Kian (Undercover Billionaire, #1)(33)

“Thank you for this gift of my sister’s last words,” she said, her voice much more under control now. She’d pulled herself together and was maintaining her hold on her emotions. He wondered if she was having difficulty doing that, or if she was truly that calm. He wasn’t sure.

“I’m glad I could be here for you both,” Sal said.

Roxie nodded and then turned and walked from the room. Kian was right on her heels. He didn’t need her pulling another disappearing act. Not right now.

They reached the front entrance and found Lily playing on the floor with Eden, her giggles music to Kian’s ears. She looked up as they approached and gave Roxie a big smile as she climbed to her feet and ran over to her aunt, holding up her arms. Roxie pulled her up and gave her a loud smacking kiss on the cheek, making Lily giggle more.

“Thanks for watching her,” Roxie told Eden.

“It was my pleasure. You have a beautiful niece, and I hope to watch her again anytime you need,” Eden assured her. She climbed to her feet and came over and gave Roxie a half hug before she moved back. “See ya, Kian,” she added flippantly as she turned and walked back to her desk.

“See ya,” he replied with a big smile. He’d been dismissed, and he found it incredibly entertaining. He followed Roxie from the building and down the street to her car, which he glared at.

“That’s what you’re driving?” he said in disgust.

Roxie glared at him. “There’s nothing wrong with me driving this. It gets excellent gas mileage,” she pointed out.

“Were you on the freeway in that thing?” he gasped, remembering she’d driven from Portland.

“Of course I was,” she said, opening the back door and setting Lily in her car seat.

“Don’t take my daughter on the freeway in this,” he demanded. It was interesting, because he practically saw the hackles sprout on her back as she stiffened.

Somehow, she managed to keep it together long enough to buckle Lily into the seat before she handed his daughter some toys and calmly shut the door. Then she turned around and fire leaped to life in her eyes.

“I’ve been caring for Lily for a month now, since her time in the hospital, and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her. Don’t you dare imply I would,” she hissed.

“She’s my daughter, Roxie, and it’s taking all I have not to snatch her from that seat in that pathetically small death trap of a car you’re driving and march her over to my giant-ass truck,” he said, getting equally worked up.

“It’s a newer Ford,” she snapped.

“It’s tiny and will be crushed faster than a can in a flattener,” he pointed out.

“I don’t plan on getting in a wreck,” she said, throwing her hands in the air.

“No one plans on a wreck, but if they happen, you should at least be in something you have a chance of surviving in,” he yelled.

Some people across the street turned and openly stared at them. It wasn’t often people got into yelling matches on the sidewalk in Edmonds. Kian tried to calm his voice as he spoke next.

“We’ll find another vehicle right away,” he said.

Roxie gaped at him. “Not everyone has the luxury of buying a new car just because they feel like it,” she thundered.

“I do, and I say we’re doing it.”

He knew the second her eyes narrowed he’d said the wrong thing. Shutters flew over her eyes, and she took a step closer to him and stabbed him in the chest with her surprisingly sharp finger.

“You might think you have all the power in the world right now, but you haven’t ever seen me truly angry, Kian Forbes. Right now, you’re getting a small taste. You aren’t my boyfriend, my lover, my anything. You don’t get to tell me what to do or how to live. I’m an excellent guardian to Lily and haven’t done anything to put her in danger. Don’t you dare try to imply I have simply because I can’t afford to go out and buy a damn Hummer. This Ford is perfectly equipped with all the latest safety features. Now, I’m tired and emotionally drained, so we will continue this conversation later,” she growled.

Then she stepped away, and it took him a second or two to realize she was planning on leaving just like that. Hell no, she wasn’t!

Kian grabbed her arm just before she managed to jump into her car and speed away. They glared at each other, and Kian didn’t even care at the moment if anyone was watching them. He had a daughter, and the world could know about it. Heck, he wanted to shout it out from the rooftops.

“I’m going to allow you to go home tonight and rest. But I want to know a time and place for tomorrow for us to finish this. Do you want it to be in private or public?” He was very pleased with how quiet he was able to keep his voice when he wanted to roar.

She glared at him. “Allow?” she challenged.

“Yeah, allow. Got a problem with that?” he asked.

Oh, she certainly had a problem with it, and he didn’t care.

“Fine,” she snapped, obviously figuring out she wasn’t leaving until she made plans with him. “Meet me at the café on Main tomorrow at two,” she said.

He nodded and then allowed her to leave. It took all that was in him not to follow them to her place, just to assure himself they’d arrived. It also took everything not to sit in front of her place to make sure she didn’t leave.