I stand with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Daisy. You won’t be going anywhere with Adele.”
“But she’s my baby.”
“Who you abandoned.”
“She’s mine!”
“Maybe I should call the lawyer.” Eli digs his phone out of his pocket.
Daisy pales. “Your lawyer?”
Eli’s brow wrinkles. “Didn’t you tell her you’re suing for custody?”
“I-I-I thought you were bluffing,” Daisy stutters.
I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m serious. I am not letting you take Adele away from me.”
She throws her arms in the air. “You didn’t even want her.”
I growl. “You arrived at my house with a baby I didn’t know about. You didn’t explain yourself. You barely told me her name before you fled. How did you think I’d react?”
“I didn’t think you’d hire lawyers and sue me!”
Eli clears his throat. “We can forget about the lawyers. You can surrender Adele.”
“Surrender Adele?” Daisy slaps a hand over her chest. “She’s mine.”
“Wrong,” I growl. “She’s mine.”
“This was a wasted trip,” she grumbles. “You could have let me know you were suing for custody before I traveled all the way here.”
“I didn’t know your last name or where you lived. How the hell was I supposed to contact you?”
She rolls her eyes. “It’s not my fault you sleep with women without getting to know anything about them.”
I swallow. She’s right. I never should have had sex with her without knowing more about her. I was so busy trying not to become my dad that I became someone I didn’t want to be.
Those days are over. Sloane is the only woman I’m interested in now. And forever if she’ll have me. My stomach falls. After this scene with Daisy, she may give up on me completely.
“I think it’s time for you to leave.” Rhett herds her toward the door. He opens it and ushers her out. “I’ll follow her to make sure she doesn’t stay on the island.”
I nod my thanks to him. Rhett is the family’s protector. Daisy won’t hurt me or Adele if he can help it.
“Where’s Adele?” Kai asks.
“Here she is.” Sloane enters, cradling my daughter. “I kept her in the nursery until Daisy left.”
“Thank you.” I gather Adele in my arms and Sloane stiffens.
Shit. After the scene with Daisy, I’m back to square one with her.
Chapter 24
“Note to self: teach Boozer the difference between a Christmas tree and a bathroom.”
Sloane
Iwait until the door closes behind Daisy – no way was I allowing Adele to be in the presence of that woman any longer than necessary – before leaving the nursery.
