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“Mel,” I moaned into her mouth.
Using that to her advantage, she flipped us both over, straddled my waist, and pressed her hands against my chest. Then she pushed herself up before slamming back down.
“Jesus fuck, baby,” I gasped out.
She grinned, but didn’t stop as my hands went to her waist and held her in place. She rode me hard and fast, and there was no way I would’ve been able to last much longer. My hands traveled up her body until I was cupping her breasts. Sitting up, I kissed and bit them both.
When she slowed, I flipped us over once more, and I took her thighs into my hands before fucking her harder.
“Liam. Fuck. Ahh!” Her voice shook.
I kissed her neck as she came; and moments later I followed her in my own sweet release.
“Fuck, I love you.” I drew in a deep breath, and pulled out as I fell beside her.
She ran her hands through her hair, and took a few deep breaths before she sat up. Leaning over, she kissed me deeply and we stared at each other. I smiled into the kiss before she broke away.
“I love you too.”
I never got tired of hearing that.
TWENTY-TWO
“In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.”
—Charles de Gaulle
MELODY
“Ladies and gentlemen, today I stand before you humbled, astonished, and proud,” the President spoke from the podium, as he raised his hand and gestured towards Liam and me. “And it is because of this man and this woman. Over the years, I have been asked by both nationals and foreigners alike, ‘What does it mean to be American?’ What do you stand for? How far are you willing to go?’ The answer to those questions is in this very room.”
“He’s laying it on thick,” Liam whispered to me.
I kept a straight face for the cameras and leaned into him as Ethan grabbed my pearls. “I know, I wrote it.”
I heard him chuckle, but paid no mind.
President Colemen stood straighter as he read the next lines. “When Melody Callahan saw a threat, not only to our country, but to our way of life, she didn’t just report it. She went above and beyond all expectations, asking only one simply question: What can I do?
“With no regard to her own wellbeing and only hours after giving birth to her son, Ethan, she gave the United States government an opportunity to not only gather information, but to strike swiftly. As a parent myself, I cannot imagine the pain she must have felt not knowing when she would be reunited with her family. I asked her not once, but twice, if she understood the consequences of her actions, and she told me she never wanted to turn on the television and see another building burn, or parents weeping, or our great nation mourn, ever again. If she can sacrifice what she thought was a little, for a greater good, to help fight the war on terror, she can handle her heartache.”
Liam turned to me with a grin, and clapped along with all those in attendance. I took Ethan’s little hand and waved along with him, smiling at the crowd.
“The injustice did not stop there; her husband sat through criticism, mockery, hate and cruelty, because he too believed in the power of this nation. He willingly and wholeheartedly gave up us his freedom and dignity, spending five months in one the most notorious jails in Illinois, during which time, he was made to endure numerous riots. But Liam Callahan did not waver. He never once asked for anything. He was prepared to go the distance, and despite it all, he held on to his morality; never once did he lie. He told everyone he was innocent, and he was. He declared his unwavering love for his wife, which we can all see is true.”
At that, Liam kissed my cheek as they all clapped.
“America, when I say that I am humbled, I truly mean it. Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected two everyday citizens to stand up and say ‘yes I shall protect and serve my country at all costs.’ And it is for this very reason that I must bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom, given to those who have admirably contributed to the security and national interests of the United States, and the world, to Mr. and Mrs. Liam Callahan.”
The room erupted as Liam took my hand, and holding onto Ethan tightly, we walked to the side of the stage and allowed President Colemen to place the first medal around my neck before moving to do the same to Liam.
“And just so the little guy doesn’t feel left out, we have a Presidential pin for him as well,” the President spoke to the press, laughing along with them as he placed a pin onto Ethan’s collar. He stepped back before posing to take photos with us. He wasn’t the only one that joined us. Olivia’s mother stood on the other side of Liam.
Through the camera flashes, I met Olivia’s gaze, daring her to step onto the stage. She didn’t. Instead, she stayed at her table, next to Sedric, who wouldn’t let her out of his sight. Looking away from her, I gazed over the room until my eyes reached the son of a bitch in the back. He stood stock still like a statue, and he seemed to be the only person in the room who wasn’t clapping or smiling. Instead, he glared at the both of us with undisguised revulsion.
I, on the other hand, did smile. I smiled so wide I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was able to count all my fucking teeth. Nothing pissed your enemy off more than seeing you smile.
Finally, Liam walked to the podium to thank our President for his kind words.
“Note to self, hire the presidential speechwriter,” he said, causing everyone to laugh. Taking a deep breath he sighed before he began his speech. “I wish I could say that everything President Colemen said was true. He made it seem as if we’d thought long and hard about this, but in all honesty, everything happened so quickly that there was barely any time to think. We simply reacted to a problem presented to us. There were many times when we were scared, tired, and just fed up. And while it feels like a lifetime ago, it is not something I ever want to go through again. It was hell. Being separated from my wife, my newborn son, my entire life; it was hell.
“Which puts into perspective the millions of Americans; firefighters, police officers, government agents, all who wake up every day knowing that they might have to go through hell, but they still get up and do their jobs. Walking five months in their shoes, I can say that those are the people I am humbled, astonished, and proud to share a nation with. There should be medals of freedom for them all to show the gratitude we feel.”
When we hugged again, I whispered, “St. Liam, the people’s hero.”
At that point, Ethan grew fussy, which luckily for us gave us an excuse to escape the press. Liam whispered something into Colemen’s ear and he nodded and gave the signal to his advisors that we were through here. Surrounded by the secret service, we walked behind the President through the halls, which were lined with portraits of all past Presidents, until we reached the Oval Office. I should’ve been shocked to find Olivia standing there, but I wasn’t.
“Sweetheart, you look horrible, what’s the matter?” her mother asked, as she walked over to give her daughter a hug.
Olivia didn’t return it, she just stood there, frozen as she stared at me. I knew she must have thought of running. But with the tracker around her ankle, where could she really go?
“You still have a press conference to do,” she whispered.
“They can wait a moment. After all, it’s not like they have anything better to do,” Colemen replied to their daughter’s dismay.
