Living the Life of Riley | ✔

Chapter Thirty Six

*Completely unedited*

Days passed, and I fell back into old habits. The second I woke up after my baby was gone, I got Mason to get me some vodka, and from there I hadn't spent a moment sober. Being drunk and feeling numb was better than facing the fact that it was because of me that my little girl was taken. I could have done more. Hell, I should have done more!

Stumbling from my bed, I was thankful that Liam had taken two weeks off. He'd taken Cassie somewhere exotic, knowing it would be the last time because he wanted to help me with my child, and Veronica had decided to slum it up with a friend while they were away. They'd all left Liam's the day of my birthday (Liam knew I wasn't in the mood to celebrate and this year was a complete and total disaster), the day after my girl was taken.

Walking down the stairs was a mission and a half. My legs weren't really used to walking (I'd been lying in bed drinking, or sat on the sofa) and my head was pounding so hard, it wouldn't have surprised me if my brain was drummed out.

I all but fell into the kitchen, my body smacking into the island and I started to root through the cupboards, finding any alcohol. The only reason I'd left my room was because I'd finished the bottle of whisky. I was pretty sure I was still drunk though, which was partially the reason why my body wasn't working as it should have.

"Mason!" My voice was slurred as I shouted. "Mason, where's the voddy?"

No answer.

I grumbled and started pulling food out of the cupboards, not caring about the mess.

"Whoops!" I grunted as I fell onto the floor, my bum hanging in the air. Pushing myself up, I heard a stampede of feet. Pulling myself up, and slipping several times, I held onto the counter for dear life. Mason came crashing in, with a bag. My face lit up like a kid at Christmas. He rooted through and handed me a small bottle. I frowned.

"How can you give her that? She's already drunk out of her mind!" Tristan growled and I frowned. Why would Tristan be here? That made no sense! I'd told him I didn't want to see him.

"Do you want to see the alternative? Because I don't."

"Mason, you don't need to be so loud." I grumbled. Nine months ago, if I was drunk off my ass, I'd be giggling like there was no tomorrow. Now? Now I was grouchy and looking for the next drink. It was almost like I was an alcoholic.

As I started to unscrew the lid, I felt the bottle be ripped from my hands.

"Hey!"

"Drinking yourself to death? Is that the way you want to go?" Tristan's angry eyes bore into mine. "What happened to the whole tough girl act?"

"Excuse me?" I could feel the headache getting worse, meaning I was starting to sober up.

"Don't even go there, Tristan." Mason turned on Tristan, fury in his eyes. "You have no right to tell her how to act!"

"So you're going to just let her drunk herself stupid?" Tristan roared. "It's illegal to be buying her that alcohol in the first place!"

"Don't take the God damn high road now." Mason spat. "At least I'm trying to do something. What are you doing? Sitting here and moaning about Mars' coping techniques?"

"I-,"

"And it's your fault that that psycho has taken away her baby. You know why? Because for all the 'I'm going to watch over her, no one will get through' you were the one who let him slip by."

"I told you that I went for a loo break!" Tristan growled. I watched, not saying a word, as I poured my clear Heaven into a glass. My fuzzy mind was enjoying this argument. If I had been more sober, I probably would have been involved but my next thought was filling this emptiness that I felt. "I didn't expect Will to climb through her window!"