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Stepping back, I frown as I open the thick tri-fold paper and read the words at the top.Transfer of Custody… My eyes widen as they fly down the text. It’s a document spelling out how I am officially the legal guardian of Edward. How my dad has relinquished all claims and no longer has the power to make our lives miserable.
It doesn’t actually say those words, but that’s the gist.
“The judge gave me custody?”
“We never saw the judge. Liv drew up the papers, but Jayden said he wouldn’t sign unless we paid him.”
Shaking my head in disgust, I return to the signed contract I’m holding. “You paid him for this?”
“Sort of.” That dimple is in his cheek, and he takes my hand. “You’re not going to believe who showed up at the eleventh hour with a bait and switch.”
My eyes widen. “Tell me!”
“Claws.”
“What?!” I almost squeal. “How is that possible?”
“Who’s Claws?” Dylan jerks on Zane’s sleeve. “What happened? Who’s Claws?”
“Miss Gina must’ve called her at some point, and apparently Claws has enough power to command twenty thousand dollars.”
“She did not give him twenty thousand dollars.” My stomach drops to the ground.
“No, she didn’t.” Zane drops his head back with a laugh. “She conned the con man.”
“I’m still waiting to know who Claws is!” Dylan pushes her brother’s arm. “Santa Claus?”
“She might as well be.” Zane looks at his sister. “She’s Miss Gina’s sister-in-law, and she roasted Jayden. He has to pay the money back by working as their sanitation clerk for a year.”
“What’s a sanitation clerk?”
“Sewage guy.”
Biting the hard candy, I shake my head . “I still don’t understand.”
“She works for this children’s charity in Birmingham, and when she said she’d give Jayden twenty thousand dollars, she didn’t tell him it would be in exchange for him working for them.”
“He fell for it?”
“It was pretty classic the way she rolled it out. He never even saw it coming.”
“So it’s all done?” My eyes meet his, and his warmth soothes the fear in my chest.
“Almost. You have to sign these, and Liv will file them with the court. Then it’s done.” Zane pulls me into his arms. “We got Eddie.”
“I’ve never seenanything like this!” Liv stands beside me at the booth, holding a basket of chips and a cup of Scotch Bonnet and mango salsa. “They weren’t doing this when I left for college.”
Craig is on the bar with the female servers wearing a blond wig and shaking his butt to The Spice Girls.
“Dance with me, Miss G!” Allie skips over to where we’re standing, holding out her hands.
I step forward to help Miss Gina out of the booth, and the two of them hold hands as they sway to the music. Miss Gina has surprisingly good rhythm. She twirls her arms in time to the music, and even turns around to shake her booty from side to side.
“Can I get some fries with that shake?” I catcall, laughing and clapping.
We all have our hands up dancing when Liv suddenly lets out a yelp from where she watches us beside the booth.
“Help!” Her eyes are wide and watering, and she’s frantically fanning her red face with her hands. “What’s happening?”
