Page 62 of Under His Control

Because there’s no way in hell you are Olivia’s aunt.She bore no resemblance to her. Liam said Pamela was an only child. And Liam didn’t have siblings. Not even a cousin.

“She showed up at the gate, insisting that she’s the legal guardian to Olivia.” Roberto frowned at Olivia, as though he worried that she’d be taken away.

“That’s bullshit.” I hugged her closer.

“This isn’t,” the woman sneered, waving a document in the air. “That’s my sister’s baby, and I’ll be damned if you try to kidnap her from me.”

I tilted my head, instructing Roberto to get the paper from her. I wasn’t inclined to hand over Olivia, not even if that birth certificate proved anything. Olivia was Liam’s daughter, and he would be her guardian.

“I don’t think so,” the woman snapped, wrenching the paper out of Roberto’s reach.

“Then fuck off,” I said without any attempt to be polite or patient.

“You can’t tell me to leave.”

“I just did. If you have any legal claim to this girl, then you wouldn’t be afraid to let us see your so-called proof on that document.”

“It’s legit.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Then why wouldn’t you let him see the paper?”

“How do I know if he’d rip it and destroy it?” she sassed back. “Regardless,” she said as she shoved the paper into her purse, “that little girl isn’tyours, is she?”

“Wouldn’t you already know that? If you’re claiming to be the sister of the mother?”

She opened and closed her mouth. “Hand her over. She’s not yours.”

By blood, no. Olivia wasn’t mine. I didn’t give birth to her. But we were strengthening our bond. Ifeltlike a motherly figure to Olivia, and she came to me as though she trusted me as a parental person to rely on.

“Do you really think you are in any position to tellmewhat to do?”

Another guard arrived at the door, and I handed Olivia over to him as he strode into the house as backup.

Stalking closer to the woman, I let my defenses rise. The anger and protective energy that swarmed within me wouldn’t peter out anytime soon.

“Do you think you have any fucking power to walk in here and act like you’ll decide how things will be?”

She didn’t cower. She stayed right where she was, not budging, but I didn’t miss the nervousness she couldn’t hide. Her gaze darted around, as though she needed to mark an exitfrom my getting in her face. Her lips lowered as her haughty smirk weakened.

“Get the fuck out of here,” I warned.

“That child isn’t yours, no matter how much you want to pretend she is.”

“I’m not pretending anything.” I gripped her neck, forcing her to squawk in surprise. Her hands batted at my grip, but I didn’t care. Keeping my fingers on her neck, I pushed her to walk back out.

Even thoughshecouldn’t have any right to Olivia, she knew about her. And anyone knowing Olivia was here was dangerous. No one should be targeting her as someone to take. No one should be using her as a pawn in some kind of game.

At once, I worried that this redhead was working for the Devil’s Brothers, but she was too polished.Did Stefan send her here to take Olivia as yet another way to attack us and strike against us?

It didn’t matter who she was working for. She wouldn’t get past me. Despite my protectiveness over Olivia, her words hit a mark. They sank in and irked me, but I refused to show it.

I wasn’t pretending anything with Olivia. We’d forged a connection. She trusted me, and I cherished her as though I would my own flesh and blood. But hearing someone suggest that I didn’t have a legitimate claim on her wounded me.

As though Olivia couldn’t belong here, with me.

“You can’t?—”

I growled, unable to keep my anger pent up and bottled in. No one told me what I could and couldn’t do. Especially not this stranger. And not over anything to do with Olivia.

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