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With the proudest of smiles, Henry wiped his eyes as he looked down at the tiny bundle in his arms. “Hello Sylvie, I’m your grandad,” he murmured, testing out the nickname. “I think that suits her just fine.” Henry looked to his daughter-in-law. “You gave us quite a scare, Sister.”
Darcie smiled softly, closed her eyes, and rested her head on Connor’s shoulder.
Chapter12
Liam frownedat the text message on his phone.
Heads will roll!
There was no doubt that it was a drunk text. Sophie always got high and mighty when she drank too much, earning her the nickname Your Majesty. He considered calling, but something told him she wouldn’t pick up.
With a sigh, he grabbed his keys and headed to her house.
He arrived to find the front door unlocked. Stepping inside, he spotted Sophie—barefoot, very drunk, and stumbling around the living room, belting out the lyrics to a song they’d learned as kids.
“With her head tucked un-der-neath her arm, she walks the bloody tower! With her head tucked un-der-neath her arm in the midnight hour!” She marched, then took a swig straight from the bottle tucked beneath her arm as if it were a head.
Liam snorted, startling her.
“You’re here! You got my message!” she cried and stomped toward him with the half-empty bottle of whiskey cradled under her arm.
“What’s going on, Soph?” If she were in a better mood, he would have referred to by her nickname ‘Your Majesty’ but when Sophie stomped, as her text message said, heads will roll.
“Do you know what the bastard did?”
Liam braced himself. “Who? What’s happened?”
“That rotten lying bastard! I shouldn’t have divorced him, I should have killed him! Where is it?” She spun on her heel in search of something and nearly fell over snatching a letter from the couch. It had landed there after she’d thrown it earlier. “Read this!” She shook it violently in front of her.
He tried to take it from her but she waved the crumpled paper tight inside her fist just out of his reach. “I’m ruined! That son-a-bitch-piece-of-shit ruined my life! Again! Twice!” She held the letter within his grasp again then moved it away as her rant blazed on. “He’s an asshole’s bastard step child who was left on the doorstep of hell and raised by Satan himself!”
“Why don’t you let me read that, love?”
Sophie handed over the letter, then plucked the bottle from under her arm, unscrewed the cap, and took another swig. “See for yourself! He’s erasing—no—he’s resending my alimony!”
Liam’s jaw clenched as he read. Her ex-husband, Bobby, was rescinding her alimony. “That fucking bastard.”
“That’s my line.” She threw her free arm up, nearly tipping over. “And you know what’s worse? I was nice about the divorce! I could have made his life a living hell, but noooooo, I just wanted to be done with the bastard! I wasted the best years of my life on him! I worked extra shifts to pay off his student loans! But does that matter? NO! Because he’s a spiteful, cheating, soulless devil!”
“Can he do this? Is it legal?”
“How should I know? Probably not! He never cared about rules! He even sent a contract he expects me to sign!” She threw her hand in the air gesturing to the kitchen counter where the contract laid. Sophie’s lip trembled and she quickly burst into tears. “Well, he can take it, and he can fold it in five corners, and shove it where the sun don’t shine because I’m not signing!”
Liam wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she let it all out.
Once her sobs faded into quiet hiccups he guided her to the sofa, and as soon as they sat, she curled into him, tucking herself beneath his arm.
“What am I going to do? I’m responsible for half of the pub. Keefe can’t afford the place on his own.”
Liam scanned the room looking for a box of tissues. His shirtsleeve was already soaked through. He was relieved when he found one just within his reach. “I can help, if you’ll let me,” he said offering the tissues.
She plucked one from the box and blew her nose. “You’re very sweet but I don’t see how.”
“I’ll lend you the money.” He would have offered it to her outright but knew she would never accept it.
Sophie shook her head and took a few more tissues to wipe away the tears that just wouldn’t stop coming. “I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not? What’s the alternative?”
