Chapter Seventeen
LIAM
I fucking hate that guy.
Not just because he asked Maddie out, but everything about him has always made me want to kick his ass. And I despise that she agreed to go, knowing I don’t like him. She stood in front of me, wearing next to nothing, and screamed at me to back off.
It hurts more than I want to admit, but I deserve it.
I have no right to tell her what to do, and I definitely have no right to be jealous, but I’m motherfucking jealous. And pissed.
Not knowing where she is or how late she’ll be out makes me anxious as hell. Sophie’s most definitely not on my side and only scowls when I glance her way. The air was thick with tension when Victoria arrived and has been since she left three days ago.
“You need a beer,” Mason says, handing one over before sitting next to me on the couch.
“Thanks.” I take it with a curt nod, suspicious of his motives.
Keeping my eyes on the TV, Mason shifts and narrows his gaze at me. “So is Victoria coming back soon? Or are you flying there next?” It’s the first time we’ve been alone to talk, so I figured the questions would flood in. Mason’s not the type to just drop it even if I asked him to.
I swallow hard, not wanting to talk about her. After she dropped the baby bomb on me yesterday, she’s the last thing I want to think about.
Turning my head, I pierce him with a hard look. “We’ll take turns flying back and forth. We both work a lot, so we’re playing it by ear.”
“How’s that gonna work? I mean…can you do long distance with someone you’re married to?” he asks, then takes a gulp of his beer.
Shrugging, I blink and focus back on the TV. “It’s been working out fine so far.”
“When are you gonna tell me the real reason you got hitched to someone you barely know?” While his voice is devoid of judgment, I’m certain he has an opinion about the abrupt nuptials.
“Who says I don’t?”
“Because I know you well enough to know you don’t. How does a guy go from avoiding relationships to being married overnight?” Mason scrubs his hand along his jawline, eyeing me curiously. While he may mean well, I wish he’d really back the hell off.
I clear my throat. “She’s lit something inside me that I’ve never felt before, and I didn’t want to lose her, so we decided to skip all the dating shit and just go for it.” I immediately take a drink to swallow down the bullshit.
“And what was kissing my sister before you brought your wife home to meet everyone?” Sophie shouts, walking toward me from the kitchen with a butcher knife in her hand.
I quickly stand and walk around the couch to create a barrier between us.
“Jesus, Soph.” Mason grabs her wrist and pulls her back. “Put the weapon down.”
“You’re lying through your goddamn teeth, Liam!” I’m not sure if she was cooking or if she purposely grabbed it to threaten me. Either way, I wouldn’t blame Sophie for wanting to stab the shit outta me.
“Soph…relax.” Mason manages to pry it from her grip and places it on the coffee table, then looks at me. “Wait, when did you kiss Maddie?”
For fuck’s sake.
“Two days before that skank showed up!” Sophie answers before I can, shooting murderous daggers at me.
Wait. Her words make me halt. “You saw that?” I ask, not realizing we weren’t alone.
“You’re not even gonna deny it, huh?” Sophie crosses her arms, and I can tell she’s seconds away from killing me.
I hold up my hands, trying to defuse the situation. “Okay, just give me some time to explain.”
“Explain what?” Sophie snaps. “I saw you two making out in the kitchen, and according to Mads, it wasn’t the first time either.”
“Dude, not cool…” Mason says, and I release a frustrated breath.
“I was aware the moment I brought Victoria here, Maddie would be pissed. I didn’t know how to tell her or any of you, so I just ripped off the Band-Aid at Lennon’s get-together.
That kiss was closure, a final goodbye to any hope she had of a relationship with me.
It was selfish, but I’m selfless enough to realize Maddie deserves better than me.
So I’ve continuously pushed her away so she could find a good man to be with, but the one she’s with right now—he’s not any of those things. He’ll hurt her more than I ever did.”
“Don’t change the damn subject.” Sophie scowls. “You’re jealous, but you caused this. You strung her along and then married someone else.” She takes another step toward me, but Mason grabs her waist and holds her to his chest.
“Baby…” he murmurs, trying to calm her down.
“Kick his ass, Mason,” she demands between gritted teeth. “He’s a two-timing manwhore who’s played with Maddie’s emotions and needs to be punched in the junk for it.”
If it wasn’t my balls she was threatening, I’d laugh at how angry she is, but I hold back so I don’t piss her off further.
“I’m not gonna punch him, Soph. This fight is between him and Maddie, not you or me,” he tells her, but her rage stays intact.
“Fine, I’ll call Hunter and have him do it since you won’t. He’s my brother and will listen to me,” she states matter-of-factly and reaches for her phone.
I scoff with a chuckle, making Sophie more agitated. “You think I won’t?” She pulls it from her pocket, but Mason quickly grabs it.
“Hunter isn’t gonna come over to kick his ass for you,” Mason says.
“What the hell is this, a ‘bros before hoes’ situation?” Sophie glares at Mason, and I hate that he’s getting her wrath because of me.
“It’s not any sort of situation,” I intervene. “I shouldn’t have kissed her, but it’s over now. I’m with Victoria, and Maddie’s off to date whoever she wants.” I shrug, giving up the fight, though I’m still frustrated she went out with Blake.
Sophie’s breaths even, her eyes slightly soften, and I don’t think she’ll put a hit out on me anymore. Or at least I hope. “This makes no sense, Liam. The traveling, the fancy car, the high-maintenance wife. I’m gonna figure this out.”
“There’s nothing to figure out, but okay,” I say casually, hoping she doesn’t hear the annoyance in my voice.
I want to demand that she back off, to let me protect them and Maddie, and to drop her accusations.
This is my problem to deal with, and I don’t want any of them dragged into it.
Everyone needs to accept the lie and move on.
Mason leads Sophie back to the kitchen, where they cook and hang out for an hour.
I stay planted on the couch and decide to order some food.
After it arrives, I eat, then sit and wait.
Once Maddie’s home, and she’s safe and sound, then I’ll go to bed.
I’m tempted to text her, but I know she’ll either reply with a smart-ass comment or ignore it completely.
I have no claims when it comes to her, and she’ll never understand why I’m being protective.
Hours pass and I grow antsy, but the moment a car door closes outside, I jump to my feet to see if it’s them.
I don’t care what she says, keeping her safe will always be my priority. Whether it be from the O’Learys or this douchebag Blake, I care too much about her to just walk away so easily, even if that’s what she wants.
Twisting the knob, I swing open the heavy wood just as they make it to the porch. I see red when he asks to kiss her good night.
Not on my goddamn watch.
“Not a fucking chance,” I growl. If he touches her, I won’t hesitate to put my fist in his face. “Night’s over.”
“Can I help you?” Maddie seethes. As she inhales a sharp breath, her nostrils flare with outrage.
Blake should be well aware I could kick his ass, and I will.
Instead of intervening in our fight, the brave fucker leans in, then presses his lips against her cheek before saying good night and walks back to his car.
We both watch as he gets in and drives away, but the second he’s out of view, Maddie stomps her heels toward me with a crazed expression.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” She pushes her palms against my chest, but I stay firm on my feet. “Do you get off on ruining my life or something?”
Before I respond, I grab her wrist and pull her inside the house. I can’t risk any of O’Leary’s guys seeing us or my reaction.
“Where’d he take you?” I ask as soon as I shut the door.
“What?” She puts space between us. “We aren’t talking about my date.” Maddie bends and takes off her shoes before dropping them to the floor. Her height drops a good four inches.
“Why not?” I cross my arms, challenging her. “Too embarrassed?”
She narrows her eyes, shaking her head. “Piss off.” Maddie goes to her room, and I follow her inside.
“Did he make a move? Your hair is messier than before, and your dress looks a little wrinkled,” I say without thinking, and as soon as the words come out, Maddie spins around and slaps me across the face.
“How fucking dare you!”
My jaw twitches at the burn on my cheek. It was warranted, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t fucking hurt. Maddie put all her strength and aggravation into it, too.
“Let me say it again—for the people in the back—You. Are. Married.” She repeats her words from earlier. “I’m not your toy, so you don’t get to treat me like one. You need to let me move on, Liam.”
“Maddie, I swear…” I suck in a long breath, willing myself to maintain the little control I have left. “It’s not what it looks like.”
“What isn’t?”
“Victoria,” I state slowly. “Our marriage.”
“Really? How convenient.” Rolling her eyes, she turns away and digs through her dresser drawer.
“It’s actually really fucking inconvenient, but I can’t tell you the whole story. You just have to trust me. Our marriage was…an arrangement.” The moment the words escape my lips, I curse myself for revealing part of my secret. I want to explain everything, but I can’t put her in more danger.
“An arrangement?” she questions, then laughs as she pulls out some yoga shorts and a tank top. “Okay, Hulk. Go away now so I can change.”
I step farther into her room. “I’m being serious. I wish I could say more, but…”
“But what?” she pushes, her hard stare threatening to snap my patience.