Hendrix - Kelsey Clayton Page 0,58

to let any of them in, but they're all looking for you.”

Dread fills my stomach as I realize I'm alone with Brenna in what could end up turning into a media circus. I may have Maddie with me, but no part of her is prepared for this. Hell, I'm not even prepared for this. Maybe it was stupid to think I could still go out in public without the press having a field day. With all the attention that's been on us lately, this was inevitable.

We pay the check, and I grab Brenna's hand tightly in my own. Maddie stands on the other side to protect her, but the second we walk out the door, they flood the entrance. Cameras flash from all directions, making it hard to see, and the questions they're shouting at us are unbelievable.

Are you dating Colby Hendrix?

Is Colby the father of your daughter?

Why are there no pictures of him with a baby? Did he not want her?

Are you just trying to get money out of him?

There's no way for us to get through them. No matter what way we turn, they're blocking our exit. Instead of trying to navigate around them and risking Brenna getting hurt in the process, we turn around and go back inside. Maddie picks Brenna up in her arms and holds her tight while I take out my phone.

“Colby? We have a problem.”

IT ONLY TAKES TWENTY minutes for him to get here, but when he does, you can feel his anger radiate from a mile away. The black SUV comes to a screeching halt out front, and he jumps out, along with Asher and Griffin. They turn to take his picture when he holds his hand up to block someone's shot.

“Are you vultures out of your goddamn minds?” he roars. “There is a fucking child in there! She's not someone you can use to get your paychecks! Don't you have a Kardashian to go stalk?”

He rips the door open to the restaurant and immediately grabs Brenna. She buries her face in his neck, clearly feeling uncomfortable with everything. He looks me up and down.

“Are you all right?”

I nod. “A little shaken up, but I'll be fine. I'm sorry I interrupted practice.”

He shakes his head and grabs my chin. “Never, ever, apologize for keeping our daughter, or you, safe. Ever.”

I swallow the lump in my throat but say nothing. As he turns to lead us outside, Maddie elbows me and makes a face. Trust me, I already know.

Asher and Griffin use their bodies as shields to keep the press back as we walk out and climb into the Range Rover. When we're safely inside, I hand Asher my keys so he can bring my car back to Colby's, and Griffin makes sure Maddie gets to hers safely, then gets in the car with Asher.

As Colby pulls away, he dials a number, and Selena's voice comes through the speaker within seconds.

“Is everything okay?” she asks.

“No,” he growls. “I want restraining orders for Saige and Brenna, and I want them now!”

Selena sighs into the phone. “Absolutely. I'll have them for you within the hour.”

I COME OUT INTO the living room after putting Brenna to bed. She insisted on waiting up to see the end of Colby's game, but once she saw that they won, it's like all the energy drained right out of her.

Maddie is sitting on the couch while painting her toenails on Colby's coffee table, and it makes me laugh.

“If he could see you doing that right now.”

She rolls her eyes. “Aw, what would your big, strong, boyfriend do? Ask me for another threesome?”

I snort. “Mads, you asked for the threesome.”

“Whatever,” she saves me off. “He wasn't exactly saying no.”

Yeah, I know. Thank God I did.

Grabbing a water, I sit down on the couch next to her and watch to make sure she doesn't spill any polish on the coffee table. I might live here, but ruining his furniture isn't something I want to do.

“Is he on his way home?”

I shake my head. “No, he's going to the celebration party over at Griffin's. He asked me to meet him there, but I said no.”

She groans and closes the nail polish before throwing herself backward into the cushion. “You're absolutely impossible. Do you know that?”

“Why? Because I don't want to play Russian roulette with my daughter's life?”

Maddie raises one brow. “Okay, no one is holding a gun to her head, Miss Overdramatic.”

“Still. What if things end up going just as wrong as they