Chapter Ten
ELLA
T his is it.
Tonight changes everything. It’s the night of my and Liam’s date, and I’m finally going to tell him about Macie.
I check myself one last time in the full-length mirror on the back of my door. The dress that I’m wearing is the same one I wore when I went out with Brynn a few weeks ago, but I’ve dressed it up with a pair of dangly earrings and a silver clutch. Matching heels, perfectly done hair, and makeup finish the look, and I’m fairly confident I look good enough to eat.
Macie is at my parents’ house. Mom offered to keep her overnight since she would have her in the morning, anyway. It’s little things like that that make me realize how lucky I am to have such a supportive family. Not everyone can get childcare at the drop of a hat like I can.
A knock on my front door has me smoothing my hair down, then I’m walking through the living room. My hand rests on the doorknob, and I find myself staring at it. A smooth, polished piece of metal that can fit in the palm of my hand is all that stands between me and the rest of my life. No matter his reaction, no matter what we decide to do, nothing will be the same after tonight.
I think I’m kind of okay with that.
Taking a deep breath, I open the door, and a smile immediately pulls at my lips. He looks so handsome. Liam’s sandy blond hair is styled perfectly, and his sage green button up shirt pulls taut across his chest, the sleeves rolled up to elbows. His jeans hug his toned thighs, and I bet his ass looks just yummy.
It’s his eyes that have me smiling, though. The way his stormy blues widen as they take me in, traveling from my legs and up my body, looking at me like I’m some kind of treasure.
“Hi.” My voice comes out a little breathless when his gaze lands back on my face.
“Hi.” He clears his throat, suddenly looking nervous. “You look beautiful, Ella.”
“Thank you.” My cheeks heat at the compliment, and I don’t miss how his eyes dart back down to my body in a way that sets every nerve in my body alight. My thighs clench at his attention, and I can’t stop thinking about what happened the last time he looked at me like that.
The fact that he clearly still finds me desirable, even though I’m slightly softer now after having Macie, sends my heart fluttering. It’s not like I don’t try to work out, but I’m not nearly as fit and toned as I was four years ago.
“Where’s Macie tonight?” he asks, glancing behind me. Why does it warm my heart that he’s asking about her?
“She’s at my mom’s tonight since she’s watching her tomorrow anyway,” I tell him, taking a step out of the apartment and shutting the door behind me before locking it.
“That’s so great that your family helps out like that,” he says, almost wistfully, and I realize he’s only ever talked about his mom, not the rest of his family. “I hope you like Italian,” Liam adds, snapping me out of my thoughts to see him holding an arm out to me.
“Only if it’s Nonna Rossi’s,” I tease as I take his arm, knowing that it’s the only Italian restaurant in town. We agreed to stay in the area since we both go back to work tomorrow morning.
“Well, thank goodness for that,” he laughs, guiding me down the hall to the staircase.
* * *
Nonna Rossi’s is owned by the sweetest woman who insists that everyone refer to her as Nonna. She has thirteen grandchildren of her own, half of which work in the restaurant in some capacity.
Liam and I have just sat at our table, led by Maria, her oldest granddaughter, who I went to high school with.
“Gio will be along in a minute to take your order, Ella.” She smiles before moving behind Liam and shooting me a thumbs up. I hide my smile behind my hand as she heads back to the hostess stand.
“Is every business in Ridgewood Falls like this?” Liam asks, his mouth slightly agape as he looks around. I know he’s not referring to the red and white checkered tablecloths on the tables, the walls painted to look like buildings lining the grand canal in Venice, or the string lights and trellises lined with fake vines lining some of the walls.
No, he’s talking about the way everyone who works here seems to know every customer who comes in, and how customers keep stopping at other tables to talk.
“Pretty much.” I nod, smiling softly at his gobsmacked expression. “Welcome to Ridgewood Falls, where if you don’t know someone, not to worry, someone else you know probably does.”
Liam chuckles and shakes his head, picking up a menu. “That will definitely take some getting used to.”
“Listen, Liam,” I start, deciding to bite the bullet before we actually get dinner started. At least then if he storms out, it’s not halfway through a meal. “There’s something I’ve been needing to?—”
“Ella?” a familiar voice calls out, and I groan. Without even looking, I know it’s Harvey.
After shooting a confused Liam an apologetic look, I sigh and turn my attention to the pissed-off looking psycho ex-boyfriend standing at the side of our table. He seems to be by himself, which isn’t super unusual given Nonna Rossi’s does takeout, but Harvey doesn’t even live here. He’s out in Burlington. What the hell is he doing here?
“What do you want Harvey?” My voice lacks any of the bite I wanted to put into it and instead comes out sounding tired.
“Well, now I see why you haven’t been answering my calls,” he snipes, looking between Liam and me, his brown eyes flashing with anger behind his glasses. The features I once thought were moderately handsome are now twisted in disdain. “Looks like you found someone new to fuck around with.”
What the actual fuck is up with this guy? We haven’t dated for over four years, and now he wants to come in and act like some jilted lover?
Liam’s expression moves from confusion to one of contempt. Directed at Harvey. Has he met him before?
“Harvey,” I snap, that bite I was lacking earlier coming in full force. “I haven’t wanted to speak to you in years. You should leave before you say something you’ll regret.”
Harvey only gives a derisive snort, crossing his arms over his wiry frame. “Please. You’re crazy if you don’t think we have something going on, Ella. We always have. There’s no avoiding it. You and me? We’re inevitable.”
It’s official. Harvey is certifiably insane and delusional.
“What the hell are you?—”
“We need to talk about Macie,” he cuts me off, shooting Liam a self-satisfied look that lights my blood on fire. And not in a good way.
I fucking hate confrontation. It’s why I work with animals instead of people. Say a few mean words about me? Okay, cool, I can make that roll off my back, no problem. Talk about my daughter, though?
Merely hearing her name from the smarmy mouth of this two-timing, slimy, greedy motherfucker has my hackles rising and I am about to fucking lose it. How dare he come here, interrupt my date, and act like he has any business breathing the same air as my Macie? How dare he harass me for months, then waltz in here like we’re in some kind of relationship? The nerve of him.
My heart is beating wildly in my chest, and I’m just about to let loose a tirade that would have made Shia LaBeouf proud when Liam abruptly stands, coming around the table to my side.
“Why don’t we order takeout instead?” he asks calmly, putting a hand under my elbow to help me stand from my seat.
At Liam’s touch, most of my anger fades and I meet Harvey’s irritated gaze head-on. “I think I’d like that. The atmosphere in here just got… desperate.”
Then, without a backward glance at Harvey’s outraged face, we turn and walk out of the restaurant. Liam’s hand under my elbow is a silent gesture of support that he keeps all the way until we’re back in his car.
It’s only when I shut the door and my head hits the soft leather headrest that I allow myself to breathe fully. Shit. Everyone in Nonna Rossi’s must have seen what happened. Before the morning, my mom will no doubt have been told about how her daughter was escorted out of the restaurant by her date.
God. I’m just glad that Macie wasn’t there to witness that.
“Oh my god, Liam, I am so sorry. That is not how I wanted this dinner to go,” I tell him as soon as he slides into his seat and shuts the driver’s side door.
“Don’t apologize. It’s nobody’s fault but his.” Liam shakes his head with a faint look of disgust.
“Thank you. For standing up for me, and for getting me out of there. But I feel like you deserve to know the whole story.” I let out a huff of breath.
“Only if you want to tell me.” He takes my hand in his.
“Let’s go back to my apartment first,” I finally say, knowing that getting everything out is going to be hard.
“We can grab something to eat on the way,” he suggests gently, and I nod in agreement.
We eat a couple of drive-thru burgers in the car, and by the time we get back to my apartment, I’m nearly shaking with nerves. He doesn’t push me for information. We sit on the couch, hand in hand, and I look down into my lap and spill everything.
“It all started when my brothers introduced me to him in college. I had a hard time dating in high school because I was shy, and because Nolan and Jayce scared most everyone off. The fact that they were actually introducing me to him… Well, it made it easy to accept when he pursued me because my brothers obviously approved. My brothers… They started the SaaS2 company, Trackster. Harvey’s been trying to get in with them forever, but I didn’t think anything of it. Then I got closer to graduation, closer to leaving for vet school, and he got increasingly angry with me for trying to leave. We fought a lot, and more and more of his true colors would come out. It wasn’t until after I caught him with his neighbor that I realized he never really cared about me at all, he only saw me as an ‘in’ with my brothers’ company.” Liam’s thumb rubs over the top of my hand, but I don’t look at him, desperate to maintain my courage. “He contracted with them, but he wanted to be part owner, and I think he believed if he married into our family, they would be more likely to let him.” I shake my head. “Then, after my accident, which was two months after we broke up, he shows up and tries to act like we’re engaged. The psycho tried to use my head injury to gaslight me into thinking I had agreed to marry him.”
Taking a deep breath, I tell him the last part of the whole situation as his hand tightens over mine. “He’s been calling me on and off for a couple of months now. I don’t even know why the hell he was talking about Macie. He’s never even met her.” I shake my head. “I had never told my brothers why we broke up, not wanting to affect their working relationship. But I guess they fired him around five months ago, but wouldn’t say exactly why, just that there was some shady stuff going on. Jayce wants us all to stay away from him, though. I’ll have to let him know what happened tonight. Again, I’m really sorry, Liam. You didn’t deserve to walk into that shit show.”
At his silence, I finally gather the courage to look up at him. To my absolute shock, there are unshed tears shining in his eyes and his jaw is clenched.
“Liam?” I tentatively reach my other hand over to his arm.
He shakes his head, letting out a shaky breath. “It was him.”
“What was him?” I ask, my brow furrowed.
“I came back for you,” he says quietly, and my heart skips a beat as he closes his eyes. “After the accident. I waited in the waiting room for hours, hoping to catch whatever the doctor would tell your family when you were out of surgery.” He lets out a shaky breath. “When I pulled you out of that wrecked car, I thought I was going to die. I couldn’t fathom losing you when I just found you again.”
I don’t know what to say. He… he came back for me? But I never saw him again.
“I don’t understand,” I say quietly. “Why… why did you leave? I thought you were respecting the note that I left you, but if you came back to check on me… why didn’t you stay?”
“After your parents were taken back, this guy… Harvey ran into the room claiming to be your fiancé. My heart broke, Ella. It shattered, and I thought you used me. I thought I was just some hook-up and what I felt for you was only one-sided. But then I tossed and turned all night, replaying every moment of our night together in my head, trying to figure out how I misread everything so badly. How I imagined a connection deeper than anything I’ve ever felt before.”
He opens his eyes, staring straight into mine. “I decided that I didn’t misread anything, and I marched into that hospital determined to hear it directly from you. But then…”
My heart jolts in my chest when the realization hits me.
“You saw him kiss me.” My voice is a whisper. “You heard him when he was trying to convince me that he was my fiancé.”
He nods, looking so heartbroken and so distraught that I don’t even realize what I’m doing until it’s too late. I’m straddling his waist, taking his face in mine, and pressing my lips to his, trying to erase all of the hurt and pain from the last four years.
His lips are soft against mine as he sighs into me, wrapping his arms around my waist. The kiss is soul-crushing. Heart-wrenching. My body sings with a sense of rightness at being in his arms again after all this time, when he pulls back and presses his forehead against mine.
“Tell me I didn’t imagine it,” he whispers. “Tell me I didn’t misread anything.”
I can’t deny the truth. The fact that I’ve never felt this way with anyone before or since him.
“You didn’t imagine it,” I tell him before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “You didn’t misread anything.” Another kiss. “I regretted not leaving you my number immediately after I left your room.” Another kiss, which he doesn’t let me break off, delving his tongue into my mouth.
I moan into him as my hands move from his face to his back, my arms wrapping around his neck. The feel of his kiss consumes me, until everything I am, everything I think, and feel is centered around him.
His hands move to my ass, gripping tightly as he stands up from the couch.
“Second door on the left,” I gasp into him when he passes the kitchen. Before I know it, he’s laying me gently on the bed, his weight settling on top of me. His hand moves from my ass down behind my knee, hitching my leg over his waist as he grinds into me.
“I missed you so much,” he murmurs against my lips before resuming his claiming of my mouth. I don’t need to tell him that I missed him, too. Or that I dream about him more than I care to admit, or that I’ve not gone a single day without thinking about him the last four years. Our kisses convey everything. They turn from intimate and romantic to desperate and passionate in an instant, and he’s kissing down my neck, his hot mouth leaving a trail of tingles as he works his way down.
My breathing becomes shallow as he spends ample time kissing and sucking at the tops of my breasts, each press of his lips leaving goosebumps, before he finally pulls one out of the top of my dress, covering my nipple with his mouth. My back arches off the bed at the contact, and his hand finds its way under my dress, stroking me through the material of my thong.
“Are you already wet for me, Ella?” he growls into my breast and I nod breathlessly.
“Fuck, Liam!” I cry out, twining my fingers through his hair to keep him close to me. His teeth graze my nipple, sending a jolt of electricity straight to my clit. He moves under my thong to delve into my already soaking wet pussy, and his hum of appreciation against my nipple sends another wave of heat through me.
Before I know it, I’m arching off the bed again, his fingers working me into a frenzy as his mouth switches to my other nipple, and I’m shattering all over his hand. I come apart with a cry, and he slows his hand slightly, riding me through my orgasm.
“What a good fucking girl.” His voice is gravelly against my skin, sending a delighted shiver through me.
When I lay back, breathing hard, he lifts his head to meet my eyes. Stormy gray-blue eyes pierce my soul as he looks at me. “Clothes off.”
He rolls next to me, pulling off his clothes as I shimmy out my dress and underwear, and then we’re both naked. I watch as he pulls a condom out of his wallet, rolling it on before he settles over me, his warm body pressing against mine is the best feeling in the world.
His hard, throbbing cock pushes against my entrance, and without thinking, I widen my legs to welcome him in. The first thrust of him inside me has me nearly seeing stars, the sensation almost unfamiliar after not being with anyone for so many years.
He looks down at me, his arms braced on either side of my head.
“You’re so damn gorgeous,” he breathes out, his gaze roaming my face before pulling back and thrusting back in, my head tilting back in pleasure. “Dammit,” he grits out between thrusts. “So damn tight.”
One hand still braced next to my head, his other arm hooks under my leg, pushing him even deeper into me. A keening cry leaves me at the heightened sensation. Then he’s moving, pistoning in and out, each drag of his dick against my inner walls sending me closer and closer to the edge.
“Such a good girl for me. So fucking beautiful,” he praises, his eyes roving my body, “taking all of my cock.”
“Oh, oh! Liam! Don’t stop!” I cry out as my nails drag down his back in desperation to hold onto something, and he sucks hard at my neck, his punishing thrusts never slowing.
I finally tip over the edge, my pussy fluttering around him as my orgasm washes over me, and the sensation pushes him to his own release, my name on his lips as his hips stutter and slow. “Fuuuck Ella.”
He collapses next to me, both of our bodies heaving and glistening with sweat. Holding me as we catch our breath, I decide I’ll tell him about Macie tomorrow.
The news could change everything. He could be mad at me, or think I’m lying. So I decide to soak up every moment of his affection that I can. It should scare me that nothing has ever felt more right than falling asleep in his arms, but I can’t bring myself to feel anything but pure contentment as I snuggle closer to the man beside me, hoping that what I’ll reveal tomorrow will only strengthen this bond, not shatter it.