Page 169 of Pink

EPILOGUE

Two months later …

“COME ON, you’re going to be late,” Lev said, rushing his already annoyed daughter to the front door. Arely even had the nerve to stomp her feet and give him one of her signature glares when he didn’t let her slip on her boots and coat, opting to just do it himself to save time. Standing straight, he arched a brow at her attitude, but it didn’t concern her in the least. “Are you quite done?”

She put her hands to her hips, saying, “No. Are you?”

If it was any other morning, then he might have laughed. But they were both running late, he had another issue to deal with upstairs, and this little girl had to get going because he was not in any mood to deal with yet another letter from the fucking school about tardiness.

“Arely Dawn Marks-Arsov,” Lev drawled, taking his time with her full name, so she knew he was serious this time. “Do you want to try that again?”

She pursed her lips. “Maybe.”

Maybe?

Maybe!

Where did this kid come from?

Oh, yeah.

Him.

“I love you, Daddy,” Arely said, “but sometimes you make me very angry. Especially when you rush me. I just wanted—”

“You can’t wear makeup to school. You might be almost six, but that doesn’t mean sixteen. And that wasn’t even your makeup. That was Gigi’s makeup you were playing in. Try again.”

She sighed.

Another foot stomp came after.

Lev just waited it out.

“Fine!”

That was that.

Lev pulled open the front door to expose the man already standing at the bottom of the stoop, waiting for Arely. Todd, that was. The enforcer stayed on Lev’s post to do with what he wanted. Usually, the man handled taking Arely to and from school, a bit of driving and errands, and looking out for Gigi when needed.

He counted him as a friend.

Arely stomped out of the house, shouting over her shoulder, “But I do love you!”

Todd shot Lev a look.

He only shrugged back.

“Love you, too, kid,” he called.

“Hard morning?” Todd asked.

Lev heaved a breath. “Man, you have no idea.”

And yet, he wouldn’t give it up for the world.

Now …

The problem waiting upstairs.