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Greg steps back, raising his hand to stop me from talking. “This isn’t up for discussion, asshole. You break up with her, or I take Katie.”
“Fuck off. There’s no way they’d give you full custody. Not a chance,” I scoff, shaking my head. “We’ll fight it. You may have some of my money, but it’s only change compared to my actual savings. I won’t even notice it’s gone. We’ll fight you. Every step of the way.”
“And how are you going to do that with a restraining order in place? Not to mention the fact that you tried to pay me so I wouldn’t press charges. That doesn’t look good on your part. Think of the media. Lucy and Katie will be dragged into the spotlight. So will Dylan. I wouldn’t want that for my family, that’s for sure.”
I’m seconds away from beating the shit out of him again and that’s exactly what he wants.
“If you wouldn’t want that for your family then why make it happen?”
“Because they’re not my family…yet.”
“That’s messed up. And no one will believe you. You’re my stepbrother. I could easily explain away the money.”
“Are you willing to risk that? You’ve never once mentioned us in the media. That fact alone is scandalous.”
I reach out to grab him but pull back at the last second. “I don’t give a fuck about the media coming after me.”
“What about Katie and Lucy? Are you really that selfish?”
My fists clench at my sides as I physically shake. I want to punch him. I want to break his nose. But that’s only going to work in his favor. He’s got me on a leash and he knows it.Basically, I’m fucked.
“We’ll fight it together. Letting Lucy go is not an option.”
“Even if staying with her is causing her pain?”
“What?”
“She came to me today, offering me fifty percent custody if I dropped the charges against you. She was completely heartbroken when she handed it over to me. But your actions are forcing her hand. Wouldn’t she be better off without you?”
I internally flinch. “I don’t believe you.”
“I didn’t think you would.” Reaching into his pocket, Greg pulls out a piece of paper and hands it over to me. A joint custody agreement, signed by Lucy and dated today.Jesus Christ.What am I doing to her?All because Greg is my fuckingbrother.
“Fine.”
“Fine?” he repeats. “That easy?”
Gripping his shirt, I spin him around and slam him against the brick of my house. “It’s not fucking easy. But I would do anything for those girls, and if this is my only option, I’m not going to let them down.”
Meanwhile, I will figure out a way around this.
Greg leans forward until our faces almost touch and smiles. “Good decision. Make it happen and all this goes away. I’ll be the doting dad Katie deserves.”
I tighten my grip on his shirt. “You know Lucy won’t go for this, right?”
I need to talk to her. Surely that document is a fake.
Greg sneers. “She probably won’t. You need tomakeher believe it,” he says, finally trying to push me away.
Letting go, I step back and blow out a deep breath, speaking between clenched teeth. “I’ll do what I need to do. But I need proof that you’ll never go after Katie, that you’ll never file for custody, and you’ll do everything at Lucy’s pace. She makes the decisions.”
Greg nods. “Already ahead of you.”
He hands me a signed contract from a local lawyer that states everything I asked for, proving he’s definitely smarter than I thought. A mix of relief and agony swirls inside me, now that I have to go through with my end of the deal—but knowing Lucy gets to call the shots for them makes things a little easier.
Greg puts the agreement back in his pocket and smiles heartlessly. “End it, and the contract is yours. You can even come with me to have it notarized.”
I nod before stepping closer and whispering in his ear. “If Ieverfind out you’ve treated either of them less than the royalty they are, I willend you. Consequences be damned.”
