Chapter 28
Chapter twenty-eight
Isla
Arumbling so loud jolts me awake. It sounds like the building is falling down around me. Even my body is shaking with the force of the shifting surface I am lying on.
Only nothing's falling down, and the surface I am in fact lying on belongs to a mass of muscle. And the rumbling? It’s his fucking snorting.
God, this man sounds like he's summoning the dead with the amount of racket he’s making.
Liam is lying like Sleeping Beauty, his features soft and relaxed as he rests. He almost looks peaceful until he takes another deep breath in and suctions all the air in the room like a fucking Henry Hoover.
For fucks sake. What’s a girl got to do to get some rest whilst sharing a bed with a steam train. Because if the inhale sound wasn’t bad enough, he just had to top it off with a whistling exhale.
Lucky for him, it's morning, the outside light peeping beneath the curtains. It's not the alarm clock I would have preferred, but I can’t help but silently chuckle at how ridiculous he sounds.
Last night he’d snuck up on me, then pleasured me senseless all whilst wearing his skull mask and his knuckles still bloodied. I should feel embarrassed, maybe even a little ashamed, but fuck that. I’m finally getting what I want in life and to hell with any thoughts that sour that.
Another steam train exhale nearly shatters my eardrums, so I take a shaking hand up to the father of my child's face, biting my lips so as not to make a sound. And just as Liam readies himself for another monstrous inhale I pinch his nose and slam his gaping jaw shut.
It looks bad, I know. It’s not what every man wants to see the woman he spent the night with doing the next morning. Some might even claim it's psychopathic, but I think it's fucking hilarious. Plus, he's the one who inconvenienced me with all this racket. The least I can do is return the favour.
He tries his hardest to breathe, and if I were a saner person I’d feel bad for him. But the sight only makes it harder for me to hold in my laugh.
Liam begins to make a spluttering sound in the back of his throat and just as his eyes shoot open, still heavy with sleep, I pull back with lightning reflexes. As still as possible, I make an effort to wipe the grin that I know will give me away off of my face as a feign sleep.
The picture of sheer innocence is what I manifest as I even my breathing out and soften my features. God I could have been an actress if the world didn’t go to shit. I probably would have made good money.
‘You’re smirking, princess.’
Ok, maybe I wouldn’t have made that much money, but with good acting classes I reckon I’d have been on to something.
I risk a peek at the massive man I feel looming over me. But as soon as I crack open my right eye, I can’t help but blink them both open in surprise.
Liam — the creep he is — lies with his fucking nose practically touching mine as he stares directly into my soul. He can probably see my thoughts with how bloody close he is to me.
‘Your eyes are the most beautiful shade of green I’ve ever seen. Have I ever told you that?’
‘Erm… I’m not sure.’
It’s kind of hard to think with him so close. Come to think of it, there isn’t an inch of space between any part of us. The big psycho has even managed to intertwine our legs together.
Seriously, when did he do that?
And I was thinking I was potentially the crazier of us two.
‘Your eyes are like the most precious gemstone. Their vibrant, enchanting green mesmerises me every time I look at you, princess.’
Great. He’s a frigging poet as well as a crazy.
‘What’s got you all sentimentally nuts this morning?’ I ask, unsure if this is just his general vibe or if I pulled his hair too hard whilst he was between my legs and I managed to give him brain damage or some shit.
‘It’s the first time you’ve stayed the entire night.’ He grins, the soft flesh of his lips skimming mine. ‘I want to wake up seeing these beautiful eyes every morning for the rest of my life, Isla.’
Now why has he got to go and be all cute and gewwy like that? The big psycho is going to make me cry if he’s not careful.
‘Move in with me.’
‘What?’ I ask, stunned.
‘I said. Move in with me, baby.’ He kisses my lips.
‘I can’t leave Fauna and Liz,’ I stumble for an excuse.
I can’t move in with him. I’ve just met him for fucks sake!
‘Fauna stays with Ru and Elizabeth will be fine.’
‘It’s too soon, we hardly know each other.’
Liam gives me a pointed look as his massive palm splays across my stomach.
Alright, it sounds like a weak argument, I know, but I… do I want this?
An annoyingly large part of me immediately answers yes but that smaller, anxious side of me screams in fear at being hurt again. Not to mention that moving in together is taking a bigger step towards heartbreak.
I’m embarrassed to admit how worked up I’d become last night waiting for him to return from his run. I don’t want to be abandoned again.
‘Don’t go on any more runs.’ I blurt. ‘I mean… not for a little while. Last night I… I worried you weren’t coming back.’ My cheeks heat at the admission.
‘Baby, I promise you I will always come back.’ Liam strokes my warm skin. ‘I’m sorry for worrying you, I won't do that again.’
Just as I’m about to answer, Liam’s door swings open and a figure dressed in all black waltzes into the room. Not a care in the world for what he might find.
‘So I was thinking it's time yo—’
My brother freezes mid-sentence as his line of sight moves to the bed — the bed that Liam and I are currently lying naked in.
‘What the fuck!’ Ruaridh roars, his palms immediately shooting up to cover his eyes. ‘No, no, no. Not real. Not fucking real. No way would my best friend be in bed with my little sister. No, not real.’
Liam chuckles, shifting his position so that his back rests against the bed's headboard. He doesn’t relinquish the connection we have, though.
I’m now rather sweetly nestled beneath his arm and scooped in his side.
He adjusts the covers, securely tucking them in around my neck and shoulders so that my head is the only thing popping out.
As regards to Liam’s appearance? The covers go up to his waist, ending right where a sinful trail of masculine hair starts and continues up his rock-hard chest. Liam clearly has no qualms about my brother seeing him undressed.
‘It’ll teach you to knock, mate.’ Liam chuckles as we both watch Ruaridh frantically shake his head.
‘You,’ my brother points his finger at Liam. ‘Are not supposed to be in bed with my fucking sister.’
‘You were the one that said I should go for it with him,’ I point out. ‘We literally talked about this.’
‘Naww Ru,’ Liam preens with a shit eating grin on his face. ‘You gave me your stamp of approval, did ya?’
Ruaridh glares at him, ‘watch it.’
‘I always knew you wanted me to be real family.’ Liam continues to tease.
Ruaridh’s jaw looks like it's about to break with the force he's grinding his teeth.
‘Should I start introducing you as my brother in—’
Ruaridh pounces, fist raised and ready to fly. And for some unknown reason, maybe it's the thought of Liam being in danger, I launch for my brother.
Some protective part of me I’ve never experienced to this level before takes over and I’m screaming for Ru to back off, right as I swipe for his fist.
Instantly, Ru’s eyes widen and I swear the deep green in them lightens a little in surprise.
I hardly register Liam adjusting the covers around me, too annoyed to think.
‘I wasn’t going to hurt him, Isla. You know that right?’ Ruaridh’s tone is soft and a little shaken.
‘I know… I just…’
Guilt surges up in my chest as I see how vulnerable my brother looks in this moment. He’s not a bad guy, not in the slightest and it must be… difficult for him. He remembers me as a teenager he always had to protect but I’m no longer that girl. I’m a completely different woman now.
‘I think momma bear over here is feeling a little protective.’ Liam kisses the top of my head. ‘Mmm, princess?’
Maybe he’s right? My hormones have been feeling very intense lately. Come to think of it they have been super heightened.
One minute I’m crying over pigeon’s nest building skills then I’m fighting someone or something and after all that I’m jumping Liam’s bones, horny as hell.
I blush, ‘Sorry, Ru.’
Like the amazing big brother he is he gives me a warm smile back. ‘No worries, shit head. I’ll see you later.’
He turns to leave.
‘Remember to knock next time,’ I supply.
Ruaridh shivers, ‘I’m never coming in this room ever again, Isla.’
Laughing, Liam nuzzles into my neck.
‘What was he on about anyway?’ I ask.
‘Oh, nothing important.’
‘He said something about it being time?’ I press.
‘Ru chats a load of shite, baby. He’s probably on about some jobs around the stadium or that I join him on a run for presents for Fauna.’
My brother has been making sure Fauna is full every hour of the day and for some odd as fuck reason he insists she always has a stash of sausage and beans wherever she goes. But in all honesty, I never asked because I have a suspicion I do not want to know what weird answer they might give me.
‘You’d tell me if something was up, though. Wouldn’t you?’
Anxiety shows its ugly claws. The all-too-familiar feeling churning in my stomach.
Liam tips my chin up, gently guiding me to look into his eyes. Even in the morning, he smells of oak, the comforting woodsy scent enveloping me in calm.
‘I promise I’d tell you if there was something bad going on. There’s nothing to worry about, I promise.’
For the first time in a long time, I allow myself to trust.