19. Sutton
Sutton
My head was feeling fuzzy, my chest tight. Quinn had her phone to her ear in seconds but I couldn’t focus on what she was saying.
I put my head down on the table in front of me.
I heard her talking to someone, I think she said Will. But I was zoning out, panicking, overthinking, imagining every worst-case scenario, a rapid list of questions running through my mind faster than I could catch them.
Can I afford a lawyer?
What if he gets shared custody?
What if he gets full custody?
What if I never see my daughter again?
Should I run?
If I leave, what about Iris?
What about Quinn? And this job?
What about Asher?
Quinn then grabbed my arm and as I looked up at her, she gave me a soft smile and pulled me up from my chair.
She led me into her office and pushed me onto the couch, then sat in one of the armchairs across from me. I tapped on my legs in a slow and steady rhythm to try and get the panic to subside.
I’d read about panic attacks online. I didn’t have money for a therapist when they first started so the internet was all I had. It had been helpful before and it was helping the ringing in my ears now.
“Sutton.”
I blinked and looked up to see Will standing in front of me, his sharp gaze focused on my face. He sat down on the coffee table in front of me.
“You got here fast.” My voice was hoarse and strained so I cleared my throat, trying to feel more like myself. I actually had no idea how long I’d been sitting here, staring into space, panicking.
“Of course. What happened?” His voice was calm, his presence grounding.
I sat up, pushing my shoulders back, and cleared my throat once again. My heartbeat had calmed. I needed to focus. I couldn’t freak out now. I had let myself panic and now that was over, it was time to focus on my daughter.
“I need a lawyer. My ex just called and said he’s going to sue for custody of Sophie.”
I watched Will’s brows furrow and jaw tighten as I explained the highlights of the conversation Ben and I just had.
Will didn’t say a word, letting me get it all out. Which was good because I was talking fast enough that if I stopped I might start panicking again. Once I finished, Will thought for a moment and then nodded.
“I need to make a call. As good as I am, I won’t risk Sophie by being your lawyer.
I could not keep cool and I don’t do much in this area anyway.
I know someone who specializes in family law—she’s the best there is.
Let me call her.” He stood up but reached over and put his hand on my shoulder.
“We got this, Sutton, no one is taking her from you. We won’t allow it.
” His confidence brought more tears to my eyes but I blinked them back and nodded as he went toward my desk to make the call.
“Believe him,” Quinn said as she came to sit beside me on the couch. “He may seem like the nice level-headed one but no one messes with him or the people he cares about. I’ve heard stories and he’s ruthless when he needs to be. All the guys are like that.”
I couldn’t really hear Will’s conversation but before long he was nodding his head, putting the phone down, and coming to take the armchair across from me that Quinn had been in.
“She’ll be here in twenty minutes. Turns out she was in the area.”
“Thanks, Will.” I took a breath for what felt like the first time since I hung up the phone.
It was just the start of this fight but at least I had someone coming to figure it out because I was out of my depth. The panic was receding with a plan.
“She’s damn good at her job, just remember that because she hates me,” Will said, looking a little sheepish.
“Have you guys lived here long enough for someone to hate you?”
He laughed and I smiled a little, although it felt shaky, just like my hands. I tucked them under my legs so neither of them would notice.
“Long story, but yes. We’ve crossed paths. However, she does owe me a favor and I just called it in.”
“I texted Jaxson. He’s on his way over too,” Quinn said from beside me.
“Good call.” Will nodded.
“Why?” I frowned and looked at her. I wasn’t sure what to do with all these people just stepping up for me.
“We’ve acquired PI companies over the years. Jaxson’s in charge of them. We might need their services and he can get the ball rolling the fastest,” Will explained.
I put my elbows on my knees and rested my forehead on my hands, taking a few deep breaths.
Quinn rested her hand on my back. “Um…Sutton?” I lifted my head to look at her. “You might want to call Ash…”
“He’d be pretty mad if he found out about this from someone else, hey?” I said on a sigh.
Honestly, all I’d wanted since hanging up the phone was to be in his arms, to have his smooth voice talking me down and his scent around me.
Because even just having him around made me feel safe.
“Pretty mad would be an understatement,” Will muttered. “He might even consider murdering me if he found out I was here and didn’t force you to call him.”
I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to laugh, but he didn’t.
Quinn got up and grabbed my cell from where I had left it on the desk before passing it to me. I bit my cheek and then hit his number. The ringing had my stomach in knots but then his voicemail kicked in and I hung up, not trusting my voice enough to leave a message.
I didn’t know if I wanted to scream or cry, and with Asher, I was pretty sure I was going to cry.
“Text him. He’s in a meeting,” Will suggested when I didn’t do anything else other than stare down at my phone. I pulled up our last text to each other and let out a breath.
Me
Call me when you can.
His reply was instant.
Asher
In a meeting. Everything okay?
Me
Umm…fine
I just didn’t want you to hear about it from someone else and since Will is here, I figured there was a chance. Your friends seem to like to gossip.
Just call when you’re done.
Not even a full twenty seconds had passed before my phone started ringing. The image of him and Sophie snuggling lit up my screen and had my eyes watering.
My voice was shaky as I answered the phone. “I told you to call when you were done.”
“What happened?” His voice was alert. I bet if I could see him his jaw would be tightening.
“It isn’t an emergency. I could’ve waited,” I whispered as a few tears slipped out.
“Sweetheart,” he said in a low, gravelly, demanding tone. I didn’t know anyone else who used a nickname as a command.
“My ex called. He saw a picture of me at the Maria Knight event. Thank God Sophie wasn’t in it with me.
He’s threatening to go after full custody.
Quinn called Will, and Will called his lawyer friend who apparently hates him but is good at her job and so we’re waiting for her to get here.
Jaxson is also on his way for a reason I don’t quite understand, something about a PI, but Quinn thought it was a good idea so he’s coming too.
I thought I should tell you before someone else mentioned it.
Well, actually, Quinn said I should and Will agreed.
See? Not an emergency.” I waited in silence, not hearing a sound from the other end of the line after I word-vomited all of that. “Ash?” I finally asked.
“Give the phone to Will.” His voice was lower and sharper than before. He sounded pissed.
Was it because I interrupted his meeting?
Maybe I shouldn’t have called, maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference if someone else told him.
“Not mad at you, sweetheart.” His voice was slightly softer this time. Somehow, he knew that I was spiraling without me having to say anything. “Just need to talk to Will.” I nodded even though he couldn’t see me and passed the phone over.
After a few nods from Will and a “yeah” and “I got it,” he hung up my phone and passed it back to me.
I didn’t have time to be disappointed that he didn’t get back on the phone with me as a woman walked into the open office, the receptionist having shown her the way back.
She wore a navy pencil skirt with a white tank top tucked into it, a matching suit jacket left undone, and a pair of heels.
She had a briefcase in her hand and looked more professional than I ever had in my entire life.
Her rich warm brown hair was pulled half back but looked naturally curly, and her tan skin made the green of her eyes more vivid.
“Maya Santos,” Will said, standing up. “Thanks for coming so quickly.”
“Armstrong,” she replied, looking over at Will. “As you reminded me, I owe you one.” She had a pleasant smile on her face but neither one of them looked particularly happy to be standing in front of each other. But then she turned to look at me. “Hi, Sutton.”
I stood up to shake her hand. “Thank you for coming. I didn’t think you needed to rush right over.”
She waved me off. “It’s no problem. I don’t like owing people things.
I figured if Will was calling me then it must be important.
Or he just knows how much better than him I am.
” She shot him a smile over her shoulder.
“Plus, I don’t like assholes who try to threaten women with the loss of their children.
” Her eyes cut back to me and there was an intensity there that I was grateful for.
I was going to need it. Will stood up and offered her his seat, which she took with an eye roll, pulling out a legal pad to take notes. “Tell me what happened.”
I walked her through the conversation the same way I did with Will. She listened closely, nodded, took notes, and asked clarifying questions. Her calm nature was soothing to my nerves. It felt logical, based on facts not emotions, and that was much easier to deal with.
“Are you still in contact with anyone who’s close with Ben?” Maya asked after I finished my story.
“No. No one talked to me after he told them that the baby wasn’t his and I whored myself out.”
I heard Quinn’s noise of disgust but I didn’t look at her, keeping my attention on Maya.
“Is there any way that Sophie isn’t his?”