23
23
Liberty
Nina, Goldie, and Dolly had insisted that I join them at the pool today. They had explained that when Dolly was here during the summer, they liked to fit in at least one margarita day.
I was glad I’d decided to do this with them. The cool water felt amazing in this summer heat.
The only bathing suit I owned was a bright blue bikini that no longer held my boobs. Nina had given me one of hers, and although it might as well be a thong, it did cover my boobs better. Goldie had made the point that these men saw strippers and owned a porn production company. The bikini I had on was way more fabric than they were used to.
The small bump now showing up on my stomach excited me, and I doubted any of the men wanted to look at a pregnant woman in a bikini. Not when Dolly was lying out, looking all curvy and gorgeous. Although, after watching Micah with her, I doubted anyone was brave enough to look her way. He had already come out here twice to reapply sunblock on her and whisper things in her ear that made her blush. I was sure it was my crazy hormones, but I’d never been so envious in my life.
I hadn’t heard a peep from Liam since he’d dropped me off after the doctor’s appointment a week ago. Not that I was surprised, but I’d thought that maybe something might have changed when he held my hand. Nothing, in fact, had changed at all. Getting my hopes up for anything with that man was just gonna lead to heartbreak.
When he had left me here, I’d never felt so unwanted and alone. But that wasn’t the case anymore. It was like a big family here. Granted, it was an odd one, where it was possible you might walk into the main den and catch a naked woman bouncing on a man’s lap while another guy stood, watching and getting himself off. Yep, I had actually seen that happen.
Lying back on the lounge chair, I soaked in the warmth as my body dried from my latest dip to cool off.
“I’m going in to make more margaritas,” Goldie said. “Do you want me to make you another virgin, Liberty?” she asked.
I shook my head. “I’m good with my water, but thank you,” I said, shading my eyes to look at her.
She grabbed the empty pitcher to go inside when I noticed Micah and Country walking in this direction. Micah was probably coming to coat Dolly up again. The girl was not going to get anywhere close to burned.
“Micah,” Dolly said, seeing him. “You were just here less than an hour ago. I do not need more sunblock.”
Micah stopped beside her and leaned down to touch her lips reverently. “I miss you inside, Tink. The bedroom is real lonely,” he told her in a husky voice.
She sat up and swung her bare feet over the side to slip on her flip-flops. Micah Abe was gorgeous. I couldn’t say I blamed her. I’d be jumping up and going with him too.
Nina was reading a book in the shade, so I closed my eyes again. I might even doze off. I never burned, so the fact that I didn’t have my own sunblock applier to check on me was not an issue.
A splash of cold water ended my thoughts of slumber with a start. It wasn’t a lot, but it was shocking with my skin warming up like it was. I squealed as my eyes flew open to see Country standing over me, grinning.
“You looked like you needed cooling down,” he said.
I laughed at the water droplets now coating me.
“Figured you weren’t in danger of getting a sunburn, but you might be overheated,” he teased.
“Yes, well, perhaps you should prepare me before you cool me off,” I replied.
He reached over and picked up my water bottle. “Probably need to hydrate,” he said. “Need me to get you some more ice?”
I sat up and took the bottle. He was right. If I was going to stay out in this heat, I should drink more.
I shook my head. “This is fine.”
“Country!” a familiar deep voice barked, causing me to stiffen in recognition.
Country’s eyes widened, and his tanned face paled before he turned around. “Prez,” he replied.
I glanced at Nina, who was no longer reading, but shifting her gaze from Liam to Country with concern etched in her brow. Something was wrong. I stood up beside him, and Country immediately began walking toward Liam.
Liam’s glare went from Country to me, and even from a distance, I could see the way his jaw clenched as his eyes narrowed. He was pissed. What was wrong?
He said something to Country, who nodded his head and went toward the building, but Liam began stalking in my direction. I stood there, unsure of what was about to happen and why he was here. I didn’t have another doctor’s appointment for three more weeks. I hadn’t expected to see him until then.
His gaze traveled down my body and stopped at my stomach briefly before snapping back up to my face.
“You not got something more than that to wear out here?” he bit out.
I glanced over at Nina, who looked more put out than worried. Her eyes met mine, and she stood up. Was she going to leave me out here with him?
“I, uh, well, no,” I stammered. Hearing my voice sound so weak and timid made me feel pathetic. Why did I let him do this to me?
I straightened my shoulders. He wasn’t going to make me cower.
His eyes dropped back down to my stomach. It wasn’t big, but there was a definite bump compared to how it had been before. His nostrils flared, and I felt a small shiver as he kept looking at it.
“I don’t like you displaying yourself,” he said through clenched teeth, finally tearing his eyes off my bump and looking at me.
“It’s more than the strippers wear at your clubs,” I said, using Nina’s words, lifting my chin defiantly.
He leaned closer to me. “You’re not one of my goddamn strippers. You’re the mother of my child, and I don’t want your body on fucking display!” he ground out.
“I gave her that bikini, Prez. She wouldn’t come out here because her boobs were too big for the one she owned,” Nina said, coming up beside us.
Liam cut his eyes at her for a moment, and then they were right back on me. “Go pack your things,” he ordered.
“What?” I asked, panicked.
I had just taken up for myself. He couldn’t make me leave for that. I didn’t want to be stuck back at the bedroom at the club. I liked it here. I wasn’t alone here.
“You heard me, Liberty.”
“Prez, it was just a swim. No one has even seen her but us,” Nina said in a pleading tone.
“Country saw her,” he bit out.
“But, Prez, she—” Nina started but was cut off.
“This is not up for fucking debate!”
Her eyes flared brightly, and she glared at him. “If you hadn’t left her here, then no one would have had a chance to go sniffin’. Remember that!” she shot back at him, then turned and headed for the clubhouse.
Liam’s attention was fully on me. “Sniffin’? How much sniffin’ has he done, Liberty?”
I shook my head, worried about Country. “Nothing. None. He’s my friend!”
Liam smirked, but he looked cold and deadly. “No, Liberty, he isn’t. He’s a man. You’re a hot piece of ass. He’s not your goddamn friend. You aren’t that naive.”
I crossed my arms over my chest defensively. “I’ve made friends here. I’m not causing problems. I don’t want to go back to your strip-club bedroom. It’s loud there.”
He cracked his jaw, and his eyes were back on my stomach again. “You’re not going to the club. You’re going to my house.”
His house. I blinked, not sure I’d heard him correctly. He was taking me to his house.
“In Ocala?” I asked, suddenly worried he had one here in Miami and he was gonna dump me there and leave me alone.
He nodded.
“Oh,” I replied.
Did I want that? To live in his house with him? I felt the tingle between my legs. I knew my body wanted that. Lately, I’d found myself getting easily turned on. I pleasured myself in bed every night, remembering the day in his office before he turned cold and brought me here.
“Go pack your shit,” he said again. “I’ll be up to get it soon. And get some goddamn clothes on.” His gaze snapped back up to my face.
“Okay,” I whispered.
I shouldn’t let him talk to me like this. I didn’t deserve it. I had done all I could to be helpful while I was here. But he was taking me to his house, and I wanted to go. That man who had held my hand in the ultrasound room—I liked him. A lot. A large portion of me clung to that glimpse of him and ached for it. Even knowing it was stupid to do it.
He stepped back, and I started to walk off.
“Wait,” he said, stopping me.
I turned back around to see him taking off his vest. I stood there as he held it out to me.
“Put this on. Don’t parade around in front of anyone like that. Cover up.”
I reached out and took the vest, glancing at it, then back at him. “I’m still a little damp.”
He scowled. “I don’t give a fuck. Put it on.”
I slid an arm in one large hole, then the other. It swallowed me. Taking the sides, I held them together so that my body was no longer visible.
He nodded his head once, but said nothing. His gaze was locked on his vest as the veins in his neck stood out as he flexed. The tension was coming off him in waves, making me feel jittery. I turned and hurried for the door, needing to get away from him.
When I reached the door, I didn’t look back to see if he was following me, but went in and started for the stairs.
Jars, Nina’s husband, came stalking out of the kitchen when his eyes met mine. He stilled, taking in the vest, and the grim look on his face faded. I gave him a small wave and kept going. I couldn’t get to the room and out of this bikini fast enough. However, the smell of leather, cigarettes, and Liam wrapped around me was addictive. I wished I didn’t have to take the vest off.