Page 85 of Craig

"Well, aren't you going to invite your daddy in?"

"What're you doing here?" Her voice was stiff, her posture rigid.

She could not move.

"I came to see you, of course." Stepping forward, he brushed past her.

"Quite a place you got here. Darling, this is my daughter, Regina. Gina, this is your step-mama, Mimi."

"Don't!" she said sharply when the woman started to extend a hand. "What the hell are you doing here?"

She rounded on him, her eyes flashing fire. "And how did you find me?"

His mouth tightened fractionally, causing the smile to slip slightly.

"You made the papers. Hooked yourself a multi-billionaire, did you?"

Understanding came and with it, the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "What do you want?"

"How about a hug for your old man?"

She stepped back, the rage welling up inside her and threatening to spill over.

"I haven't seen you in what? Five years. You came to my mother's funeral with your latest wife, just breezed in and out like that, and you expect me to hug you? I would like you to leave, right now."

"You think because you're married to money, you're better than me?" He advanced, and to her shame, she took a step back and froze.

"I'm your old man and I need some help." His voice turned wheedling.

"I got into some trouble in Vegas, lost some money. Not much by your standards. Fifty grand. I'm sure you can more than afford it."

She had expected nothing less, but it still hurt. She had loved him, and for years, she had hoped he would finally be a father to her.

But seeing him now, finally reaching out to her because he wanted money, made her sick to her stomach. The shaking started deep inside her stomach and traveled up to her heart.

Finding the strength and courage, she stepped behind the oval counter and dug out her phone. "If you're not out of here by the count of ten, I'm calling the cops."

"What? You bitch."

"Douglas-"

He shook off Mimi's hand and started to come around the counter.

"One more step and I'll use this pepper spray." She brought it out of her purse and aimed it.

He stopped immediately, a murderous look in his eyes.

"You would do that to your own daddy?"

"You're not my daddy. You're just the man who planted the seed. You're a worthless piece of trash and I want you out of here. I hope whoever you owe that money to takes a piece of flesh as payment."

"You're just like your mother, a complete bitch-" He screamed as she used the spray.

"You blinded me. You bitch-"

"Get him out of here," she told the frightened Mimi.

"And if you have any sense at all, you'll file for a divorce. He's a useless piece of garbage."