Page 102 of One Little Kiss

“It’s official. You’re family now,” Lanie groans from the floor.

“I feel like I’m dying,” Ari sobs from the corner chair.

“Well, on that note. You ladies rest. I’ll go see how the food’s coming along.” My heart bursts with happiness as I survey the room. I knew they’d welcome Winnie with open arms, but seeing it in action is another thing entirely. She fits with me, even if she doesn’t feel like it yet.

* * *

“How is she this morning?” Preston asks with a knowing smirk. His wife didn’t fare much better on her first girls’ night.

“She’s a little green this morning,” I say, chuckling. “But she doesn’t look much worse than the others. So, how did Seth, Dex, and Trevor end up at the lodge with all the kids?”

“You sure Winnie is going to be okay with Wes being at the lodge with everyone?”

I thought about that, but Weston couldn’t move fast enough when East showed up with Ada James in his arms. “I think so. Trevor has learned a lot from Julia, and I told him what to watch for. You know, signs that Wes is in distress, and if that happens, he’ll bring him straight home. He’s really drawn to Ada. It’s funny. I haven’t seen him like that very often.”

Easton looks up from the quiche he set on the counter with a prideful smile. “AJ is pretty amazing.” He stands to his full height and crosses his arms. “You know a lot about Wes.”

Suddenly my throat feels tight, and my eyes fill with emotion. “I love him, East. He’s a great kid. I’d do anything for him.”

East, Preston, and Halt all stare at me with expressions I can’t place.

“He’s your family,” Halton explains.

“Yeah. He and Winnie mean the world to me.”

Preston leans against the island. “This is going to be a tough battle, Colty. Are you prepared for that?”

Anger radiates from every limb. “I will kill for them, Pres. No one’s going to take them from me. Why do you sound like you know something I don’t?”

“Because that’s my job as your big brother, and as The WB CEO.” He sighs loudly and pinches the back of his neck, a sure sign something is off.

A fear I’ve never experienced squeezes my lungs, making it impossible to breathe.

“What is it?” Easton barks.

Thank God for his impatience.

My gaze darts around the room. Every one of my brothers is as tense as I am, and it brings me comfort. My army is ready to stand guard.

“Somehow, Jason Darling has hired Max Sterling as his attorney.”

“Fuck,” Halton curses. “How the hell is he affording that? Ash pulled his financials. I saw them yesterday. He doesn’t have a penny to his name. He legit lives welfare check to welfare check.”

My head is spinning. “Who is Max Sterling?”

All eyes turn toward me. “He’s the number one family court attorney on the East Coast. He’s … Jesus, Colton! He’s known for taking on deadbeat dads and helping them not only get visitation but spinning it so they rarely even pay child support. More than once he’s gotten them full custody,” Preston explains.

“He’s as sleazy as they come, Colt, but he’s abnormally good at what he does,” Halton says. His words are full of malice.

“How do you know all this?” Easton barks as he paces the length of the island.

Fear makes it impossible to move. “He can’t get Weston, Pres. He just can’t. Darling can never provide the resources to help him that we can.”

“I know, Colty. I have our entire legal team working on it and Ash is surfing the dark web to find anything and everything he can on Darling.”

Somehow, that makes me feel even worse. “Not to sound like a dick, but Ash hasn’t exactly had my back with this whole Macomb thing, so forgive me if that doesn’t bring me much peace.”

“That has something to do with Pacen and his connection to her. But he’s our brother and you know he would never do anything to hurt you,” Halton says gently. “He proved those women drugged you and lied about the entire thing.”