Final Offer (Dreamland Billionaires #3) by Lauren Asher

He sounds…hurt?

No. That can’t be.

Can it?

I tuck the bin of toys back in its shelf. “I’m sorry.”

“Why didn’t you ask me?” He steps closer until I can smell his aftershave.

Something in my chest tugs hard.

“Lana.”

I look away from his face. “The guy I was with before…”

Cal takes a deep breath as he tucks his hands into his pockets.

“I asked him a few times to watch Cami while I went out with Violet and Delilah. Wyatt didn’t mind taking care of Cami, but I thought it would be a good bonding opportunity for Victor and her, so I let him.” I release a laugh that borders on hysterical.

Cal abandons his spot and swoops me into his arms.

“I really want a full name for this asshole.”

I clutch the fabric of his shirt, holding on to him like a lifeline. “It’s not like anything physically happened to her, but she would ask him a few too many questions and he would lose his cool. Ended up yelling at her and making her cry multiple times. Even sent her to her room once, like he had any right to punish her.”

“I know you don’t condone physical violence, but for him, I hope you made an exception.”

I shake my head against his chest. “I didn’t find out what happened until a few months later, once we broke up over something else. Cami kept it a secret the whole time because she was worried I would choose Victor over her. How freaking sad is it that my kid couldn’t tell me someone hurt her because she didn’t want to lose me? Like I would ever choose a man over her.” Tears begin to fall, soaking the material of his shirt.

He runs a hand up and down my back, soothing me through my sobs. I didn’t mean to cry, but the tears won’t stop flowing now that they have started.

“I’m sorry you and Cami had to go through that together. But I can assure you, I wouldn’t dare raise my voice at your kid. That’s the last thing I would want after going through something similar myself.”

I sniffle, trying to fight back the tears. “I know that—deep down I know you wouldn’t—but I made myself a promise after I learned about what Victor did.”

“What promise?”

“That I wouldn’t let anyone who I didn’t fully trust take care of Cami.”

He winces, although his hand never stops running up and down my spine. “I know you don’t have a reason to fully trust me yet, but I know one day you will.” He speaks with absolute certainty, as if he won’t accept any other option.

Honestly, I’m not sure there is another one for Cal.

“Look! My name!” Cami’s arms shake from exertion as she drags a huge box behind her.

Cal hops off the couch and helps her bring the package inside the guesthouse.

“What is that?” I check out the label with Cami’s name on it. The box is plain without any kind of branding or clue to tell me where it is from.

Cal kneels on the floor beside her. “Cami’s birthday present.”

“For me?” She hits a new octave from how excited she is.

I blink a few times to confirm the facts. “You got her a present?”

Cal looks up at me from his spot beside Cami on the floor. “Yeah?”

“But you’re already taking us to Dreamland next week.”

“And? I told Cami I would build a ship with her.”

Cami gasps.

Cal curses under his breath. “Well, there goes that surprise.”

“Swears jar!”

Cal sifts through his wallet and hands her a fifty-dollar bill.

Cami’s brow rises.

“What? I ran out of hundreds yesterday.”

“That’s okay. Fifty times two.” She holds up her two fingers like a peace sign.

I stifle my laugh with the palm of my hand, earning a glare from Cal.

His lips turn into a smile before he hands her a second bill. “You better invite me to your graduation with how much I’m paying for your education.”

“Okay!” Cami takes off for the swear jar. She drags a chair toward the fridge, but Cal swoops in and stops her before she has a chance to climb it.

“I’ll help you.” He lifts her into the air so she can drop the bills inside the jar. I already had to empty it last week with how often Cal and I slip up around one another.

Someone might need to call the heart doctor because mine is about ready to explode from how full it feels. I never thought watching Cal interact with Cami—watching him care about her—would make my entire body feel warm and tingly.

I take a seat on the couch and watch the two of them rip open the birthday present he got her.

Cami pulls out a second nondescript box that is the size of her entire body.

“Uhhh. What is it?” She stares at the box with scrunched brows.

“Hold on.” Cal pulls out his phone and searches for a photo.

He shows it to Cami, and she gasps. “Princess Marianna’s ship?”

“Wait. What?” I stand and peek over her shoulder at the phone screen. The picture was taken in a workshop of some sort, with wood shavings everywhere and a bottle of glue on its side. In the center of the photo, there is a replica of Princess Marianna’s ship that she went searching for sunken treasure in.

Cal rubs the back of his neck. “I asked Rowan to make us something special. He got his Creators to base it off one of the model ships I recommended after doing some research.”