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My bottom lip drops. How does he…?
“Yes, I know about your fancy job.” If I thought his eyes were evil, his smirk tops them. Easily. “My friend who tracked you down told me where you work, and your chatty little receptionist said you were a plastic surgeon assistant. You earn a ton in LA, according to Google.”
My guts feel like he clenched his filthy hand around them and twisted.
Oh, Franny…
I can’t even be mad at her. She’s told Theo much more. And it’s not like it’s a big secret either.
He’s the problem. Not her.
Apparently, he’s low on cash. When my mother blabbered about my existence, he sent out his friend to see if I, the stupid, naïve, needy orphan had any money to take.
Which I do.
Which I would’ve given to him freely had he been nice. Had he genuinely been interested in me, his fucking daughter.
Yeah, the wordfuckingseems very appropriate right about now.
“No.” I shake my head, trying not to make a scene. I just want to leave. Just want to curl up into Theo’s arms and disappear. “You’re a cruel, heartless person. You’re not getting a penny from me.”
“I’ll destroy you,” he snarls. “I’ll come to your workplace, to your apartment building. I’ll humiliate you, make your life a living hell. You’d be better off giving me the money.”
The horror in my heart radiates to my expression. My bottom lip drops, my eyebrows knead together.
The dam breaks behind my eyes. Tears rush down my cheeks, dampening the collar of my dress.
Fight. Fight back. This is where you prove how much you grew to be a fierce woman.
“No!” I shrug him off, yelling through the tears. “You will not—”
“No, he won’t.” A rich, familiar voice comes from behind me.
His woodsy scent envelops me. His hand around my waist engulfs me with security.
And his energy, furious and demanding, takes up the entire space around us. The entire street.
“Theo,” I whisper.
His only acknowledgment of me is pressing his large fingers to my flesh.
A sliver of awareness pushes through my jumbled thoughts. “How did you know I’d be here?”
“I protect you,” he says. A simple sentence that holds so much in it. “I’ll always protect you.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Zeke’s had enough, throwing his chair back as he straightens in his attempt to intimidate Theo.
It doesn’t work. In fact, I find it hard to believe anyone in the world can scare the man beside me.
“Who I am doesn’t concern you, you miserable sack of shit.” Theo’s tone remains low and more intimidating than anyone I’ve ever met. “What should worry you is that I have your entire conversation recorded, and I won’t think twice about handing it over to the LAPD. You won’t go anywhere near Prue again unless you want to end up in jail.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Theo
“Youwouldn’tdare.”Filthyspit hits my face with every word this disgusting asshole mutters. “Your girlfriend won’t forgive you for snitching on her father, and you know it.”
For a moment, his accusation has me dumbstruck.
