Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“I should’ve known,” Javier grumbled. “I knew he wanted something from this. Damn, Octavia.” He clutched my face in his hands and kissed me so hard, so passionately, I nearly stumbled. But he kept hold of me, and I laughed behind the kiss. “You are incredible. Do you know that?”
I could only smile . . . and blush.
“Seriously. I do not know why you fight so hard for us, but I am so thankful.”
“I fight because I care about you both. And I’ll be damned if anyone takes advantage of my Leesa.”
He chuckled.
Aleesa walked toward us with pouty lips. “I hungry.”
I scooped her up. “You know, I’m hungry too. Let’s go make a sandwich while Daddy handles a few things.”
“And strawbebbies,” she said, grinning.
I couldn’t help my smile. “With strawberries.”
Forty-Nine
Javier
I sat in my car for several minutes while parked in the lot of Rafael’s building.
If I went in too worked up, I would probably punch him in his face as soon as I saw him.
So I sat behind the steering wheel, breathing as evenly as possible and staring at the lock screen wallpaper on my phone. It was a photo of me and Aleesa that Octavia had taken when we were at Disney World. Aleesa was on my shoulders, and I held her hands and smiled as she cheesed really hard for Octavia.
A smile tugged at my lips. My daughter had such a beautiful soul. And after dealing with Rafael, I was going to keep her. There was no doubt in my mind now. With that in mind, I climbed out of my car, slipped my phone into my pocket, and headed for the front door of the building.
After signing in, I rode the elevator up to floor fourteen and was immediately greeted with the secretary’s desk. The sight of it made me pause. I’d never been to Eloise’s job before, but knowing this was the place where she’d worked—where she’d encountered Rafael every single day—caused my stomach to twist.
“Can I help you?” the secretary asked. She was young, with big blue eyes and brunette hair. She forced a smile as she stood with wariness. Something told me she knew exactly who I was. After all, she did manage this man’s schedule and handle his affairs.
“I am here to see Rafael.”
“I’m afraid he’s busy at the moment, but if you leave a message for him and your number, I can call back to arrange a meeting with you.”
“Oh. A message?” I approached her desk, raising my chin. “Tell him he has two minutes to get his ass out here or I will start my countersuit right now.”
The woman’s eyes rounded. With a large step back, she said, “Uh . . . one moment.”
She took off in a flash, rounded a corner, and disappeared. I folded my arms. It took a minute for her to return with Rafael trailing behind her.
“What the hell, Javier?” he snapped, marching toward me. “How dare you come to my workplace with this shit.”
“Would you rather deal with your bullshit in court?”
His brows pulled together as he looked from me to his secretary. “Lidia, go get me some coffee or something.”
“Yes, sir.” Lidia collected her purse in a hurry and headed toward the elevator.
“I hope you did not talk to Eloise that way,” I said when Lidia was gone and the doors had sealed shut.
“Follow me,” he grumbled, ignoring my words.
I followed him to his office. He offered that I sit. I didn’t.
“So I am going to get straight to the point, because, unlike you, I do not like my time wasted.” I pulled my phone out and started playing the recording as Rafael lowered into his seat.
As each sentence of his played, his face whitened more and more. Where was that smug smile now?
I paused it, and he shot out of his chair. “You hired that woman to follow me, didn’t you?”
“I did not hire anyone.”
“So how did you get that? You set this up!”
“Rafael, I am not a schemer. I do not give enough fucks about you to have anyone waste their time following you around. We can just consider this my lucky break. So here is what will happen—” I walked closer to his desk, and he backed away. “You are going to drop this custody battle, you are going to leave me and my family the fuck alone, and if you do not do that, all it will take is one click from my lawyer to have this recording sent to Judge Dalton.”
Rafael’s throat bobbed.
“What do you think the judge will say when she finds out that you only wanted custody of a four-year-old so you could milk her for cash?”
“Oh, you are so full of shit,” Rafael growled. “She came from my fucking balls, so you know I have the right!”
“No,” I snapped, storming around the desk and gripping his collar. “You have no fucking right, and you are lucky I did not rip your balls off the moment Eloise told me about you.” I shoved him backward until his back was against the wall. He tried acting like he wasn’t afraid, but I saw it in his eyes. The fear swimming in them.