Page 160 of Papa's Bébé


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“Actually, you’re not the only person who has been under stress, Kathryn,” Matthieu said. “And I find it interesting that neither you nor your husband have bothered to check in with Maya.”

Whoa.

Had he really just said that? She couldn’t believe he was sticking up for her. And to Kathryn. No one spoke to her like this.

“I thought your job was to guard,” Kathryn said nastily. “Not speak.”

Oh hell no. Maya wasn’t going to let this bitch talk to Matthieu like that. Sure, she might put up with Kathryn being mean to her. But she didn’t get to speak to people that Maya cared about that way.

Usually Kathryn was more guarded around other people, not wanting to do anything to tarnish her reputation. Which meant she looked down on Matthieu. That she saw him as . . . nothing.

And he was definitely not that.

“Do not speak to Matthieu that way. You have no right. He is putting himself at risk to guard me because someone is threatening Dad.”

“Yes, your dad. Not you,” Kathryn spat out. “It’s ridiculous to have a bodyguard on you.”

“Where is the person who is meant to be watching you?” Matthieu asked, moving closer to Maya.

She could feel his warmth at his back.

“Outside. Minding their own business and not speaking,” Kathryn said. “They know how to do their job well. Obviously, you don’t. I will be informing my husband of this when I get home and I’m sure that he will fire you.”

“You’re threatening to have him fired now?” Maya asked.

“You hardly need a guard,” Kathryn sneered. “And this is costing your father a fortune. He is throwing away money. We just received a bill from the security firm he works for.” She gestured toward Matthieu. “And it is ridiculous.”

“If it’s so ridiculous and Maya doesn’t need guarding, then why hasn’t the police chief gotten in touch with Ink?” Matthieu asked. “Why hasn’t he told him that the job is over and pulled me away?”

Kathryn pressed her lips together. “I don’t need to explain myself to you. You’re a nobody.”

“Actually, you’re the nobody, Kathryn,” Maya told her. “You’ve always been mean and bitter. I don’t think you’ve ever liked me. From the start, you decided I was . . . I don’t know . . . competition or something.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. As if someone as unimportant as you could ever be competition for me. Your father chose me and he’s never once chosen you.”

The sad thing was that she was right. Her father had chosen Kathryn over and over again. When Maya had finally worked up the courage to tell him the things that Kathryn was saying to her, he’d confronted her stepmother. Only for the older woman to deny everything and turn it back on Maya.

And he’d taken Kathryn’s word over Maya’s.

Maya had become known as a liar. A difficult child. While Kathryn got away with everything. It had hurt Maya so badly that even now she found it hard to open up, to let people in.

To trust.

Her mom had left her even though she hadn’t wanted to.

Her brother had stuck around for a while. But he had his own life and it didn’t really involve Maya.

Her sister had left her for a better life, which Maya couldn’t blame her for even if she wanted to.

And then her father had left her. Not physically, but emotionally. He’d betrayed her trust and she wasn’t certain she’d ever be able to repair her relationship with him.

Or if she even wanted to

Suddenly, she found herself facing a broad back. Wow, for a big guy Matthieu could move remarkably quickly and quietly.

“You need to leave right now,” he said to Kathryn.

“You don’t tell me what to do!”