Chapter 71
LIAM
Isaw a flash of golden hair in my periphery. Instantly, I knew it was London. It was just a flash and then it was gone though, but above the spot where she’d vanished, I saw a neon red Exit sign and I frowned.
“Excuse me,” I said to my friends, cutting Zach off mid-sentence about how London was never going to get serious with me. Without bothering to explain myself, I weaved around the other club-goers, dodging dancing bodies and groups pushing toward the deck.
Laser focused on the door she’d disappeared out of, I felt worry gnawing at my insides. It wasn’t like London to leave a club alone for any reason, and the fact that she had meant something had gone horribly wrong.
With a sinking pit of dread at the base of my stomach, I finally made it to the door and pushed it open, finding myself standing at the top of a few stairs leading into a mostly dark alley.
Every few yards, a pool of orange light shone onto the cracked concrete floor, but they mostly seemed to be lighting the way between door and dumpster.
My pulse spiked. If London had come out here and she was staying outside, something real fucking bad had happened.
Head on a swivel, I looked up and down the alley, my blood pressure rising when I didn’t see her immediately. There were several other people out here, most of them on a smoke break, but no London.
Then it happened. I saw movement behind a big black dumpster on my right, and then Abigail moved out from behind it.
I practically flew down the stairs, jogging toward her.
I struggled with the knowledge that London was not only out here but that her sister had followed her.
My heartbeat strummed, a sour taste invading my mouth as I wondered what the heck I’d missed.
Zach and Bryce had pulled me aside to talk less than ten minutes ago. I hadn’t been checking my watch or anything, but it really hadn’t been that long.
“What happened?” I barked at Abi when I reached her.
She folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head back to look up at me, her eyes searching my face, but I didn’t know what for.
“You’re the one who should be answering that question.
I’ll let you guys talk, but then I’m taking her home, Liam.
I hope you have a damn good explanation for this. ”
“For what?” My head was suddenly sore, my blood coursing much too hard and much too fast through my veins. “You know what? Never mind. Just where is she?”
Abi released one arm from across her chest for long enough to point at the space behind the dumpster. “Good luck.”
Without another word, she shook her head and stepped around me, heading back toward the door. For once in my life, I let a Walker girl march alone into the night without checking to make sure that she was okay.
My money was on Simon watching her from somewhere anyway. Even though I hadn’t seen him, he was probably right inside, so I was sure she would be fine.
As I rounded the corner, panic infused my veins until I finally caught sight of London.
The orange light mounted on the wall a couple feet away from her flickered, her arms crossed tightly over her chest like a suit of armor.
She was standing with her back against the wall of the club, one foot kicked up behind her and her features arranged into a scowl.
Her gaze tracked me as I came closer, but there was none of the heat or softness in her expression that had been there when I’d left her on that dance floor. I felt my eyebrows mashing together and I desperately searched her face for any sign of what might be going on, but there was nothing there.
“What happened?” I asked, stopping a few feet away from her when she threw up a hand to show me to hold it there. “London?”
“Go back inside,” she said flatly, not a lick of emotion on her face or in her voice. “I heard Bryce. I heard Zach. Worst of all, I heard you.”
“You heard me say what, exactly?” I cocked my head at her and raised my eyebrows, not about to fall on my sword for something I didn’t do or say.
She scoffed. “You agreed with them, Liam.”
“Uh, no.” I stood my ground, eyes boring into hers as I shook my head. “That’s not true. I didn’t agree. I acknowledged the past, but that’s it.”
“No, that’s not it. This was always going to come down to me not committing, right?
” Her voice cracked. “I have nothing to prove to you, Liam. I don’t need you and I sure as hell don’t need your friends turning me into the villain of our story just because my entire life hasn’t been spent dreaming about one day in a white dress.
They’ve never even asked me about it, but that’s not the point.
The point is that I really don’t need you. ”
The words slammed into me, brutal and final. I don’t need you.
I didn’t give a shit about the rest of it. What my friends thought was their problem, not mine, but I’d told her I’d be right here unless she said that she didn’t need me. She’d known that when she’d said those words and yet she’d fired them at me like automatic weapons.
In a way though, that was exactly what they were. I still gave her a chance, one last out in case she hadn’t meant what she’d said. Deep down inside, I knew she wouldn’t take them back, but I had to. If this was the end, I needed to know I’d given her this one last chance.
I’d never be able to walk away if I left so much as a crack in the door.
It needed to be shut all the way, but pain was already crawling through my insides, like millions of tiny scorpions stinging me from my extremities to my chest. But I did it anyway, looking her directly in the eyes and watching her closely in the low light for any trace of regret.
“And there it is,” I murmured quietly. “You don’t need me.”
“Not one bit,” she whispered, not even flinching. “I like you, Liam, but I don’t need you.”
As I looked back at her, I realized that right now, she did mean it. She meant every word, and for me, that was it. I turned, walking back into the club and through the crowd without another word to her. I didn’t even wait to make sure she came in with me.
I caught a glimpse of Abi racing back out there with Simon in tow and that was enough. London was safe.
When I reached our friends, I went directly to Jerry and offered him an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry, man. I’m suddenly not feeling so great.”
Jerry nodded, surveying me like he knew I was fibbing, but he let me go anyway. I pulled out my wallet and handed over some cash to cover my part of the tab, and then I left. This time, for good.
Since everyone was still at the club, the rental house was quiet and dark when I walked in.
Even so, I didn’t linger in any of the common areas.
Abigail had said they’d be bringing London back and I knew she was a woman of her word.
They’d be arriving any minute, so I grabbed a water from the kitchen and locked my bedroom door with a firm snick once I was inside it.
I doubted she’d come talk to me tonight. If she ever felt like she needed to talk, it’d only be in a few days from now and I’d be long gone by then.
My mind tore itself and my heart into pieces as I considered what I’d decided to do, but I packed what little had made its way out of my bag in the short time since we’d arrived, sipping the water. I got myself ready to head out first thing.
A little while later, after I’d showered and climbed into bed, I heard the first sounds of other people in the house. My heart pounded when I heard footsteps right outside my room, but when they didn’t stop as they passed my door, I relaxed again.
It’s not her. Or if it is, I was right about her not coming to talk to me tonight.
I laid my head down on my pillow and switched off the lamp next to the bed, staring up at the stark white ceiling in the dark and cursing myself for ever believing I could actually be with her. London Walker only really cared about one person—London Walker.
She truly loved her sisters and her family, and I knew she had feelings for me, but as she’d said herself—she liked me, but she didn’t need me. Frankly, she didn’t desperately need anyone.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, a voice whispered, that’s not true. I shook my head at myself. Let’s be honest, I don’t know what’s true anymore.
For hours, I went around and around in my head, trying to separate fact from fiction and opinion. Eventually, I heard more people arrive home, laughing and talking. Music started up again, but they kept the volume low.
Somehow, in the middle of it all, I fell into a fitful sleep.
Only a few hours later, I jerked awake, groaning when I realized the sun hadn’t even fully risen outside.
I already knew I wouldn’t be getting any more shut-eye though, so I rolled out of bed and took a quick shower.
Then I added my toiletries to my otherwise packed bag.
Looking around the room, I drew in a deep breath, debating the decision I’d made last night for just one more minute, but I knew what I had to do. It’d all been steering down on this for weeks now and it was time.
After booking a flight, I ordered an Uber and picked up my bag, texting an apology to Jerry as I left. No one else in the house was awake yet, everything still quiet and calm as they slept off the night before.
Me: I’m so sorry, man. I’m really not feeling well. Flying home today. Have fun and don’t worry, I’ll be fine.
I hit send and shut the front door silently behind me, striding down to the curb.
My ride arrived. My flight left in a few hours, but I knew I had to leave before she woke up, even before Abi or Simon did, and that would be soon.
They both liked running early in the morning and I didn’t want to get caught up talking to them or having to explain myself.
At the airport, I grabbed a coffee and some pastries, already missing her something awful, but I shoved it down.
That chapter of my life was officially—finally—over.
It was time for some new routines, and I started one right away by heading into a bookstore and browsing until the flight to Houston was called.
I purchased a couple books on my way out, then pulled my phone out one more time. Scrolling to the last number I thought I’d be dialing this weekend, I paused when I reached it, then slammed my thumb down on the word Dad before I could change my mind.
“Liam?” he said when he picked up, sounding about as confused as I was. “Is that really you?”
“It’s me.” I felt like my throat was closing up, but I kept striding toward my boarding gate one painful step at a time. “Can we meet for lunch later this week? I’m, uh, I’m about to get on a plane and I’m coming home.”
“Name the time and place and I’ll be there.” Surprise flared through me at the fact that he hadn’t even hesitated, but then he surprised me again when he followed it up by asking, “Are you okay, son?”
I blinked hard. The man hadn’t asked me that in years. Not genuinely anyway. Maybe that meant Isabella and Nathan were right. Maybe he really had changed.
“I will be,” I said as I reached my gate and joined the snaking line of passengers waiting to board. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll speak to you soon. Bye, Dad.”
As I hung up, I looked out the window at the airplane waiting to carry me back to Texas, my home. The place where I really belonged. For far too long, I’d thought that place was by London’s side, but obviously, I’d been wrong, and now that I had realized it, it was about damn time I set it right.