She moved unhesitatingly towards him.He cupped her cheeks with his palms and stared down at her a tender smile on his face.God,he loved this woman.The way she simply followed his lead made his heart ache wonderfully.She was made for him.
“I love you,”she whispered to him.
“I love you too,”his smile got bigger.“Sorry I bolted.I had something I really wanted to take care of.”
“It’s okay.We can talk later.”
He nodded and was about to say something when Merlin interrupted.“What is this?”
“That,is a gift.”
“A gift?”Merlin frowned.“What kind of gift?”
“The kind which I never in a million years thought I would ever bestow on a McGrath but after talking to my girl,”he hugged Liesl tight,“and my mom who once had her heart ripped out of her chest because your father was careless,I couldn’t sit by and do nothing.”
“I don’t understand.”
“When I was a kid,your father destroyed the home of my family and twenty-six other families.My parents were immigrants to the country and while we had been born here,my sister and I,they were not.Times were tough and when they lost their house and their place of employment,they also lost their kids because they were homeless and unemployed.”
“It’s why you hate my father and destroyed our company.”Merlin said quietly.
“Yup.He made my mama cry and broke her heart.For two years she had to battle a court system she barely understood with her limited English.”He felt Liesl’s hand rubbing his low back gently.He wanted to kiss her senseless but first he had to get through this shit.
“What does this have to do with this?”he held up the thumb drive.
“Well,it has everything to do with Sandy,actually.”
“Me?”She made big eyes.
“Yes,see Sandy,the night of the gala,I gave you a warning,didn’t I?”When she swallowed audibly,he stared her down.“I warned you.If you continued to fuck with Liesl I would ruin,you.I would make your life a living hell.Now,you,”he shook his head regrettably,“did not heed my warning.I love Liesl.I love her to the point it kills me when she’s not with me.She is everything I ever dreamed of in a woman and more.I am convinced she was put on this earth to make my life complete.”He held her close.
“Why?”Sandy sneered.“She’s beneath you.”
He clicked his tongue as he felt Liesl bristling beside him.“Sandy,you’re so jealous of the soul she has,and the way people automatically fall in love with her sweet nature you don’t think clearly.You very stupidly,despite knowing I have a full security team and Janka’s gallery under surveillance and recorded,went to visit Liesl at work this week.”He motioned to Merlin,“that USB among other things,has the video where Sandy and Roddy asked Liesl to cover for them so Sandy can leave the country with your child.She hammed it up for Roddy,but my very unscrupulous team also got copies of her text messages.It seems she’s fucking Roddy’s boss.The minute you lost your chance at CEO,she went back to one of her other lovers.He offered Roddy a job in London so he could get Sandy there.”
Merlin turned to look at Sandy,“you were going to leave with my son?”
“It’s why I’m giving you the details,Merlin.I talked to Liesl,and she was broken hearted.Not because she cares for you or even likes you,but because,she felt it was a line she couldn’t cross,to deprive you of your son.Especially when we all know Sandy is unfit to be a parent.In about ten minutes you’ll get a call from judge who is a personal friend of my father’s.My father also remembers what it was like to lose his kids and said the kind of pain isn’t one he’d wish on even his worst enemy.The judge has issued a court order banning Sandy from leaving the country until after the birth and after custody has been sorted.”
Sandy shrieked,“you can’t do this.”
“I can and I have.I warned you Sandy.I warned you if you went after Liesl and didn’t fuck off,I was going to ruin you and I’m going to do it.The medical records I was able to gather cite Sandy has a medical condition which puts the life of her child at risk if she flies.She is thirty-three weeks pregnant,and her placenta is not in the right place.It puts her due date sooner which means she’s been lying to you about the conception being at the wedding.I’m betting the bitch poked holes in your condoms.She did supply them,right?”
“Sandy?Why?”Lorraine asked with wide eyes.“You would risk the life of the baby to run away to England?”
“I don’t even want this fucking kid and now I’m going to have to birth it!I got pregnant to make sure he told Liesl the truth,but I never thought I’d get this sick with it.I puked for months and now I’m not puking the stupid doctor tells me if I have sex I could bleed out.”she vented furiously.“It might not even be a risk if I fly.I was willing to take the chance.”
Granny gasped at her,“Sandy how could you?”
“I deserve to have the best!Now Merlin is broke,and we don’t have the nice house,my kid is going to grow up poor.”
“I’m not fucking broke,”Merlin laughed at her snidely.“Just because I didn’t let you see what I got as a severance package when Isaias bought us out,doesn’t mean I’m destitute.I also have a new job starting next week and I’m back to making six figures.You stupid bitch.”
Isaias laughed at Sandy’s shocked expression.“I also had a sit-down conversation with Roddy and his boss.Let them know you played them both.Roddy truly believed your bullshit about wanting to do right by Liesl.I showed him the texts you sent her.Oh,and the guy you were fooling around with at your office,where you work as a CPA.I told his wife.She has a clip of you with your tongue down his throat.She’s a lawyer.Good luck.”
“Why are you doing this?”Sandy was pale staring at him,
“I warned you.You didn’t listen.I can’t physically harm a woman,especially a pregnant one,but I can make sure from today until the day I die,you never get to con another rich man again in the name of hurting Liesl.You don’t come after my family and survive.”
“She’s not your family!”Sandy pouted.“You barely know her.”
“And yet,she’s going to have my child.”He boldly put his hand on the flat of Liesl’s stomach.
Merlin spun to look at them.“You’re pregnant?”
Isaias looked down at Liesl who met his eyes smiling.He looked to Merlin,relishing the sadness in the man’s eyes.He still hated him.He simply didn’t hate him enough to let someone kidnap his kid.“yes.She’s pregnant.”
Granny gave a hooted laugh,“congratulations!”
“Thanks Granny.”Liesl smiled at her as she rested her head against Isaias’shoulder.“It was unexpected but I’m really happy.”
Isaias hugged her tight.“Me too.I’m very happy.”
Sandy gave a loud wail as she punched the top of the dining room table.“No.No.No.”
“Yes,yes,yes,”Isaias mocked her.“You sent Liesl a text message which told her if she didn’t keep your secrets you would continue to harass her and not even a restraining order would stop you.What you didn’t count on,Sandy is how much I love Liesl and how hard I will fight to protect her.I will make it my personal mission to make sure the world knows what kind of an asshole you are.”
“You’re mean.”
“I am the meanest person you ever met.”Isaias laughed in her face.
“Liesl,say something.”Sandy looked to her pleadingly.“You can’t let him do this to me.”
She shook her head and squeezed Isaias’s hand,“you did this to yourself,Sandy.I told you.Sisters don’t hurt each other the way you hurt me.I can never forgive you for the shit you’ve put me through.If I had my way,I would never speak another word to you again.”
Isaias kissed the top of her head before turning his gaze back to a very sad looking Merlin,“I almost let the bitch leave the country if only to give Liesl peace from her.Don’t make me regret my actions.Keep your wife away from mine.”
