Page 36 of The Hottest Daddy
“Angelina, I think we should go.” Scanlan gripped Angelina’s arm, but she ripped it away and lunged for Sunday. Sunday was ready for the attack and deftly side-stepped Angelina, kicking out the back of her knee and sending her sprawling on the floor.
Angelina scrambled to her feet and tried again but Sunday, who was ready for a fight, waved her on. “Bring it, bitch. River can’t hit a woman but I sure as hell can. Give me the pleasure, Angelina.”
“That won’t be necessary, Ms. Kemp.” Scanlan seemed rattled. He hoisted Angelina to her feet and nodded at River. “Forgive me, Mr. Giotto. I had no idea.”
Angelina made a disgusted noise but Scanlan practically dragged her from the house. Angelina was still screaming as Scanlan pushed her into the car. Sunday and River watched them drive away and then looked at each other.
“Did that just happen?” River said incredulously and Sunday busted out laughing.
“It sure did, cowboy. You nailed her.”
“Younailed her. God, that was so hot.”
Sunday kissed him. “Come show me how hot.”
“Ahem,” said Carmen, a grin on her face, returning with Berry. “Children present.”
She looked at River, who swept his daughter up into his arms. Berry kissed his cheek. Carmen put her hand on his arm. “You all right?”
“I am,” he said. “I told her. I fought her. I feel … better.”
Carmen and Sunday both grinned at him. Sunday had tears in her eyes. “Never been prouder.”
“Why don’t I make us all some lunch? Any preference?” Carmen asked, the grin on her face showing she knew what they would all say.
“Pizza.”
“Pizza!”
Carmen chuckled. “Come on then.”
River took Sunday’s hand as they followed Carmen back to the kitchen. “Thank you, baby, for being there for me.”
Sunday smiled up at him, her eyes full of love. “Any time, gorgeous man. Any time.”
Angelina didn’t stop screaming at him the whole drive away from River Giotto’s place and finally, sick of her shrill voice, Scanlan cold-cocked her with a punch to the temple. Her head made a satisfying crack as it bounced off the side window and finally, she was silent.
Scanlan sighed with relief. He wanted to think about Marley, about how she hadn’t a clue who he was, what he was to her life. How beautiful she looked. Her hair, back to its natural chocolate brown, her big dark eyes, that full, pink mouth …
He was surprised she hadn’t looked more scared, that she had been so open about who she really was. If she had come here to start a new life … well … clearly, she was sleeping with River Giotto. No matter. Let her think she was happy.
Scanlan drove out into the mountains and parked at an overlook. He stared out at the snow-covered ground. What now? Angelina hadn’t told him about her abuse of Giotto and he marveled at her stupidity in trying to go up against him. So, he had lost his ‘in’ with them … or had he? He looked at the unconscious woman in the seat next to him. Angelina knew his secret … but if he ended up dead now, he would be the first to be arrested. That didn’t mean he couldn’t threaten her if she attempted to break her silence … He would have to tread carefully.
All he cared about was getting Marley—Sunday—into his life and away from Giotto. Maybe if he promised Angelina she would get River back when he took Sunday away … of course, he would never let that happen. He would kill Giotto, frame Angelina, and leave her to the consequences while he began his life properly with the woman he loved.
He wasn’t stupid enough to believe Sunday would fall for him straight away—she would be too busy grieving for her dead Italian bastard—but slowly, she would realize his death meant she would finally be where she belonged.
Scanlan had abandoned his first plan of taking her to his upstate New York compound. No. He would have to take her out of the country, somewhere the FBI couldn’t find them. He bought an island, a tiny, private place in the Leeward islands. Somewhere she had no chance of escaping him.
Somewhere, if it came to it, her murder would go unnoticed, her body undiscovered.
Angelina gave a groan and he waited until she opened her eyes and focused on him before he smiled at her. “Wakey, wakey, Angelina. I have some good news for you.”
Chapter Eighteen
Sunday ran her hands down River’s body as they showered together the next morning. He grinned down at her, water dripping from his dark curls, water droplets in his long, thick eyelashes. Sunday kissed him. “I love you.” Her words were simple, but she meant them with her whole heart.
It was strange. Despite the threat to her safety, there was a peace in her heart with this man. She truly belonged here, with him, and nothing was going to break that.
