Chapter 13 Eden
Eden
Eden was still panting – out of pleasure, out of surprise – when he stood up and grabbed one of her breasts. His other hand landed on the doorknob and gave it a firm turn.
“You monster,” she whispered with a devilish smile. “He’s gonna spank me for that.”
He let her lead the way into the darkened room that Benson had created for them. Her breasts were still hanging out, but she didn’t care. As soon as she got the awkward introduction out of the way, she was going straight for Benson’s cock while painting a red arrow to her pussy for Liam to follow.
“You had to take off half your dress to make a friend?” Benson mused as she walked into the muted light in the middle of the room.
Benson had turned off all the other lights.
The man himself was on the small bed in the corner, his jacket off and his feet planted over the edge.
I half-expected to come in here to find him naked, touching himself.
“Not that I’m complaining. You’ve got the best tits in the club, angel. ”
She tossed her hair back to show them off some more. “Ben, I’d like you to meet…”
Her introduction was cut short when she realized that Benson’s brows had furrowed into a scowl. He was up on his feet, looking past her. Likewise, she realized that Liam wasn’t right behind her, as she anticipated.
He stepped forward, not into the soft light, but beside it, letting the shadows frame him. He didn't look at Eden. He looked at the man by the bed.
The air was so heavy that Eden was inclined to cross her arms over her naked chest. What is going on? Benson’s face was a blank slate. Then – there it was.
Recognition. Disbelief. Something hard and ugly illuminating his eyes.
“Liam.”
Eden's head snapped between them. “You know each other?”
Liam grinned. “Ben! I should have known. We’ve been bumping into each other everywhere as of late.”
Benson took a step, hands clenching. “What the hell are you doing here? With her?”
“The better question,” Liam said, finally turning his gaze to Eden. That look was both possessive and pitying, as if he extended his condolences for what was about to happen. As if he had accepted it on her behalf, “Is what the hell is she doing with you.”
“Stop it.” Eden’s voice was thin on the thick air. “Both of you. What's going on?”
Benson ignored her, his focus locked on Liam. “You’re here because of me, aren’t you? That’s it. Stay out of my life, man.”
Liam laughed. “Your life? Come on, I've been fucking her for weeks! And, apparently, so have you!”
The words hit Benson like a physical blow. “You’re the other boyfriend?”
Eden stood frozen, a spectator in a nightmare. The room spun. Liam. Benson. Her men. What the fuck is going on! They knew each other? Had business… a history? But Liam is ten years younger than Ben. But they weren’t even in the same line of work! What the hell!
“Someone explain to me what this is about.” Her voice shook when she spoke.
As both men glanced at her, as if they suddenly were aware of her presence, she continued, “Ben, this is a coincidence, I swear.” She turned to Liam, still covering her breasts with her arms. “You’ve gotta believe me.
I dunno how you two know each other, unless you’ve got bad blood from… ”
Ben’s eyes alit in sudden knowledge. “You’re also the other guy from the island!”
Even Liam was slightly shocked at that. “Wait. You were there? That was you?”
“What the fuck!”
“What the hell!”
“So, we… you and I…” Benson pointed to Eden. “Both of us. With her. At the…”
“At the orgy, bro.” Liam almost doubled over laughing.
I don’t get what’s so funny! Eden was mortified.
She didn’t know why the hell she was mortified, but this was not going how it should!
I should be the subject of a damn spit roast right now!
Where were the freakin’ moans and high-fives!
“Holy shit. I shoulda recognized you, but I never thought in a million years we’d be there at the same time again! ”
Benson’s head snapped toward Eden, the earlier amusement gone. “Is he the one, angel? Your other boyfriend?”
Eden flinched, her arms tightening around her bare chest. She felt like a specimen under a microscope, her life a series of unfortunate coincidences laid bare. “Yes,” she whispered. There was a phantom ache where Liam’s hands had been only moments before. “He is.”
A muscle tightened in Benson’s jaw. He turned back to Liam, a beast circling its rival.
“And how,” Eden asked, “do the two of you know each other?”
Liam leaned against the doorframe, a picture of insolent calm. “We go way back. Don't we, Ben? We shared more than a few women in our day. Some secrets, too.”
Benson scoffed. "Secrets? That's one word for it. We shared a life for a while. You left a pretty big hole when you walked away."
Eden’s mind reeled, trying to stitch together the fragmented clues. A life? Nights? Other women? Secrets? She could barely breathe. "Wait, what? What are you talking about? How... how do you two know each other exactly?”
Liam’s gaze drifted to her before he looked back at Benson. “Some debts take a long time to repay, don't they, Ben? Some things... you don't just walk away from.”
Benson's response was a low growl. “Don't you dare talk to me about debts. You have no idea what you cost me.”
Their words were laden with an unspoken history and a maelstrom of old wounds and unresolved tension. Eden was an intruder in a war that had started long before she entered the room. “What debt? What did you cost him? What are you talking about?”
Liam’s smile was a razor’s edge. “Let’s just say, I was the one who taught him everything he knows about a good investment. And a bad one.”
The tension snapped. A hollow ache bloomed in Eden’s chest. This was over before it even began.
Benson turned away, the fight draining from his posture, replaced by a weary defeat.
He grabbed his jacket from the bed. “This is… no.” He shook his head while shrugging into his jacket.
“I can’t do this. I need some space.” He fished for his wallet, pulling out a wad of cash.
He didn’t look at her. “Take this. Get a ride home.” He thrust the money toward her, an offering of dismissal. “I… I need to be alone.”
Eden stared at the money, her heart plummeting. He wasn't just calling off the night. He was calling off… everything.
Before her fingers could close around the bills, Liam’s hand shot out, knocking them away. Cash fluttered to the floor like dead leaves. “She’s not a transaction, Ben.”
Benson’s head whipped up, fire in his eyes. “Stay the hell away from her, bro.”
Liam stepped closer, crowding Eden. “Or what?” He growled. “You’re not in a position to make threats. Not to me, of all people.”
Benson looked from Liam to Eden, a storm of emotions warring in his gaze. He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut. Without another word, he shouldered past them both and stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind him.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Eden sagged against the door, her legs suddenly weak. The reality of the situation crashed down on her. Her men. Her two separate, beautiful, complicated men. They knew each other. They hated each other.
And she was caught in the middle.
Liam’s arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him. He was a solid, steady presence in the wreckage. “Hey,” he murmured, his lips brushing her temple. “You okay?”
Eden shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “No,” she choked out. “I don’t understand.”
Liam’s grip tightened. “Doesn’t matter.” He turned her to face him, his hands cupping her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. “What matters is you’re with me now.” His thumb wiped away a stray tear. “And I’m not letting you go. Although…”
She gasped.
“Maybe you should go home. Knowing him, he’s skulking around here somewhere having a drink. I’ll talk to him. I know how.”
Slowly, Eden remembered to pull her dress straps back up her arms until her breasts were tucked away for a final time. “How do you two know each other?”
“We met…” Liam sighed, rubbing his forehead. “At La Mariposa, of all places.”
“You’re fucking kidding me. When I was there?”
“No. I had no idea he was also there, let alone the other guy all up in your business. Or at the…” He cleared his throat, blushing.
“We’ve been a couple of times before. At the same time.
We became… friends. We had a massive falling out a few years ago.
That’s what all the animosity is about. He hates me. ”
Now that her dress was fixed, Eden was capable of putting her hands on her hips and being taken somewhat seriously. Somewhat, I hope. “Why does he hate you?”
“Maybe some other time. I'd better go find him.”
“Why?”
Liam was only slightly taken aback. “You want to keep dating him, don’t you?”
Eden chewed on the inside of her cheek. “Why are you doing this?”
Liam pulled out his phone. It took her a moment to realize he was ordering a ride share to pick her up at the front entrance.
“Because I like you a lot, Eden. Ben’s a good guy.
It’s not…” He sighed, defeated. “It’s not the first time we’ve both dated the same woman.
Used to be a regular occurrence between us. ”
“You’re kidding.”
“No.” He took her by the arms and drew her closer. “I’ll come by your place later. I’m sorry, love. I know nobody wanted tonight to end like this. I shouldn’t have gotten involved.”
“You promise?” Eden asked. “That you’ll come by later? And tell me what’s going on?”
He double-checked that a ride was on its way. “Five minutes, love.” He offered her a wan smile. “Don’t cost me extra, huh?”
“You can afford it.”
Nevertheless, she grabbed her jacket, which had been left on the bed. Once she was in it, she glanced at Liam, embarrassed, and began her head-down walk of shame to the front of the club.
It wasn’t until she was outside in the cold air, flagging down the ride-share Liam ordered her, that anger warmed her cheeks and made her sit in the backseat of a sedan with a massive huff.
She was still horny, damnit. They'd better have some good explanations for their behavior!