The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,350

promise of her mother’s figure. She’d been the first girl in her class to need a bra.

“You gonna stand there all day or bring me that beer?” He grinned, but the leer on his face reminded her of her mother’s boyfriends. The ones she avoided.

Tears stung her eyes again, but she blinked them back as she took a few hesitant steps toward him, holding the bottle out.

He reached for it, but wrapped his hand around her wrist instead. “Didn’t get one for yourself?” The smile that spread across his face wasn’t friendly.

She jerked back out of instinct and the liquid in the bottle sloshed onto both their hands.

He let go of her like she was dirty. “Now look what you did, you stupid bitch.” He jerked his hand back, and for a moment she thought he was going to backhand her, but then he dropped it.

Libby took several steps back, still holding the bottle in her hand, prepared to use it as a weapon if need be.

He licked the beer off his hand and leered at her. “Why don’t you come sit by me.”

This man might be her father, but she wasn’t stupid. “I don’t think so.”

He gave her a look that said suit yourself, then glanced around the room. “Your mother keep any money in the house?”

“No.” She was pissed and she didn’t try to hide it.

He grinned. “Not even in her room? Under the mattress maybe?” He got up and made a move toward the hall, but Libby moved faster and blocked his path.

“I don’t think so.”

A sneer covered his face. “Let me teach you a few things about life, Elizabeth.”

Her breath stuck in her chest. He knew her. He knew her and yet he was still being an ass.

He laughed as if reading her thoughts. “Yeah, I knew you were Gabby’s brat.”

“I’m yours too,” she pushed out, barely audible.

He released a short bark. “By no choice of my own. I gave her the money to get an abortion, but she used it to go to Mexico for a week.”

“What?”

He towered over her. “I bet Gabby never told you that, did she?”

“No.”

“I’m not surprised. I bet there’s a lot of things she never told you.”

He was close enough for her to smell his odor of stale cigarettes and sweat. His eyes were slightly unfocused. He was high. He must have come looking for drug money.

Libby took several steps backward into the hall. “I think you should leave now.”

He laughed as he advanced on her. “Why? We’re just getting reacquainted. I bet you’ve had dreams of this day. Am I right? All kids want their parents to love them. You thought I’d show up and bring you a pony or something, huh? Just let me get the money and I’ll take you out for an ice cream cone.”

She was an idiot. Every dream she’d ever had of their reunion shriveled up and died. She narrowed her eyes and said with as much force as she could muster, “You need to leave.”

“What are you going to do, little girl? I’m not leaving until I get the money Gabby owes me.”

“Then come back when she’s here.”

An evil gleam filled his eyes. “You said she’d be back in a few minutes.”

She squared her shoulders. “You need to go.”

He paused, then laughed. “You’re just like her.”

She knew who her was and his words hurt more than if he’d slapped her in the face. She never wanted to be like her mother. He laughed when he saw he’d gotten to her. “You know, since I am your father, I suppose I owe you a legacy. Am I right?” He grinned wide, showing her a mouth full of broken and rotting teeth. “I’m fresh out of ponies, but I’ve got something better.”

Whatever he had, she didn’t want. Not anymore. “Leave.”

“You don’t want my gift?”

“If you don’t go, I’ll call 911.”

“You won’t because you want to know what I have to say. Well, here’s my legacy to you: words of wisdom. Isn’t that a father’s job? To prepare his kid for life?”

No. A father’s job was to make his daughter feel protected. To dry her tears and hug her when she was hurt. His job was to love her no matter what and always, always be there for her, but that was a mother’s job too, and Gabriella had never done any of those things for Libby. So why had she expected any different from her low-life father?

“I don’t care what you have to say!” she