Page 2 of Take The Risk

​I’d lived there with Jeremy for our whole marriage, and it had never really felt like home. So, against my divorce lawyer’s stringent advice, I signed the place over to Jeremy as part of the settlement. It wasn’t like I needed the money from the sale anyway.

Thanks to my books, I made more than enough, and that was the whole reason my divorce still wasn’t finalized. Money. It didn’t matter that I didn’t want child support or an equal division of assets. Thinking it was fair, I only wanted the money I’d earned from the time Jeremy had started cheating, even though, really, my marriage was over long before that, and a handful of things. Jeremy fought it. It didn’t matter that he’d berated me endlessly about writing the romance books, which had started my career. He wanted half the money, and when he found out about the romantasy trilogy I’d written (technically before we’d even met, but I was only now publishing them), he wanted half of that, too. Hell, he wanted half of all future earnings, claiming he made them possible by supporting me while I “lazed around at home.”

​If he found out about the upcoming movie deal, I knew he’d drag his feet about the divorce and try to take that from me, too.

​Jeremy and Layla thought they were so freaking smart. What they forgot was Georgia wasn’t a “no-fault divorce” state. His cheating, according to my lawyer, meant I could sue for emotional distress, among other things and win. Wasn’t it fantastic to live in a conservative, religious, Republican state?

​In fact, Jeremy should be served with my statement of claim tomorrow as my response to his demands during the mediation. We’ll see how he likes that, I mused, grinning. If only I could be there to see the look on his face when he realized his doormat wife was no longer going to let him wipe his boots on her anymore.

​“That fucker!” Alex’s snarl had my head snapping around. She spun on her heel, storming past me. “I’ll kill him.”

​“Damn it!” I added my own curse, hot on her heels, after looking out my bedroom window.

​We’d made it to the top of the old stairs when the front door flew open with a loud thwack against the wall that rattled the windows. “MOM! AUNT ALEX! YOU’LL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT DAD AND LAYLA GOT ME!”

​Lachlan raced up the stairs, accepting the kiss Alex dropped on his forehead as she continued on her mission. “Check it out, Mom. It’s the new Nintendo Switch. Isn’t it cool?” He held up the box of the gaming system we’d agreed not to get our son.

​“Who the hell do you think—”

​Gritting my teeth, I forced a smile, ignoring the raised voices on my porch. Thankfully, Alex pulled the door closed behind her, but now was a fine time to learn it wasn’t soundproof.

​“Do you think I can use your phone to call Russell and tell him?” Lachlan looked at me hopefully.

​If ever there was a time to be thankful an internet installation guy hadn’t shown up, this was it. “Is this how you greet your mother?” I gave Lachlan my sternest look. It was a game we played, but really, manners were important no matter the circumstances.

​Lachlan smiled sheepishly. Going on his toes, he kissed my cheek. “Hi, Mom. How are you? I missed you,” he recited all the things he knew he was supposed to. “Now, can I call Russell?”

​Snorting a laugh, I ruffled his curly brown hair, which earned me a disgruntled complaint. I said, “Sure, kiddo. My phone is on my bed.”

​“Yes!” he cried, racing past me with his package.

​“You and your thunder-slut aren’t even supposed to be here,” Alex snarled, her fisted hands resting on her hips.

​“How dare you call me—” Layla’s irritating voice was interrupted by Jeremy adding his own stupidity to the situation. Great, a fight was in full swing right on my front porch.

​Jeremy’s face was flushed and furious, and Layla had that pinched look of calculation on her face, making bells scream in my head.

​“Get out of here, Jeremy.” I grabbed Alex’s arm, moving her out of my way. I pulled the door closed behind me, forcing Jeremy to take a step back. “You aren’t welcome here,” I said without preamble, feeling my annoyance rise at the glare Layla gave me. What did she have to glare about? It wasn’t like I screwed her husband and got pregnant behind her back.

​“Fuck you, Phoebe. How dare you do this!”

​It was then I saw the papers clutched in his hand.

​Weren’t those supposed to be delivered tomorrow?

​“Well, they were delivered today,” Jeremy fumed, letting me know I’d spoken aloud. “You have no right to do this!”

​Alex gave him a derisive look, scoffing, “Ugh…” She waved a hand in front of his face. “Hello? Earth to Sack of Stupid? What did you expect when—”

​“Oh, shut it, Alex—”

​“Enough!” I snapped, my head starting to hurt. Looking around, I tried to see if anyone on my new street had heard me. I began rubbing my thumb and forefinger together, something Jeremy saw and smirked at.

​Clenching my hand into a fist, I leveled a look at him. “Leave, Jeremy. You don’t get to come to my house and make a scene just because you don’t like the consequences of your actions. And don’t think it’s escaped my notice that Layla is here and clearly spent the day around Lachlan in violation of our custody agreement.”

​“Screw the custody agreement!” Jeremy dismissed me in that way that had my teeth clenching. “It’s only temporary and doesn’t mean a damned thing.” Glancing around, I shifted on my feet, making the boards underneath creak.

“Yeah,” Layla added in her two cents. “No judge is going to care if you and your son don’t want me around. I’m having his baby. I have rights.”