He dipped his head and nuzzled her ear with his nose before he said there, “It is.”
“You’re impossible,” she clipped.
“I’m in love with you,” he replied and lifted his head when he felt her body grow still and he saw her eyes had gone soft and the tears had disappeared. “No’ because I’m blinded by guilt which is ludicrous. I knew I loved you before I read your journals. I’m in love with you because I just am.”
“Excuse me,” Carver bit out from behind them and Prentice turned.
He did so while sliding his arm around Elle’s shoulders and pulling her close to his side, saying, “Fuck, I forgot you were here.”
“I’ll ask you to mind your mouth when you’re around me and my daughter.”
Prentice grinned. “Elle likes it when I talk dirty.” He looked down at her and asked softly, “Don’t you, baby?”
Elle’s eyes rounded in horror then they grew warm and she looked like she was trying hard not to laugh.
Yes, he hadn’t lost her. Standing at his side was his Elle.
Prentice nearly laughed.
Again, he did not.
“Isabella –” Carver started but Elle’s humor faded and her eyes turned to her father.
“I thought we’d said what we had to say.”
“We did but that was before you decided again to throw away your life on this man,” Carver replied.
“Finally, something I’d like to talk about,” Prentice announced and he felt Elle’s body twitch at his side while Carver’s angry eyes slid to him. “Twenty years ago, for no reason other than to be an ass**le, you took away the woman I loved. I’ll expect an apology before you leave.”
“I… you –” Carver spluttered.
“And one for Elle too,” Prentice went on.
“I can’t…” Carver started then finished on a hiss, “You must be joking.”
“Don’t feel like apologizing?” Prentice asked then concluded, “That’s fine, then. You can just leave.”
“Isabella –” Carver started yet again but it was Elle who cut him off.
“Prentice asked you to leave, Dad.”
“You can’t tell me –” Carver began.
Prentice looked down at Elle and interrupted him by asking her, “Does he have keys?”
“I changed the locks after our last conversation and asked security to change the code for the front door,” she replied.
Prentice smiled and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Excellent.”
Carver butted into their discussion, “Cameron, I’ll remind you about my offer. I’m willing to negotiate.”
Prentice looked to the man. “You’re saying you’re willing to pay me more than twelve million dollars to get out of Elle’s life?”
He knew Elle had heard that part because she showed no reaction to his words.
“Yes,” Carver bit out.
“How much more?” Prentice asked, Elle went tight at his side and he gave her shoulder another squeeze.