Dare to Play (Dare Nation 3)

“Excuse me!”

“We need to talk and I’m not doing it in the hallway.” Macy waited until Lilah shut the door before speaking. “Are we alone or is your boyfriend here?” She wanted to know what she was dealing with.

“We’re alone. Is Hannah okay? I’ve been calling her to make sure she got home safely but she won’t answer.”

Macy studied her and realized Lilah appeared shaken, something that surprised her. “She’s home safely but she’s not fine. Not after finding out the only reason her mother wanted custody was to get her hands on her insurance money her father left her when he died.”

Appearing pale, Lilah faced Macy. “I love her. I was wrong to leave her in the first place, but the fact is that I’m broke and that money will help tremendously.”

“Then who’s paying for this?” Macy gestured around the beautiful hotel room with a large living room and the bedroom in the far corner.

“I haven’t reached the limit on one of my credit cards.”

Macy shook her head. “That’s not Hannah’s problem. Or mine. So let me explain the facts to you. I don’t know what Dad told you about his insurance policies when you were together, but when he died, the policy money went into trust and I’m the trustee.” She poked herself in the chest. “Me.”

Lilah’s eyes opened wide and her face grew paler, if such a thing were possible. “But I just assumed there would be monthly payments to help whoever was her guardian. And I know your grandparents left money to your father that he must have split between you and Hannah.”

“Also in trust.” Macy folded her arms across her chest. “You assumed wrong and you hurt your daughter in the process.” She didn’t wait for Lilah’s reply before continuing. “Hannah’s money is going to pay for her college and help her get started in life. Not to fund your lifestyle. So if you want to keep fighting me for custody, go ahead. If you win, you’ll have a teenager you need to support as well as yourself.”

Macy would never let Hannah suffer because of her mother’s neglect, but Lilah didn’t need to know that Macy would help her sister regardless of who she lived with. There was a monthly stipend, but it wasn’t enough to keep Lilah in the lifestyle she wanted.

Which brought up another question. “Dad didn’t have enough money to keep you happy when you were married. Why are you so eager to get your hands on it now?” Macy asked.

Lilah flushed and sat down on the sofa. Wearing a leopard-print dress and high heels, she didn’t appear to be suffering from lack of money. But apparently looks were deceiving.

“You don’t know how hard it is when you age. Older men with money are interested in younger women than me. And younger men assume a woman like me has a hefty income.” She lifted her hands to her unlined face, courtesy of injections and fillers. “I told Rafe I was coming into a lot of money once I got custody of Hannah. She overheard him talking this morning about what we’d do when I came into money. He wanted to put her in a boarding school so she wasn’t in the way.”

“For God’s sake, Lilah!” Macy couldn’t believe that what Hannah had overheard was worse than just her mother wanting her for money. She’d also wanted to send her away.

Lilah pushed herself up from her seat, walked over to a makeshift bar, poured herself vodka, and took a sip. “That wasn’t what I wanted. It was Rafe who said it. I’ve been enjoying spending time with Hannah.”

Macy paced the floor in front of the woman who stood between her and her sister. “Spending time isn’t the same as parenting.”

“I realized that the other night while helping her clean up the party mess. I didn’t envy you having to deal with the repercussions. The punishment. Hannah’s anger. But then I had Rafe, who still expects me to come into money. My life is a mess!”

“And I couldn’t care less.”

Hand shaking, Lilah took another sip of her drink. “I don’t know what to do.”

Macy bit the inside of her cheek. “I’ll tell you what’s going to happen as far as Hannah is concerned. We both know you don’t want real parental responsibility, and now you know there’s no cash in it for you. Before I leave here, I want the paper you made Hannah sign stating she wants to live with you. And tomorrow you’re going to call your lawyer and rescind the custody suit.”

Lilah looked at her with sad, tear-filled eyes. Only Lilah knew if those tears were real. “I love her, you know,” she said as she walked to a stack of papers on a table and handed Macy a sheet of paper with Hannah’s familiar signature.