Page 7 of Finding Redemption

But then I started pounding on people, and a local MMA coach had seen me in action.From that moment on, my entire life changed.With my first big paycheck, I’d moved my mom out of the neighborhood, and we never looked back.

I should have glanced back at least once, though.

Guilt, my ever-present companion, twisted inside me, and I took a large swallow of my whisky in an attempt to drown it as someone else dropped a few cubes of ice into their glass.With a grunt, I grabbed the bottle before they could get their grubby hands on it and poured myself another healthy measure.If my best friend and business partner, Luck, didn’t show up soon, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep from knocking some motherfucker over the head with the bottle of scotch.

My house was about to be overrun with kindergarteners and their simpering mothers.A few pompous papas would join, I was sure.Those fuckers never turned down the chance to rub elbows with Paxton “Deathstroke” Foster.I hated that moniker, but some sportswriter had dubbed me that after my first knockout win.

It wasn’t as if I’d killed someone.At least, not intentionally.But it stuck, and the name had followed me for the rest of my career.Now, seven years after retiring from MMA, assholes still called me by that annoying nickname.

There was still an hour before Bella’s party began, and five couples had already arrived.Their snot-nosed little brats were off in a group, whispering and giggling, as their parents sipped wine and desecrated my Glenrothes.Each kid was dressed up as their favorite princess, as per Bella’s request.But so were their mothers.While the six-year-old girls all wore cute costumes with their hair mostly done up like Cinderella, their mothers appeared to be using the occasion to advertise their plastic surgeons’ skills.One sneeze and their assets would be on full display.

Charming.

I swallowed another gulp from my glass and avoided looking at the woman dressed in some kind of corset that pushed her tits up to her throat.She kept licking her lips and blinking at me.It was supposed to be sexy, I was sure.But all it did was make her look like she had one of her lash extensions poking her in the eye, and she was definitely going to need some ChapStick before the party was over.I’d never been a monk, but I hadn’t had anyone but my hand for companionship since Bella was born.

If my sweet Bella-Boo hadn’t asked me for this fucking party, I wouldn’t have let any of the little spawn and their annoying-as-hell parents past the front gate.But she’d looked up at me with those pleading brown eyes, so like her mother’s, and I did what any man besotted with his little girl would do—offered her whatever the hell her heart desired.

“Paxton!”

Hearing the distress in Sariah’s voice, I tossed back the rest of my drink and turned to find her stomping into the great room.Sariah hated to have attention on her, but she was too beautiful not to draw every person’s gaze the moment she entered a room.In the princess costume she’d chosen for the party, she was likely to cause a riot if she was out in public for long.

She avoided conflict to the point that people thought they could walk all over her.And she tended to allow them.Typically, I was the one who was the wall between Sariah and those who would stomp all over her.Which was why I was still reeling from the little tornado that had arrived with her earlier.

Brooke was not what I was expecting.Not only was she not my type, but she’d knocked me half on my ass when she’d put herself between Sariah and me.She didn’t even come up past my sternum, yet she’d laid into me and made me feel like she was looking down her slightly upturned nose at me.Sariah was a good eight inches taller than Brooke, but Brooke had put herself between us fearlessly, demanding I apologize and refusing to back down until I complied.

My cock was still feeling the effects of the first meeting.When she’d called me “Daddy,’” I’d envisioned wrapping her thick braid around my fist and pounding her against the nearest wall.Miss Princess might not have been my type, but my body had reacted to her overwhelmingly fast.That never happened.

I was more into leggy brunettes with skin like rich mocha.Brooke was five foot nothing with hair like spun gold and the clearest emerald eyes I’d ever seen.While tiny, she was no girl next door.She had soft curves and a classic beauty that was almost surreal.

But the feral yet regal way she’d lit into me was the hottest thing I’d seen in my life.

All that fire and protectiveness packaged into something so small and breathtakingly gorgeous.She reminded me of a lynx.Sleek, wild, graceful, deadly.

Shaking the image of the little blond from my mind, I focused on Sariah and the flames dancing in her brown eyes.She was so upset, her chest was heaving, and I instinctively stepped closer to her.Not only to block her from the view of the men already panting over the sight of her in that Princess Jasmine outfit, but because I’d never seen Sariah so angry before.

Her mother had done a number on her growing up.Her self-esteem was basically nonexistent, and if she’d ever had any backbone, Jannel had broken it long before I’d met the girl.

Grasping her by her elbows, I ran my eyes over her, looking for injuries.“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

She pushed my hands away and crossed her arms, the rage in her eyes only spiking higher.“Where is Kayla?”

“I thought she was in Bella’s room.”I shrugged.“I haven’t seen either of them all day.”

I’d hoped to have breakfast with Bella today or at least brunch, but Kayla had texted me that morning to tell me Bella wanted to sleep in.Since it was her birthday and I knew she was nervous about her party, I’d allowed it.

Sariah snorted but then stiffened when movement caught her attention.Some of the fight went out of her, but not all of it.She stepped closer and lowered her voice.“I want Kayla gone.”

“Riah,” I groaned in frustration.We went through this every few months with a new nanny.So far, Kayla had been around the longest.They were never good enough for Sariah’s peace of mind.And every time, I gave in because I needed her to be comfortable.

“No,” she hissed.“I’m not doing this.We agreed.Kayla will be gone.Today.”

“Why?”I gritted.

She lifted her chin, one hip popping to the side.The action reminded me of my brief encounter with Brooke, and I found myself fighting a grin even though Sariah was dropping shit on me.Her new roommate was obviously rubbing off on her, and I couldn’t say I hated it.

“This is not the time or place for this conversation,” she said between clenched teeth.“Get her out of here.Now.”

I scrubbed my hands over my face in agitation.“Fine,” I muttered, giving in without a fight.If Sariah wasn’t happy, then I sure as fuck wasn’t happy.“But we will discuss this after the party.”

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