Page 26 of Smooth As Whiskey

I smiled at Maisie, damn, but I loved that name, and said, “Hi, Maisie, my name is Sutton. What do you say about going inside where it’s warm and finding some milk and cookies?” I asked her as I handed her my hand.

She looked at it, then at everyone, and I could see the fear in her gray gaze. Therefore, I lowered my voice, “My favorite cartoon character is Minnie Mouse. Do you know who that is?”

Her eyes widened, and then she nodded.

“I want you to picture all the men in Minnie Mouse ears, a pink bow, and a fluffy pink skirt on them,” I told her, chuckling when she giggled.

And then... she placed her little hand in mine, and she didn’t know it yet, but the pieces of my heart that Irish hadn’t touched just became hers.

I stood then and led her inside, everyone following in our wake.

I looked at Gabby and asked, “Will you call the salon and send a text to my clients for me?”

Since she was the one to help me set up my calendar, she wouldn’t have any issues in doing so. She nodded, then took my phone that I had offered to her.

We were in the kitchen, and I had just lifted Maisie and settled her onto the counter.

I got out the milk and the package of cookies when Irish walked in, followed by Asher and Charlie.

Irish looked at Maisie as I got everything poured into glasses and the package of cookies opened.

“Can you tell me when your mommy dropped you off?” Irish asked her.

She shrugged, “I know she woke me up with a smile. She doesn’t do that a lot. Usually, she wakes me up by screaming at me.”

That. Fucking. Bitch.

“Okay, do you know how long it took you to get here?” he asked.

She shook her head, “No. But she didn’t want me to ever call her mommy. She had me call her Kendra.”

I gritted my teeth.

That. Fucking. Bitch.

To hide what I was thinking and feeling, I took a cookie, dabbed it in the milk, and then handed it to her.

She smiled, then took the cookie.

While we waited for the lawyer to show up and someone to perform the DNA test, I asked Maisie, “What’s your favorite meal?”

She smiled after taking another bite of cookie, “Mac N cheese.”

I gasped, “No way! That’s mine, too. What’s your favorite candy?”

She looked befuddled, then asked, “What’s that?”

I repeat. That. Fucking. Bitch.

I walked to the pantry, grabbed the candy dish that never seemed to get empty, and pulled out a Kit Kat bar.

I opened it and handed it to her, and then I took one for myself.

She took a bite, and then her eyes widened and smiled, then I laughed as she shoved the whole thing in her mouth.

A friend of the club came by and performed a DNA test, and since this was a timely manner, she put a rush on it.

The club's lawyer also came by, looked at the documentation, and nodded.

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