Page 105 of If You Love Me

The anger in me almost jumped out. “That doesn’t mean anything,” I said through gritted teeth. “Your Daddy loves me—”

“But he loves Mommy—”

“No, he doesn’t!”

My voice rose, and it caused most everyone to look back.

“Ma’am, is there a problem?” the pharmacist asked.

Mrs. Lewis reached a hand out for Summer, and when she felt nothing, she looked down. Her head whipped around, and when she saw me, she sprinted in our direction.

“Get the hell away from my granddaughter!” she yelled.

I snatched Summer to me and pulled out the gun tucked into my pants. “Back your ass up!” I yelled at her.

She raised her hands in surrender. “We can talk about this, Iona.”

“There is nothing to talk about! Your son is trying to keep me away from her!”

“She’s his daughter—”

“I was supposed to be her mom! Me. I’m the one that read her bedtime stories. I took her to and from school. I did her hair. I learned everything there was to know about this child—”

“And I commend you for that. You were great to Summer when you and Tyrion were together.”

“I’ve loved and cared for her for four years. He can’t just ruin everything we built for that bitch!”

“Watch your mouth in front of my grandbaby. The fact is, he wanted to be with his wife, and that was his right. They shared a life before we ever knew you existed, and that life was taken from them. I’m sorry you got hurt, but don’t make this any harder on yourself than it has to be. There is a restraining order on you, Iona. You can’t be anywhere near her. Let her go before someone gets hurt.”

I laughed. “I wouldn’t hurt Summer. I love her.” I stooped down to Summer. “You know I love you, don’t you, baby? You know I would never hurt you, right?”

Tears streamed down her face. “I want my mommy and daddy!”

I frowned. “I’m gonna be your mommy. Your daddy and I are gonna be together and we are gonna live happily ever—”

“No!”

Summer tried to pull away from me the same time that her grandmother lunged at me. The gun went off, and Mrs. Lewis stumbled backward, holding her side. Silence fell upon the room as people ducked for cover. Blood began seeping through Mrs. Lewis’s fingers. She collapsed to the floor, and Summer screamed.

“Mimi!”

She tried to get to her, but I grabbed her up and hightailed it out of the pharmacy, while she and others screamed for me to put her down. As I passed the window, I could see people crowding around Mrs. Lewis and the pharmacist on the phone. I sprinted to my car with her fighting me the whole way.

“I want my Mimi! Please!”

Opening the back door, I put her inside, with her clawing at my face.

“Stop it, Summer!” I yelled, smacking her across the face.

She looked at me in disbelief, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry, baby,” I said softly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I swear I didn’t.”

“You hurt my Mimi! I hate you! I want my mommy and daddy!”

Ignoring her pleas, I put the child locks on and closed the door. Jumping in the driver’s seat, I cranked up and peeled out of the parking lot. It wasn’t my intention to shoot the old woman. She ran at me, and my finger slipped on the trigger.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” I cursed, beating the steering wheel.

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