Page 81 of Pink

SEVENTEEN

HEY, DID you happen to see the pic—

“Daddy, look!”

Lev’s brain didn’t have the chance to process the rest of Gigi’s most recent text because the second his daughter called his name, all of his attention went to her. He quickly found where she stood at the top of a bright red twisty slide in her sky-blue summer dress. With her hand outstretched in front of her, she pointed at something across the park that Lev couldn’t quite see from his position on the bench.

The phone in his hand buzzed—likely with another text from Gigi—but he was more concerned with whatever it was that had his daughter’s interest. Two days after he left Gigi’s hotel way too early in the morning, and the only thing the two of them had been able to spare for time with each other was a text here and there.

Arely looked his way, her little brow knotted together. “What are they doing, Daddy?”

“Who?” he asked.

“Them.”

Shoving the phone into the pocket of his jeans, Lev stood from the bench and headed for his daughter who was still pointing in the direction of the parking lot. They frequented the park often enough that he was sure Arely could walk the trek on her own from their place to here, but he would never let her do it alone.

Certainly not at her age.

Nonetheless, it was one of her favorite spots to play. Especially on the hot summer days when they had the water play equipment up and running and she could easily cool off while also running her little ass off. It tired her out. She slept a hundred times better.

A win-win in Lev’s book.

Plus, the place was open to the public and was one of the few parks near their home that was maintained and kept rather clean. Or clean enough that he felt okay with letting his kid go batshit with all the other children using the park. Nonetheless, the place didn’t have much trouble happening and that’s what he liked about it most of all.

Stepping beyond the crushed rock walkway that separated the benches and running trail from the kids’ play equipment, Lev finally found what his daughter was talking about. For a split second, confusion drilled down hard in his chest, nearly nailing him in place as he stared across the park into the parking lot.

Or rather, to where the chain link fence separated the two spots. Three people stood there with cameras in hand. Taking photos.

One had a lens longer than he’d ever seen. The more pressing issue was the fact that it looked like their cameras were locked on his fucking child. Then, at the sight of him—because he must have been out of their view on the bench—one of the photogs started gesturing his way, and the cameras turned on him.

What the fuck?

“Arely, come here,” Lev said, waving one hand at his daughter while keeping an eye on the fuckers across the way.

“Are they taking pictures?”

“Get down from the slide, baby.”

“Why?”

Jesus Christ.

He knew how this would go down with his kid. He would tell her five more times to do something, and she would ask why each and every time. It was just their way.

“Now, please,” he said, getting closer to his daughter with every word. He didn’t want to run, especially if those photogs were taking pictures of them, and cause a scene. “Get down—we’re leaving.”

“But I want to play!”

Arely’s wail echoed across the park. Lev gritted his teeth at the attention it brought their way from other kids and parents at the park.

Then, a new voice joined in to piss him off even more. As faint as it fucking was.

“Mr. Arsov—Pink—it’s Lev, right? Do you have any comment to make about your daughter and her mother? How long have you had custody of Gigi Rey’s child? Are you—”

How the fuck did they know his name?

And his nickname?