Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
L iam
The hum of power tools fills the air, Jack, Rune, Ridge, and Slate are scattered around my shop, their easy camaraderie a counterbalance to the tension that’s been hanging heavy these last few days. The shop’s been fortified with new locks, reinforced windows, and enough bracing to survive a damn hurricane.
“I gotta hand it to you, Grayson,” Jack drawls, leaning against the workbench. “This mail-order bride of yours seems to have put a spark back in your step.”
I don’t bother responding, focusing on the hinge I’m attaching to the new steel-reinforced door. They’ve been at it all day—teasing, poking, prodding. I should be irritated, but their ribbing is familiar, grounding. And if I’m honest, Callie’s presence has changed something in me, even if I won’t admit it out loud.
“You keep acting like you don’t care,” Ridge adds, tossing a wrench in the air and catching it. “But I see the way you look at her.”
I grunt, tightening the screws with more force than necessary. “You seeing things now? Must be all that paint thinner you sniff in your shop.”
Laughter erupts, and Slate claps me on the shoulder. “Come on, man. Own up to it. You’re smitten.”
Before I can reply, Callie’s voice floats in from outside. Her laughter is light and carefree, cutting through the noise in my head like a balm. My hand stills, the wrench in my grip suddenly heavy.
Rune notices. “Yeah, you’re smitten all right.”
“Shut it,” I mutter, standing and wiping my hands on a rag. But my lips twitch despite myself, a half-smile threatening to form.
The house is quiet, save for the soft crackle of the fire in the hearth. The others left after dinner, full of beer and too much smugness for my liking. Now it’s just me and Callie in the stillness, and she’s nowhere to be seen.
I find her in the living room, curled up on the couch. Her shoulders are shaking, and the muffled sound of her sobs stops me in my tracks. My chest tightens, an ache settling low in my gut. Seeing her like this—so vulnerable, so unlike her usual sunny self—it’s enough to crack the walls I’ve spent years building.
“Callie,” I say softly, stepping closer.
She startles, swiping at her face as if she can erase the evidence of her tears.
“I’m fine,” she says quickly, her voice trembling.
“Don’t,” I say, sitting beside her. “Don’t tell me you’re fine when you’re not.”
Her lip trembles, and she looks away. “It’s just... everything. My studio, my life before—all of it feels like it’s gone. Like I don’t even know who I am anymore.”
Her words hit me harder than I expect. I’ve been there, in that place where everything feels lost, where you can’t see the way forward. I reach out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her eyes snap to mine, wide and filled with something raw.
“You’re not lost,” I tell her. “You’re here. You’re safe. And you’re not alone.”
She lets out a shaky breath, leaning into my touch. “Sometimes it feels like I’ll never find my footing again.”
I pull her into my arms, her warmth seeping into me like she belongs there. “You will,” I murmur against her hair. “I’ll make damn sure of it.”
Her hands clutch my shirt, her fingers twisting in the fabric like she’s holding on for dear life. I can feel her heart pounding against my chest, the rapid beat echoing my own. Her breath is warm against my neck, and every part of me is acutely aware of her—her softness, her scent, the way she fits so perfectly in my arms.
When she tilts her head back to look at me, her eyes are searching, vulnerable. “Liam,” she whispers, her voice barely audible. “Why do you do this?”
“Do what?” My voice is rough, the words catching in my throat.
“Make me feel like I’m worth something again.”
Her confession undoes me. Before I can think, before I can stop myself, I lower my head and capture her lips with mine. The kiss is slow, deliberate, a claiming and a question all at once. She tastes like honey and fire, sweet and wild, and I’m powerless to resist.
She kisses me back, her hands sliding up to cup my face, her fingers threading through my hair. The intensity between us builds, a spark igniting into an inferno. I deepen the kiss, my hands roaming her back, pulling her closer, needing more.
But then she pulls back, just enough to look at me. Her cheeks are flushed, her lips swollen, and her eyes are filled with a mix of desire and uncertainty.
“Liam,” she breathes, her voice shaky. “I don’t want to be another thing you have to fix.”
“You’re not.” My hands cup her face, my thumbs brushing away the remnants of her tears. “You’re not broken, Callie. You’re the strongest person I know.”
She lets out a soft laugh, the sound tinged with disbelief. “You don’t even know half of me.”
“I know enough,” I say, my voice firm. “I know you’re brave and kind and stubborn as hell. And I know I want to be the one who stands beside you, no matter what.”
Her eyes search mine, and for a moment, everything else falls away. Then she leans in, her lips brushing against mine in a kiss that’s softer, sweeter, but no less intense.
As much as I want to keep going, to lose myself in her, something in me hesitates. I pull back, resting my forehead against hers.
“We can’t,” I say, my voice thick with restraint.
Her brows knit together. “Why not?”
“Because you deserve better,” I admit, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “Better than a broken man like me.”
Her fingers tighten in my shirt, her eyes flashing with determination. “You’re not broken, Liam. You’re the strongest person I know.”
Her words are a mirror of my own, and they hit me like a punch to the gut. I shake my head, my hand falling to my side. “I can’t give you what you need.”
“You don’t get to decide that,” she snaps, her tone fierce. “You don’t get to tell me what I need or what I want.”
Her defiance sparks something in me, and I can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. “You’re a stubborn woman, Callie Baker.”
“And you’re a damn fool if you think I see you as anything less than whole.”
I plant a soft kiss on her lips, then move across the room to turn on the stone fireplace, watching as the flames crackle to life.
“You're quite the romantic underneath that gruff exterior, aren't you?” She settles herself in my embrace.
“Don't say that too loud or I'll have to prove you wrong.” I playfully smack her bottom before planting a kiss on the top of her head. “Love that you’re here. That you’re mine.”
She laughs loudly. “Is this what my life has become now?”
“Absolutely.” I lean in for a kiss. “I love you, Callie.”
“Mm,” she hums against my lips. “I love you too,” comes her whisper. “You’re such a softy, Liam Grayson, you take me by surprise everyday..”
“Ssh, don’t say that too loud, I have a reputation to uphold around here.”
“Speaking of reputations.” She grins mischievously, tracing her thumb along my bottom lip. “I love your tattoos. I want to trace all of them with my tongue.”
I plant a tender kiss on her lips. “Got a thing for tattoos, baby? I’d cover myself in them if it made you happy.”
“Hmm.” She pauses, pursing her lips. “You’re more than enough like this.” She grins.
“Good, I like keeping you on your toes.” I guide her back to the couch, laying her back against the leather and then easing her leggings down her thighs. I strip her panties off and then marvel at the way she’s so aroused, pussy glistening for me in the dim light. I slide myself between her thighs, tracing my tongue along her soaked slit in slow, sensual movements.
She moans as her arousal coats my chin. “You're so wet, I could die inside you a happy man.”
She wiggles her hips and moans, causing my cock to tighten painfully in response. I continue to lick and suck, teasing her clit with my fingers before sliding them between her folds and gently massaging her muscles, urging her to relax. She grunts and arches off the sofa, trying to push her body against mine.
"Stop moving," I growl, holding her in place by her hips. But she either doesn't hear me or doesn't care, as she continues to writhe against my thrusts, chasing after my tongue. "If you don't stop, I will."
I slip the shirt off her shoulders and am surprised to find she isn’t wearing a bra. A low growl falls off my lips as I tweak her nipple gently, then a little harder until she opens her eyes and clenches her teeth together. That gets her attention. Her fiery grey eyes meet mine, a mix of anger, pain, and lust swirling within them.
"You have my attention now," she breathes out as she tenses, pulsing around me as she climaxes against my tongue. It's torturous but also sweet in its intensity.
"Fuck," I curse as I punish her for disobeying by pulling away my tongue.
“I want you," she gasps. "Take me, please.”
She has my heart pounding and my body craving to possess her completely. “Not yet, precious. I want to with everything in me, but I need to do right by you.”
Her eyes flicker with disappointment.
“Hey–” I tip her chin to me and smirk, “I need to do this for me. I want you with every fiber of me–but I need you to know that I’m not going anywhere–I don’t want to rush this. You’re mine. You’re the glue that holds my broken heart together. You’ve always been mine, you understand?”
She nods.
"I love you." I lap at her hot entrance, sucking on her swollen lips until she’s writhing against my beard. "So damn much."
"Liam," she moans, "Oh my God, I love you too."
I growl against her warmth. Damn, she always catches me off guard. Staring into those deep, soulful eyes of hers, I feel it in my bones. She is stronger than I ever was. She possesses a hidden strength that she doesn't even realize, but I can see it clearly reflected in her eyes.
She is my everything.
Her body pulses against my tongue as waves of pleasure crash through her. Swallowing hard, I study her beautiful skin. Leaning over, I run my fingers through her long hair and grip it tightly. Pressing my lips to hers in a fiery kiss. “I want to take this slow, baby, so I’m not going to make you mine tonight. Not yet. But soon.” I hum through a kiss on her soft lips. “I can promise you it’s taking everything in me to control myself with you like this though.”
She nods, chest heaving with aroused breaths. I gather her in my arms, carrying her off down the hallway to my bedroom. Our bedroom. I tuck her into the blankets, loving the way she curls against me, eyes fluttering closed as she falls into a deep sleep.
Later that night, I lie awake, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing as she sleeps beside me. The storm outside has passed, leaving a peaceful stillness in its wake. But inside, my thoughts churn like a raging river.
I’ve spent so long keeping people at arm’s length, convinced I wasn’t worth the effort. But Callie—she’s changed something in me. She’s made me want more. More than just surviving, more than just getting through each day. She’s made me want a future, one that’s brighter, fuller, and undeniably hers.
And for the first time, I think I might just be brave enough to fight for it.