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“Never thought I’d compliment Val, but she looks good in orange,” he hisses beneath his breath. If it weren’t for the anxious nausea roiling in my gut, I probably would have cracked a smile.

When we draw closer, she leans back in her metal chair, eyeing us both coldly. “What the fuck do you two want?”

My jaw clenches, but I don’t let her get under my skin. Steeling myself, I take a deep breath and pull out a chair for Xed before sliding into the one next to him, causing Val to scoff.

“Well, isn’t that just cute?” She spits at Xed, saliva landing on the table between us. “Disgustingly adorable. Looks like you finally got him, after all.”

Stiffening defensively, I scoot closer to him, feeling protective. “We won’t be here long, just need you to sign a few things.”

Her smirk falters for a fraction of a second before she leans forward, cuffs clanking. “Sign what, exactly?”

Xed speaks before I can, grabbing my trembling hands beneath the table as he gets straight to the point. “Full custody of Hannah. We want you to sign over your parental rights.”

The smug look on her face vanishes as she gapes at us. “Are you fucking serious right now?”

“Dead serious.” I look her in the eye, letting every ounce of my anger show. “You put our daughter in danger, Valerie. Got behind the wheel high. Do you understand what could have happened? How much fucking worse it could have been besides a broken arm?”

Her gaze drops for a split second before she recovers. “Don’t act like you’re such a fucking saint. I’m not the one who gets violent and hits people.”

I go rigid in my seat, fury making my blood boil because she’s talking about the night I hurt Xed while aiming for Devon. “That was an accident, and you know it—"

Xed cuts me off by squeezing my fingers gently. “We aren’t here to fight. Honestly, this is a no-brainer, which should be easy for you, Val. Hannah isn’t safe in your care.”

Valerie glares at him. “And she’s safe in yours?”

“Yes,” he responds without hesitation. “I’ve been there for her every single day, and you haven’t. You’re the woman who almost got her killed. Twice, if you count the day she was born.”

“You think you’re better than me?” she snarls at him, lips curling back. “You’re just the rebound he needed to fuck when he couldn’t get it with me—"

“Look at where you are,” I grit out through clenched teeth, throwing my arms wide. “You’re in prison for child endangerment, Val. You almost killed our daughter, and this is what you want to fight about? Do you even care how she’s healing?”

Her eyes widen with outrage. “How dare you—"

With a frustrated growl, I slam my fist on the table. “I’m done being your punching bag. You’re the same selfish, manipulative woman who’s spent years tearing everyone around her apart. But this time, you didn’t just hurt me. You hurt Hannah. And you’re sitting here acting like you’re the victim. You’re not. You’re the problem!”

Her lips thin, cracks starting to form in her armor. For once, she doesn’t have some vicious comeback locked and loaded, and I take advantage of it.

“You think you can control me from here? Keep holding Hannah and my career over my head like a weapon? No. You don’t get to call the shots. Not after what you’ve done.”

Xed leans forward, his voice ice-cold as he hits her with a grim smile. “You lost, Valerie. You know it. No judge in the world will side with you after this shit.”

“You’re going to sign those papers,” I say, my voice dropping into a dangerous calm. “Not because I’m asking, but because you know you have no choice. Do the right thing for once in your goddamn life. Sign them.”

The room falls into heavy silence, tension thick enough to choke on.

Finally, she exhales sharply and slaps her palms on the table, glaring at me with pure hatred. “Fine. I’ll sign your damn papers. But don’t think for a second that this is over.”

“It is for you.” Getting to my feet, I stride toward the door, knocking for the guard. “You’re not part of our lives anymore, Val. Not mine. Not Hannah’s. You can keep your threats. They don’t scare me anymore.”

The correctional officer returns with the paperwork, and Xed places it on the table, pushing a pen toward her. She snatches it up, scribbling her name with enough force to tear the paper beneath it.

But I don’t care.

It doesn’t matter that she tosses the pen across the room or that she tries to shoulder-check me on her way out, a hateful slur leaving her lips. None of that fucking matters. A weight lifts from my shoulders when she walks away for good this time, replaced by something I haven’t felt in years—control. I’m finally in control.

“You okay, big guy?” he asks as we make our way out, and I turn to him with a smile, feeling lighter than I ever have.

“Yeah. I’m good.” Pulling him into my arms, I kiss him deeply, feeling his body melt into mine. “I’m great, Ducky. It’s finally here.”