Page 102 of Castings & Curses

“Jesus, were you in a cat fight?” He grabbed my arm and twisted it from side to side.

Long red scratches traveled up my forearm from wrist to elbow.

“Huh,” I said as I took them in. And then I smiled. I don’t remember Eric’s touch being quite that aggressive. But those nails had been sharp.

I snatched my arm away from Dylan’s touch.

“What are you doing here?”

“I want to see Liv. I’m here for my time with her.”

I blinked and stared. My brain wasn’t quite triggering on the words he said. We didn’t have a custody arrangement. I had full custody.

“Visits are supposed to be arranged,” I snapped.

“Well arrange it. I’m here for a visit,” he snarled back.

“No, you need to call ahead of time. Let me know so I can have her ready. Shit like that. You can’t just show up and—”

“Daddy!” Liv bolted out of the door and threw herself into Dylan’s arms.

“My girl. Go get packed, you’re coming with me for a few days.” He was all smiles and kisses.

“Really?” She turned her big eyes up at me. “But what about my sister?”

“You can’t take Sarina, I’m sorry, sweetie,” I said.

She started to whine and fuss.

“What sister? What’s going on, Paisley?”

“Her new best friend. They have the same bathing suit, so they decided they were twins, and therefore must be sisters.”

“We are, we are twins.” Liv huffed and stomped her foot.

“What kind of bullshit is that? You don’t have a sister, Liv. Now go get packed, your stepmother wants to meet you.” He pushed her toward the door.

“Go inside, baby, I’ll be there in a second.”

I quietly watched Liv step inside. I flicked my fingers, shooing her away from the door. When I thought she was out of earshot, I turned on Dylan with venom.

“Don’t ever push her like that again. She is four, let her have her moment of thinking the same clothes make her and her friend twins. Do you even have a car seat for Liv?”

He gestured dramatically at his car.There was a car seat in the back. But his new wife was not in the passenger seat. Fuck, he was already married, and I…I… I had long scratches up my arm, and probably across my back, from Eric. I was definitely winning.

I turned to go inside. “Stay here, we’ll be back.”

Upstairs, I helped Liv put a few things for an overnight into a backpack. With her favorite stuffy in her arms, I followed Liv back downstairs and onto the front porch. I handed Dylan her bag.

“You can have two nights with her. And next time, you have to make arrangements with me more than fourteen days in advance. You’re the one who didn’t want to get bogged down with a formal agreement. Well, I’m the one being the parent and in charge of her schedule, so two weeks' notice next time and only if convenient for me.”

“You used to be so happy to do what I told you to do. You’ve become one hell of a bitch.”

As they started down the stairs, I couldn’t stop myself. “Say hi to surfer Suzie for me.”

“Her name is Blake, you ignorant cow.”

“Before you go, as the primary custodial parent and legal guardian, I do not give permission for Liv, who is not of legal age to consent, to appear in any social media photos. None, you got that? She is not your influencer fodder. And I will pursue it legally if that happens. Be sure to tell your lovely new wife.”

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