Page 47 of Smooth As Whiskey

She didn’t ask about anyone else.

She didn’t check in on Gabby, Adeline, Stella, or Chloe.

No, she only wanted to know about Maisie.

“She’s okay. She’s with Adeline.”

She nodded, then crossed her arms over her chest and sighed, “Why are you back here, Irish?”

“Because you’re here. And Maisie told me that if I didn’t bring you back to her, she would hate me forever.”

She snickered, “That’s my girl.”

“Yeah. She is from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes. She’s all yours, baby. And so am I.”

When she didn’t respond to that, I asked, “You won’t come back? Not even for Maisie?”

She sighed, “I love her. I do. But I think she’s gathered that if her father wasn’t a blind asshole, then I wouldn’t have ever left.”

“And you're right. One hundred percent right. I was a blind asshole. But baby, my eyes are wide fucking open now. And if you’ll give me another chance, I promise you, I won’t let you down. You can count on me. Give me your worries, your fears, your hopes, your dreams, and I’ll carry it all for you. I’ll shelter you from any storm.”

She didn’t respond.

No, what she did was rip me to shreds when she asked, “How many women have you been with?”

I winced, “Sutton, please, don’t do this.”

“Answer me.” She snapped.

I ran my hand through my hair, locked eyes with her, and said, “Too many to count.”

And I’ve never felt lower than shit as I did right then.

Standing there in the main room of some building in the Bradford Valley clubhouse, watching as the woman who was the light of my life, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

“Exactly. It wasn’t me who didn’t deserve you. It was you who didn’t deserve me.” And with those final words I had thrown in her face, she placed her hands on my chest and shoved me out the door. And I went willingly because there was no way I would ever do bodily harm to her.

And with that, she closed the door in my face.

And I stood there; my heart felt as though it were breaking into a million pieces.

My knees went weak, but I gritted my teeth.

I would be damned if anyone saw me hit my knees other than Sutton.

It was time for round two.

I was going to be known as the man who never stopped fighting for what he wanted and what he needed.

Challenge accepted, baby.

I drove back home and then spent a week getting everything ready.

I replaced her wardrobe in my closet.

Had her a set of keys made.

Had adoption papers made.

---