I shake my head, pressing my lips together to stop their quiver. “I can’t, Mick. Not when he’s planning to take my daughter from me.”
“You’re her mother, Anna. No one can take her away from you.”
“He’s her father,” I whisper, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “But regardless of the power he holds… I won’t let him win. If he wants a fight, I’ll give him one. I’ll burn before I let him take my daughter away from me.” I clutch the papers tighter and lean closer to my daughter, as if drawing strength from her smile. “I won’t lose her. Not to him.” I say, my eyes flicking toward him.
Mick squeezes my hand. “And you won’t. We’ll figure this out, Anna. Together.”
I take a deep, shuddering breath, letting some of the panic ebb away. My gaze drifts to Liala, laughing softly at her bunny, and I feel that surge of fire again. Protect. Defend. Never let him take what’s mine.
I glance back at Mick. “I need to go meet him. Please, take care of her.”
“I’ve got her, Anna. Don’t worry about a thing in here. Go handle him. Make sure he knows you’re not backing down.”
I nod at him, then lean down and press a soft kiss to Liala’s curls, breathing in the scent of her shampoo, the warmth of her skin. Her tiny hands clutch my shirt, and I squeeze her just a little tighter.
“Be good for Mick. Okay, baby girl?” I whisper, my voice trembling.
She giggles, letting go just enough for me to stand. My heart aches as I pull away, but I force myself upright. One last glance at her smiling face steels my resolve, and I turn toward the door.
The drive to his office is a blur. The papers sit in the passenger seat like a ticking bomb, each red light tightening the knot in my chest. My hands grip the wheel hard enough to ache, but nothing stops the storm tearing through me.
By the time I pull into the stone tower that houses his empire, my pulse hammers in my throat. Still, I manage to step out of the car, my shoulders squared, and stride toward the entrance. The cool air hits me as I push through the revolving doors.
Inside, I make my way to the reception desk.
“Hi, I’m Anna Delgado. Can you please inform Mr. Hayes I’m here to meet him?”
The young receptionist looks at me with a polite smile. “Ms. Delgado, Mr. Hayes has been waiting for you. He asked me to send you straight in.”
Of course he has. He knew. He fucking knew this would drag me here.
Nodding at her, I stride down the corridor, every step heavy with irritation and fury. The moment I reach his door, I push it open without knocking and step inside, letting it click shut behind me.
Landon looks up from his laptop, a trace of a smirk tugging at his mouth. “Oh, what a pleasant surprise.”
I stride up to his desk and slam the papers down in front of him. “Still the same, aren’t you? Love sending notices. First divorce papers, and now this.”
He settles back in his chair, his fingers steepled. “I guess you’ve got me figured out. No need to spell it out. I get what I want.”
“You won’t get my daughter.”
His eyes lock onto mine as he leans forward, slamming his hand onto the desk with full force. “Ourdaughter.”
The correction slices through me, but I hold my ground.
“Our daughter? Don’t you dare act like you’ve been a part of her life. I’ve been the one raising her, staying up every night, holding everything together. She’s mine, Landon. Not yours.”
“Don’t you dare say I wasn’t there. You made sure of that, Anna. You decided for both of us. You shut me out.”
“And maybe I’d do it again. Because at least I knew she was safe.” My hands grip the edge of his desk, my knuckles turning white, but I don’t back down. “And get this in your thick head. I won’t let you waltz in and claim her because you feel the urge to play father. You lost that right the moment you left me.”
“You think I’ll just let go and not fight for her because you decided I’m not worthy enough?” his voice drops, low and dangerous. “Hate to break it to you, but I’m her father. That’s not something you get to monopolize.” His hand clenches into a fist on the desk. “And I don’t care how much you’ve done, Anna. Iwillbe a part of her life. You don’t want my name back? Fine. But my daughter will carry it, whether you like it or not.”
“Over my dead body,” I snap.
His eyes darken with fury like a predator ready to strike. “You’re wasting your breath with your threats. Nothing you say will make me back down or let you call the shots. Try all you want, but you won’t keep me out of my daughter’s life, even if I have to drag this to court myself.”
I take a deep breath, trying to keep the edge from my voice. “Landon… listen. I know you’re angry that I kept her from you. But we don’t have to drag this to court. We can work something out. Maybe you can see her for a few hours on weekends, holidays—”
