream where the future of Kenzy is in jeopardy?
Can I fight the father for guardianship? Is that even possible?
As I think about that, I scan my surroundings. The decorations are slick. Lysander must’ve hired an interior designer to make this look like something out of an Architectural Digest magazine cover. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer a breathtaking view of the city skyline, making it feel like an intricate painting.
The man is certainly not hurting for money. I can’t get into a legal fight against him. He’ll win, without a doubt, but I can’t lose Kenzy. How am I supposed to deal with this new issue?
I hesitantly walk farther into the apartment, feeling a mix of curiosity and trepidation as I explore Lysander Spearman’s sanctuary. Is there anything in here I could use against him?
My eyes wander to a wall of custom-built bookshelves filled with a diverse selection of books. His obvious passion for reading is impressive, adding intellectual depth to his already enigmatic persona.
Do not like him. He’s not hot, or dreamy, or… He’s now your enemy. It’s crazy how life can change in an instant. Just yesterday, I wanted him to be the man who would help me forget my shitty situation for at least a night, but today, he’s the one who might destroy what’s left of my family.