Chapter 8 #3
I nodded and moved into his living room.
It was nice, and cozy for such a large space.
A sectional took up most of the room, and the couch was so soft it looked like you’d sink right into it.
A coffee table rested in the space directly in front of the couch, and a recliner sat on the opposite side of the living room.
A large, flat-screen television was mounted on the wall to my right with a tidy little entertainment center below it.
My eyes were up, taking in the stairs that led to the second level and how there was a balcony overlooking the living room. I remembered what he’d said about buying this when he was fighting. It made me curious about that past, and why he stopped.
“Do you, uh...do you want water or anything?” Liam’s hand tunneled through that thick, inky black hair.
He’d had a shower, from the looks of the wet strands on top of his head, and with the white T-shirt that bunched at his biceps and stretched tightly along his pecs, my mind went back to him being an entire thirst trap.
My pulse started racing like crazy, making me feel off-kilter, making my voice shake.
“No, I’m okay.”
He nodded but his smile fell away as his gaze became distant.
“So, were they okay tonight?” I hedged, pulling at a loose string in the couch.
Liam groaned, stretching. Sculpted muscles that had been trained and harnessed into deliciously thick cords bulged as he pushed his arms out. I thought again about his fights, and how he’d been so good that he’d been called a legend in one of those pictures.
“It was a hard night.”
Those poor girls. I hated that they were put through that today.
Liam let out a small sigh, resting his elbows on his thighs. He wore a pair of faded, loose jeans, but they molded perfectly to his legs, and just like everything else, it made him look hotter than it should.
I wanted to ask more questions, but he was the one who requested me to be here, so there must be something he wanted to discuss. I had to bite my tongue so he wouldn’t get derailed.
“Thanks for coming on such short notice,” Liam started, his voice raspy and worn.
“Of course,” I nodded, bringing my hands together tightly.
Was he going to fire me? I mean, he wasn’t even paying me…but he could cancel out on our deal before we even started.
When Liam didn’t continue, I decided to ask the question that had been burning in my head since this afternoon.
“Can I ask what the situation is with their mother?”
He seemed to consider my question, his brows caving in and his eyes narrowing on the floor like he wasn’t sure how much to share. Normally I’d dismiss my question, knowing it seemed too personal, but after what happened today, I was going to stand my ground.
After a few more tense seconds, he finally relaxed on the couch.
“Their mother is an addict. She wasn’t always… We actually had a really good life there for a little while.” He shook his head like he was remembering.
“She always had a connection to drugs through her sister and family. Her parents were meth addicts, and her brother and sister fell into that life, but Lacey wanted a different future. At least I thought so. But thinking back on how young we were when we met, I honestly don’t know.”
His scoff grated along my skin.
I hated it. I wanted to take away his pain, wash his heart clean, stitch it up, and give him something better to have hanging there in his chest.
“I was fighting professionally, making really good money…but I was gone a lot. She started using when I was away for a fight, at least that’s what I assume.
The first time she’d just passed out on the couch while Seraph and Mila were here.
Maddy was in school, but Seraph thought her mom was dead until the fire department got here.
Lacey went into a treatment center after that.
I paid for the best one. A year later, she was back with us, and things were better.
But then I talked about retiring from fighting, and she freaked out.
Mila was just a baby, and suddenly she started leaving her with me to go to run random errands that didn’t seem to make any sense.
She disappeared in the middle of the night from time to time.
I was in denial about it. Not after we’d spent so much money on her treatment, and she had worked so hard on herself. ”
He paused, digging at a loose thread on his jeans.
“She…” He shook his head. “I should have known sooner,—we’ll just say that. She doesn’t have custody, so if she ever tries to take the kids, call the cops. Same goes for her sister or anyone else claiming to be a relative.”
His lips thinning the smallest bit told me he was done explaining, and honestly, I was glad for it.
This was so far out of my wheelhouse it wasn’t even funny, and what happened today had shaken me enough that I just needed a warm bath and a good cry.
I knew he didn’t want pity, and from the rigid way he held himself on the couch, I knew if I spoke on anything he’d just said, he’d clam up.
Being around brothers who didn’t really want me around had taught me how to read the “fuck off” vibe when someone gave it.
Lifting off the couch, I gave him a small nod.
“Okay, well, thank you for telling me.”
He should have told me before. There should be a sheet or something for all of this. Right? Wasn’t that a thing that parents did?
Liam tracked me standing, and those dark brows raised up to his hairline.
“You gotta be somewhere?”
Confused, I just stared down at him while toying with the hem of my shirt.
“No…it’s just you seem to—I just want to respect your boundaries.”
Also, I’m so flustered, and entirely confused as to why it feels like you cut my heart open and pulled threading from yours, then started knitting us together.
I wasn’t prepared for when his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, tugging me back down to the couch.
“I wanted to check on you, make sure you were okay after all that went down today.”
Our knees were nearly pressed together, and I had to twist my body at an angle to get the smallest amount of distance from him. Whatever soap he decided to use in his shower was noticeable and slightly intoxicating.
“So…you okay?”
Shit, I was spacing out.
“Yeah…” I shrugged my shoulder. “I mean, it scared me. I was worried about the girls. Being in charge of their safety is a new feeling, something I take really seriously. It just…”
My eyes narrowed on his hand, which was still lightly cradling my wrist.
“She can be dangerous…that whole family can. Hell, that whole part of town can be. I’ll send you some addresses to a few parks that are safer. But we need to set up our first session. Get you in shape to defend yourself or anyone else.”
In shape sounded good. I was fit, but I knew what he meant in regard to defending myself. Fear controlled me in such a way that I practically froze earlier today. I wanted to be able to push through that.
“When is a good time for you to start?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him whatever worked best for him, but something had me forcing out a different reply.
“Tomorrow.”
His hand was still on my wrist, and I hated how much I liked it—and not because it was sexual in any way, but merely because I liked the sense of comfort. I hated how it seemed to settle the jagged nerves in my belly over the whole incident.
“Tomorrow it is. We’ll have to meet before the gym opens. You okay with that?”
I nodded, wetting my dry lips. His thumb traced a delicate line down the edge of my thumb.
“Also…” His rough voice trailed up my spine as if he were ghosting the space with his lips. His head turned, his eyes on me…his finger stroked mine and my heart burst into tiny pieces.
“I want you here when you’re spending time with the girls. I know Cole is next door at your place, but it will make me feel safer knowing you’re here. I have a lot of security measures in place to protect the house.”
“Of course.” I whispered, my gaze darting to his lips.
Why was my face so hot? My pulse thundered under my skin, and his hand was so warm on mine. I wanted him to stop, but I also wanted him to touch more of me.
“Haley?”
“Hmmm?” Oh shit, had I closed my eyes?
His body shifted, until his fingers gripped my chin and forced my face to lift, making my gaze divert directly to his.
“I think you’re bullshitting me about being okay. I think you’re rattled and scared, and I think you should stay here on my couch tonight.”
My mouth parted with a denial…but I paused. How did he know?
I couldn’t stay here. That would be too weird. I blinked and pulled away from his touch. “I can go to Cole’s, I’m sure he’ll let me stay there.”
Liam chuckled and then reached around me, grabbing a pillow.
“Just stay. You’re probably going to be here a lot anyway.” His gaze dipped to my lips before he added, “You know, for the kids. If I work late or anything, I would ask you to stay here with them.”
“True…”
He adjusted the pillow, his face coming within mere inches of mine.
“So stay. Then when you’re feeling ready, head home, grab your workout clothes, and we’ll go to the gym.”
I should turn him down, but I was so lonely.
Would it really be so terrible to stay the night in a house where other people slept, where I felt safe? He was right; I didn’t want to be alone. I hated being alone, and yet so much of my life, it was all I had ever known. I was sick and tired of accepting it, so why should I?
Giving him a tiny smile, I said, “Okay.”
“I’ll grab you a blanket and a shirt you can sleep in.”
I just watched him get up and walk away, as words failed me.
I had no idea what I would even say to him.
I knew I should reject his offer, but I didn’t want to.
I wanted to be selfish. So, when he came back downstairs and handed me a shirt, I walked into the guest bathroom without question and changed.
My jeans came off—my wool socks would stay on—but my bra and shirt came off next.
My nipples would show through the thin fabric, but if the lights were off, no one would notice.
The shirt he gave me, went to my thighs, with a faded logo of boxing gloves and Croft Gym printed across it.
I flicked the light, grabbed my pile of clothes, and headed back out to the living room. Liam was standing near the side table, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at the pile of blankets like he was lost in thought.
There was a tiny lamp, right next to the couch, offering enough light to see by. The couch had been made up with three pillows, a sheet, and a fluffy down comforter.
“Thank you so much for making this up,” I said, setting my clothes at the end of the couch.
Liam’s eyes darted up, landing on me. He didn’t even try to hide the way he trailed my chest and legs, only to have his eyes bounce back up to my chest. I didn’t feel embarrassed or like I should cover up.
It was the opposite; and the later it got, the more my inhibitions seemed to loosen.
There was a piece of Liam that I wanted, and a part of me was desperate enough to try to grab it.
I wanted his gaze, his touch, his words.
I wanted whatever he’d give me, and I knew it was dangerous.
It definitely wasn’t smart. I knew enough from my therapy sessions that letting my hormones, or my heart, get attached to someone like Liam wasn’t a good idea.
He had a fortified fortress around his and his girls’ lives.
He’d never let me in, and eventually I’d want my own key to that barbed wire entrance to his heart.
It was a mess in the making.
Still, I was desperate to dabble.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he cleared his throat. I didn’t miss how his left hand went to the left side of his crotch, likely to cover the growing bulge there.
“Uh.” He cleared his throat. “I’m just upstairs if you need anything.”
I nodded, pushing a few loose strands of hair back.
He took a few steps closer, until he was in my space, his breath on my face, and his hands dove under the neck of my shirt, pulling my hair free.
“There, you had some stuck.” His voice rumbled nice and low, grating against my skin in the most delicious way. I swallowed thickly and whispered my thanks.
He didn’t move right away, and it took all of my strength not to pull him closer.
“Goodnight, Haley.”
My eyes were finally on his, my head slightly slanted back.
“Goodnight.”
His finger trailed down my arm on his way past me, and then he was jogging up the stairs, leaving me there, flustered and confused.