Chapter 16 Liam
Liam
I shouldn’t have called her, but I didn’t know what else to do.
I was completely out of my depth. The club’s doctor was kind enough to arrange for a pediatrician to see Finn after school tomorrow.
I’ve also found a child psychologist for him, starting next week.
I want to throw every resource possible into helping him.
He needs far more than I’m able to offer.
The moment Finn asked for his ma tonight, my heart stopped.
I’ve never seen him so close to inconsolable. I knew Roman had taken Zoey out for a dinner date, so I did the only thing I could think of. I gave in and called the woman I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
Anna was right, reading to him worked. I held him close as I curled up beside him with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe—he always loved that book. I was a few chapters in when his breath evened out and he began snoring quietly.
Exhausted, I collapse on my bed and pull up Anna’s contact, scrubbing a hand over my face. Before I can overthink it, I hit dial.
“Hey,” Anna says, her voice low.
“Hey,” I reply.
Smooth, Liam. Real smooth.
“How is he?” she asks. Her voice is lower, almost syrupy, and heat curls down my spine.
“Reading worked. He’s asleep. Thank you for suggesting it, I’m frustrated I didn’t think of it myself—I shouldn’t have wasted your time.”
“You haven’t wasted my time at all. I’m glad you called,” she says.
“I’m glad you answered.”
What am I saying?
“Well, I should probably go,” she says.
“Do you want a drink?” I blurt out. “I mean, if you’re not in a rush.”
“A drink?” She laughs lightly. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we aren’t exactly in the same room.”
“Our phones have cameras,” I say, my tone cautious. I know I should let her go, I know I’m pushing it, but something about her voice steadies me, quieting the noise that’s been scratching at me all day.
My words hang in the air. I’m about to tell her not to worry when she finally speaks. “You know what? I could use a drink after today.”
The corner of my mouth quirks up. “I’ll FaceTime you.”
“Oh God,” she laughs. “I look terrible.”
I huff a laugh. “That’s not possible.”
Pulling the phone away from my ear, I tap on the video call button. She accepts a moment later, her face filling the screen. She drops her gaze. “Hey.”
She’s barefaced and stunning.
“Hey,” I rasp, clearing my throat. “I’m gonna make a hot toddy.”
“Oh, I love those,” she says, the corner of her eyes creasing. “It’s the only way you’ll get me to drink whiskey. Hang on, I might have the ingredients for one. I’ll make one too.”
We set about quietly fixing ourselves a drink, pouring whiskey, honey, lemon, and boiling water into our mugs.
“I usually add a couple of cloves to mine,” I say, dropping two into my drink. “Little trick my nan taught me back in Dublin.”
She smiles, adding two to hers. “All right, I’m putting complete faith in your nan’s taste.”
We settle back in—me on my bed and Anna on her sofa.
Her hand is wrapped around the ceramic, and she leans in to inhale the steam. “This smells incredible.” She takes a sip. “Mmm. Your nan was a genius.”
“Aye, she was,” I say, bringing the drink to my lips.
Her face turns serious and she places the mug down. “I have to ask… I’ve heard rumors from other teachers but… what happened? To his mum?”
I’ve been expecting the question. I’d be curious too if the tables were turned.
“She left,” I explain, taking a long sip and letting the heat soothe my throat. “Came home one afternoon when Finn was at a friend’s to find her packing her bags.”
Compassion washes over her face, but she doesn’t interrupt.
“We weren’t married. We were both young when she fell pregnant with Finn. Twenty-four. I thought we’d figure it out.” I let out a hollow laugh. “Turns out we didn’t.”
“So what happened? I mean . . .”
She doesn’t have to finish her question. I know what she’s alluding to. I set my mug down too. “She was sleeping with my teammate. Left us for him.”
Her brows pull tight. “Jesus, Liam.”
“I’m fine,” I say, shrugging a shoulder. “It’s Finn I worry about.”
She shakes her head. “How do you even explain that to a child?”
“You don’t. You just watch your son ask for his ma every night for months until he finally stops asking. And then you realize the silence is worse than the questions.”
Her gaze turns watery. “Both of you deserve better than that.”
I drag my fingers through my hair. “Fuck. I don’t mean to offload all this onto you.”
“I’m so sorry, Liam. I couldn’t even imagine . . .” she whispers.
God, I wish I could touch her—comfort her.
“I’m the one who should be apologizing. I didn’t call you for sympathy. Christ, I’m sorry, Anna.” I rub my jaw.
“You called me because you needed help. I care about Finn. I’m happy to speak to you. You’re a good dad, Liam. Seeing what you did for your son today—putting him first—that’s not someone I pity. That’s someone I admire.”
She’s too bleedin’ good to be true. I’m clinging to every damn shred of restraint I have. I remember digging into her soft flesh, her desperate little whimpers and moans. I remember the way her eyes squeezed closed when her pussy gripped my fingers, needing more.
A pained groan rumbles from my chest and I scrub my hand down my face.
“What are you thinking?” she asks.
I look away, rubbing the nape of my neck.
“What?” she pushes.
When I turn back, my eyes settle on hers. “This is usually the time of night when I start thinking about you.”
Her mouth pops open.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” I say in a rush.
She looks down, worrying her lip.
Shite. I’ve blown it.
“That was way out of line,” I say, looking at the ceiling. “Jesus Christ.”
When I turn back to the screen, I watch her take a long pull from her drink before her gaze fixes on mine. My heartbeat ceases as I wait for her to speak.
“I think about you too,” she murmurs.
My eyes immediately darken and my dick stands to attention.
“Anna.” My voice comes out like a plea. “You’re going to kill me.”
“Liam,” she breathes, her knuckles turning white as she grips her cup. “What are you thinking now?”
Screw it, I’ve already crossed the line, haven’t I?
“That I wish I could touch you.”
Her breath hitches before she says, “I wish you could touch me too.”
I’m keenly aware that Finn is fast asleep in his room down the hall, but I’m also keenly hard for the woman I’m watching through the phone. The contradiction should stop me, but it doesn’t.
“Tell me what you’re doing.” My voice is strained, my cock painfully erect.
Her voice curls around my ear through the speaker. “I’m lying on the sofa.”
“Mm.” I give a satisfied hum. “Put the mug down, Anna.”
She does as she’s told, her eyes hooding when she focuses back on me.
“What are we doing?” she whispers, and something within me warms at the nervous tremble threading through her voice.
“I don’t know,” I say, tilting my head back. “Do you want to keep going?”
She nods. “I—yeah. I want to keep going.”
“Fuck. We need to be quiet.” My teeth clench. “Do you think you can be quiet for me, baby?”
“Yes,” she breathes.
A thought barrels through me. Maybe this is our small way of healing after today.
Right now, she’s the only person who understands how today felt.
The panic, the terror, the helplessness.
The raw ache of it all still claws at my chest, and somehow she feels like the only thing that can ease it. Her presence is medicinal.
“I want you to take your pants off slowly, Anna.”
Her head dips and a rustle sounds through the phone before she reappears.
“Are they off?” I ask.
A nod.
“Open your legs for me, baby,” I instruct, my voice a thin rasp. “I want you to touch yourself and tell me how wet you are.”
“Liam,” she pants, her hand disappearing. “I’m really wet.”
“Show me.”
She lifts her fingers to the screen, glistening with her arousal.
“Fuck, baby. Is that all for me?”
She nods.
I grip my cock, giving it a tight squeeze. “Tell me what you imagine when you think of me at night.”
Her throat flexes as she swallows. “Are you touching yourself too?”
“Yes,” I confirm.
“I think about your fingers inside me while you lick my clit,” she says, her breath coming in deep pulls.
I grip the phone a little tighter. “You like it when I eat you out?”
“Yes,” she breathes.
“And my cock? You like that too?”
She nods frantically and I chuckle deeply. “Can I see?” she asks.
Jesus. I’d give her just about anything she wanted right now. I angle the phone so she can see how hard I am. Her eyes go wide when she sees my dick, the tip already dripping.
“Do you see that?” I rasp, stroking myself slowly. “That’s what you do to me, Anna. I’ve had to walk around for a month dealing with my dick getting hard every time you cross my mind.”
“You’re—bloody hell,” she says. “I forgot how big you are.”
I breathe out a laugh at the same time she whimpers.
Focusing on her desperate little noises, I picture finding the hem of her shirt and dragging it up over her head, tossing it aside before sucking a stiff nipple into my mouth. I repress the primitive urge to growl when her head drops back on a soft moan.
“I want to see you slide two fingers inside yourself,” I say.
She tips the phone and I watch as she pushes two fingers deep in her pussy, swollen and slick for me. She’s pink and perfect.
“Just like that,” I praise. “Fuck yourself, Anna.”
Her mouth drops open on a silent whimper and it takes everything in me not to blow my load. She gets to work rubbing and fingering herself.
“I really need you to touch me,” she begs.
I groan, smearing my pre-cum over the tip of my dick. “You want this just as much as I do, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she pants. “I want this. I’ve wanted you. So bad.”
“Greedy girl,” I say, pumping myself.
“Oh God,” she breathes, her eyes clamping shut.
“You getting close, baby?” I grunt.
She nods frantically. “S—so close.”
My hand speeds up, jerking myself with fervor. “You have no idea how desperate I am to bury my cock in that tight pussy. To lick and suck those perfect nipples. You’re gonna let me, aren’t you?”
“I want all of that,” she moans.
“Yeah?” I say, working myself closer to the edge. “You’re gonna take all of it for me, aren’t you?”
She bites her lip, nodding.
I need her.
Her cheeks flush the prettiest hue of pink, and she turns her head, burying her face in her cushion.
“Don’t do that,” I say. “Don’t hide from me, baby.”
Her breath is shaky. “I—I’m not—”
“You are.” I drag my hand up and down my cock, imagining I’m running it through her seam, slow enough to make her wiggle. “You’re spectacular.” I shake my head in disbelief. “I want you to look at me, Anna. Look at me when you come.”
Her lips part in a silent scream, and the sight of her so heated knocks the air from my lungs.
“That’s it,” I say. “So good for me, Anna.”
“So,” she gasps, “close.”
The sounds we’re making are feral, unleashed. Her pussy gobbling her fingers with loud, eager slurps.
“How are you doing, baby? Nearly there?” I rasp, forcing myself to still as I check up on her. “I’m getting close.”
“It feels so good,” she says, her lashes fluttering as a lazy smile curves her lips.
“Good,” I say, dropping my head against my pillows. I pick up my pace, picturing myself driving into her deeper—harder.
Her smile melts into frenzied moans. My balls are so bloody heavy, ready to explode.
“Christ, Anna,” I hiss, my jaw tightening. “You’re gonna get us caught if you don’t quiet down.”
But she only whimpers louder.
“Liam,” she cries, looking at me through thick black lashes. “I’m close. I’m so close.”
Jesus.
“Ah, Liam! I’m coming, I’m coming!” she cries.
I don’t let up, fucking myself harder and harder until I’m teetering on the edge. I stroke myself one more time, my cock engorging as I come. I release a deep, rattling groan as I shatter, cum erupting over my hand and stomach.
I wish I could hold Anna. Instead, we stay silent, chests heaving, both of us glossy with sweat and trembling. For a moment, there’s nothing but the sound of our ragged breaths and the erratic beat of my heart as we come down from our highs.
When Finn asked if Anna would be coming home with us this afternoon, I felt a pang of disappointment that she wasn’t.
I shouldn’t want a repeat of that night at the bar.
I shouldn’t be lusting after my son’s teacher.
It’s wrong. It would be easier, cleaner, and probably the right thing for all of us if I stayed far away from her.
But seeing her blissed out and satiated just now? All I can think is that maybe her coming over wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen to us. Maybe the worst thing already did happen—me walking out on her that April morning without a word.
And no matter how hard I try to convince myself otherwise, I can’t ignore how that makes me feel. Doomed.