Chapter Forty-Five
MADDIE
SEVEN MONTHS LATER
“Right corner pocket,” Liam announces, bending over and effortlessly sweeping the ball into the hole.
“Goddammit,” Mason curses, slamming down his pool stick. Liam’s killing him and only has the eight ball left.
“Why’re you even trying, man?” Liam gloats, lifting his arms to show off his biceps.
The guys have been playing pool for the past two hours, and Liam has killed Mason, Hunter, and Kilan each time. He’s undefeated at this point.
“I’m grabbing a beer and finding my wife.” Mason shakes his head and walks out of the game room.
“Do I get to play you next?” I ask sweetly from the other side, bending over just enough to show off my chest.
My eggplant-colored dress leaves nothing to the imagination, which is exactly why I wore it for our last house party. Mason and Sophie moved out a few months ago, so it’s been just the two of us, but we recently decided we needed a fresh start and found our own apartment.
“Not a chance in hell,” Liam grumbles, stalking toward me. “You’ll cheat.”
“What?” I narrow my eyes as he snakes his arms around my waist. “How can anyone cheat at pool?”
“You know exactly how.” He leans down and tips my chin up toward him. “I keep having to give every guy in here dirty looks to stop them from eye-fucking my girlfriend. I’m about to sucker punch Kilan in the face if he can’t keep his eyes to himself.”
I snort. “He’s harmless. Plus, you’ve known him for years, so I know you’re just being extra obsessive.”
Kilan used to live across the street, but after he moved, they kept in touch. Since it’s the final house party before we officially move out, it was only right to invite him for one last hurrah.
“Harmless or not, one more glance at your chest, and he’s getting a knee to his nuts.”
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I pull us closer. “Hmm…I like your possessive side. It really turns me on.”
“Oh yeah?” He arches a brow. “How turned on are we talking here?”
“Like, you better get us to a room stat before I take you on this pool table. After all this time, why haven’t we christened this damn thing?”
“Trust me, not comfortable,” Hunter chimes as he walks in.
“Ew…” I mimic a gagging noise.
“Dude. You didn’t even live here. What the fuck?” Liam scowls.
Hunter shrugs, then takes a swig of his beer. “I was a dumb college kid.”
Smirking, I cross my arms. “Does Lennon know?”
“No…” He points at me with the bottle. “And don’t you tell my hormonal, pregnant wife either. I don’t need to give her any more ammunition to kick me in her sleep.”
“Huh,” Liam says sarcastically. “Dick kicking in their sleep must be a Corrigan trait.”
Laughing at both of their expressions, I shrug. “Well, Lennon’s probably getting even after all the times you were an asshole. Maybe I should tell her…”
I still can’t believe they’re having another baby.
After Aaron was born, they said they weren't necessarily careful but were also doubtful they could due to Hunter’s medical concerns.
Turns out, he’s very able. Lennon’s three months along now and moodier than she was with the last two pregnancies.
Probably because she has two kids to take care of this time around.
“Keep your loud mouth shut, Maddie,” he warns.
“Okay, on one condition…” I offer, turning to Liam quickly before looking at Hunter. “You keep guard while we give the room a proper goodbye.”
Hunter chokes on his beer and shakes his head. “You two are worse than Mason and Sophie.” Then he turns on his heels and shuts the door behind him.
“You’re a bad, bad girl, Madelyn Corrigan,” Liam taunts as I slowly unzip my dress in front of him.
“And you have about ten minutes to do very bad, bad things to me. So start strippin’,” I demand.
He waggles his brows and kicks off his shoes. “Yes, ma’am.”
I giggle at our eagerness, and as soon as we’re both naked, Liam wraps his hand around my neck and draws me into him, crashing our lips together frantically.
“God, Mads. Do you have any idea how much I love you? How crazy you make me?”
I wrap my fingers around his cock and stroke him. “If it’s half as much as I love you, then I’m guessing a lot,” I say against his lips.
“Half? Do you not understand my feelings for you? Most of the time I hold back so I don’t scare the shit out of you.”
Tilting my head, I blink and look him in the eyes. “Don’t. I want every single part of you. You were my first and only, so I want to experience everything with you.”
“Maddie, baby. The feelings I have for you…they’re so goddamn intense. I want you every second of every single day. And I don’t mean just sexually. It’s enough to be near you. Close enough to touch you. Hold you in my arms, where you belong.”
“Considering how our relationship started and everything we’ve been through, I wouldn’t want us any other way. Desperate, intense, frantic. I like knowing you want me as much as I want you,” I tell him honestly.
Liam startles me when he grabs my arms and bends me over the pool table, positioning himself between my thighs. I plant my palms down and arch my back, widening my legs for him.
“I don’t just want you, baby. I need you.”
He threads his fingers in my hair before grabbing a fistful and pulling until my head touches the felt of the table.
“Physically, mentally, emotionally. Every fucking aspect of the word. I’d have no purpose without you in my life.” Liam aligns our lips until our mouths are fused. I love every side of him—soft and gentle, sweet and caring—but I’m especially fond of his rough and passionate side.
He abruptly enters me, stroking himself against my pussy before he pulls out, then rams himself in again. I gasp at the intensity but want him to continue his sweet assault.
Liam palms my throat, keeping my head close to him as he nips my bottom lip. Thrust after thrust, he brings me closer to the ledge, so damn close I’m about to cry out in misery if I don’t come soon.
“Even though it’s been months, I’m still torn up that I hurt you the way I did,” Liam grits between his teeth as his free hand slides to my hip.
“Every choice I made in Vegas led to me marrying that witch, betraying you, and you getting hurt in that car explosion. I fucking hate that I did that to you.” He slides out slowly before thrusting back in. “The guilt eats me alive every day.”
He mentions feeling guilty, and I know he’s not just talking about me, or us, but Tyler too.
When Victoria set Tyler up after the fight in Vegas, Serena agreed to be his lawyer. Once the bail was set and the judge read his charges, Liam lost his shit. With the number of drugs and guns they found, it was enough to put Tyler away for fifteen to twenty years.
Although it was his first offense, he crossed state lines, and the judge wasn’t empathetic.
Serena managed to get his bail lowered on account of him being former military and not having a criminal record.
Liam made sure Tyler’s bond got paid. While he awaited his next court date, Tyler wasn’t allowed to leave California, so he stayed with us.
One morning I woke up and Liam was gone, leaving me with a note that he went to Vegas to handle Victoria. I was so goddamn pissed, but by the time he returned and told me what he did, I lunged into his arms in relief.
He told Victoria his plans to tell the DeFrancos of their affair if she didn’t fix this, and when she called his bluff, he drove to Mickey’s and put a gun to his forehead.
I’d never known Liam to be in such a full-on rage before, but he’s loyal as hell to the people he loves.
Once he told Mickey what evidence he had and what he’d do with it, he threatened Victoria into helping Tyler or would leave her and the babies.
Mickey cared more about his family finding out the truth than being with Victoria, but at least now Liam knows he has a secret weapon if Victoria ever tries anything again.
Unfortunately, it was too late to get Tyler out of his charges due to the physical evidence they found.
She managed to pay off someone to reduce his sentence to eight years.
Serena claims he’ll probably get out in five years with good behavior, but anything could change between now and then.
Though we’re all devastated, it’s better than the twenty he could’ve had.
Tyler started his sentence four months ago in April and it’s been an emotional whirlwind since.
I’d never seen Liam so distraught even after all the shit we’d been through.
Watching his friend go to prison from events that Liam started has really hit him hard these past several months.
He feels at fault, but Tyler chose to get involved.
He knew the risks, and although neither of us could’ve predicted this would’ve happened, I wish he’d stop beating himself up over it.
Proving Victoria’s motive for setting him up would’ve been nearly impossible too.
Tyler’s not ready to confess all his sins and rat out the mafia, given the consequences he’d face for being a snitch.
As disgusting as it is to think, he’s actually safer in prison than in Vegas right now.
So for that, I’m somewhat thankful. Hopefully, once he’s out, all of this can be forgotten, and Victoria will leave us alone forever.
“I know, Liam,” I say softly. “Use me, baby. Take out your frustrations on me.”
Liam lets out a breath and slows his rhythm. “Not happening. I’ll save that for kicking Mason’s ass in the ring.”
A giggle escapes from my throat, and Liam picks up his pace. “All I want to do to you is love you, so let me.”
I suck in my lower lip, nodding. His hand slips from my hip as he smacks my ass with a loud crack, pushing me forward. With a yelp, I catch myself and lower my body as Liam drives us closer to release.