Chapter 39 – Liam
S anti’s hovering over Beaumont’s wife, asking questions and making sure we’re not about to have a baby born at Sable. Wouldn’t that be nuts? “I can take her wherever she needs to go,” I tell Juliana.
“Just like you did for me.” She gives me that crooked grin I adore, but I can’t help scowling when I think of that day.
“Let me know when she’s ready to go.”
“I can go with you. She barely knows you.”
My woman going to that asshole’s house when she’s pregnant and vulnerable? No way in hell. “Beaumont might be waiting for his wife to come home. I won’t allow you anywhere near him,” I say, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead before slipping out of the room.
Maybe I shouldn’t leave her to deal with Chad’s wife, but that broken look in Addison’s eyes haunted me, remembering the day I’d met Juliana and seen that same look in her eyes.
All because of the same asshole who can’t keep it in his goddamn pants.
“Fucking bastard,” I growl to myself, wishing I might be allowed just one teensy-weensy bit of murdering in my lifetime.
“I can drive the lady home, boss. If that’s alright.” Glancing up, I find Teo standing in the doorway of Santi’s office. He’s a gentle giant at heart but, looking at him, few would suspect that he takes care of his sickly mom and writes poetry in his free time.
“Any trouble with the husband?”
Teo smiles, darkly. “He might’ve hurt his wrist and bumped his head a little. He’ll live.”
I chuckle, knowing Teo’s not afraid to get rough when it comes to cheating bastards. “I don’t know if Mrs. Beaumont would be comfortable with you as her escort. You’re an intimidating-looking guy, and she doesn’t know you. ”
“Do you know her better? Her husband might be at the house. I don’t want her to be afraid to collect her things. Or, I’d be happy to kick his ass out for her.”
No, I don’t know her better and I’m sure Teo will make sure she’s safe. I tell him I’ll ask her what she prefers and he steps back out.
There’s an announcement on Santi’s desk that Felicity must have left here earlier for our upcoming Truth or Dare Night.
It reminds me of all the times I’ve played with my siblings and that night when we played at Dean’s with Juliana.
I couldn’t give my brothers the chance to put me on the spot in front of her then, so I’d done a lot of singing.
Now? Well, I’ve said what’s in my heart and maybe sometime soon I’ll find the courage to say it again. Whether or not she feels the same way.
Speaking of Felicity though, I need to tell her I squared things with the realtor.
She can move in whenever she wants, out of her aunt’s cramped apartment and not back to her old building where her creepy ex still lives.
He was stalking her for months, even showed up at Sable a few times when she was working late, once on an off-night even.
She’s planning a special thank-you which she really doesn’t have to, but I’d rather she surprise Juliana with something sweet than keep hugging me. I know she’s just grateful, but it’s becoming awkward at this point.
A flash of blue passes by the door and I’d almost think I’m seeing things. “Ivy?” Felicity, Teo and the other staff know to let her in now but I hadn’t expected to see my sister here tonight.
I step into the hallway and see Santi stepping out of my office. We exchange a perplexed look when Ivy starts shouting at Hudson’s office door. “Oh, don’t you dare retreat on me again, Hudson Raines!”
Is he even in there? I haven’t seen him tonight. The door opens an instant later. “You would know all about retreating, Ivy,” I hear Hudson cooly reply from inside so that answers my question.
“You keep avoiding me and then you walk up and say that? How did you expect me to react? Are we ever going to talk about this? Because that wasn’t talking!”
Seeing she has an audience, she scowls at us, storms inside and slams the door shut, cutting off a vulgar curse from Hudson.
“What’s going on?” I ask Santi. He steps in front of me, attempting to prevent me from getting involved. “She’s my sister.”
“And, he’s your friend who would never harm her. Just stay out of their squabbles.”
I stomp past him to Hudson’s door and raise my fist to knock but, no matter how I strain, I can’t hear their voices now. I didn’t think Ivy returning to town would mean so much tension between those two. Frustrated, I turn on Santi. “You know something.”
He doesn’t deny it, but he’s a master at redirecting. “Relax, Liam. Remember how they used to argue for hours over the littlest things?”
I nod, some of the concern slipping away. “Yeah. They were competitive as hell back in college, too, weren’t they?”
“Yeah… competitive,” Santi says before he tells me he’s fetching water for Addison.
“Liam, do you have a sec?” Felicity asks, joining me in the hall.
I glance toward my office door where Juliana is alone with her ex-husband’s current wife and sigh. “Yeah, we can talk in Santi’s office.”
I show her pictures of the apartment on my phone. She’s thrilled and I’m glad of that. I’m not as glad when I feel her leaning in close. I give her a quick hug while she’s giggling over ‘our secrets.’ Maybe I’ll just tell Juliana. It doesn’t need to be a surprise.
“Addison’s ready to leave.” I turn at the sound of her voice and find Juliana standing in the hallway.
“I should get back to work,” Felicity says, heading out. “Good to see you, Lady J.”
Juliana nods at her and doesn’t join me in Santi’s office. Her smile looks all wrong. I worry about what she and Addison talked about, afraid it’s brought back the old heartache. She loved that bastard. It’s why she’s afraid to ever fall in love again.
“What is it?” I ask.
She shakes her head, cradling her belly. “I’m just very tired with some aches and pains. This whole evening was upsetting.”
Of course, it was. “Do you want to head home? I’ll finish up here, take Addison wherever and then come home as soon as possible.”
“That sounds good. I might take a warm bath. ”
I scowl, not thrilled by the idea of her climbing in and out of the bathtub without me there. “Be extra careful.”
“I’m capable of taking care of myself, Liam,” she snaps. “I was prepared to do all of this on my own before you bought a drink for me that night.”
Whoa . Her moods have swung this way and that lately. Not that I’m stupid enough to say as much. “I know. Just promise me you’ll be careful,” I beg.
She makes me that promise and leaves. It doesn’t occur to me until after she’s gone that Teo offered to drive Addison for me. I head into my office to ask the lady what she prefers… right before all hell breaks loose at the club.