Heiress for Hire (Cuttersville #2)(65)
Author: Erin McCarthy

He stepped up onto the stoop, knocking her back into the door when she moved to avoid his touch. "She’s in the house, isn’t she?" His face came close to hers, his hot tobacco breath blasting her cheek. "Move out of my way, or I’ll knock you out of my way."

His eyes were mean little slits, his skin sallow, his chin full of stubble. She could smell his sweat, a sour stale combination of dirt, cigarette smoke, and greed.

"If you lay one finger on Piper, I’ll ram your balls into your throat." Her voice was hoarse, and it trembled just a bit at the end, but she meant it. She would scratch, bite, kick if need be.

"Move."

"No."

Mark took a step back, turned a little like he was going to leave. Amanda felt relief surge up in her. Then before she could register the movement, he rotated back, and the flat of his hand connected with her face.

Sharp pain cracked through her cheek, nose, and skull. Her tongue caught between her teeth, and she tasted blood. Her ears rang, and she stumbled to the left, nearly falling off the stoop. The door opened and Piper came out.

"No! Leave Amanda alone. I’ll go with you, just don’t hurt her."

Blinking hard to clear her watery eyes, Amanda lunged toward Piper. "Get back in the house!" She jerked Piper behind her and faced Mark. "You cannot have her, do you understand me? Never."

Her cheek throbbed, her eyes teared, and her nose was running. She was heading toward hysterical, and this goddamn bastard stepfather from hell was not taking this child from her.

Mark lifted a hand toward her like he was going to grab her. Amanda whacked him with her handbag. His expression indicated that had only pissed him off further. But the clank of her handbag gave her a thought. When he reached for her the second time, she pulled out her hairspray, took aim, and shot him right in the eyes.

Even as he let out a roar and swiped at his face, she kept spraying, walking forward as he stumbled backward. When he fell off the stoop and landed on his butt, she shook the can again, ready to give him another round of Garnier Fructis Style Full Control Hairspray.

Piper held onto the back of her shirt, and Amanda called over her shoulder, "Get back in the house, Piper!"

Her hand was trembling on the can as she backed them both up, planning on getting in the house and locking the door. Hopefully Mark would just leave when he realized he couldn’t get Piper.

But Mark was already scrambling to his feet, wiping at his eyes and swearing violently.

"Don’t you take another step."

Amanda gave a sigh of relief when she saw Daniel standing in the driveway a few feet away, a shotgun in his hand, raised in the air and aimed at Mark. The gun made that Dirty Harry sound, the one that meant the owner was now free to pump bullets into you.

"Get away from those girls, and get your sorry ass off my land before I shoot it."

Mark’s eyes were red and swollen, his cheeks streaked with tears. He clenched his fists tight, while Amanda held her breath. She gave Piper a gentle nudge, hoping to get her in the house still. Piper stumbled, her arms tight around Amanda’s waist. She reached for the screen door at the same time Mark turned around and went to his car.

He spat on the ground and wiped his face on the sleeve of his sweatshirt before climbing into the truck. His parting words were lost to Amanda because she was backing Piper into the house, keeping her eyes trained on Mark.

But he just drove away in a cloud of dust, and Daniel lowered his gun.

Amanda almost wet her floral skirt in relief. She turned and picked up Piper, straining a little under her weight, but wanting to reassure her she was okay. Wanting to reassure both of them that they were okay. Piper flung her arms around her neck and clung tight to her.

"It’s okay, he’s gone," Amanda whispered.

"You alright?" Daniel asked, coming up on the stoop and ushering them into the house.

"We’re okay." Amanda sank to the couch with Piper in her lap.

"I’m calling the sheriff’s office, let them know about this. Then I’m calling the lawyer."

"Okay." Amanda petted Piper’s back and took deep breaths. Piper was fine, she was still there. He couldn’t take her away. Ever. No one was ever taking Piper away from her.

She kissed the top of Piper’s head on her grubby hat. She understood now. Even though she thought she had before, now there was no question about it. Piper was hers. Hers and Danny’s.

Danny drove too fast.

He couldn’t stop himself. He wanted to get home to his daughter and Amanda. He wanted to hear the truth, awful or not, about Amanda’s feelings for him.

So he turned into the driveway at forty-five miles an hour and did a number on the undercarriage of his truck when he hit a hole in the gravel and bounced hard. He decided to slow it down a bit when he spotted a sheriff’s patrol car in front of his house.

Going slow was no longer an option. A patrol car could only mean trouble, and he didn’t want to even think what that could mean. He wasn’t even sure how he got from the end of the drive to the house, but suddenly he was on the front stoop, wrenching the door open, his heart in his throat.

"What’s going on?"

His father was standing in the living room, talking to an officer. Piper and Amanda were on the couch, arms wrapped around each other. Amanda had a purple bruise across her cheek and a split lip. Danny skirted around the end table and went down on a knee, grateful they seemed okay if a little bruised, puzzled as to what was going on.

He put his hand on Piper’s back and stroked her. "What happened?"

"You Daniel Tucker Junior?" the sheriff asked him.

"Yes." He took Piper against his chest when she turned and reached for him, her thin arms held out wide. She’d never really done that before—asked for a hug. It scared Danny at the same time it pleased him that she trusted him now. "What’s the matter, baby girl? Something happen?"

"Mark was here," Amanda said in a low voice. "But we’re okay."

Danny stood up, Piper in his arms, making low shushing noises to her. Anger settled over him, cold and furious. "What did he want?"

"Apparently he wants to dispute your custody of the child," the sheriff said. "Only when he tried to take her, your girlfriend here wouldn’t let him."

Kissing the top of Piper’s head, Danny looked at the bruise on Amanda’s cheek. "He hit you?" he asked in outrage.

She nodded, looking nervous.

"Are you okay?"

Amanda nodded again.

He wanted to say exactly what he thought of a motherfucker who would hit a woman, and in front of a child, no less, but he couldn’t while holding Piper. Turning to the sheriff, he asked, "Did you arrest him for hitting her? Trespassing? Attempted kidnapping? Piper is my biological daughter, and he does not have legal custody. My lawyer can tell you that. I’m in the middle of petitioning for permanent full custody. Mark was just her stepfather, and a verbally abusive one at that. Now that her mother is dead, she belongs with me."