Page 116 of For Your Consideration

“Okay.” My eyes met Maya’s. “Let’s take it to court.”

31

Asher

It took another two hours for Maya to walk through her plan, get Will’s approval, and give Sutton all her timelines. Once she left, we ordered lunch and everyone worked hard to keep Sutton’s mind off it and Sophie giggling, staying back until after dinner too.

I watched silently, trying to keep my own cool so I could support her in the way she needed.

But I was fuming.

How dare her ex put her through this.

How fucking dare he put Sophie through this.

What he wasn’t expecting was me. And I would stand in his way. There would be no shared custody, there would be no weekend visits. If the courts didn’t work, I would figure something else out.

It had irrationally hurt my chest when Sutton mentioned telling Sophie about her sperm donor one day. Sophie was incredible and no one would ever make her feel unwanted, not at least while I was alive.

I was hoping to convince Sutton that Sophie didn’t need to know anything other than me. But that was something to tackle down the road.

“Asher?” I looked away from the kitchen window to see Jaxson leaning on the counter behind me. I scrubbed a hand over my head and then turned to face him. “Everyone is going to head out. Sutton just took Soph upstairs for bed.”

I pulled him in for a quick back slap before we stepped back and bumped fists. I didn’t usually initiate touching with anyone other than Sutton and Sophie, but today I had just been reminded of how lucky I was to have these people in my life. “Appreciate you being here.”

He rolled his eyes. I knew he wanted to tell me there was nowhere else they’d rather be. “Meet at Clinch at six tomorrow morning.” He shot me a look, likely knowing that my anger needed an outlet. I nodded as we made our way to the front door where everyone else was preparing to leave.

“I’m taking Iris home,” Noah announced, the woman’s arm already looped through his. I lifted my eyebrow at Noah and he rolled his eyes. “Relax, Dad, I’ve got my car, not my bike.”

“Would be a shame if someone put conditioner in the gas tank of your bike,” Quinn taunted with a sweet smile on her face. Knight tried to hide his chuckle by tucking his head in her neck.

“That’s diabolical.” Noah looked at her with wide eyes.

She just shrugged. “Would that stop it from running and ruin the engine?” She held up her hands. “Just asking for a friend.”

“The fact that she’s still smiling is making me more scared.” Oli gulped, watching her.

Quinn shot him a look. “He’s an idiot for riding that thing.” It seemed to be the one thing that Noah didn’t take her opinion on.

“His head is too pretty to be destroyed,” Iris said. She’d been watching the whole thing with humor in her eyes. “You should listen to Quinn,” she told Noah as she reached up and patted his cheek.

“Guy can’t catch a break,” Noah muttered as he waved and started out of the house, everyone filing out behind him.

I bent down and gave Thor a scratch on the head before meeting Quinn’s eyes. Without waiting, she stepped toward me, giving me a quick hug. “Give us a call if either of you need anything.”

Knight gave me a slap on the back and then took Quinn’s hand, whistling for Thor, and they headed to their car.

I closed the door behind them and went in search of Sutton. She was leaning in the doorway to Sophie’s room. The lights were off, the sound machine was on, and Sutton was watching her deep breathing.

She didn’t glance over at me but I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and she leaned back, resting her weight into me. Sophie hadn’t really napped today so Sutton had said she would go down early. Considering it was only seven thirty, she was sleeping hard.

Both of us stood there in the quiet, watching Sophie’s chest rise and fall. The bunny I’d bought was sitting on the drawers beside the crib, facing her.

I leaned down and pressed a kiss into the top of her head. “I’m not going to let anything happen to her,” I vowed.

“You can’t—”

I spun her around, cutting her off, my hands going to either side of her face. “He will not get to her. Do you understand?”