Page 200 of Be My First

“You didn’t tell me about my daughter. Averie, how could you?”

“You know why.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No. It isn’t, and if you have spoken to me, you’d know that.”

“We’ve had this conversation before,” I say softly. “I’ve heard your promises over and over.”

“That was then.”

“Maybe.” I check my watch. Graham will be here any moment.

“You can’t go,” he says.

“What?”

“You’re not leaving and taking my daughter anywhere.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Cash, I told you, I've been planning this trip for ages.” He actually has no idea what this trip is and why it’s so important to me. I’m not the one who planned this trip, and I’m not missing it for anything.

“I’m going with you.” He’s stepped in front of me, blocking my path to the door. My mouth drops open. I have no words.

“You can’t. There’s no room,” I stammer.

“There is room. I just heard your friend isn’t coming now.”

Dammit. He’s right.

“This is insane.”

“Not as insane as keeping my daughter a secret from me.” He closes his mouth into a hard line. I hate that I’ve hurt him so much. I really do, but I didn’t have any other choice.

“You aren’t going,” I counter. “That’s final. We can talk when we return.”

“You don’t get to call the shots anymore. We are both her parents.”

My stomach drops.

He steps closer to me until he’s just inches from my face. He’s trying to intimidate me.It’s working.

“I don’t want to play dirty, but you’ve left me no choice.”

I suck in a quick breath. I have an idea what’s coming, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.

“If you leave with my daughter right now, I will hire the most expensive lawyers, and I will sue you not for joint custody but for full custody.”

I feel bile rising in my throat. Tears burning my eyes.

“And I will win,” he continues.

“You wouldn’t,” I say, my voice raspy.

“I would, and I will if I'm not in that car with you. Averie, you know I can afford the best lawyers. I can spend millions if I need to. You don’t have that kind of money. You’ll never be able to fight me in court.”

“They don’t normally take sole custody away...” I start to say weakly.

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