My friend moved fast and blocked Armstrong. I helped Lili into the vehicle.
“Cole—”
“I’ll take care of it.” I closed the door and whirled to face Lili’s father.
He was shoving against Landon.
“I warned you before, man, you need to keep your distance,” Landon said.
My stride chewed up the ground, and Landon stepped back. I shoved Armstrong hard, and he nearly went down.
But he’d been a fighter for years and had good balance. I kept coming and shoved him against the wall of the warehouse.
“She doesn’t exist for you,” I growled.
“I just need to talk to her?—”
“No.” The word was harsh, cutting. “You don’t see her, you don’t talk to her, you don’t breathe the same air as her. Understand?”
The older man scowled. “She’s my daughter.”
I cocked my head. “Not anymore. You fucking sold her to Goodyear, so she could be Kamensky’s plaything.”
Armstrong flinched.
“That makes you filth and ends whatever parental rights you think you have. Lili is free of you now.”
“And what? You think you’re better for her?” Anger twisted his face. “A fucking fighter with a murky reputation. One look at you and I know what you are. You’ll just cover her in your muck.”
I gritted my teeth, barely resisting the urge to punch him in the face. “Lili is her own woman. She gets to decide what she does with her life, not you. If she wants to talk to you, she’ll call. Otherwise, you stay the fuck away from her.” I lowered my voice. “Or I will ensure you stay away from her. Whatever it takes.”
He lost some color, but held my gaze.
I released his shirt, then spun, and headed back to the Range Rover.
Armstrong slunk back inside. A second later, Alessio and Rafe exited the warehouse. They were holding a struggling man between them, whose wrists were bound. He also had a black bag over his head. Bastian strode out behind them, like he’d been at a fucking dinner party. As I watched, they shoved the man in the back of the other Range Rover.
I looked at Landon and Nash. “Do I want to know?”
“One of Goodyear’s goons touched Lark,” Nash said.
Shit.
“She broke his finger, but Bastian wasn’t happy about it at all.”
Fuck. “And why are we bringing the goon with us?”
“He’s been on our surveillance. He’s one of Goodyear’s top guards. Could know where Ava-Jane and the women are.”
“You’re going to question him?”
“Yes.”
“I want in on that.”
Nash inclined his head. “Then let’s get back to the Avernus.” He looked at my hands. “You need to clean up first?”
“Not if I’m going to get them messy again.” My knuckles were aching like hell, but I didn’t give a shit. I opened the back door and slid in. I lifted Lili onto my lap, enjoying her small squeak.
