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Page 39 of SEAL's Doorstep Baby

“Soldier boy.” He drawls, taking a seat right beside me. “I’m here because your sister owes me a large amount of money, and the way I see it, that debt is transferable. She owed me, and now you owe me, too.”

I have never wanted to end someone’s existence as much as I want to right now, but I can’t. And he knows it. My fist clenches, and when he sees it, his smirk grows.

He thinks he has me trapped in a corner, and that’s his first mistake.

“Tell me about this debt.”

He falters. “Huh?”

“The debt. What did my sister owe you?”

He scrambles quickly. “$50K.”

“$50,000?” I confirm.

He nods.

I scoff. “My sister didn’t have 50k. Ever.”

“Who do you think paid for that little brat?” He asks, nodding his head towards the playground. I grit my teeth, knowing he’s talking about my niece. Hisdaughter.

No, not his. Emily’s.

“What do you mean?” I fight the urge to throw a punch.

“Emily couldn’t afford her stupid medical bills. Called me all boo-hoo-ing about it. Actually, called my parents’ line.

Pathetic bit—”

“Watch your tongue.” I cut in sharply. Inside of me, a rage boils. If my every action wouldn’t be used against me to get full custody of Maddie, I’d have this guy buried in the dirt.

Jeff looks at me warily, sensing the anger simmering just beneath the surface. He shrugs, shuffling a bit. “Anyway, the way I see it, I paid her all that money to get out of child support, but now, there ain’t no child support. No one to pay it to.”

I grit my teeth, rolling my eyes towards the sky.Idiot.I could point out that isn’t how child support works. I could point out that he’s a monster for even thinking this. I could bash his teeth in.

I choose another option.

“Emily didn’t owe you anything. If you—well, your parents—I’m guessing, actually. If your parents decided to help themotherof their grandchild with medical bills, good for them on one good choice, considering they must have made about a hundred shitty ones to make you.”

Jeff’s face goes red. He scowls.

I lean in. “I’m not paying you a dime.”

“Then I’ll come and get my kid. Let’s see what the court says about my rights as her father.” He has a sick smile on his face ashe turns to look at Maddie playing with the kids around her, but this time it doesn’t even move me to anger.

I know that it is a bluff. I know that he doesn’t actually want the responsibility or the bills that come from raising a kid. But… It still feels like too much to risk. It feels like Emily wouldn’t want me to take a chance.

“I’ve done my research on you, Jeff. I know you owe someone money—someone evensickerthan you. And I know, for a fact, that Emily didn’t owe you anything. So, you should be begging for my help right now, not making demands. You should be begging me to help you keep your pitiful life instead of ending up in a ditch in the back of an alley.”

Time to pull out the big guns.

“And if you even think of fighting me for custody for a single second, then you’re stupider than you look.”

The combination of a reminder of his debt and my threat must be too much for him, because his eyes widen even more and spittle flies out his mouth when he responds.

“I’ve done my research on you too, soldier boy. The fact that you’re living in her home and playing house with her friend doesn’t change anything, and it doesn’t make you anything other than what you are. A killer.” He spits hatefully, but despite his intentions, his venom has no effect on me.

I wouldn’t kill you even if I was paid a million dollars. You aren’t worth it.


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