Page 75 of Like You Love Me

“Oh, now, after seven years, you want to call Sierrayourdaughter because that’s not what you were saying when you were blackmailing my wife for money,” London said and fired a furious look at him.

Nervously, Collin swallowed but said nothing.

“We don’t owe you shit, but Sierra deserves everything, and it’s because of that reason I will allow her to get to know you.” Collin’s eyes brightened at the comment. “But if you ever upset my wife again, I will wrap my fingers around your neck and choke the life out of you before you have time to see me coming.”

“I meant it when I said I don’t want any trouble. I have a family, and I want her to have the chance to know us and make things right between us. I can’t take back the last seven-plus years, but I can make it up to her from this point on.”

“We will see. Just know that I will be watching every step you make, and at any point, I see something going on that doesn’t look or feel right, I am ending this arrangement, and we can handle this in court.”

Collin nodded.

“My wife may have forgiven you, but it will be long before we forget what you put her through.”

Collin held out his hand. “I thank you for stepping in and being a father.”

“Stepping in?” London took a step closer and forced himself to stop. “Idiot, you did me a favor,” he hissed between his teeth. “Those two are the best thing to happen to me. I couldn’t ask for a better wife, and Sierra is the daughter that any man would be proud to call their own.”

Collin sucked in a gulp of air. “Yes, you’re right. I’ve only known her a few months and can see she is pretty amazing.”

London watched the man’s eyes cloud with unshed tears, but he refused to be emotionally swept in.

“London, I’m sorry for everything I’ve done. Really, I am.”

“Actions speak louder than words.” He needed to see. Only time would tell and heal wounds. Without another word, London walked away and tried to let go of the hard knot of anger in his gut. He had hoped confronting Collin would make him feel better, and instead, it only angered him more.

Ever since he answered Collin’s phone call, London found himself wondering if maybe the reason Bianca failed to mention Collin had returned was that maybe she still had feelings for him. In the months leading up to their marriage, he had often wondered if she had truly loved him, and if Collin hadn’t already been married, would it have been him building a life with Sierra and Bianca. His fist tightened in the pocket of his jacket as he squeezed his car keys so hard that he set off the alarm on his vehicle. He shook off the rage long enough to disarm and then climbed back into his Hummer. He spotted Collin rushing across the parking lot, and London’s gaze followed him until he disappeared into the building.

After all this time, he thought the man was out of their lives to realize he was back. Was he going to lose not only his daughter but Bianca as well? Maybe he was being ridiculous, but he couldn’t shake the thought.

Leaning back on the seat, he stared up ahead. The sky was clear, and the day was the first sign of hope that spring was on its way, but the weather was the last thing on his mind. Instead, his thoughts were troubled by something he suddenly realized.

Collin was the man he had seen at the charity auction.

He knew there was something about him that was familiar. Now he knew why. Damn. Had he been at the auction to see Bianca? Hell, why else would he have been there? Collin was the drama teacher Sierra had been raving about, and as many times Bianca had picked her up from play practice, she had known, yet she hadn’t said anything to him.

He contacted me around Christmas.

London felt like there was a band wrapped around his chest, tightening until he could barely breathe. How could he have been so blind? The way Bianca had been behaving, she tried to hide it from him.

Even as he told himself not to jump to conclusions, he couldn’t help but wonder if there had been some other reason other than her thinking he would misunderstand. After all, she had jumped to Collin’s defense and was adamant the man had changed. And he hated to admit that after seeing him today and confronting him, there was something about the Collin that he saw today that was different than the Collin he had approached over seven years ago. Gone was the greed and cockiness and the condescending attitude. Instead, he appeared mature and humble, which bothered him on so many levels. And ever since the phone call, London couldn’t shake the feeling that their lives would never be the same again.

That evening, after they picked up Sierra from Denise’s house, Bianca had tried to talk to him, and London had become guarded and resistant. The worry in her eyes told him whatever Bianca was about to say might be something he wasn’t prepared to hear. In his thoughts, he imagined Bianca telling him she no longer needed him to be a father to Sierra. And she appreciated him stepping in, but his services were no longer needed. It was no wonder he wasn’t ready to talk, and he wasn’t sure when he would be.

His phone vibrated, pulling him away from the tormenting thoughts. He looked down at his cell phone, which he had left on the seat in the car and noticed that he had several missed calls: Carmen, Denise, and his attorney. There was even a text from Camille.

911.

Panic filled his gut as he listened to the voice message from his attorney.

“London, please call my office as soon as possible.”

There was a knock at the door. Bianca looked up to find Sheyna and Jace standing at the entrance to her office.

“Can we come in?” Sheyna asked with a remorseful expression.

“Of course.” She waved them in as she hit Send on an email she had been composing. As Bianca swiveled around in the chair, she watched her brother shut the door to the office while Sheyna strolled across the room in red-bottom pumps holding two cups of coffee.

“I had them make it just the way you like it,” she said and held the Styrofoam cup in her left hand out to her.

---