52. Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-One
Lisette
W hen Sage’s door swings open, I’m surprised when my eyes land on her fiancé.
“Hi.” I stare up at him and his glare settles on me before he steps aside. I stifle a laugh as I decide to fuck with him. “You know,” I start before leaning against the door frame. “I really love this Frankenstein’s monster thing you got going on. Big, scary, only talks in grunts.”
Liam looks like he could die of boredom as he watches me.
“What exactly did you do to make my sister fall for you?” I ask, genuinely curious considering Sage is a ball of sunshine compared to this man.
“Why do you care?”
I smile at his grumpy tone. “I like you.”
“You’ve mentioned.” He steps further aside. “Are you coming in or not? The door doesn’t stay open if I let it go, and I don’t think Sage will appreciate me dropping it on your face.”
“So if she didn’t care, you’d drop the door in my face?”
“I certainly wouldn’t be standing here holding it for you. Are you coming in or not, Lisette?”
I shrug. “Maybe I want to stand here.”
“You have fun with that.” He slowly lets the door go so it gently stops at my foot.
He walks away and I stifle a laugh as I follow after him.
“How’s your day going, Liam Walker?”
He doesn’t answer me.
“Did you get a new haircut?” I pick up my pace and get on my tippy toes to ruffle his hair.
“Don’t touch me.” He quickens his steps and I catch up before linking my hand to his. “Get off of me.” He tries to pull away but I hold him tighter as we walk into Sage’s makeup room.
Liam is as stiff as a board as we stand behind my sister with my finger threaded through his.
In the vanity, Sage smiles before turning to us. “Lis, hey.” She has setting powder under her eyes but still looks gorgeous, her dark skin literally glowing. Her bright green eyes cast down to me holding her fiancé and her brows pull together. “What’s that about?” She looks over at Liam and stifles a laugh at how uncomfortable he clearly is.
“Get her off of me, please.”
I rub his arm and he literally inches away from me like I’m infected.
“Please, Dory. Get her ,” he begs and I break into a laugh as I release him.
He lets out a breath before walking over to Sage. “Ask her to leave,” he whispers before kissing her dimples.
She breaks into a laugh and I flip him off before settling on the couch.
“Funny you’re here. Sire is on his way.” Sage types something into her phone before giving me her attention.
“Ugh, no, tell him not to come. My life is horrible and I just need girl time or I’m going to kill myself.” I let out a tired breath as I let my eyes fall shut, but when the room remains quiet, I look over at Sage who’s watching me like she could cry.
“Not actually, Sage.” I roll my eyes at her. I say that casually all the time and she never picks up on my lack of seriousness.
Maybe because you mean it half of the time…
I let out an annoyed breath before apologizing. She looks like she feels better as she turns back to her mirror.
“You sound upset, did something happen?”
I chew my lip in thought, and since I don’t have the balls to tell her a great high is about to kick in, I resort to my lighter issues. “Did Sire tell you about me and Jackson?” I watch her reflection as her brows furrow.
“Which Jackson?”
“The only Jackson we mutually know.”
She still looks confused and I have my answer. “What about you two? I only knew you were tutoring Isa and you spent Thanksgiving there.”
“I kissed him,” I blurt. “Well, first he kissed me. Then he saw me shirtless and then he kissed me a lot more and slept with me. We didn’t fuck, although he did finger me, but we literally just fell asleep together a few nights. Now we’re dating, but it’s weird because we keep fighting and I told him this wouldn’t work, but now I’m in too deep because I love his damn kid and she loves me. Apparently, Jackson loves me, but I’m sure he hates me now since I hit Belle and he wants me to see her less. I didn’t even actually hit her. I just whacked her hand, but he was so pissy about it.”
I let out a breath before focusing on Sage whose jaw is dropped with a lip liner pen held to her bottom lip.
She blinks twice before turning in her seat to focus on me. “You—” She shakes her head. “Jackson– what ?”
“I literally just caught you up. Get over the shock and help me.”
She shakes her head again before waving her hands as if we were swatting a fly. “Sire let Jackson take you out? That is not fair. He gave me hell when I mentioned he was cute. Why do you get to date his best friend?”
Liam slowly turns to her. “Why do you sound so damn disappointed?” he grumbles from beside her and she turns to him as if just remembering her fiancé was sitting there.
“I’m not…” She smiles at him but his glare doesn’t budge.
“Sage.” That’s all he says and Sage stifles a laugh.
She leans forward to kiss him, but he doesn't kiss her back. “Don’t be like that. I was only pointing out that Sire is more overprotective when it comes to who I date, but Lis doesn’t get that treatment. Jackson is adorable with his perfect little girl, but I don’t want him and never saw him like that.” She kisses him again, and when he rolls his eyes, she pulls away.
“Is that an attitude?”
“No, ma’am.” He finally kisses her back and I bite back a laugh at how Sage clearly has this man on a leash.
“I didn’t think so. Apologize for the eye roll.”
“I’m sorry, beloved.” He kisses her again.
A smile grows on my sister’s face before she turns her focus on me again. “I actually haven’t spoken to him about that,” I say. “Jackson told him when he was running on no sleep.”
Her face scrunches. “He’s horrible with no sleep.”
“Yeah.” I lay back on her couch, setting my feet up. “I’m waiting for his true reaction to come out, which is why I’ve been avoiding him, but that doesn’t matter right now. You’re the only one in a happy relationship. Help me.”
Her brows furrow as a smile grows on her face. “That’s not true, Sire and Vidia are madly in love.”
“Yeah.” I raise my brows unamusingly. “But I can’t go to Sire. Either way, do you not remember what they went through to get where they are? Sue me, but I don’t want to hate Jackson for four years before we get our happily ever after.”
Sage cringes now before something comes to mind. “Hazel and August are happy,” she points out.
“They’re either too happy or fighting like cats and dogs. Why would I ask them for advice?” I roll my eyes at how grossly in love they are.
Sage shrugs as she turns back to do her lip liner. “What do you need help with?”
I throw my hands up in defeat. “I need you to turn your fish brain off for me, Sage. I just told you we’re fighting because I hit Belle.”
“Why would you hit her?” She turns back to me like I just appeared from thin air.
“Stop looking at me like that!”
“ Okay .” She turns back to her vanity.
“I didn’t hit her, I just smacked her hand away from the stove because she made the fire fucking huge. It wasn’t even hard, but Jackson blew up on me.”
Sage chews her lip in thought but takes a beat before responding, beside her, Liam shocks me as he speaks up.
“Maybe because you hit his daughter?”
I focus on him before he shrugs.
“I don’t know the guy, but if you hit my kid, we would’ve had an issue and you’re the kids’ aunt. Don’t touch people.”
“Okay.” I lean back, offended as fuck. “Who the hell asked you?”
Liam puts his hands up in defense and Sage answers before he can defend himself.
“I wouldn’t yell at her if she whacked their hand away from danger. That’s not abuse.”
Liam shrugs again. “I’m not letting anyone hit my damn kid. I don’t care if they burned the house down, they’re kids. I’m going through too many hours of therapy to be a good dad for her to come out of nowhere to do something I would never do.”
Sage focuses on him, a hint of a smile on her lips.
Liam turns to me again. “Like I said, I don’t know the guy, but why was your first reaction to hit her?”
Sage’s eyes soften as she watches me, and I feel my face heat in embarrassment as it dawns on me that my first reaction was to hit her. I shake my head at myself before burying my face on the couch.
“I’m going to be a horrible mom to that little girl.” I feel my eyes prickling with tears. “I can’t do this,” I whisper to myself, silently wishing I had taken more than one pill.
“You want to be her mom?” Sage sounds like she’s smiling, but her words only make me feel worse because I wanted to.
No one says anything, and when I’m able to keep the tears at bay, I lift my head from the couch, but Sage reads right through me as she rises from her seat to sit beside me.
“I think you’re going to be an amazing mom.”
“Bullshit.” I let out a scoff as I lay my head on her shoulder. “I got hit for talking too loud during my dad’s basketball games, for not passing him a bottle quickly enough, or for hiding my mom’s drugs so she wouldn’t get high. That’s all I know, and I know it’s wrong, but look at how it was instinct to hit her.”
My chest begins to hurt as I realize for the hundredth time, I’m too damaged.
“That stuff isn’t genetic and I think if you try hard enough, you can not only break the generational trauma, but heal your inner child by raising Isa.”
I let out a defeated sigh, but as she goes on listing all of my redeeming qualities, a warmth engulfs me before I feel my limbs start to loosen. Relief rushes through me as I sink into my seat.
“Oh, you okay?” Sage voices, and I nod in return as I lay my head on her lap. I keep my gaze on her pretty smile as she plays with my hair. She blurs in and out of focus, and for a split second the conscious part of my brain begins to panic before that goes quiet too.
“I’m so sorry,” I mumble, reaching forward to touch one of her braids, but I think I miss.
“What?” Sage looks confused as she focuses on me. “Did you say you’re sorry?” She gives me a once-over before shifting in her seat.
I nod in return, blinking slowly.
“Lissy?” She moves again. “Lisette, did you take something?” She shakes me harder and I let out an annoyed breath as I open my eyes, shaking my head no.
“Babe, help!” She moves me again before Liam stands over me. They sit me up and I try to shrug them off but Liam grabs my face.
“What did you take?”
“Nothing.” I shove his hand away from my face before leaning my back on the couch again.
He’s about to say something, but there’s a knock on the door and Sage rushes out.
“Lisette, open your eyes,” Liam nearly yells and I open my eyes again to glare at him.
“I’m awake. I’m fine.”
“Where is she?” Sire’s voice fills the room and I shake my head at myself.
He kneels in front of me, holding my face in his hand. “What did you take?”
I shove his hand away, forcing myself to sit upright. “Nothing.”
“Bull fucking shit, Lisette.” Sire looks frantically at me before patting me down. “How did you take it? Did you smoke it again?”
I let out a scoff, a smile tugging on my lips. “Do you want some?”
His eyes snap up to mine, anger written on his face. “Is this fucking funny to you?” He grabs my face again and it’s no use pushing him away. “This is getting out of hand, Lisette.”
“Don’t do this in front of them,” I warned him.
“ You chose to do this in front of them by coming over here like this,” he countered. “Maybe an audience will work. Why didn’t you come to me? Bay called me and I know you were drunk all of last week. What the hell are you doing? Where did you even get the pills from? Jackson warned Ben to stay away. Is he a fucking idiot or are you?”
I don’t answer him, and as I try to look away, he forces me to face him again.
“Answer me, Lisette.”
“Do you think it’s easy?” I snap, pushing his hand away from my face.
“No,” he retorts. “I know exactly how hard it is, and I know how much harder it’s going to be if you choose to get high again tomorrow and the day after that. Look at what you are doing. Hiding away with Jackson instead of sticking to our plan isn’t going to help.”
“You two,” Sage voices gently. “Stop yelling.”
“Don’t blame this on, Jackson.” I rise from the couch and I feel myself stumble, but I hold myself up on the arm of the couch. “This has nothing to do with him.”
“I think it has some part to do with him. You don’t need a relationship right now, Lis, you need help .”
“Maybe I don’t want help!”
“Maybe that’s the fucking problem!”
“Well, if I’m such a problem, then maybe you should’ve let me overdose!”
Sire goes still and my chest heaves as my anger boils.
“You don’t mean that. Take it back,” he warns, but I don’t make a move to do so. “Take it fucking back, Lisette.” He charges for me.
Liam steps between us, and it isn’t until he pulls Sire away, that I realize how close we are. “Back up,” Liam warns.
“Stay out of this, Walker.” Sire shoves his hand from his chest and Liam surprisingly remains calm.
“ Sage asked me to separate you two, so chill the fuck out,” Liam bites out. “I don’t give a shit if you two kill each other, but my fiancée has tears in her eyes, so both of you stop fighting now .”
Sire lets out a defeated breath before turning to Sage, but I don’t look at her. Sire tries to move past me, but I step in his way.
“Maybe I—”
“Don’t say something you’re going to regret, Lisette.” Liam tries to cut me off, but I ignore him.
“Look at how you react.” I point to Sire, my heated gaze on him. “Maybe I don’t come to you because this is what you do.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit. I’m always so supportive and you know that, but it comes to a point where it’s frustrating, Lisette. I know you know how I feel because you were there for me time and time again. Whenever I fucked up and lied about being sober, you were being ten times as irritating as I am right now. You just hate the roles being reversed, but guess what? You’re stuck with me.”
He shoves past me to Sage and I storm out of the room. I’m nearing the door when my vision blurs again, but I use all my strength to stay focused on my exit. My movements feel sluggish, like I’m walking through quicksand, but I keep going the last few feet. I hear footsteps from behind me, and I think it’s Sire, but Liam steps beside me, grabbing my arm when I tilt to the side.
“You can barely walk. Where are you going?”
“Why the hell do you care?” I grab the door, but I can’t get it open. I let out a defeated breath and keep my gaze on the door.
“Sage cares,” he corrects me. “She asked me to not let you leave, so that’s what I’m doing.”
“You let her walk you like a damn dog. Grow a pair and mind your business.” I try to open the door, but with one of his hands on the door above my head, it doesn't budge.
“You’re the only one of her siblings who I genuinely like,” Liam says and I feel my brows furrow as I turn to him. “I don’t know shit about addiction other than how bad it is for you. You have your entire life ahead of you, Lisette, and you probably feel like you have nothing right now, but considering how torn you were moments ago about Jackson and his daughter, I think you have a thing or two to fight for.”
I keep my gaze on his and I’m surprised to see his eyes soften.
“Sire is insufferable, but he cares. He’s a family man and it’s his only redeeming quality, but it’s a hell of a good one to have. You can let him help you or you can leave and run to get even higher, but you hitting Isa will be the last memory she has of you because you’re either going to kill yourself or Jackson simply isn’t going to let you near his kid with a ten-foot pole in this condition.”
I flinch as his words hit me so damn hard they physically sting. Taking a step away, my eyes fall to the ground and I turn on my heels, too embarrassed that my dirty laundry was aired out to a man I barely know.
Wanting to change the topic, I turn on my heels. “Why are you in therapy?”
His brows furrow before he realizes I don’t want to be the only one who’s uncomfortable. “I have a bad temper and I don’t want to end up like my dad.”
I nod in return and before I can ask him to elaborate he speaks up.
“That’s all you’re getting. I barely even know you.”
I bite back a smile and I really do like his attitude. “Sire was wrong about you.”
“And he’s going to continue to be wrong about me. I’m not the same asshole I was in college. I genuinely care about Sage, so much it fucking hurts, and by default, I care about everyone who shares her last name.”
A bitter smile touches my lips. “I’m not a Hale.”
“Like hell, you’re not.”
We both turn to face Sire and his anger is void of his expression.
“Let me catch you saying you’re not one of us again, and I’m kicking your ass,” he warns before closing the distance between us.
I try to bite back a smile, but I’m sure I’m failing. I take a step away, but he catches me and wraps his arms around my head. “You’re killing me.” He sounds like he’s in actual pain as he holds me close.
“Let me help you, Lisette. You deserve the support. You deserve to be loved, to see the sunrise tomorrow. You’re not a burden. You’re a fucking headache, yeah, no shit, but you’re my headache.” He kisses the top of my head and I look up at him, tears threatening to spill from my eyes.
His eyes soften as he kisses my forehead.
“I take it back,” I force out and more tears spill before he pulls me closer.