Chapter Eight
MADDIE
“Where are you?” Liam’s panicked voice comes through the phone.
“I’m walking to the parking lot right now,” I tell him calmly. “What’s up your ass, Rambo?”
I hitch my bag up higher on my shoulder and pick up my pace.
Class only ended ten minutes ago, and I had to rush across campus to our pickup spot.
It’s Wednesday, which means I don’t have to work and can go home and finish packing for our flight on Friday morning.
Hunter and Lennon are finally getting married in Utah this weekend, and we’re all flying there for the festivities.
He releases a sigh of relief. “You usually text me when you’re running late.”
“Sorry,” I say. “Joel was talking to me, and I lost track of time.”
He stays silent for a beat. I’ve mentioned Joel before, and while Liam pretends it doesn’t bother him, I know it does.
“I’m parked out front. See you in a minute.” Liam ends the call before I can respond.
I see his truck, and before I make it to the door, Liam’s hopping out and walking around to me. “How was school? Anything out of the ordinary happen today?”
Holding out his hand, he takes my bag and sets it inside, which is weird. He’s been acting strange all damn week.
“Just fine and no. Why?” I ask after he opens the door, and I jump inside.
He shrugs and shuts the door while I buckle in.
We ride in silence, and I look over at him, studying his features. His jaw is locked, and he’s tense as hell.
“Did something happen? What’s wrong?” I ask.
“What? No, nothing.”
“Liam…” I say his name softly, hoping he’ll tear down the wall between us. “I’ve known you long enough to tell when you’re lying, and right now, you’re failing miserably. So just say it.”
He swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Blinking, he keeps his eyes on the road, ignoring me.
While his shoulders fall, he’s not fully relaxed. “It’s nothing, Mads. Just stressed from work shit.”
“Are you in legal trouble or something? You know you can talk to me about anything,” I reassure him.
Although we have a complicated relationship, and most days, he barely tolerates me, I consider Liam one of my closest friends. Though I want to jump him, I also know how to be there when he needs someone.
He shakes his head and plasters on an obviously fake smile. “Nah, everything’s fine. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”
“Wow…” I roll my eyes dramatically. “My pretty little head?”
Liam snorts at my tone. “How are your rehearsals going? You have a recital coming up soon, right?”
I appreciate the fact that he remembers but still notice how he abruptly changes the subject. I drop it for now. After what Sophie told me a few weeks ago, I have my own suspicions as to what’s been bothering him.
“Yep, and it’s going well. Joel is my dance partner in one routine, and we’ve been working hard to get it right. I’m excited. You’re coming, right?”
“As long as I’m not called out for a job,” he says. It’s not exactly the answer I want, but I’ll take it. He can’t always control where he goes and when.
We arrive home, and I immediately take my shit to my room.
I want to shower, but I’m starving and need time to decompress first. Sophie texted earlier that she and Mason were planning a date night, hence why Liam picked me up from school.
So that means we’ll be alone, but considering the way he’s acting, I’m not sure he’ll even stick around.
After making a smoothie and a sandwich, I sit on the couch and scroll through the TV channels.
Dirty Dancing is on, and I stop on it. Shortly after, Liam comes down the stairs wearing gray sweatpants and a muscle shirt.
It’s hard enough living with the guy I fantasize about, but when he dresses like this, I wish I were immune so the sight of him wasn’t so torturous.
“What’re you watching?” he asks, plopping down next to me.
I wrinkle my nose and stare at him. “You’ve never seen this before? Patrick Swayze? All the famous quotes?”
His expression contorts, and he shrugs before reaching over and taking half my turkey club.
“Help yourself,” I deadpan.
Liam smirks but stays silent. We settle into the sofa, and I keep my eyes locked on the screen.
“Get ready for one of the best comeback lines ever…” I smile, holding up my hand while Robbie gets in Johnny’s face about what he can and can’t lay his hands on. Then I speak when Johnny does.
Liam grins, glancing at me. “You have it memorized, huh?”
I lean back and kick my feet up on the coffee table. “Who doesn’t? This movie is a freaking classic! I’ve watched it more times than I can count.”
“Maybe that’s why you’re still a virgin. You never leave the house,” he cracks, and when I scowl at him, he laughs harder. It’s good to finally see him relaxed.
“Pretty cocky for a guy who’s hanging out with said virgin.” I glower, leaning over and snatching my half-eaten sandwich out of his hand. “Asshole.”
“Oh, lighten up, Mads.” He bumps my shoulder. The teasing look on his face makes it hard for me to actually stay mad at him. “Stay one forever. Guys are trouble.”
I snort at the irony. “I already told you, I’m selling it. Gonna post videos of how flexible I am and give it to the highest bidder,” I say lightheartedly as if I were talking about flowers and kittens. It’s a first-class ticket to getting under his skin.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he hisses. “That’s how you get sold into sex trafficking. Just keep your legs together and stay where I can watch you.”
“Watch me?” I push away and glare at him. “I’m not a fucking child.”
His shoulders slump as if he’s already exhausted from this conversation. “That’s not what I meant, so relax. I just know how guys are, and you’re too good for any of them.”
“So…stay a virgin, or what? Turn into a lesbian? Those are my options?”
Liam smirks, and I smack him, rolling my eyes. “You’re such a pig.”
He takes me by surprise and moves closer, wrapping his arm around my waist and nearly pulling me onto his lap. “I’m just protective of you, Maddie. Yeah, you’re a pain in my ass most of the time, but I’d kill any motherfucker who hurt you.”
“You can’t just go around killing everyone I come into contact with,” I retort, and his face hardens.
“Yes, I can.” His voice is deep and serious, causing shivers to run down my body.
Liam’s split personality gives me whiplash.
One moment, he’s flirting with me, and the next, he acts annoyed by my existence.
But this Liam? I can’t even comprehend what’s going on in his damn head.
Does he like me, or does he see me as a little sister?
“This movie is raunchy,” Liam says a half hour into it. “Your parents allowed you to watch this?”
“They never knew,” I counter. “Lennon, Soph, and I would sneak around and put it on after they went to bed. Then once I got a DVD player in my room, I’d play it on repeat when they weren’t home.”
Liam smiles, shaking his head at me. “Such a rebel.”
I repeat another one of Johnny’s lines when he talks to Baby about his dance space and her holding frame. “I love this part.” I sigh with a grin.
“This movie is so predictable,” Liam says, still sitting close to me.
“He’s teaching the ugly duckling to dance, she’s already in love with him, and he’s gonna end up falling in love with her.
But he’s the bad guy, and she’s the good girl, so her parents will never allow it.
Some other drama will ensue and pull them apart, then he’ll make some romantic gesture, and bam, they’re back together. ”
I scowl at him, narrowing my eyes at his jadedness.
“Amiright?” He smirks smugly.
“No!” I defend even though, technically, he kinda is. “How’d you know anyway? You watch a lot of romance films?”
“Only since you’ve moved in and started hogging the remote.”
“Ha-ha. I didn’t hear you complaining.” I cross my arms over my chest and wiggle deeper into the couch, moving closer to him.
“Plus, you have a TV and game console in your room, so don’t even pretend you’re watching this against your will.
” He rolls his eyes and stays silent, but I notice the way his gaze wanders back to me.
He’s right, though. Since I’ve moved in, we’ve sat through a lot of chick flicks and dance movies together. But he’s the one who stayed when it was on, so I’m not giving in to his fake pity party.
“He’s so gonna bang her, isn’t he?” Liam asks when Baby and Johnny drive back from their secret performance. Five minutes later, he gloats. “Yep, called it.”
I snort at how much he’s getting into it now. “You’re missing the point.” I elbow him. “Just watch.”
“Music’s pretty dope,” he says with twenty minutes left. Baby just confessed that she spent the night with Johnny when he’s accused of stealing from the guests. “She’s Like the Wind” starts playing, and my eyes tear up when he leaves.
“Pretty dope?” I gasp. “The album won like a million awards! I can’t believe how uncultured you are!”
“Pfft. I’m plenty cultured. Just because I haven’t memorized some songs from a dance movie doesn’t mean anything.”
I pat his shoulder and snicker. “Okay, Hulk. Whatever you say.”
Before I can stop him, Liam has me pinned on my back with my arms over my head. He’s towering over me, smirking like the devil himself.
“Are you patronizing me? Is that condescension I hear?” He grins and my cheeks are flushed.
Securing my wrists with one hand, he moves his other hand down. Liam’s face splits into a grin as he lowers himself, and my gaze falls to his lips. His weight feels so good as he settles between my thighs. My heart pounds harder in my chest, and for a moment, our eyes lock.
“Maybe a little,” I finally answer, hoping he can’t hear how my breath hitches.
“Well, I’ll have you know, I’m well-versed where it counts.” Then the asshole digs his fingers under my arm, making my body jump and thrash underneath him.
“Oh my God!” I fucking hate being tickled, but the bastard laughs as he continues and tightens his grip on my wrists. “Liam! You’re gonna make me pee myself!”
“Oh, yeah?” He pops a brow, then moves his hand to my other side and tickles me there.
His evil grin deepens, and as much as I want to hate him for torturing me, I also don’t want him to stop touching me.
“Okay, okay,” I breathe out, trying to maneuver my body away from his fingers. “I take it back. You’re cultured!”
Liam chuckles, shaking his head at me. “You’re a horrible liar.”
He brings his hand up to my face and brushes his finger along my flushed cheek.
I’m still breathing hard as his eyes linger from my eyes to my mouth.
I want him to kiss me, but after begging him on my birthday, I promised myself I wouldn’t do that again.
If he wants to, he needs to be the one to make the move this time.
“I should call it a night. I have to finish packing,” he says as if it pains him.
Blinking, my heart races as he peels himself off me, and I immediately miss his warmth.
“Wait,” I tell him, sitting up and grabbing his hard bicep. “It’s almost over. You can’t miss the final dance!”
Liam swallows, and when my gaze follows his hand, I notice the way he adjusts himself. “I think I’ve gone through enough misery.”
Smacking his arm, I reposition myself on the sofa next to him, not letting him bail. “You’ve come this far, so you might as well see it through to the end.”
He sighs and pushes back on the sofa. “Fine.”
Johnny barges into the banquet hall, and when he finds his woman, I say one of the most famous lines in Dirty Dancing aloud, nearly cheering for Baby.
Liam shakes his head, calling me ridiculous, but I don’t miss the intriguing way he watches the screen. Either he really wants to see how it ends, or he’s trying not to focus on the fact that he just had me on my back, ready and willing, and he chickened out…again.
“Of course, they finally do the dance perfectly,” he says after Johnny catches Baby in the lift.
“Duh.” I snort. “Wasn’t it beautiful?” I stick out my lower lip and pretend I’m holding back tears. “Despite all the roadblocks they endured, they got their HEA.”
“HEA?” Liam furrows his brows as I turn down the volume while the ending credits scroll on the screen.
“Oh my God.” I groan. “Happily ever after. Seriously? You know nothing!”
“Am I allowed to leave now? Or are you gonna watch another movie you know all the lines to?” His voice is gravelly as if he’s bored, but it’s an act. He might pretend to hate spending time with me, but he also doesn’t put up much of a fight about it.
“I wish, but I should do my homework so I can shower and go to bed. I have an assignment to finish since I’m missing classes on Friday. Wedding festivities start in two days!” I remind him, turning off the TV.
I stand and so does Liam. He looks as though something’s on his mind that he’s not telling me.
“You okay?” I ask, sincerely worried about him.
Blinking, he shoves his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, fine. I’m gonna head up too.” Liam takes a step toward me and hugs me tightly, taking me by surprise. “You be careful, okay?”
My brows pinch together as I wrap my arms around him, soaking in how good it feels when he holds me.
“Always am.”
Liam releases me with a smile. “I’ll take you to school and pick you up tomorrow,” he states, giving me no room to argue. I usually catch a ride with Sophie, but I won’t say no to the extra time with him.
“Ohh, okay. Sure. I’ll be ready by seven thirty.”
After giving me a curt nod, he walks past me and goes upstairs.
I head to the bathroom and think about everything as I shower.
Between Sophie telling me about Liam’s gambling receipt and chip from a couple of months ago and his back-and-forth moods, I’m convinced something is going on, and he’s not telling us.
He’s always been a private person, but his overprotectiveness toward me and overall edginess are alarming.
I don’t know anything about his childhood or his family, but I also haven’t asked. I don’t want to pry into his life, but perhaps I should. If he’s in trouble or dealing with some deep shit, I want him to know he can trust me if he needs help.