Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(32)

Unable to stay in the living room where his cologne still lingered, Ellie paced to the kitchen and wilted into a chair.

122

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

She shook so hard, her fingers jerked uncontrollably as she covered her mouth.

Cassidy was the only person she had left. That little girl was her life, her only family, her very soul. Ellie would be nothing if Cassie left her. And to have Cassie so mad at her...someone might as well stab her in the stomach and drag the knife across her abdomen.

It felt like she'd just sat in the chair when Boston strode back down the hall. Ellie popped to her feet. He paused when he saw her.

"Thanks a lot," she growled.

He frowned, clearly confused. "What?" he asked. His expression added, What'd I do?

"That's the second time today you've played the good guy, and I had to star as the wicked witch."

His body went taut as he tightly answered, "Hey, it's not my fault you fill the role so—" But he broke off before he could finish the insult.

Blowing out a breath, he ran a hand through his hair and glanced down the hall, quietly saying, "Look. I'm going to leave that form here." He nodded toward the custody arrangement. "And let you think about what would work best for you."

"I don't have to think about it," Ellie hissed just as quietly.

"You can't have her every weekend." God, she didn't want him to have Cassie at all.

He sighed, long and low. "Then what do you suggest?"

123

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Never was the immediate response Ellie wanted to give.

She didn't want to part with her daughter, even for one day each decade.

But she licked her lips and diplomatically answered, "I could settle for one weekend a month."

"One weekend a month?" he sputtered. Then he instantly calmed and glanced down the hall as if to make sure Cassie hadn't heard him. Turning back, he whispered harshly, "Fine then. One weekend a month. And for the first nine years I've lost with her, you owe me two hundred and thirty-six days.

I'll just take those now on the other weekends I'm not scheduled to have her."

"Well, then you owe me sixty thousand dollars for ten years of child support," Ellie shot back.

That caused him to pause. Tilting his head thoughtfully, he murmured, "Hmm. I calculated a hundred and twenty grand.

But..." He shrugged. "Do you want that in one lump sum or monthly payments?"

She glared at him for calling her bluff. "I don't want your money. I want my daughter every weekend."

"You're already getting her during the week. Two out of seven days sounds pretty freaking practical to me. You still have the majority."

"Look, Law Boy, I can't be away from my daughter that often. It's just not possible."

"Well, then thank God this isn't about you. And don't call me Law Boy anymore. You only did it because you thought it annoyed me, but all it ever did was turn me on."

124

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Ellie gasped and took a surprised step back. Unconsciously her gaze went to his crotch. She was utterly bowled over to find his pants stretched tight over a huge bulge.

Boston gritted his teeth, turning so she couldn't see the proof of his attraction. "But guess what," he growled. "That part of my anatomy doesn't make the ultimate decisions in my life anymore. I don't care what my dick wants. I don't even care if you're willing... I'm not interested. I'm still pissed at you. And I want Cassie every weekend. Personally, I think that's being more than fair. It's not like I'm asking for full or even evenly split custody."

"Well, it's impossible," Ellie answered. "And I'm not just thinking about myself. Cassidy's life is here. Her friends are here. She has activities and ball games on weekends."

"And I have a car. I know how to drive. If she has somewhere to be, I can take her just as easily as you could."

"Oh, come on. You're not going to want come all the way back to Lawrence for a—"

"Right about now, I'd go to Italy to get her a pizza," he boomed, advancing until he'd neatly trapped her in a corner.

Ellie gritted her teeth and only had to glance at his face to see just how true his words were. He would do anything for Cassie, which made her jealous. There'd never been a point he would've done anything for her.

Instantly upset because he'd never loved her how she'd always wanted him to and even more pissed because he'd caused her to experience such a petty feeling as jealousy, she had this irrational urge to slap at him until he bled.

125

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Unaware of just how close he came to bodily harm, Boston blew out a breath and spiked his hands through his hair.

"Don't fight me on this, Ellie," he said, restraining his temper and once again talking in a hushed voice. "You don't want to take it to court."

Her face drained of color. "Once a month," she repeated firmly.

He was silent, studying the way her hands shook. She couldn't hide her bubbling, erratic emotions at all, and she hated that.

"Every week or we take it to a judge," he reiterated.