Push

58. She Apologized for Running

She Apologized for Running

Gwen

The cup of tea on the nightstand was cold.

Cat’s efforts to make me comfortable in her guest room had been wasted. I’d left the tea untouched. Dinner, too. She’d hovered, desperate to be useful, but Toby had nudged her out the door time and time again with an apologetic smile.

I’d sat on the bed, hollow and still. The morning had spun on constant repeat in my mind until Toby had laid Noah against my chest. Now, hours later, my baby’s breath came in soft, snuffling sounds, and I cradled him closer.

I was grateful he was too little to understand what had happened to his mum in the big, ugly world he was growing up in.

My heart twisted. If something had happened to me …

“Gwen,” Toby whispered. “Let me take him.”

I shook my head and gave my chubby baby another protective squeeze. Now that he was safely in my arms, I was never putting him down. Never .

Toby shifted behind me on the bed with a pained groan. His back must have been killing him. He’d been sitting against the headboard for hours with me stuck in the crook of his legs. He bent forward and kissed my shoulder. “Now, I know you don’t want to hear this, but I think we need to get you—”

I cut Toby off with a huff. Not this again. “You better not be about to launch into your speech about going to the hospital—”

“Gwen.”

“—or the police.”

“You’re being stubborn.”

“Yes.”

“At the risk of pissing you off, can I be honest and say stupidly stubborn?”

“No.” I twisted my head to peck a kiss on his chin. “You may not.”

He grunted. “Don’t distract me with your sneaky kiss attacks.”

“Tobes, I’m fine.”

“I didn’t realize you were a doctor and a lawyer, doll.” He smiled against my temple. “I’ve cut you some slack because you’ve been through hell today, but you need to cut me some, too, okay? Please let me be Daddy Worrywart and at least have the after-hours doctor come give you a look-over.”

“I don’t need a doctor. It’s just a few grazes.” Sort of. The raw bits of skin stung like an absolute bitch. Toby had kept the jokes rolling, but I’d gritted my teeth through every gentle dab of the washer as he’d patched me up. I’d never admit it, though. I was a giant pain in his ass like that.

“You’ve also got one heck of an egg on your head,” Toby said. “Humor me, okay?”

It was barely a bump, but whatever. “Fine.” I heaved a sigh.

“And if the doctor says you need scans?”

“We’ll go to the hospital,” I grumbled. “Satisfied, Daddy Worrywart?”

“Nope, but it’s a start.” He dropped a kiss on my head. “I can’t help worrying about you. You two in this room—you’re my universe. When you called…” His arms hugged tighter around my waist. “Shit, Gwen, I panicked. It was like listening to your voicemails all over again.”

I didn’t say anything.

It hadn’t been like the voicemails for me.

This time, I hadn’t been stranded on the side of the road, waiting for my best friend to help me pick up the pieces of my crumbling life.

This time, Toby had been there for me. I turned around to peck a kiss on his neck.

I hated relying on anyone, so he probably had no idea how much it meant to me that he’d come.

It meant the world. It meant everything.

When I peeked up at him, his eyebrow rose, suspicious. “Why are you trying to distract me?”

“I’m not.”

He wasn’t buying it. “Is your leg hurting?”

“No.” I swatted his arm. “I just…” I reached up to touch his cheek. “I really love you, you know?”

His smile was soft, and trying to hide a sniffle, he said, “Come here. I’ve got a secret for your ears only.” His arms tightened around me. “I love you too.”

“Duh.”

Footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Toby’s murmurs of reassurance in my ear didn’t stop me from cowering into him when a long shadow darkened the doorway. Cautiously, I lifted my gaze to meet ice-blue eyes.

Liam took one slow step into the light. He frowned, his lips pressing flatter as he scanned me from top to toe, eyes lingering too long on each jagged scrape of skin. He gave a slight shake of his head, silently turned, and reached behind him.

Another person was thrown into the room.

I gasped, arms protectively pressing Noah closer to me. Romeo stumbled from the force of the push that hurtled him across the floor. At least, I assumed it was Romeo. Bruises and swelling masked his face. Except for the familiar tattoos and mussed dark curls, he could have been any man.

“Christ!” Toby was already untangling himself from behind me, launching off the bed and heading across the hazy bedroom. “Liam, what the f—”

One of Liam’s hands rose to stop Toby in his tracks. The other shot out and shoved the Italian another step closer to the bed. “On your knees.”

Head down, trembling palms raised, Romeo sank to the floor in front of me. His jaw clenched. He fought back a grimace as if every movement was agony.

Horrified, I pushed further back against the headboard. “Liam,” I breathed, squeezing Noah tighter. “What have you done?”

He ignored my question. “Look at her,” he ordered the man cowering beneath him, “and beg for mercy.”

Romeo’s bruised face lifted, swollen eyes pleading with me. “S–Signora…”

My shocked gaze whipped back up to Liam. “Stop this! What happened was my fault—”

“His job is to protect you,” Liam snapped. “And look at you!” Even as he said it, he refused to. He turned away. “His failure is unforgivable.”

“I tricked him. I ran. I—I wanted to…”

Regret deflated my shoulders, and I sank deeper into the mattress. Why did I always think I knew better? Why had I downplayed the risks when so much was on the line? My pride hadn’t just gotten me hurt this time. So many people were suffering.

Still refusing to look at me, Liam shook his head. “Why did you act so recklessly?”

The disappointment in his voice only made my heart sink deeper.

“I found out what you did, and… I… I wanted to confront you. I thought this was all…just…” I thought it was a big, dumb game played by people trying to win stupid prizes.

My head dropped. “I’m sorry.” I looked at each man in turn but held my husband’s gaze the longest. “So sorry.”

Toby climbed on the bed beside me. The rough swipe of the back of my hand made my tears disappear before his lips found my cheek. “Hey, it’s okay.” He cradled my head against his chest.

Still frowning, Liam sank to the very edge of the bed and, with the toe of his shoe, nudged at Romeo’s heel. “Go see Mama. She aches for someone to coddle.” The Italian’s head turned slightly. “Go before I change my mind.”

With a grunt of effort, Romeo struggled to get up. I couldn’t help the swell of pride when Toby dropped to the floor beside him, lowering his shoulder so Romeo could winch his arm around. Toby puffed out an “Oof” and got them both to their feet. My husband was a good man.

At the doorway, Toby turned and pointed an accusing finger at my brother. “Lay one finger on my girl or my kid, and you’re a dead man.”

Liam nodded and waved him away.

The room fell into an uneasy silence as Toby and Romeo’s hobbling footsteps disappeared down the hallway. I glanced at Liam. His head bowed, and he seemed to be intently examining the cuticles of each manicured fingernail with a deep frown.

“I hope you’re not waiting for an apology,” I said. “You’re lucky you even got one after what you did. Although…” I bit down on my lip. “I’m not sure how I’ll ever make it up to Romeo.”

“The reason for his failure is immaterial,” Liam replied. “He didn’t do his job and suffered the repercussions. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“You hurt him.”

“Yes.” He was so matter-of-fact in his agreement. How was he always so cold? “But if you are waiting for an apology…” When his gaze lifted to meet mine, he smirked.

“You need to stop this.” His head tilted like he was confused, so I added with a frustrated wave of my hand, “Interfering. Inserting yourself into my life.”

“I can’t do that.”

My sigh was weary. “ Liam …” His name came out almost as a whine.

He matched my tone when he mimicked, “ Gwen …” He chuckled at the daggers I glared at him. “Did you recognize the man who attacked you?”

I nodded. “It was Ian.”

“My, my. The business partner does keep himself busy, doesn’t he?”

“Toby’s brother,” I corrected. “A fact recently dropped accidentally by his mother.”

Liam’s head cocked ever so slightly. I’d surprised him. “Perhaps the apple didn’t fall so far from the tree after all.” He feigned indifference by picking at the flowery comforter. “Why does this man continue to pester you?”

“I’m guessing it has something to do with all the money you fraudulently signed into my control.”

“He feels deserving?”

“He feels he’s owed .”

Liam scoffed a laugh. “Just like his daddy. When you told me he was bothering you, I knew you weren’t safe. The business partner has some rather unsavory associations due to his love of…” Liam tapped the side of his nose.

“Cocaine?”

“And plenty of it, if the rumors are true.” He sighed. “I should have done more to protect you.”

“Having a bodyguard tail me night and day was overkill to start with. Ian’s a problem, but I don’t need around-the-clock protection.

I’ve got Toby. The police are investigating, and usually, I don’t act like such a damn fool.

God, I spent years taking the Morelli family head-on, and they were never bothered about me. ”

“And why do you think that is?”

I shrugged. “I was a prosecutor.”

One blond eyebrow rose. “The fact you were on the right side of the law never mattered. You and your detective friend may not have been as easy to bribe as your former employer, but you can’t be naive enough to think Signor Morelli wouldn’t have dealt with you if you’d kept getting in his way.

” He leaned closer. “And you did , Gwen. You were a pretty thorn in his side.” He smiled wistfully. “It was a delight watching him squirm.”

My mouth dropped open. “That’s not—” I shook my head. “They never—”

“Followed you? Threatened you?” His smile lingered. “That’s because you’re mine, clever Gwen. Even very bad men know it’s worth their while to keep me happy.”

“The city’s biggest crime boss cares about keeping you happy?”

“Money and influence matter. And I have a reputation…for being… difficult . You know me. You understand.”

“Do I know you, Liam?”

“Better than most.”

“That’s not saying much.”

Liam’s eyes paused on the gouges in my legs. “You’ve seen me in some of my darkest moments.”

I had—too many of them. “Our mother will burn in hell for the things she did to you.” Even I was caught off guard by the fierceness in my voice.

He smirked. “I’ll pay my respects on your behalf when I see her there.”

“Liam.” I reached for the hand he’d rested on my ankle, but he snatched it away. “Don’t let the horrible things she called you define you—”

“She wasn’t wrong about me, Gwen. I don’t feel…

anything. I want to lock up every memory I have of you in my heart, but I can’t.

There’s nothing inside me.” Now, it was his turn to force a smile to make the conversation easier.

“But I have a long memory. I remember the nights you sat with me and cried when I couldn’t.

And I’ll never forget the night you saved my life. I owe you a debt.”

“You don’t owe me a damn thing. Did you think I’d leave you out there beaten like that? You should have let me take you to the hospital. God, Liam, you could’ve died that night!”

“If only.” He leaned even closer, his breath warm on my cheek. I thought he might peck it with a kiss, but the press of his lips never came. Instead, he promised, “I’ll repay you for that night. A life for a life.” And then his weight disappeared from the bed.

“Liam!”

He paused, his hand cupped around the glossy white doorframe.

A million words fought to tumble out of my mouth, and a hurricane of emotions wrestled to be unleashed.

How was it possible to feel so much—anger, frustration, fear, gratitude, and belonging—all at once?

The grave expression on Liam’s face forced me to take in a shaky breath.

I spared him all of it. He wasn’t ready, and honestly, neither was I.

“Is Romeo’s name actually Romeo?” I asked.

Liam’s heavy frown eased when his eyes widened with surprise. He recovered by nodding. “It suits him, no?”

I snorted. “I seriously thought he was making it up.”

Liam shook his head. “But I suppose your eager little mind might be interested to know the name he turned his back on to work for me instead.” As his hand slipped away from the door, he smiled and said, “Romeo Morelli.”