“Back door,” I confirmed, already moving to be there for her. I’d stand by her side while she faced him, but I wished she would let me just pick her up and carry her away from his bullshit. I wanted to fix this, to make everything okay, but I knew it would only piss her off if I interfered.
Spencer’s eyes met mine, searching for agreement—maybe for permission, maybe for backup. The air was thick with the promise of confrontation, everyone acutely aware that lines were being drawn, stakes raised.
We slipped through the kitchen and out the back just as Paige’s voice rose through the gravel-scented alley.
“You want tosellmy house?!” she shrieked. “Your children’s home?”
Inside, the entire tavern hushed; she was that loud. Even the jukebox seemed to lower itself into a pause.
“It’s not just your house. We should split it.” Eli said. “My new lawyer said it should have been considered marital property?—”
“Oh, you do not want to start with legalese and technicalities. You left, Eli. You moved out. You movedon.You don’t get to come back and claim pieces of the life I rebuilt.”
“I need the money. I’m not trying to hurt you.”
“I do not care enough about you to let you hurt me. But threatening to take away your kids’ home? What kind of father does that? You are pathetic.”
“I’m just saying—it could help us both, financially, I mean. You could pay off the bar, take a break. Or maybe even sell the bar. Think about it. We could sell and split it, and then we could both be set.”
“Are you crazy? I’m not selling anything. You think Iwanta break? This is my place.Mine. I don’t need a fucking break.”
“You’re running yourself ragged. It’s not sustainable, Paige.”
“And whose fault is that?” She was on fire. Furious. “You’re choosing Danielle’s comfort over your daughter’s dreams. You’re trying to cut Briar’s dance class so you can buy new furniture for your fiancée’s living room! They told me everything.”
“I’m doing my best?—”
“Your best sucks!”
Behind me, I heard Eliza suck in a breath. Lucy folded her arms. Piper stayed quiet, her jaw set like stone.
“He’s gone too far,” Cara whispered, voice tight.
“I’m texting Ren,” Piper muttered.
Eli took a half step forward, hands held out placatingly, like he thought being reasonable would work now. “You don’t have to make this harder than it is.”
“Oh, you havegotto be kidding me,” Paige snapped. “You don’t get to pull the ‘I’m the reasonable one’ card. Not when you’re standing inmyparking lot, outsidemybar, telling me to give up the home we raised our children in. That house is mine, and it’s going to stay mine.Forever, you stupid prick.”
He opened his mouth. Closed it.
Then he noticed all of us standing there.
Her sisters. My brothers. The bar staff. Me.
And for once in his life, Eli did the right thing.
He turned and walked off. Stalked across the parking lot, got into his car, and left.
Paige exhaled like she’d been holding her breath since he arrived. Her shoulders slumped for half a second, just enough to feel the cost of staying upright. Then she looked up and saw us.
“Did you seriously all follow me outside?” Her eyes were bright with something sharp and defiant, and for a heartbeat, no one moved. Then the tension snapped—just a little, just enough for breath to return—and the crowd shifted closer, a ripple of solidarity.
I hung back behind the others, the urge rising in me to swoop in and hold Paige, to take her home and make sure she was okay. Every instinct screamed at me to shield her, to make things easier. But I knew her too well—her pride wouldn’t let her leave before she’d finished her job. She needed to stand her ground and prove she could handle this, and I respected that. Still, I watched from the edge, wishing I could do more, wishing she’d let me carry some of the weight for her.
Jasper stepped forward, holding out a glass of water. Paige took it, her fingers steady but pale, and drank it. “Thanks,” she muttered.
Piper was the first to break the silence, her voice low but sure. “We wanted to make sure you didn’t kill him,” she said gently.
