Mr. Mitchell Billionaires' Club Book 2 - Raylin Marks Page 0,151

eased myself off my chair and squeezed onto his and Addy’s lounge where he was propped up on huge pillows.

“This has been such an awesome afternoon,” I said. “Makes the horrors of yesterday go away. How was Addy when she woke up this morning?” I asked as he shut the laptop and tossed it off like it didn’t cost the four-thousand bucks that little logo made it worth. “I didn’t even hear either of you get up.” I smiled at him.

He brought his arm around me. “I sort of had to switch some gears—mental ones, with her,” he said, kissing my temple, “but all is well now, I think.”

“What do you mean? Why didn’t you wake me up?” I asked.

“There was no reason to wake you up. I just—I don’t know. Addy said she wished I was her real dad,” he said carefully.

“Oh, shit,” I said. “Well, I don’t blame her. I actually like that she wants that.”

“You have no idea how much I loved hearing it, but I also know what’s going on with her real dad,” he said. “It’s got to be very confusing for her.”

“I know.” I sighed.

“What did you do with that phone he planted? Is it still with you?” he asked, his voice growing serious.

“I threw the damn thing in the first trash can I could find at the beach. That mother fucker can go find it on his own if he wants it back.”

“Why won’t you get full custody of her?” he asked. “I mean—”

“You know the reasons. I already told you.” I didn’t like where this conversation was headed, and yet, I felt like I knew this was coming.

“You did tell me your reasons, I just don’t think I understand them,” he said.

I pulled away from him, feeling defensive. “I’m not risking her being taken away. I won’t do it.”

Jim’s lips tightened, and he shook his head. “How the hell did he even get out of jail?”

“His parents most likely gave in like the suckers they are, too worried about him in being in jail, and bailed him out.”

“Unreal.” He shook his head in disgust. “And the phone? I’m fairly sure the idiot’s credit is shot.”

“His parents probably got it for Addy. They worry.”

“Come on, Avery.” He leaned up. “This is not fucking healthy for you.”

“My daughter being as happy as I can make her is what’s healthy for me.” I was starting to reel. Why did this have to come up now after the peaceful day we were having?

“You think yesterday fulfilled that dream of her happiness?” he said in a quiet voice.

I instantly started to flare up at him. “Of course not!” I snapped. “But ripping her away from her grandparents isn’t going to make her feel any better. You have no idea. If I get full custody of Addy, she’ll never see them again.”

“How the fuck so?” Jim was getting pissed, but his voice stayed steady and low. “Avery, how do you not see that she can’t be around that dick again until he gets help?”

“She loves her papa and grandma, and he lives with them. If I get full custody, they don’t ever see her because that’s his residence.”

“Why haven’t they kicked his ass out? How old is he?” he asked.

“Thirty-five,” I answered. “Still living at home.”

“My brother is fucking Chief of Cardiology at thirty-five. I’m two years older than Derek, and I run a successful business after busting my ass to get there. And this piece of shit lives at home?” His eyebrows rose while I stared at him, livid-pissed he was going off on me about Derek’s bullshit as if I hadn’t lived with it every single day for years. “He fucking lives at home with a nice truck. Then he bullies your ass around like he did yesterday, can’t give two fucks about the way it traumatizes his daughter. It makes no sense to me. None.”

That last part was Jim in that CEO tone I’d heard him use when he started commanding shit. I was furious, and I didn’t know exactly why. Was I angry at Jim for making it sound like I didn’t have my daughter’s well-being in mind, or was I mad at myself because he had witnessed enough to draw that conclusion?

“You don’t fucking understand,” I said, trying to keep it together.

He shook his head, and I could tell he was not happy with that answer. “No, Avery, I don’t fucking understand. I imagine that after yesterday you would want nothing more than