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“Is Remi really Luca Thornton’s biological daughter?”
Hulk didn’t realize I’d stopped walking, and he kept going, while the paps moved in closer. Slowly, I turned my head to look at the guy who’d asked that very personal question. With measured movements, I took off my sunglasses so he could get the full effect of my glare. A number of the other photographers took several steps back, but the idiot who’d caused me to pause just stood there, looking smug as fuck. He seemed hell-bent on pissing me off, and he’d accomplished just that by speaking Love Bug’s name.
“You already know the answer to your question, motherfucker,” I said in a quiet voice just as Hulk pushed his way back to my side. “My goddaughter’s paternity isn’t anyone’s business. The fact that you are trying to make a quick buck off an innocent baby’s DNA says more about you and your morals than any of these other vultures.”
I shrugged off Hulk’s hold on my arm and stepped into the photographer’s personal space. The smugness on his face disappeared when I looked down my nose at him. I was tall in flats, but the six-inch heels I wore put me well above the man, causing him to have to tilt his head back if he wanted to hold my stormy gaze. “You’re a sick bastard with no soul. I’ll be keeping my eye on you, douchebag. And if I ever hear you ask another question that even hints about my goddaughter, I’ll make it my mission to ensure you never get a picture published again.” Leaning closer so I could lower my voice even further, I promised, “Harper Stevenson will be speaking to your editor. I don’t think she will be any happier than I am that you’re even speaking her grandchild’s name, do you? She knows every newspaper and magazine editor from here to Paris. One word from her and your career will be over.”
“Freedom o-of speech,” he stuttered.
He gulped when I grinned down at him, prey caught in my predatory gaze. “You’re right. You do have the right to free speech. Just as I have the freedom to sue your ass for defamation.” I leaned even closer so that my mouth was only inches for his ear. “Spread the word to your little friends. If the name Remi Sawyer Thornton so much as shows up in a hashtag that questions her paternity, my lawyer will bleed you dry. I look forward to facing you in court.”
Slipping my sunglasses back on, I patted him on the cheek. “It’s been a pleasure speaking to you, but let’s never do this again. ’Kay?”
Pushing all thoughts of the paps out of my mind, I concentrated on the positives in my life. We had an intimate party scheduled at Jagger’s parents’ house that evening as a casual kind of pre-wedding dinner. Everyone who was going to be flying out with us the next morning had already arrived. Only our closest family members were invited, which meant the party was going to be a smaller version of Emmie’s Christmas Eve get-togethers.
As I walked into my apartment, the first thing I heard was laughter, and I paused with my hand on the closed door. Turning my head, I saw Luca standing by the window, looking out at the view below as he swayed back and forth with Love Bug in his arms. While he watched the day pass beyond the window, she watched her daddy, her unique eyes glued to his face in awe.
Jagger sat on the couch with Violet, the two of them huddled close as they watched something on Jagger’s phone, their laughter like music to my ears. Dropping my stuff on the table by the door, I walked behind the couch so I could bend over and see what they were looking at.
It was an old video of Violet and me sitting in her bedroom. We were younger, and I suspected it was after Vi began her therapy to help her come back from the dark side of her depression. Jagger’s voice hit my ears, and I knew he had been the one recording us. My heart squeezed. Back then, the three of us had hung out a lot. I wasn’t sure if it was because he’d been just as worried about Vi as I had, or if he’d used it as an excuse to be closer to me. Either way, I’d cherished those times with the three of us together.
“Come on, Dimples. Tell the truth. Did you really kick Tyler Vance in the balls, or is Vi just bullshitting?”
Younger me rolled her eyes at the camera. “He asked if Violet was my girlfriend, then when I didn’t answer, he asked if he could watch.”
Jagger’s laughter dried up offscreen. “Watch what?”
“Us,” younger me responded with a shrug. “Vi and me having sex.”
Luca turned, drawing my gaze, and I watched him tuck Love Bug’s head under his chin as his ever-changing brown eyes glittered with growing fury. “What happened to Tyler Vance?”
Violet snorted. “Shaw really did kick him in the balls. It was hilarious to watch at the time, especially because he’d been condescending about the entire thing. Every word out of his mouth was meant as an insult because he had a thing for Shaw, and she couldn’t be bothered to give him the time of day. But afterward, it wasn’t so funny.” She turned on the couch, so she was facing me, but I saw a glitter of lingering amusement in her purple gaze. “Tyler had to have surgery because the kick burst one of his testicles. Rumor was they had to replace it with a prosthetic, but his body rejected that, and they had to do emergency surgery to extract it because he became septic.”
I laughed at the memory. “Tyler tried to sue me when he found out he was infertile. But after our lawyer got his medical records, it was determined that he didn’t have any healthy swimmers to begin with. The judge threw out the civil case before the press could get word of it.”
“What she means is that my dad, Uncle Shane, and Uncle Ax paid Tyler’s father a visit and convinced him that letting the world know his son was shooting blanks would only make the Vance family subject to public ridicule.”
Gasping, I looked down at Jagger. “They did not.”
“Dimples, I was there.” Reaching up, he caressed his thumb over my right dimple. “My dad also threatened to unleash Ma on Vance if his kid didn’t leave you and Vi alone.”
I propped my chin on my hand as I looked down at my fiancé adoringly. “You loved me so much you ganged up on a bully’s father and threatened him with public humiliation?”
“Absolutely.”
I grasped his face in both hands. “That’s kind of sexy.”
Silver-blue eyes darkened. “If that gets you wet, then wait until I tell you about—”
Violet pushed her face closer. “Did you forget you’re not alone?”
“Nope.” I kissed Jagger then smirked at my bestie. “Since when have we ever cared if someone watches us or not?”
“At least let me put the baby to bed before you two go at it,” Luca grumbled. “Her innocent eyes don’t need to witness Jagger’s naked bottom.”
His choice of words made me burst out laughing. Luca Thornton saying “bottom” instead of “ass” was one of the most hilarious things I’d ever heard in my life. While I wiped tears of mirth from my eyes, Jagger grabbed me and pulled me over the back of the couch onto his lap.
“You’re still wearing the soft cast, so I’m going to assume you won’t have to wear anything during the ceremony tomorrow.” He gently grasped my injured hand and rubbed his thumb over my fingertips. “Are you in any pain?”
