19. Sutton #2
“Watch it, Santos,” Will grumbled but I shook my head at him, trying to let him know it was okay. I was a little sad now that Sophie was Ben’s since it would have been easier if he wasn’t her father. He would have no claim.
“No, I never cheated on Ben. Sophie is his.”
“Is his name on the birth certificate?”
“No. I sent him the paperwork so he could sign after she was born but he never sent them back and I didn’t want him on there if he didn’t want to be named. I filed without his name.”
“Have a record of that?”
“Yes,” I said with relief. At least I had records of all I had done to give him the chance.
The emails, the texts, the documents that I had tried to get him to reply to.
“I also have a copy of the email I sent him telling him she was born and asking if he wanted to name her with me. He never replied and I followed up multiple times. I kept my call records from that time since I was nervous about something like this happening one day.”
“Good, we can use all that.”
“He doesn’t even remember her name, Maya.
I left a voicemail for him before I moved away.
He never called me back and he didn’t use it today.
” My head and heart were so stuck on that.
The man deserved none of her time if he couldn’t even be bothered to remember her name.
Maya smiled, but it was ruthless, not warm.
“I won’t use her name on the paperwork. I have a way to keep it from them. Let them try to explain the fact that the father who wants custody doesn’t know his own daughter’s name.”
I was about to ask her a question but I was cut off by a large man stomping into the room.
Before I even registered what was happening he was in front of me, pulling me out of my chair, and yanking me into his solid chest. I took the first deep breath since I’d answered the phone.
I looped my arms around Asher’s waist and buried my head into his chest. His scent enveloped me, the clean woodsy smell calming me down. As he held me, I was cocooned from the world, a sense of safety settling over me instantly.
“You didn’t need to come,” I mumbled into his chest, but there wasn’t any conviction in my words. His arms tightened around me as he grunted with what I could tell was annoyance.
He seemed to reluctantly pull back so he could look at me.
His eyes bounced around my face before he nodded and moved to my side.
Quinn had already stood up from the couch and went to lean on her desk, letting Asher sit down beside me.
Jaxson walked in the room a moment after we settled.
His normal smile was gone, his face serious.
“I assume this isn’t the ex.” Maya looked pointedly at the man next to me.
“Asher Lawson,” he said with a dip of his chin, his arm going over my shoulder to keep me at his side. I didn’t mind the weight; it was like a safety blanket and soothed my nerves. She nodded back and looked at Jaxson next.
“Jaxson Hayes. I have the PI guy I want lined up and waiting for your call. He can get you whatever you need,” he said as he passed her a piece of paper. My head was spinning with how fast this was all moving.
These Knight Enterprises men didn’t mess around.
“Do you think that’s necessary?” I asked. Asher’s other hand rested on my knee, giving me a squeeze of reassurance, and I leaned into him a little.
“Listen, from everything you’ve told me, this guy isn’t one to follow through, but in case he does, I want to have everything I can ready and at my disposal.
You weren’t living together when she was born, he has never paid you child support, never visited his daughter, and never filed the paperwork to be put on the birth certificate.
“I’m not going to lie to you and say we will easily win you sole custody. It requires us proving that he is unfit, so we need to see what dirt we can get. I doubt he’ll want to fight the battle I’m about to hit him with. Ideally this ends with him signing away his rights and never going to court.”
I tensed at Maya’s words. “You’re saying there’s a chance that I have to share custody with him?”
Another squeeze from Asher.
“I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen but it’s a possibility and I want to be straight with you.”
I bit my lip and nodded.
“Don’t worry yet, okay? Will is right—I’m excellent at my job.
Let me see what I can do and you just focus on loving your daughter and trying not to stress about something you can’t control.
You might not know me but I have been called a pitbull many times and not in a nice way.
Let me take this fight on for you. Can you do that? ”
“I’m second chair.” Will spoke for the first time in a while.
“I don’t think—”
Asher cut Maya off. “He’s on it.” His tone left no room for argument.
“I won’t get in the way but I want to be able to have full access to all information and documentation.” Will crossed his arms, eyes narrowed on Maya.
“You aren’t in family law.” She turned to glare at him. “This isn’t your area of expertise.”
“I would prefer him to be included if that’s okay.” I stepped in as the tension in the room got thicker, Asher’s body tensing next to me. “I trust him. It’ll help keep me calm knowing he knows what’s happening. You can put him in his place if he gets out of line.”
I watched as she mulled my comment over.
“Fine,” Maya conceded after a few moments.
She looked over at Jaxson with a nod. “You can walk me out. I’ll give you what I want the PI to get started on.
” She looked back at me. “Call me immediately if he reaches out again. All communication now goes through me. Don’t speak with him, answer his calls, emails, smoke signals.
Nothing. He calls here, you hang up and then call me.
” She smiled at me, passed me her card, and then waved at Will as she walked back out.
“It’s going to be okay, sweetheart.” Asher pressed a kiss to my head as I collapsed into his side, and for just a moment I didn’t care about the friend line I had put in place.
“We’ve got you. Soph isn’t going anywhere.
” He said it with such conviction the only thing I could do was nod, take a breath, and push out of his hold, sitting up straight again.
“I’m good,” I said, forcing a smile to look at Quinn and Will as my hand went to my chest. “Thank you both. I can’t say how grateful I am that you got this organized so quickly for me.”
“Of course,” Quinn said softly. “You’re our friend, Sutton.”
“No one fucks with us,” Jaxson declared as he came back into the room. “We don’t put up with that shit, especially with Sophie involved. We’ve got her back.”
I couldn’t stop my eyes from watering at his words.
“Thanks, Jaxson.” I cleared my throat. He didn’t reply, instead just smiled and winked.
“Alright,” Asher grunted out as he stood up. I looked up at him, pushed my shoulders back, and then rose as well.
“Thank you for—” I started but stopped when he shot me a look.
“Quinn, you good if we take off?”
It took me a moment to realize he meant me and him.
“Yeah.” Quinn gave me a gentle smile. “There are only a few hours left in the day anyway. Get out of here.”
“But—”
“Go with Asher, go snuggle Soph, and just relax. I can manage for a few hours. We have no meetings and front reception can man the phones if for some reason everything starts to burn to the ground,” she said with a look on her face like she was confident that wouldn’t happen. “I promise.”
“Come on, sweetheart.” Asher put his hand on my lower back before I could say anything, effectively making my decision for me.
Which was fine; my brain was a mess. I wouldn’t have gotten anything done anyway.
Somehow, he passed my keys to Jaxson who said he would drive my car to Asher’s place and Asher would drive me home to pick up Sophie.
Jaxson and Will even got the car seat out of my car and into Asher’s truck while I grabbed my purse.
Asher had me double check the car seat but they’d managed to put it in correctly.
Which was impressive because it took me so long to figure out how to install the damn thing the first time.
I didn’t say anything as we drove, but Asher’s steady grip on my hand was comforting, as was the music he turned on. I traced circles over the tattoos on the back of his hand with my thumb as I leaned my head back on the seat.
Today had been exhausting. And I only had the car ride to pull myself together again to give Sophie everything she needed.
Just like I tried to do for her every day. No matter what other shit was going on around us.