The Bad Boy Next Door: A Red Hot Bad Boy Romance by Lacey Legend Page A

Johnson’s attorney, Bartholomew J. Higgins. He was requesting a call back to arrange a suitable time for a DNA test. Those were deleted without response as well.
    Genie put her knees under her chin and rocked back and forth to clear her head. Her plan had been simple and straight forward. Now Amanda showed up ahead of schedule and some guy was following her mom around. It was all too weird, and too much of a coincidence. Genie felt like she was getting in over her head, but forced the thought away. See it through. You just need that five grand and then you can disappear again . Finally she stood and went back into the house.
    She saw Amanda and Isaac both sitting on the couch in his living room. They stopped speaking the moment Genie walked in, and Isaac looked away from her.
    “What?” she asked, one hand on her slender hip.
    “You didn’t tell Isaac my condition for putting you back in contact with him, did you?” Amanda accused, keeping her voice even.
    Genie sighed and pleaded with Isaac. “It’s none of her business, Isaac. You’re an adult, a grown-ass man. You can decide whether or not to be part of Reggie’s life. Amanda has no business making that choice for you.” She stopped talking when she saw that Amanda’s face flushed with suppressed ire and Isaac’s eyes narrowed at Genie.
    “Do not speak to, or about my aunt Amanda that way,” Isaac said. “While you’re right that I’m a ‘grown-ass man’ and can make my own decisions, I value Aunt Mandy’s opinion. She remembers how your mother acted as soon as my parents won that damnable lottery. So don’t blame her for wanting to be careful.”
    Genie cast her eyes to the floor. She knew she had gone too far. She shouldn’t have let Amanda’s words get to her. Time to change direction. “No, Amanda, I didn’t tell him. I didn’t want to rain all over his happiness at finding out he has a child.”
    Amanda cocked an eyebrow. “And that’s why you haven’t bothered to answer the phone or return my attorney’s messages?”
    “Wait, you had your lawyer chasing after her?” Isaac was shocked that his aunt would do something so drastic.
    “No, he wasn’t chasing after her,” Amanda explained, throwing her arms up. “He was merely trying to arrange a convenient time for her to bring her daughter in for a simple DNA swap.”
    “Look, I need everybody to just stop, okay?” Isaac stood and put his hands on his hips. His face was hard and grimacing. “I’m tired of everyone trying to do what’s best for me without bothering to consult me on the matter. I will come to terms with things in my own time, and if you two ladies can’t get along then Genie, you need to find a hotel to stay at.”
    Genie’s mouth dropped. “What? You’re kicking me out? She started it!”
    “She’s my family. You are not.”
    “If you want to see Regina then it’s on my terms, not Amanda’s,” Genie huffed.
    “That’s not fair,” Isaac retorted. “You want five thousand dollars for a private school, then I get to meet my daughter.”
    Genie stomped her foot like a petulant teenager. “Fine. I will be in my room until Regina and Sidney show up. Amanda and I will just have to stay out of each other’s way.” She turned on her heel and stomped up the steps, without looking back, her long blond hair swaying angrily.
    Amanda looked at Issac with a knowing widening of her eyes. “I tried to warn you to be careful,” she said softly.
    Isaac shook his head at her. “I know, but dammit. This is all so frustrating.” He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I want you to meet my girlfriend for dinner tonight. Ruby is amazing and I think you two will like each other a lot.
    “Sounds delightful,” Amanda responded. “My favorite Italian place is nearby.”
    Isaac nodded and gave his favorite relative a tight hug before trudging upstairs, dejected, to take a shower.

Chapter11
     
    Ruby liked Amanda immediately upon hearing the woman’s first question