Chapter 31 Liam
Liam
Rain lashes down as I cross the street, my jumper tugged over my head to shield me. In the distance, I see a flash of cream and brown darting across the road.
“Anna!” I yell.
She turns her head but she doesn’t slow down. Why’s she leaving so soon? A pang of disappointment shoots through me. I didn’t even get to say hello.
Frowning, I head into the bar, my eyes scanning the room until I land on my family tucked away in a corner booth.
“Da!” Finn says, scrambling out of the booth and launching himself at me. I bend, lifting him up and holding him close.
“Hey, buddy,” I murmur into his hair. “What did you think of the game?”
When he pulls back, his face is glowing. “You were amazing! When that guy tackled you, I thought you were dead!”
I bark out a laugh. “It’ll take more than a few tackles to finish me off.”
“Does your foot hurt?” he asks, peering down.
“Nah, good as new.” I ruffle his hair. “I’m sorry if I gave you a scare.”
“One day I want to be just as strong as you,” he says seriously, and something in my chest pulls.
“You already are, mate.” I press a kiss to his forehead, which he immediately wipes away with the back of his hand.
“Daaaaa,” he groans, cringing, but I clock the tiny curve teasing at his mouth. His small hands frame my face as his expression turns earnest. “Miss Anna said I was being just as brave as you were.” His little chest puffs with pride and I have to swallow hard against the motion rising in my throat.
Anna’s right. He’s certainly braver than he should have to be, at his age.
“Did she now? Well, I have to agree with Miss Anna on that one.” I move toward the booth, settling in with Finn on my lap. I turn to Roman and Zoey, trying to keep my voice light. “Speaking of, where’d Anna go?”
“Home to feed her cat,” Zoey explains, taking a sip of her Guinness.
Anna doesn’t have a bloody cat.
I frown. “Did she seem okay when she left?”
Roman shrugs. “Seemed fine to me.”
“Oh, Danielle’s here. She came over and said hi,” Zoey says.
As soon as I hear her name roll off Zoey’s tongue, my mood sours. “Did she meet Anna?”
“Yes . . .” Zoey’s tone carries uncertainty.
I smooth down my damp jumper, drumming my fingers against the wooden table. My mind starts racing.
Melody and Finn erupt in a fit of giggles, wiping their eyes. “Da!” Finn calls across the table.
“Yeah, bud?” I ask.
“Can I stay at Uncle Roman’s tonight?”
I look at Roman, who shrugs. “Course he can,” he says.
“Perfect. I need to go.” I’m already standing.
Zoey raises her eyebrows. “Can I guess where?”
“Anna doesn’t have a cat,” I mutter.
“Ah,” Roman says with a wry look. “See you tomorrow, then?”
I nod, crouching down to Finn’s level. “Be good for Uncle Roman and Auntie Zoey, yeah? I’ll see you in the morning. Make sure you do as you’re told.”
He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Attaboy,” I say, reaching out to give him a fist bump.
Stacey catches my eye on the way out and lifts her hand in a friendly wave. I’ve always been fond of her; she’s professional, polite, and hardworking. Shame Danielle treats her so horribly.
Ah, speak of the devil and she’ll appear. Danielle’s gaze catches mine and she flicks me a sultry smile. Ignoring her, I push through the door. At least the rain’s stopped. I’m a few steps out the door when a sing-song voice calls out. “Liam!”
I freeze, fighting the urge to wince as I turn to find Danielle standing in the middle of the footpath. I lift my brows, waiting.
“You played well today, congratulations on the win.” She prowls toward me, her hips swaying with every step.
“Thanks,” I say, my tone clipped.
“I met your little friend,” she drawls, sidling up in front of me.
I sigh. “I can’t do this right now, Danielle.”
“Hannah, was it?” she asks, innocently batting her lashes.
“It’s Anna.”
“Whatever,” she says, lifting her hand to my shoulder. She drags her finger down my chest and I catch her wrist to stop her going any lower.
Her touch feels wrong.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I spit.
“Me? Nothing.” She bites her lip and I repress the urge to vomit.
“I’m not in the mood for this, Danielle,” I warn her.
“Come on. You and I both know she doesn’t have what it takes to keep you… satisfied.”
“Did you say something to her?”
Her smile is predatory.
“What did you say?”
She shrugs. “Nothing that wasn’t true.”
I tug her closer. “You’re walking a fine line.”
She pushes her tits out. “Don’t you remember how much fun we had?”
“I was blind drunk. I can’t remember a bloody thing, Danielle. Lord knows in my right mind I wouldn’t touch you with a ten-foot pole.”
She scowls. “Don’t forget, I’m the thing standing between you and that sponsorship.”
I drop my voice deathly low. “You gonna blackmail me?”
“Blackmail you? Me? I would never.”
Loud sounds spill from the pub and I drop my hand as Stacey appears in the doorway, poking her head over Danielle’s shoulder. “Danielle? Are you okay? Do you need me to call you a cab?”
Danielle whirls on her heel. “For God’s sake, Stacey, piss off! I’m in the middle of a conversation here! Honestly, are you too thick to take a hint? How many times do I have to tell you to only speak when spoken to?”
“Oi!” I interrupt. Danielle turns to face me and I shake my head, wiggling a finger between us. “Don’t speak to her like that, she’s not involved in this. Stacey’s just doing her job.”
Stacey gives a small nod, which I return, and heads back inside.
Danielle pouts at me.
“Go back to the bar, Danielle.”
“Or”—she steps closer—“you could take me back to your house.”
I lean in. “I’d rather sandpaper my dick.” I pivot and stride off, heading for my car.
“You’d better not be going to her!” she seethes behind me.
I stop dead in my tracks, every muscle in my body tensing. The sheer nerve of her thinking she has a say in my personal life sends a wave of rage through me. I turn slowly, fixing her with the coldest glare I can muster.
“You’re fucking fired.”
She scoffs, popping a hip and crossing her arms. “You can’t fire me, Liam. You need me.”
“Watch me. Consider this your official notice. Don’t contact me, don’t talk to my family, and stay the hell away from Anna.” I dip my chin. “I’ll be in touch with your office tomorrow.”
Her mask finally slips as panic sets in. “You’re making a huge mistake. That sponsorship—”
“Can fuck right off if it comes with strings attached to you.”
She stomps—actually stomps—like a petulant child. “Don’t go to her!”
I don’t even dignify her with a response, I just turn and keep walking in the direction of my car.
“You’re going to regret this!” she shrieks after me. “You’re so done, Liam Murphy!”
The only thing I regret is not firing her sooner. I whip out my phone as I hop in the car, pulling up Anna’s contact and tapping out a message.
Me: Hey. Can we talk?
I hit send. A beat later, it reads Seen 10:21 pm.
When the three little dots don’t appear, I toss my phone into the passenger seat, buckle my seatbelt and turn on the ignition.
She’s leaving me on read.
I have to fix whatever the hell Danielle’s done. I won’t let her ruin either of our nights.
I need to get to her.