Page 39

I barely sleep.

Not because I’m scared. But because my mind won’t shut off.

Lauren has pushed me too far this time. I spent too long playing her games, trying to keep the peace.

But this?

Threatening my daughter?

Using Olivia as leverage?

That’s where it ends.

Kenzie finds me in the kitchen early the next morning. She doesn’t say anything at first. Just walks over, slides into my space, presses a hand to my chest.

My body unwinds. I deeply exhale.

“You’re thinking too much,” she murmurs.

I let out a dry chuckle. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

Kenzie tilts her head, studying me. “Have you slept at all?”

I run a hand down my face.

“Didn’t have time.”

Kenzie arches a brow. “Bullshit.”

I grin despite myself.

But her expression softens.

“I know this is eating at you,” she says quietly.

I nod once.

“Because it’s not just about me.”

Kenzie steps closer.

“No,” she agrees. “It’s not. But you’re not alone in this, Grant. And you’re not fighting alone either.”

My chest tightens.

Because that?

That’s the thing that makes this feel possible.

***

Kenzie and I arrive at the law office, tension coiled tight in my chest.

The building is imposing—glass, steel, sharp edges. Everything about it screams power.

Good.

Because that’s exactly what we need.

Kenzie slips her fingers through mine, giving my hand a firm squeeze. A reminder. That I’m not walking into this fight alone.

I squeeze back.

Then, we step inside.

The receptionist leads us into a sleek conference room. The man waiting for us?

Marcus Reed.

Top-rated custody lawyer in the state.

Older. Late fifties. Sharp suit, sharper eyes.

He doesn’t smile. Doesn’t do pleasantries. Just lifts a brow as we sit.

“Grant Maddox.” His voice is smooth, but firm. “I hear you have a problem.”

I lean forward, hands clasped.

“You could say that.”

Marcus nods. “Tell me everything.”

I lay it all out.

Every detail.

The history. The divorce. The way Lauren has weaponized Olivia against me for years.

The mind games. The manipulation.

And now, this custody threat.

Kenzie stays silent, listening.

But I can feel her—her presence, her steady support.

Marcus nods slowly.

Then, he leans back, lacing his fingers together.

“Well,” he says finally. “Lauren’s smart.”

My jaw clenches.

“But she’s also predictable.”

Kenzie tilts her head. “Meaning?”

Marcus taps his fingers against the desk.

“She’s playing offense. Trying to make you react. That means she’s betting on two things: one, that you’ll either lose your temper or make a mistake. And two…”

His gaze sharpens.

“That you won’t fight hard enough to win.”

I exhale slowly.

Kenzie?

She leans forward, voice firm.

“Then she bet wrong.”

A slow smile tugs at Marcus’s lips.

“I like her,” he says, glancing at me.

I grin despite myself.

“Yeah. Me too.”

Marcus leans forward, his sharp gaze locking onto mine.

“You want to win?” he says, voice steady. “Then we go on the offensive.”

I nod once. “What does that look like?”

Marcus clasps his hands together.

“We build the case that Lauren is unfit for full custody. We show the court that Olivia thrives under your care and that disrupting her stability would be a detriment to her well-being.”

Kenzie nods, her grip tightening on my hand. “How do we prove that?”

Marcus doesn’t hesitate.

“Character witnesses. Documentation. Testimonies from teachers, pediatricians, people who see Olivia in her daily life.”

My stomach tightens. “Lauren’s going to fight that hard.”

Marcus smirks. “I’m counting on it.”

Kenzie exhales slowly.

“But what if she tries to twist things? To make Grant look like the bad guy?”

Marcus nods approvingly.

“She will. And that’s where we get ahead of her.”

He slides a legal pad across the table.

“I want everything. Every text, every email, every record of her making his life hell. We show the judge that she’s been manipulating Grant for years.”

My chest tightens.

Because there’s a lot of that.

Kenzie meets my gaze.

“This is how we win.”

I let out a slow breath.

Then, voice firm—

“Let’s do it.”