Page 44 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 4

“And why was she kidnapped in the first place? Something having to do with your business or your money? The fact that you’re a billionaire and try to pretend like you’re just an everyday Joe. I warned you to get security when you were out and about, but no, I was being ostentatious and overbearing.”

“Fuck you, Portia. Fuck you and your weak excuses for not being in our daughter’s life. I’ve told you what’s going to happen. Now get the fuck out of my house. You can use the bathroom to clean yourself up but that’s the end of it. You, me, and Emily are done. You’re more damaging to her life when you attempt to be in it for five whole minutes. We’ll be fine without you. Actually, we’ll thrive without you.”

“Don’t say that. Rhodes. Please. Don’t take my daughter away from me.” She stood up, one arm curving around her belly where Maia had kneed her good. “Look, I know I’ve been a shit mom. I know it. But I truly do want to change. To be a bettermom. I came here today to surprise Em. I even have gifts for her from Prague.”

I started to shake my head.

“No, no, please. I swear I had Emily’s best interest at heart when coming here. I also have a mother and daughter spa day booked for this weekend. My weekend. You said I need to be in her life. This was my first step.”

“You can’t just break in and offer Emily gifts and a spa day to get on her good side. She’s not five anymore, Portia. She’s going to be fourteen soon. You think your crap has gone unnoticed by her? You know, when I introduced Maia as my fiancé, Emily was excited about the idea that she’d finally have a woman in her life every day.”

“Not like she hasn’t had Marisol,” Portia griped under her breath.

“Marisol is like a grandmother. Fucking hell.” I laced my hands behind my neck and breathed through the anger bubbling in my gut. “You see, it’s this type of thing that proves you are not capable of being unselfish. You should be so happy Emily’s had Marisol because she didn’t have her mom! At least she had a mature feminine example but again, the thing you don’t seem to get is she didn’t want another woman. Emily wanted you! Her mother. And Marisol has been great, but she has a job to do. She isn’t spending all her time bonding with Emily. She’s running the house, doing the cooking, cleaning, laundry, the bills, taking and picking up Emily from school. But when the day is done, or the weekend comes along, she’s spending time with her family. You’d know all of that if you talked to your own child for more than a minute at a time.”

Portia’s shoulders fell and she leaned against the wall, completely deflated. “I know. I’m a bad mother. But I really do want a second chance.”

“Second… More like a thousand chances.”

“Okay, fine, you’ve given me a thousand chances. I’m asking for one more. Please. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

That’s when I remembered I needed to take Maia to Colorado this weekend for her grandmother’s funeral. I had no idea what we were going to encounter with her stepfather and stepbrother but I knew it wasn’t a situation I could bring Emily into. I’d planned on leaving her with Marisol and a dozen guards, but this might be a two birds one stone situation. With Marisol here, along with Portia, Emily could get the one-on-one time with her mother under Marisol’s supervision. I’d pay her double to stay the weekend. After what happened today and last week, I didn’t think Marisol was planning to be too far away from Emily anyway.

I clenched my teeth so hard my molars ached. “Fine. Against my better judgment, I’m going to give you your thousand and one chance. On Friday, Maia and I have to go to Colorado. Her grandmother passed away. After what Emily’s been through, I’d rather not have her travel or attend a funeral.”

“No problem. I’ll take her for the weekend.”

“You’ll come and stay in the guest house, starting Friday until I come back. It may take a few days to settle things up with Maia’s family. If you are the mother you say you want to be, you will cancel everything you have on your schedule and focus all of your time and attention on your daughter. Marisol will be here to supervise.”

“I don’t need someone to supervise me taking care of my own daughter.” The sass oozed from her mouth.

“Well, seeing as you’ve never taken care of your child a day in her life, I view things differently. Emily trusts Marisol. She wants to trust you. Right now, she needs people that love her at her back. It’s whatsheneeds,not you. Do you understand?”

“Fine. But can I still take her to the spa day?”

“If you take her, you will also take Marisol and no less than four members of my new security team. Frank will not be included in that mix. As of today, your fuck buddy will be out of a job.”

“Seriously, that’s not necessary. It was years and years ago, Rhodes.”

“What you don’t understand is this: I don’t give a fuck. He let an unauthorized person into my home. Our daughter had been kidnapped, Portia. Taken by gunpoint and held for hours before I was able to get to her. Emily’s safety matters more than anything. Now, the next step for you is to clean yourself up. Go and apologize to Emily and Marisol for what you did. I’ll see if Maia is interested in hearing your apology.”

“But she’s the one that attacked me! I’m bleeding, for crying out loud. And she better not have scarred me. My face is my moneymaker.”

“No, the fact that you’re my ex-wife and I’m a decent guy who pays you an exorbitant alimony is how you make your money. Let’s not get it twisted.”

“You’re a real bastard, you know that?”

“Yeah, I’m also the bastard who decides whether you go or stay in your daughter’s life. The bathroom is there, in case you’ve forgotten,” I directed and then stormed toward my bedroom.

I heard the shower running and knew I needed to burn off some of this frustration before I went down and talked to Emily.

When I entered the bathroom, steam engulfed me. Maia was under the spray, hands braced on the wall, head down.

Sizzling need raced through my veins as I shucked off my pants and entered the shower stall taking in her strong body and luscious ass.

When Maia turned around to greet me, I grabbed her around the ribs and hoisted her up. Her legs automatically woundaround my waist. I was already hard as I prodded at her entrance.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

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