Page 34 of Luke

I do not deny that. Please don’t regret it. I liked it.

I did too but you just got out of a relationship.

That relationship ended almost a year ago, Luke. You know there’s that thin line between love and hate. He pushed me tothe hate side. He’s trying to take my baby.

I won’t let that happen. I’ll talk to you later after I talk to my mom. Have a good evening.

You do the same. Bye.

Bryce set the phone on arm of the sofa and smiled. She couldn’t get over that he apologized for kissing her. He must have thought he overstepped. She was taken by surprise, but she liked it. She wouldn’t mind more. But she didn’t know if she’d have to leave Clifton.

She wasn’t sure how Mick would find her, but she also knew he wouldn’t give up until he did. Then the real battle would begin and if he thought she was just going to sit back and let him take her daughter, he had another think coming. She wasn’t going down without a fight.

When she heard Leah fussing, she got up, warmed a bottle, then went to the bedroom to get her. After changing her, she walked to the sofa, sat down, and fed her. Bryce smiled as she stared at her little girl, then leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“Mama loves you, little girl. You’re two months old now. Time sure flies.”

As she gazed at Leah, she prayed Mick would never find her or he’d give up trying, but she knew better. He’d do anything to find her, if for no other reason, then to appease his wife.

****

Mick Burns sat at his mahogany desk, his fingers tapping impatiently against the polished surface. His sharp hazel eyes glared at the man sitting across from him, who shifted uncomfortably under his intense gaze.

“You’re telling me you can’t find her?” Mick’s voice was low and controlled but laced with barely contained frustration.

“No sir,” the man muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Mick slammed his hand down on the desk. “No sir, what? Are you telling me you can’t find her or are you telling me you did find her?”

The man flinched. “I-I can’t find her, sir.”

“I don’t understand! She was driving to Seattle. That is the only place she would go. I told you she said she’d go to Seattle.” Mick’s tone was incredulous.

“She never arrived,” the man replied awkwardly.

“Then she’s obviously somewhere between Minnesota and Washington. What’s so fucking hard to understand?” Mick’s voice rose in annoyance.

“What do you want me to do?” the man asked, shifting nervously in his seat.

“Find her!”Mick growled. “I want my child and if you can’t find her, then I’ll find someone who can.” He shook his head in frustration. “Mr. Craig, you came highly recommended, but I’ll be damned if I can figure out why.”

He took a deep breath and calmed himself before continuing. “Look, I’m usually a laid-back kind of man, but my wife can’t have kids, so she wants that baby. Am I making sense?”

“Yes, sir,” the man nodded quickly. “But won’t you have to get custody?”

Mick smirked. “There are other ways of getting custody besides going through court. I can prove she’s unfit or has no means to raise her... any way I have to use to get that child. A child my wife desperately wants.” He leaned back in his chair. “Now, get the fuck out there and find her.”

“I’ll be in touch,” Craig said, quickly standing and exiting the room.

“Fucking idiot,” Mick muttered to himself. “She was on her way to Seattle. How hard can it be?” He picked up a heavy paperweight from his desk and hurled it across the room in frustration.

The door opened and his wife, Sally, entered, closing it gently behind her.

“Did he find her?” she asked anxiously.

Mick shook his head. “No.”

“I see.” She slumped into a chair, dejected.

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