The Bad Things (Book 5)

Chapter 12. Engagement Party

"Abby, stop," I snapped. I groaned in frustration and rubbed my face fiercely with my hands. I dropped them and took a deep breath before I spoke. "Baby, they don't care that Stormy isn't biologically mine. I'm going to be the one raising her. Nobody is going to look at her differently because she isn't my blood. They love her, and I love her. That's all that matters."

"I guess," Abby said and sighed.

"Besides, if they didn't like you, they wouldn't want to throw us an engagement party."

"Maybe you're right."

"You know what else I'm right about?" I asked. I got on my hands and knees and inched closer to her face.

She smiled at the playfulness in my tone. "What's that?"

"We need a shower." My voice held nothing but authority.

She giggled. "Do we?"

"Mhm," I hummed. The second my lips caught hers, I got excited, and utterly disappointed in the next second when my phone rang. I groaned in frustration.

"You better get that. It could be your parents," Abby said.

I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, honey. We're on our way back. We were able to get into her bank account, but she hasn't used her debit card. She did go to the bank a few days before you got the call from Harold to withdraw quite a bit of money, though," Mom explained. "Benny searched through the airport's records, and she hasn't got onto a flight. There is no telling if she used cash for a rental car. She left her vehicle at home."

"Okay. He must have called her then. Can you double-check that it's her that went to the bank through the cameras?" I asked. Part of me wondered if Harold emptied her account.

"Benny checked that," Mom said. "It's definitely Irena. She's fine, honey, wherever she is. Did you tell Abigail about the engagement party?"

"Oh, yeah," I said and smirked. My eyes flickered to Abby. "She's all for it."

"Great because we're doing it this weekend at one of our dinner clubs," Mom said. "Andrea and I are going to take her shopping for a dress to wear tomorrow."

"I'll warn her," I said and chuckled.

"Okay. Bye." Mom hung up the phone. It sounded like she could barely contain her excitement. If Mom could pull the party off sooner, she probably would have tried.

"We need to get Marlena a plane ticket. Call her and tell her about the engagement party," I said. "Mom's planning it for the weekend and wants to take you shopping for an outfit tomorrow."

Abigail sighed. "Have you told them about us moving?"

"Haven't had a chance."

"Daddy," Stormy called for me as she dashed into the bedroom. Her brown curls flew out behind her as she ran.

"Hey, baby girl."

"Daddy, can we go to the zoo?"

"The zoo?" I looked at Abigail.

Abigail shrugged.

Stormy's hopeful face made it impossible to say no. "Sure, the zoo," I agreed. "Go find your shoes."

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