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Throughout the three hours, I laugh so hard that tears stream down my face. This bunch is lively. Some of them are blunt and don’t talk like your typical kid, but that’s to be expected. From what my mom has shared about her foster care experience, I’m sure some of them have been exposed to things most adults can’t fathom. The therapists are amazing, though, and never falter, no matter the shock value delivered.
Like always, my attention gravitates to the tall, conceited blond—probably not deflating his ego a bit. He flashes a slight smile and kicks his chin up to me a few times, but neglects to participate, which shouldn’t disappoint me. It’s what I anticipated and has no bearing on a meaningless fling. Although, at one point, I catch him squatting down and chatting with a young boy. The sight tugs at my heartstrings in a dangerous way, so I return to my work and lose track of him after that.
But as I finish packing up and saying my goodbyes, a pang wrenches my gut when I don’t see him.
Why did it feel so important to have him here?
Rex swings over to escort me out.
“Where’s Liam?” I ask with the least amount of desperation I can muster.
“Said he needed to step away,” Rex supplies. He’s notoriously short with his words, so I decide not to read anything into it.
Until we round the front barn and I see Liam smoking and pacing. What the hell happened?
I shuffle over, squeaking out my panic on the way. “Is Ivy okay?”
His eyes are fiery and charged with more emotion than I’ve ever seen in him. “Ivy? Yeah, Ivy’s fine.” He sucks in a deep drag, puffing the smoke out.
Something isn’t right, but I start with the smallest observation to get him talking. “I thought you’d quit.”
“I have one sometimes, just not around Ivy.” He scratches at the scruff lining his jaw. “I bummed one off Dante.”
I’m guessing Liam implicates my security guard because he thinks I disapprove.
“It doesn’t bother me. I like the smell.” I actually find it kind of sexy, but I’m not sure this is the time for that tidbit. Instead, I move closer to him, grabbing his hand. “Talk to me. What’s wrong?”
He glares back at me, releasing my hand, his chest heaving as he hits the cigarette again. “I feel like you’re fucking with me, Celeste.”
That comes out of nowhere, leaving me with zero idea of what could have transpired in the last few hours. And he rarely calls me Celeste. “Could you back up a little? How am I fucking with you exactly?”
His hand darts out, ashes spilling from the end of the burning cherry. “I thought you were coming here to ride.”
That jumps out as some sort of accusation, but I maintain my composure because that doesn’t make much sense.
Why does it even matter?
“You must have assumed that. I never said I was coming here to ride, although I did also ride.” I lift my bag off my shoulder. “You knew I had my camera. And I thought Ty—”
“Ty didn’t tell me shit.” He drops the butt and snuffs it out with his shoe. “That motherfucker is definitely fucking with me.”
Now that pisses me off. “How so, Liam? Please catch me up on what the hell happened while I was photographing kids in an outreach program.”
He moves so fast that I’m powerless to stop it, leveling me against the barn, one hand on my hip, the other splayed over my throat. Rex, Dante, and Keith are surrounding us in seconds. Guns drawn. But Liam never flinches. His jaw is locked, and there is undoubtedly a dangerous edge to him, but his hold on me is more passionate than harmful, gaze loaded, breaths heavy. While he can be a dick sometimes, I’m certain he’d never hurt me.
I look at Rex and keep my voice calm. “I’m okay. We’re okay. Just some good old-fashioned sexual tension here, guys.”
Dante chuckles, but none of them move for a few long beats. Finally, they lower their guns while still hovering close. That’s as much privacy as we’re going to get.
But now, I’m pissed, so I sear Liam with a fuming glower. “What the hell are you thinking? What happened? Is this over some kind of security concern? Rex checked everyone who works here and all the families.”
He balks. “Doubt that.”
“So, it is a security issue. I love how protective you guys are over Ivy. Really, I do. But this has nothing to do with her.”
To that, he stares, mute, which only fans the flames of my rage.
My jaw clicks. “This is so fucked up. I would never put her in danger. I’m here to do something meaningful with my life, and you’re the asshole who has me pinned against the damn barn.”
