Page 14 of Claiming Becca

I chuckle. “Yes. Yes, he did,” I reply.

Becca motions with her hand with an I told you so face. We start laughing and I wrap an arm around her chair. She leans into me slightly. All I’d have to do is tilt my head just a little to capture her lips with mine. Ignoring that, I watch Victor walk up to the table, and my muscles tense.

“What can I get you all to drink?” he asks. I lean forward and exchange a look with Julian.

“Connor,” Becca cautions, and I turn my attention to her.

Her hand lands on my leg; having no idea how comforting that is to me. “I’m not going to do anything.” But I do keep my eyes trained on him.

He stays behind Liv the entire time. Squinting my eyes, questions begin to whirl in my mind. Are they together? He’s old enough to be her father.

Becca leans close to me. “I don’t think he’s a bad guy. Liv wouldn’t be anywhere near him if he were.”

I turn my attention to her. “What do you mean?” I ask her.

She lifts one shoulder. “I’m still getting to know Liv and Ansley, but Liv seems to have a level head on her. She wouldn’t get involved with someone that was bad news.” It lines up with what Julian has been telling me for years.

When it’s my turn to order my drink, I stare at Victor, and he raises an eyebrow like he’s challenging me. He knows I’ve been trying to go after him. He came to me several months ago and tried to talk to me, but I refused to speak to him. I’m beginning to think that was a mistake.

“Corona,” I finally say.

“With or without a lime?” he asks.

I grit my teeth, but ignore my frustration. “With,” I reply. He nods once before moving on. When he walks away, I get up to follow him.

“Connor,” Becca whisper-yells.

“It’ll be fine,” I tell her and tail him. When we get to the bar, he turns and faces me.

“What can I do for you, Connor?” Victor asks in his haughty voice.

I eye him before speaking. “How do you know Liv?”

He cocks his head at me as he waves down the bartender. Before answering me, he puts in our drink orders and instructs her to get our server to deliver the drinks.

“I’ve known Olivia since she was ten,” he answers.

My eyebrows cave in. “Because you’re friends with her stepdad?” I question.

“Was. I was friends with her stepdad. Then I found out some things about him and ended that friendship,” he tells me. I open my mouth to question him further, but he raises his hand.

“I’m not discussing this here. If you want to talk, fine, but not here. Not now. We can schedule a meeting for another time.”

I stare at him, not liking this, but I finally nod. “We need to talk soon.”

He nods. “Of course,” he replies. “I did try to talk to you a few months ago,” he reminds me.

I ignore that, handing him my business card. “Call me tomorrow,” I demand. His eyes narrow at me, but he agrees. Walking back to the table, I sigh.

Who the hell is Liv’s stepdad? What did he do that made Victor end that friendship? I’m getting answers to all of these questions as soon as possible.

CHAPTER SEVEN

BECCA

“IF YOUyell pivot, I’m going to claw your eyes out,” I tell Connor as we maneuver the chair Bass bought Caroline up the stairs to the nursery.

He throws his head back to laugh. “You know me so well,” he says. My chest burns at his comment, but I ignore it and give him a look that tells him I know. Caroline will be home any minute from work, and we’re trying to get the chair into the nursery before she arrives.

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