Chapter 7
SEPTEMBER 10 – WEDNESDAY 4:55 AM
R en
Strange dreams and restlessness had plagued me every night since getting back from Canada. Worse was the constant appearance of Nash. He randomly popped into my head and took over the scene, just as annoying in dream form as when I was awake. Arrogant, acting like I should want him. There was something seriously wrong with me because the feelings were forming whether I wanted them to or not.
No one in their right mind would willingly choose to be with Nash Collier.
My alarm beeped softly so as not to wake Ivy. It was pure insanity to be up at this hour of the morning, so of course, that was when Liam wanted to train. Reaching out, I hit my alarm and realized that something was stuck to my hand. Panicking, I sat up, trying to make sense of what was attached to me.
Did I leave some of my notes on my bed?
Flicking on my bedside light, I swore before I could stop myself.
“Eww, fuck…oh my god, he didn’t actually….”
“What? Is everything okay,” Ivy asked, her voice groggy.
“No, no, it’s not.” Oh my god, this was disgusting. Frantically shaking my hand to get it to fall off wasn’t working. It wouldn’t budge, and I was left staring at a photo. Not just any photo, it was one of me sleeping.
Ivy walked around the corner while I humiliatingly danced around like a child, freaking out. She stared at me like I’d lost all my marbles, and at this point, that probably wasn’t far off the mark. This place was enough to make anyone go crazy.
“I can’t get it off. Is his come made of glue or what?”
“What? Did you say come? Whose come?”
“Nashole, the asshole. Oh my god, I need to sterilize my hand, and my bed, and the entire room. What if he did this in here while he watched me sleep? I can’t believe he actually did it.”
And cue the obscenely mixed feelings about that thought. The fact that Nash would wait until I was asleep, risk getting in here, and then enjoy staring at me while he jerked off was both disturbing as hell and kind of hot. I shook my head.
“Girl, you’re making no sense,” Ivy said, yawning.
Growling, I grabbed some tissue and held the corner. My hand made a suction cup sound as the picture pulled up, making my stomach roll.
“Eww, it’s making sucking noises, yuck, yuck, yuck! I’m going to kill him.”
I glared at Ivy, even though she wasn’t the object of my rage.
“When we were at my house in Canada, I was texting with Nash and purposely annoyed him. I mean, what was the worst he could do while we were in another country? He threatened that he’d come on a photo of me and leave it under my pillow. Naturally, I assumed it was an idle threat. It’s been like two freaking months, and while I’d completely forgotten all about it…well, as you can see, he did not.”
Ivy’s face scrunched up as she made a gagging sound. I showed her my hand with the photo half hanging off it now.
“I’m going to kill him.”
“Why are guys so gross?” Ivy shivered.
“Not all guys, just freaking Nash Collier.”
Ivy looked a little closer and did a yuck dance of her own. “It has white streaks. Dear god, how many times did he come on it?”
“Shh…don’t make it worse.”
Glancing at the time, I bit my lip, closed my eyes, and pulled it the rest of the way off. The feel of it pulling at my skin had me running into the bathroom to clean my hand.
I dropped the photo and tissue into the garbage before turning on the taps and washing my hands ten times before all the stickiness was gone.
“How did he get in here anyway,” Ivy asked when I emerged from the bathroom, ready to murder.
“Because he’s Satan’s son and can walk through walls like the demon he is,” I said, drying my hand.
“Please tell me you’re not serious?” Ivy looked around, and I smirked.
“No, but it feels like it. Nash has a key from last year when this was mine and Vicky’s room. I’d have the locks changed, but I’m pretty sure he’ll just get a new key. He seems to be able to threaten or bribe his way into anything he wants.”
I quickly got dressed for training, and…shit, now I was running late. Liam wouldn’t care what had caused my tardiness, that was for sure.
“Well, they don’t call him a King for no reason.”
I hit Ivy with a glare as I pulled my hoodie on over my workout clothes.
“Look on the bright side. You can tease Vicky that you’ve touched his come. She doesn’t need to know how.”
“Nooo, let’s just let sleeping bullying bitches lay. She’s kept her distance since she moved back in, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
Ivy crossed her arms and shrugged.
“It would serve her right if she found out. She was such a cow to you that she deserves whatever she gets. I hope she ends up having to marry a man five times her age with a limp dick and no money. That would drive her insane and is the perfect revenge,” Ivy said, making me laugh.
Grabbing my uniform and school bag, I marched for the door.
“I’m really happy not to be on your bad side. Go back to bed. I’m sorry I woke you up.”
“Be careful. I don’t trust Liam,” she said.
That made two of us.
I hurried out of my room and jogged down the hallway past the domiciles of sleeping people who had no idea what I’d already had to deal with at five AM. Practically punching the elevator button, it felt like it took an eternity to reach me on the top floor. As soon as the doors opened, I darted across the foyer. Yanking the door open, I bolted outside.
“About time.”
My heart nearly exploded in my chest as I screamed, dropping all my stuff on the pathway. I stared into the darkness, but there was nothing other than the soft glow of a cigarette.
“Liam?”
He moved like a panther, one with the dark. Even when he stepped into the light from the walkway lamp post, half of his face was hidden by shadows.
“You’re running late.”
Glancing at my phone, I still had one minute to reach the gym, which coincidentally was in the same building as the pool.
“I have one minute left.”
“You wouldn’t have made it. I’ve seen you run.”
I glared at him, not taking the bait. Liam just stared, his face a mask of stone.
“I thought you were going to stand me up. You know, too scared to face me alone.”
He dropped the cigarette on the ground and stomped it out with his sneaker.
Like a charging bull, all I saw was red. My shoulders straightened, and any of the lingering sluggishness was kicked to the side.
“Why exactly would I be scared of you?”
He shrugged but didn’t say any more.
Dropping down to gather my things, I bit my lip to keep from punching him. When had I become so violent? I’d never thought of hitting anyone until coming here. It was this place, with its dark energy and the insanity that lived inside the walls. Especially the guy in front of me and Nash. Both were on my naughty list and I wondered if Santa took requests for coal.
“You like to act tough, Little Rabbit, but you’re always one nervous breakdown away from running for the hills again. Aren’t you?”
He had his hands on his knees as he bent over and looked me dead in the eyes. Squatting in front of him like this made me feel incredibly small. I swallowed back the fear and stood up, forcing him to do the same.
“No, I’m pretty sure it’s you that’s running.” I smiled and hitched my backpack onto my shoulder. His eyes narrowed into thin slits. “You’re the one who can’t handle Theo wanting to be treated like a person and not a possession. Big bad Liam is scared of his emotions.”
He sucked in breath, his lip pulling up in a sneer, and every instinct told me that I should back off. But I would never back down again, even if it killed me.
“Now I understand why Nash wants to put a bullet….” He held up his finger and made a gun as he pretended to shoot me between the eyes. “Pow, right there.”
“Oh, he wants to fire something, but it’s not his gun. Nice try, though,” I said with my whole heart. Did I really just say that with a straight face?
“Axel should’ve just killed you and saved us all the trouble,” he said with such venom that the words punched me in the gut.
My fist connected with his jaw before I realized that I’d even moved. Apparently, Liam didn’t see it coming either as he stumbled back from the hit. Genuine shock was all over his face as he rubbed his cheek.
I took a threatening step toward him and snarled.
“Don’t ever fucking mention that day to me ever again,” I ordered, my hands still balled into fists. “You want me dead, then fine. Here I am, let’s do this. I will fight to the death, and I don’t care who you are, but that monster’s name will not pass through your lips again in my presence. Not ever, for any reason, or so help me, I’ll find a way to cut out your tongue.”
Liam’s eyes were wide, but he didn’t give anything else away as he looked me up and down.
“Well, alright then. I’ll never mention that day or he who will not be named again,” he said, and I took a shaky breath.
It always felt like I was being tested. Are you smart enough, strong enough, tough enough? The list was endless…and tiring. How did everyone here grow up like that their whole lives?
The pain didn’t register until I relaxed my fist.
“Dammit.” My whole arm was tingling, and I would need ice for my throbbing hand.
“The pain is because you hit me hard but wrong. I wouldn’t be surprised if you just fractured your knuckle.”
The painful pulse radiated up into my wrist, and I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Great, just great.”
“Come on, let’s go get you some ice.”
All the anger that had been in his tone a second ago was completely gone. He stood with his hands on his hips and calmly stared at me, completely unfazed that I’d punched him.
“What about training?”
“You’re not going to be much good training if you have a broken knuckle. Now are you? Let’s take a look at it and see what we’re dealing with.” Nodding, I followed him back into the dorm.
Liam didn’t hesitate as he pulled me through the cafeteria and veered toward the door clearly marked Employees Only . It felt wrong to step through the kitchen door, and I kept expecting someone to jump out and yell that we weren’t allowed to be back here. Passing the long workstations and equipment, including knives, I wondered if this was a wise idea.
Liam pointed to a table. “You can put your stuff there. I’ll be right back.”
Taking in my surroundings, I set my bag and change of clothes down. Everything was perfectly shiny, and there didn’t seem to be a speck of dirt anywhere. Gordon Ramsay would like this kitchen.
Bang! A door slammed, making me jump, but it was just Liam. He rounded the corner with a cloth and a bag of ice.
“We need to work on how jumpy you are. I wasn’t lying about you sprinting off into the night. A person’s nerves can only take so much before something gives,” he said, eyeing me.
His eyes were similar and yet darker than Myles’. They were caught between amber and whiskey with gold flecks.
“Hello? Did you hear what I said?”
“Sorry. Um…yes, we do,” I said, my neck smarting from looking up at him. Why did they all have to be so tall? “I won’t run again, but finding an outlet would be good.”
Liam set the ice and cloth down, and I squealed as he lifted me. Holy hell. The heat from his hands traveled through my body as he held my waist, unmoving. And the way he was looking at me did nothing to stop my imagination from running off and picturing being pressed between him and Theo.
Liam slowly let go, but his finger grazed my arm before he held out his hand, and I stared at his open palm. My mind was blank.
“Hand,” he said.
Crawling under the table seemed like a fabulous idea. Acquiescing to his request, I looked down for the first time and groaned at the sight of the swollen and very red middle knuckle.
Liam softly probed with his thumbs around the swelling, then manipulated my finger until I winced. He was incredibly gentle, which was confusing considering why we were in here.
“Do you really wish I was dead,” I asked, needing to know.
His eyes locked with mine.
“No. I’m sorry I said that.” He picked up the cloth and placed it on my knuckles before adding the bag of ice and tying it all in place. “You may or may not have struck the right nerve to set me off.”
“I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have said that about you and Theo.” I rubbed my eyes. “I hate seeing you two at odds, and I know you don’t believe me, but it’s the truth.”
Liam sighed and the hair stood all over my body as he gripped the counter on either side of me. His arms flexed under the black t-shirt as he pressed closer, forcing me to lean back to maintain any distance.
“Theo wants us to be together, like the three of us. I’m not sure how that even works without Myles and Blake in the relationship, let alone with them. What I do know is that it’s a fucking mess and is most likely going to end in disaster.”
“Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. Maybe a meteor will hit the earth today, and we all die. Maybe aliens land and take us all away. There are too many variables to state it’s not going to work. Complicated, sure. Impossible…I don’t believe anything is impossible if you want it bad enough.”
“I don’t like the odds, and Theo is a fool to want this.”
“Don’t insult Theo like that. He is far from a fool, and you know it.”
“Regardless, I don’t exactly share well, Little Rabbit,” he said. His voice raspy and gliding straight between my legs, making everything fuzzy. Men shouldn’t have that power. It wasn’t fair. “Not unless I’m in charge.”
Licking my lips, I fought to push down the fire building within me.
“I don’t know how it works either, but I’m willing to try.”
Liam’s fingers wrapped around my throat, squeezing enough that he was choking off most of my air supply. The only thing I could do was grab his arm to try and save myself.
“Let go of my arm,” he ordered, the tone leaving no wiggle room. “Now.”
Hands shaking, I dropped them to my lap. Liam moved in so our noses touched, his eyes boring into mine as my heart went wild in my chest. His lips hovered close enough that I could feel the heat and magnetic draw that he naturally oozed.
“Do you really think you can handle me, Little Rabbit?”
The tip of his tongue running up my cheek caused uncontrollable reactions as the sensation shot down my spine. I sucked in as much air as I could through my constricted airway as he drew a line to my ear and then nipped at my earlobe.
“See, the problem is, I don’t think you’re ready. I don’t think you’ll ever be able to handle what I can give you. I’m not mean, but I’m not a kind lover, Little Rabbit. I’ll push you to your limit and back again, over and over, until you can’t take anymore. But you will. I demand complete compliance in the bedroom. If you use that sharp tongue to mouth off, you’ll quickly wish you hadn’t.”
His hand tightened a little more. My mind was screaming, but I managed to remain frozen to the spot.
“I’ll never give you hearts and flowers. I’m not going to write you a song or plan romantic weekends away. You’ll never touch me in public unless I tell you to. If you’re with me, it’s either a hot one-night stand or complete submission.”
“I think I know why you and Theo are at odds,” I choked out.
Liam twisted his head and jerked me closer. Makeup would be needed to hide his handprint. Of this, I was certain, but I stubbornly straightened my spine.
“I can handle anything you do in the bedroom. Go ahead and do your worst. But your rules push everyone away, including Theo. Maybe it’s time you learned to bend rather than trying to break him.”
His eyebrows shot up, and then he laughed. Liam released my throat, and I sucked in a deep breath. Knowing he would see that as a sign of weakness, I didn’t rub at my neck. He pushed back, and suddenly, I knew how Icarus had felt flying too close to the sun. Liam took all the warmth in the room with him when he pulled away.
“Your answer is just so you. Bend…sure,” Liam mumbled sarcastically and shook his head. “If you knew anything about me, you wouldn’t have given me carte blanche to do whatever I wanted. Even just in the bedroom, that would not end well for either of us.”
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“Exactly. This will never work. We live on the same pedestal but with different ideals.”
“I really wish you’d just say what you mean,” I said, feeling ridiculous and humiliated.
He smirked and stepped back, and I quickly grabbed his arm. Was this amusing to him?
“Don’t do that. Tell me what you mean.”
“You really want to know?”
“I wouldn’t ask you otherwise. Just a waste of both our time.”
He chuckled and rubbed at his lower lip. His whiskey eyes were so intense that one could forget to breathe.
“Do you know what a Dom is?”
“Does Fifty Shades of Grey count?”
I didn’t think that Liam could get more venomous, but I wiggled under his disgusted glare.
“Are you fucking with me?”
“No, you asked. Okay, then, what should I look up?”
“You’ll know when you find it. As for your hand, it’s not broken, but take anti-inflammatories for the next couple days and keep icing it. We’ll push training to next Monday.”
“I can still train,” I said stubbornly, refusing to be shot down again.
“You can’t hit a bag like that unless you’re trying to ruin your hand. Is that what you want, to not be able to write, or type, or paint?”
“No.”
“Then next week it is.”
Gripping my waist he helped me off the table.
“I’ll do the research,” I said.
“I’m sure you will.” Liam turned and walked away. “Have a good day, Little Rabbit.”
Just like that, he was gone, and I massaged my neck.
Jesus, what the hell was I thinking? Could I handle him and what he wanted to dish out?
The answer was simple…for Theo, I would try. Liam was right. I had no clue what I was agreeing to. Then again, neither did he. He had considered what I said about bending, which meant deep down he knew something needed to change, or he was going to lose Theo forever.