She had to wait her turn, because Sarah was at the front of the line for that.
I loved Sarah. Always had. I’d only pushed the idea of it down deep so I didn’t have to feel how much it hurt to crave someone I couldn’t have. Bill O’Banyon had seen to that. Claire’s birth had put the nail in the coffin of our relationship.
But Sawyer was whipped. Ever since Kelsey had kneed him in the balls, from what I’d figured.
But Bunky? That was a fucking bump in the road Sawyer was going to have to get over. I huffed out a laugh, because fortunately for me, I never had to worry about Sarah getting together with her brother-in-law.
At least one of the O’Banyon daughters had done what Daddy wanted and married well. But Lynn wasn’t the sister I cared about.
I pulled around the circle driveway and back down the lane to the main road. I’d been up all night. Based on Kelsey’s account, it appeared the dead guy was the suspected arsonist. He wasn’t going to be setting any more fires, but it was going to be hard to figure out why he’d set this one in the first place with him in the morgue.
All I wanted to do was climb into bed and sleep the day away, but that wasn’t going to happen. I had so much fucking paperwork from the two calls I’d be lucky if I got home by dinner.
My cell rang, and since I was driving, I didn’t check the display. I pushed the button to answer through speaker mode.
“Manning.”
“Ignoring me and my lawyer isn’t going to make me go away.”
The cranky voice had me grimacing. Fuck. Mandy. I’d meant to call her after talking with Kale in the ER, and deal with her shit, but I’d gotten sidetracked.
“I have a job, unlike you,” I said. I didn’t know if that was the case, but it was a pretty good guess.
“I’m filing for custody.”
“Why? You haven’t given a shit before now.” I wasn’t even sure why I was wasting my breath. I should let Kale deal with her and keep me from stroking out.
“Because she’s my daughter.”
“Bullshit. You haven’t called, sent cards, presents. Nothing. You don’t give a shit about her. What’s the real reason?”
She stayed silent.
“You want more money.”
“I’m her mother!” Her voice was shrill and agitated.
“And that makes you deserving of compensation?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I made her.”
I shook my head, pushed the button to lower the window so the fresh air came in. Made Claire? I thought of Maple and her puppies.
I counted to ten, then gritted out, “You do realize extorting a cop isn’t the smartest of ideas.”
“I want custody. I’ll petition for it.”
“Bullshit,” I said again. I’d initially paid her so she’d go away. She didn’t want Claire, but she’d put me on the birth certificate and told me Claire was mine because she knew I had deep pockets. Eighteen years’ worth. But when I’d learned the truth, having my name as Claire’s legal father had screwed her over. She hadn’t been able to put Claire up for adoption without my consent.
The only thing she could do was walk. And the fifty grand incentive I’d given her to do so had worked. But now she was back for more.
“It’s been five years, Mandy. Why the fuck are you back now? The cash didn’t hold you?”
“I have bills.”
Bills. More like she owed someone. Drugs. Gambling. Whatever.
I’d pay her. Hell, I’d sell the ranch if it meant keeping Claire safe. But Mandy was stupid. A judge would see through her petition. Through everything. Eventually. She’d drag this shit out if it meant a chance at some cash. She wasn’t stupid. She knew I was protective of Claire and was extorting that, too.
Fuck me.
I finally had a chance with Sarah, and Mandy was back.
I wanted a life with Sarah. I wanted her to know Claire, to be her mother. They hadn’t even met and the image was so perfect it made my breath catch. But having Mandy in the picture, fucking with all that, was not okay. I’d dealt with Mandy because I’d made her my business. But Sarah didn’t owe the woman anything. She deserved a family. Peace. Not a greedy drug addict threatening to destroy it all.
It was time to wean Mandy off the money tit. To make her gone for good. Because with her around, I couldn’t be completely free to have Sarah. The fact that Sarah had handcuffed me to my bed proved that.
“Try your shit if you want, but know this. You’re not getting near Claire. She’s not what you want. You don’t give a shit about her. Didn’t even ask how she was, what she looks like. I’ll get to the point. You’re not getting shit from me. Not one dime.”
“You’re a Manning. You’ve got more money than you can spend.”
“I do,” I said. “I’ll spend all of it to see you fail. Like I said. Go back under the rock you crawled out from under because I’m not your sugar daddy.”
“You’re an asshole,” she shouted.
I sighed. “So I’ve been told.”
I hung up. There was nothing new to say, and all talking would do was piss me off further. And her. The way she’d gotten more and more wound up as we spoke definitely meant she was unstable. I wanted her nowhere near me. Nowhere near Claire. I’d get Kale on it once he was off the pain pills, make her go away for good, because if I did it, she’d be buried in the back forty somewhere.
I didn’t hurt women, but Mandy? I’d make an exception because she was using my five-year-old as a pawn.
I thought of Sarah, of what kind of mother she’d be. How sweet she was—except right now with me—and caring. Thoughtful. Kind. Gentle. Hot as fuck. Passionate.
Shit. I thought of her riding my face.
