Chapter Eight Beautiful And Shameless
Belle
Damn… I never realized how muscled Liberty was. Or how smooth his skin looked. I was actually staring when he opened the door. And I could not seem to stop staring. The room suddenly seemed too hot and stuffy. Then did he just say I was beautiful?
“Hey,” he called to me. “You alright there?”
“I am. But did I just hear you correctly?”
“What do you mean?”
“Never mind.” I stood from the sofa.
He stood too. “Hey, maybe we can stargaze tonight? What do ya say?”
“Y-you want to stargaze with me?”
Nodding, he smiled. “Sure, why not with you?”
“We do not do very well together, Liberty,” I reminded him. “Remember?”
He chuckled. “Hell, how could I forget? My whole family came after me today about you.”
“What do you mean they came after you?” I asked, feeling surprised and a little curious.
“It was truly bizarre. They were insisting that we…” He suddenly stopped talking.
“...Are total opposites,” I finished for him. “Don’t have a lot in common. And we just generally do not get along.”
“See now, that is what I said.” Liberty shrugged. “But they have a different take on this and it is preposterous.”
“What take?” I asked.
“They all believe that we are meant for each other. I mean they are claiming that we don’t get along because we are destined to be together.” Liberty laughed. “Can you believe that? My dad said that you are my match!”
I now felt stunned. This possibility had to be as far away from the truth as we could get. “You’re kidding?”
Shaking his head, he replied, “Nope. I told them that you would rather slap me than smile at me. I mean how could we ever be in love? We can”t even establish a damned friendship.”
I shook my head. “They can’t be serious. Maybe they were teasing you?”
He scoffed. “No, my dad and Ma weren”t kidding that’s for sure. Like did you know that you are gonna blow a hole through my screen door?”
I blinked at him. “What?” I laughed.
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Ma said it.”
“Oh… Hmmm, it’s one of those southern sayings.”
“Yeah, she’s full of those. For one, I don’t understand how I even have a screen door, let alone for you to make a hole in it.”
I laughed.
He laughed with me. “Then my dad said that you were gonna turn me inside out and set me on fire. I said, yeah, if you mean that in a violent way, you are correct.”
We both laughed louder.
“I mean what the hell?” Liberty shook his head. “Ma said that she would bet that up until you met me, you got along with men, even had male friends and that no man had probably ever rubbed you the wrong way like I do.”
I stared at him as my smile faded from my lips. This was entirely correct. I had just been thinking that very thing earlier today and it didn’t make sense to me either.
“And my dad reminded me that I have never had issues with any woman before you.”
“Is that true?” I asked him.
He paused and admitted, “Actually, it is. The only issue I ever had with the women I dated was that they couldn’t seem to get me naked fast enough.” He gave me a shrug of his wide shoulders.
I gaped at him.
He pointed at me. “Gotcha!” Then he laughed.
“Oh, wow. You are shameless!” I laughed.
Chuckling, he nodded. “Oh, I know it. No issues about that. In high school I was voted most likely to piss off the Pope.”
At this, I laughed loudly. “Yes! I can see that happening. I suggest you don’t go to Rome.”
He smirked. “I have to admit I gave two teachers mental breakdowns and I got into a fistfight with an asshole PE teacher who had a God syndrome going on.”
I cocked my head at him. “Yes, I can see that happening too. Shameless, like I said.”
“Hey, I am proud to say that when I feel I’m in the right, I never back down.” Liberty scoffed. “Especially if I feel like someone is being bullied or getting pushed around too much. These asswipes in charge? They need to reel themselves back in. I hate men or women on ego trips. But when they pick on someone just to jet their jollies…I step up. Even if it will get me suspended from school. And before you ask…Yes, I got suspended more than a few times.”
I smiled at him. “Your dad must have been really frustrated with you.”
“Oh, yeah. But then most of the time he agreed with me. So when he went in to discuss this PE incident, he got into a fistfight with the principal.”
My mouth popped open in surprise. “So like father, like son?”
Nodding, Liberty agreed. “It’s a Walker trait actually. If you get us mad we won’t back down.”
I remembered his taking up for me yesterday and I never even thanked him. Suddenly, I realized him and I were actually having a normal conversation. Not an argument.
We both stared at each other as I think he too, realized this.
Liberty finally broke the silence, “Well, I’m gonna shower and get ready for dinner.”
I nodded. “Good..okay…” I looked everywhere except at that hard body of his. Damn, how did I not know how fine this man is? I paused. Maybe because he’s too full of himself and he’s a loud-mouthed asshole, Belle. So, you just never saw it over his ugly qualities. I sniggered to myself.
“Something funny?” he asked.
I shook my head as I went over and opened his door. “Nope. See you at dinner.” I went out as quickly as I could manage and shut it behind me. I sagged against the door. I needed to not ever go to his room again. Or be alone with him when he’s not fully dressed. I had to stop myself from staring like a teen girl with a damned crush. What the hell is happening here?I can’t stand the man and then suddenly I get a case of the hots for him. I rolled my eyes. No way.
“You okay, Belle?”
I looked up to see Scarlet in front of me. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You look distracted or something. Is everything going good?”
“Yes, I mean we haven’t gotten that far on the planning, but we have some decorations.”
“Yeah…” Scarlet laughed. “The itsy spider ones, right?”
I laughed a little too. “Yeah those.”
“So, are you and him getting along better?” Scarlet asked as she motioned her head to his door.
“I suppose we are.” I shrugged. “I mean we just had a conversation and there were no punches pulled.”
Scarlet shook her head.
“No worries though, sis,” I said as I patted her arm. “We are going to do what we need to do for the wedding and not kill each other.”
“That”ll be a miracle, Belle.” Scarlet sighed.
“Hey, I can do it.” I nodded at her. “I promise we will not be ruining this wedding.” I just wondered how I would handle this new knowledge I had about how freaking hot he was. Ignore it I suppose? There was no way I would be getting involved with a panty-chaser who had an ego the size of fucking Texas.
“It’s just bizarre I think,” Scarlet said. “Justice and I were friends from the start.”
I turned to head down the hall. “Well, we aren’t even that, so I wouldn’t be getting the wrong idea here, sis. I mean don’t be comparing, because Liberty is not someone I will be dating anytime soon.”
“Well sorry sis, but I disagree with that,” she said as she followed me down the hallway.
I stopped and turned to look at her. “What?”
“You heard me, I see sparks flying between you two. I think that’s why you and him are fighting.”
“Oh, my God!” I exclaimed. “You can’t be serious. The man makes me want to scream 99 percent of the time, then the one percent that”s left is when I”m plotting to kill him.”
Scarlet laughed. “Yep, sounds like true love alright.”
I turned and headed away again as her laughter followed me. What the hell? He told me his family said basically the same thing. I growled a little beneath my breath as I made it out to the main room. Dinner was still a half hour or so away. I decided to look for some linens, like formal napkins and tablecloths. Then after that, maybe ask Ma if she knows of anything we can use as table toppers.
I headed toward the large formal kitchen that Ma used for cooking the big meals. Maybe the storeroom there or some of the pantry areas would have what I needed.
The large all stainless steel kitchen was full of people. Tonight’s crew were doing prep and getting dinner platters up to go out to the tables. Lots of conversations were going on and laughter echoed. Looking around, I spotted Redemption and Talon by the dish area. I had to go past them to get to the linen closet.
“So why did he volunteer then?” Redemption asked while washing a huge pan in the sink.
“I think he still doesn’t trust her,” Talon replied.
I paused and listened as I wondered if this was about me.
“I disagree,” Redemption said. “I know my brother and I really think he cares enough about her to want to protect her.”
“Cares enough?” Talon scoffed. “He cannot stand her. Anyone can see that much.”
“Man, you don’t know that. I think he likes her too much and that is getting to him. He”s dated a lot of women but he never showed any real emotion for any of them. This girl is different.”
“I don’t care about his feelings or hers and I damn well admit it. I care about keeping my family safe, man. If this goes south, we are all gonna pay.”
I stopped and folded my arms over my chest as I cleared my throat to get their attention.
Talon looked up as he’d been leaning back against the counter. He simply stared at me, not looking a bit apologetic.
Redemption let out a long breath as he placed the large pan in the drainer and had the good graces to at least look troubled.
“I thought you agreed with this plan, General Walker?” I asked as I stared at Talon.
“Initially I did, but I never wanted you to go back to town, if you will recall.”
“Oh, I do. But I can’t see why you think it is just fine to hold people hostage here. Taking away their freedom. Interrupting their lives while locking them up for the most part.”
“Wow…” Talon shook his head. “You are a self centered spoiled brat, aren”t ya? You only care about what you want. Not what is safe for everyone who lives here. Not even for your sister or your mom.”
I sucked in a huge breath and stepped close while raising my arm to slap his face.
Catching my wrist, he shook his head.
I winced as he had a strong grip.
“Let go of her!”
We all turned to look over at Liberty.
He stepped closed and grabbed Talon’s arm, making him let go. “The fuck you think you’re doing, Talon?” Liberty asked with a growl in his voice. “You went too far with this line of bullshit last night. Now, you are at it again?”
Talon looked angry too now. “I’m not letting her slap me, if that’s what you’re asking. And I don’t happen to think letting her loose in town is a good idea for any of us, Liberty. I haven’t changed my mind about that.”
“You had better fucking apologize,” Liberty seethed.
“I won”t be doing that, Liberty. She seems to think her needs are more important than ours.”
“You’d better take that back, fucker.” Liberty took another step closer. “And I don’t care who the hell you think you are.”
I now felt concerned. This looked like it was about to become a real fight as in matching blows. These two were professional fighters and the damage could be catastrophic. “Stop it, the both of you. Let’s just forget it.”
“The hell I will, Belle.” Liberty seethed. “I warned him yesterday about this crap.”
Redemption stepped in between them and tried to defuse the situation too. “Guys, you need to calm the fuck down.”
“Yeah, I would except Talon here will do it again, apparently. We already had this decided and now he’s talking crap again.”
“You two can’t fight in Ma’s kitchen,” Redemption warned them. “If you do, she will be doing the ass kicking.”
“Meet me in the ring, fucker,” Liberty stated in a low voice as he glared at Talon while ignoring his brother Redemption altogether.
“What?” I exclaimed as I shook my head and knew for sure this was headed in a bad direction. “Liberty, come on. It is okay. Let’s leave.” Even as I suggested it, I remembered what Liberty just told me less than an hour ago. Walkers have tempers and they never back down.
He glanced at me and shook his head. “No, it is not okay. I’m sick of this shit. I warned him already. He needs to apologize to you. We will settle this in the ring.”
Talon smirked as he crossed his python-like arms over his large chest. “Well, look who finally came up with an idea I like. I’m gonna kick your trophy winning candy ass all over that ring.”
“OH. MY. GOD!” I exclaimed. “You two need to put your dicks away. Act like adults and forget about this whole thing right now!”
The two men glared at each other in tense silence as they didn’t seem to ever hear me.
I looked over at Redemption for help.
He slowly shook his head as if to say…too late. This is gonna happen.