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I turn my head as Julian re-enters the room, my mind still spinning in the aftermath.
“The little manipulator left,” he muses. “I thought it was safe to come back in.”
“Don’t call her that!” Pike and Caden chorus in unison. Julian is nonplussed by their response and shrugs, leaning up against a bookshelf to fold his arms over his chest.
“What else do you want me to call her? I told you, Flint. Something about her rubbed me the wrong way, but you wouldn’t listen.”
I want to punch him in the face, if only to shut him up for half a second.
“I assume she’s not going to be your nanny anymore.”
“Why wouldn’t she be?” Caden retorts, whipping around to look at me, then at Pike.
I lower my gaze to the desk and shake my head. “Look, we have to deal with the bigger issue first, which is the paperwork on the adoption application. They’re going to do a thorough background check on her and anyone else who is actively involved in Lily’s life. This is going to be a huge red flag. It’s basically criminal.”
Caden starts toward the door.
“Where are you going?” I call out.
“I’m going to talk to Aspen,” he answers sharply. “Something we should have done when she was here. Isn’t that why you called her here in the first place? Or was it just to embarrass her?”
Contrition sparks inside me, and I purse my lips together, glancing at Pike.
“You would have been better off hiring a hooker,” Julian laughs. “At least they’re more honest.”
He doesn’t see Caden’s fist until it’s flying at his face, knuckles landing squarely on his left cheek.
“Oof!” Julian sputters, spit spraying from his mouth as he doubles back.
“Caden!” I yell, jumping to my feet, but he’s already out the door, leaving me to deal with the obnoxious attorney on my own.
“That son of a bitch!” Julian whines, grabbing his face. “I’ll sue him! I’m pressing charges!”
“Julian, go home and put some ice on that,” I sigh. “Your time costs more than it’s worth for the advice you give. Figure out how to fix this mess instead of standing around gloating like an idiot.”
He gawks at me, blood pooling lightly from his split lip.
“I’ll see you out,” Pike suggests, rising to his full height and towering over the dumbfounded attorney.
“That’s what I get for trying to help!” Julian sputters defiantly.
“Come on,” Pike growls, taking him by the arm to see him out.
Grateful for the silence, I drop my head in my hands, trying to make sense of what to do next. It’s too late to do anything about the application. If we withdraw it, we’ll make Lily vulnerable.
“Papa Flint?”
I raise my head to see Lily standing in the doorway. “Hi, lovey.”
She runs to throw herself in my lap. “Where’s Aspen? I can’t find her anywhere.”
“She’s taking a brief break,” I sigh, brushing her dark hair off her forehead. “You need to stay with Zoe for a little while, okay?”
“But I love Aspen,” Lily pouts. “She’s my mom!”
A dozen knives stick in my heart at her innocent phrasing.
“I’m glad you love Aspen, lovey.”
