Page 157 of Little Sunshine

Not anymore.

At the contact, her words cut off. She leaned into me and took a deep, shaky breath. “Look, I appreciate that you paid me back. And if you’re really here to check on me, I appreciate that, too. But I think you should leave.”

Veronica’s conniving gaze rose to me before returning to her daughter. She opened her mouth, but Mila didn’t give her the chance to speak.

Turning in my hold, she said, “I just remembered I forgot my cake.”

I looked to the side and crooked my fingers. One of the lobby guards came right over, and I released Mila. “Please escort Mila to Parisian Crescent.” I dropped my focus, making my next order to her. “There and right back.”

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, and her head jerked to the side slightly. A silent plea. At my chin lift, her shoulders relaxed. “Thanks, Behemoth.”

That might’ve been what she said, but I heard the Daddy she meant.

Not giving a damn where we were or that her mother was there, I swatted her ass as she walked past.

A taste of what was to come.

When I returned my attention to Veronica, something ugly twisted on her pinched face as she watched the interaction. I didn’t give a shit about her opinion, and it showed that she had at least a few brain cells since she wasn’t idiotic enough to voice it.

“What’re you actually doing here?” I asked once Mila was out of earshot.

“I came to check on Mila.”

“Bullshit.”

“It’s true. We haven’t always gotten along, but she’s still my daughter.” She blinked up at me earnestly. “And hearing she was attacked scared me. I could’ve lost her. I want to fix things.”

I didn’t buy it. Not a second of it. And I didn’t hide that. “If that’s true, text her. Let her decide if she wants to talk to you. Don’t just show up again, or I’ll have you banned from here and half the places in Vegas.”

She opened her mouth, but I wasn’t done.

“But in the more likely scenario that you’ve seen she’s clawed far enough away from you to land in a good place, and you want some of that for yourself, you can fuck right the hell off. I won’t let you weasel your way back into Mila’s life just to use her. You’ve done that enough.”

I waited for her to lash out and blow up her act, but she didn’t. “Please tell her I’ll text her.” She began to walk toward the exit before turning around. “Oh, and FYI, I won’t tell her that you lied to her about me paying her.”

Not thank you for covering for me because I’m a shit mother.

Nope. Veronica made it seem like I owed her while also reminding me she had something on me.

It would’ve been impressive if it didn’t piss me off so much.

And part of the reason it pissed me off was because she was right. Mila would flip if she found out. I had enough half-truths and secrets on my conscience. Stuff I couldn’t share yet. I’d have to tell her about her mom’s debt.

Later.

Since I wanted Veronica gone before Mila got back, I didn’t respond.

Mila returned a couple of minutes later. She scanned the lobby, and even from a distance, I could see her relax. A hint of tension returned when her eyes landed on me, and she saw the look on my face.

Quickly closing the distance between us, she smiled and fluttered her lashes, the pretty picture of innocence. When that didn’t work, she lifted the container. “I have my cake. And I got a slice for you, too.”

“I’m still spanking your ass for not listening to me when I told you to wait near the elevator.”

She sighed. “I figured as much. But I had such a good day today, and then there Veronica was. Waiting to ruin it like she ruins everything.” That time when she smiled at me, it wasn’t fake. Putting her hands around my neck, she went up onto her toes while she tugged me down to kiss me. She didn’t let me go as she whispered, “Thank you for handling her so I didn’t have to, Daddy.”

Christ, she kills me.

I pressed my lips against her forehead. “Any-fucking-time.”

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