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Deserve. He hated that word.
But he also knew one thing, if he kept this from Bella and she found out later, it would be him she blamed. Him she saw as the liar.
He couldn’t risk that.
He straightened, every muscle in his body tight. “I’ll talk to her.”
After he talked to Marly. After he called his attorney. After he looked into Holly Morgan some more.
But if she was in another country like she’d said, that would be harder.
But not impossible. Not with the help of a PI.
So a call to Zander would be better.
Holly’s shoulders sagged slightly, like she’d won something.
She had no clue what was in store for her.
“That doesn’t mean you’re seeing her,” he added sharply. “It means I’ll ask her what she wants. And if she says no, that’s the end of it.”
“And if she says yes?” Holly asked, lifting her chin.
His stomach twisted.
“Then it’ll be supervised in a public place on my terms. No alone time. No chance to rewrite history. You don’t get to play mom.” He pointed his finger at her. “Because you’re not one. And you have no legal right to her. Not now, and if I have my way, not ever.”
Holly nodded too quickly. “Fine. Fine.”
He didn’t believe her. Not for a second.
“I’ll call you,” he said.
“You don’t have my number.”
“Then give it to Sue inside. And don’t come near my house. Don’t try to find her school. You do, and that changes everything.”
Holly’s lips thinned, but she nodded again. Nodded like a victory and that only boiled his blood even more.
He turned and walked back toward the station doors, every step heavier than the last.
Two years of stability.
Two years of Bella sleeping through the night. Of therapy. Of routines. Of safety.
And now this. Fucking this.
Not to mention his own life finally turning in the right direction.
As much as he hated to admit it, that had to take a backseat.
He pushed through the door, already knowing the hardest part wasn’t dealing with Holly.
It was going to be sitting across from Bella and saying, Your mother is back.
30
THEY WERE SOLID
