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“It will be,butI’m going to be there with you, so you’re safe.” He pulled me towards him and caressed the top slopes of my breasts. “Besides, why would I pass the chance to see you pretend you’re madly crazy about me, hmm?” he teased while his hand trailed lower. “I think it’ll be good for you to see that it’s time to put the past behind and look into the future.” His thumb found its way into me, sliding and slipping, as I watched him part his lips, fully enticed. Fully engorged. “So, how about it, Olivia?”
“Uh… huh.” I gulped some air, feeling heady as I let my body rule me, humming with delight from his artful, teasing ministrations.
The future… Yeah, it sure didn’t look too dark any longer.
ChapterForty-Six
When I agreedto go back home, I had barely been thinking. It was two weeks later, and after a particularly long plane ride with Liam noting every damn thing about me, I was edgy and borderline manic once we landed at LAX.
During the flight, I had to take a sleep aid to help me doze because I couldn’t stop fretting mentally. And even though I was out cold, subconsciously, I still thought of Greyson. My dreams were filled with him—our moments at the plateau and how well he had taken care of me. Sweet moments that I’d felt treasured and loved. Then it would cruelly flash forward towards that time I had found them in the garden, arguing, commiserating…uniting.
Above all, I kept wondering, imagining, what it would be like to see him after everything. Would it bring tears to my eyes? Would he try to explain himself? Or would he apologize and ask me back again? The latter thought sent butterflies through my stomach.
I knew I was setting myself up for disaster thinking this way, but I simply couldn’t help it. Greyson still owned me. My heart. My soul. A small part of me urged that, maybe, I would truly get over him once I saw him married and all.
So there I was, grabbing onto my purse as if my life depended on it as Liam and I strode towards the exit doors. He was pushing out our luggage on the cart, giving me knowing glances from time to time. I somehow unintentionally snapped at him during our flight across the Pacific Ocean after he tried to ask for the umpteenth time if I was doing okay. I mean, of course I wasn’t okay, but I wasn’t going to openly admit to it! He saw how tormented I had been, so why ask a rhetorical question?
My dampened mood went forgotten the moment I spotted Mom waiting right outside the terminal. She gleefully greeted us, launching herself at me with a crucial, break your bones kind of hug.
“I’m so happy you changed your mind!” She got teary as she pulled away, cupping my face to look into my eyes. Worry settled in, planting a seed of doubt. My mother didn’t look too well.
With my brows knitted together, I eyed her cautiously. “Everything okay, Mom?”
Something flashed in her eyes before she nodded with a smile. “Yeah,” she whispered. “I am—now that you’re here.”
Somehow, her words didn’t diminish the doubt. I couldn’t exactly pinpoint the problem, but my intuition was telling me my mother was hiding something. Were she and Brett in trouble? God, I hoped not. That would be devastating for her.
“Thank you for inviting me along, Laura,” Liam interjected as he extended his arm to greet Mom, but she brushed that away and gave him a fierce hug, thanking him for convincing me to come back home for a while.
After our little, cozy reunion, we immediately left to drive back towards Brett’s house in Woodland Hills. Liam and Mom were busy discussing the weather and whatever else was going on around the world while I kept to myself, dreading what would greet me once I stepped into Greyson’s old home. It was weird to think of it that way since I also considered it as mine, too. In reality, though, it was theirs, yet I couldn’t help feeling like I belonged there, too.
The thirty minute drive filled my thoughts with nostalgia. As much as I tried to fight against it, the past assailed me as we drove past buildings and places that held so many memories with him. My chest felt heavy as the familiar route going towards the house appeared. I was breathing erratically, and it felt like the little air going into my nostrils was acid, burning and choking the life out of me.
It was the night of the twenty-third and he and Edith wouldn’t be coming by until tomorrow night for Christmas Eve dinner. So I supposed I still had a lot of time to practice my fake smiles and enthusiasm. Knowing Edith, though, she’d come with her toxic tongue, ready to spread it around with her vileness.
“Brett’s going to be coming home late from the office, so he won’t be able to see you until tomorrow morning for breakfast,” Mom informed us both before I looked towards her and gave anI’m happy to be homekind of smile. She granted me the same warm one before continuing her speech. “Liam will be taking the room across from yours, sweetie.” She pointed me a knowing look before adding, “Rules are rules.”
“And thou shall respect it,” I had to gingerly add the last bit just to be cheeky.
“I won’t touch your daughter under your own roof, Laura. You can have my word on that.” Liam sounded like I was a sacred virgin.
My mother had to grin at his response. “Thank you, I truly appreciate that.”
Liam was relentless when it came to wanting me. Where did he think we’d get our groove on, at the nearby motel? This was going to be interesting. Wonder how long he would last with that promise of his.
When the house came into view, I released a sigh, thankful I didn’t have to encounter anyone for tonight. Maybe I could use it to speak with Mom. I mean, after all, she and I had a lot of catching up to do. The flight had worn me out, but I knew my mother was hiding something from me, and I wasn’t going to bed until I found out what it was. Besides, I was sure Liam wouldn’t mind if I spent some time with my mom while he rested and unwound in his room.
Apart from the inkling she was hiding something from me, I felt like I needed to speak to someone about what had happened with Greyson. She had been here and witnessed it all, even though she hadn’t said a word about it to me.
Maybe with her words of wisdom and guidance, she could help figure it out for me. She was my mother, and I knew I could always count on her to be honest.
ChapterForty-Seven
“Sweetie, are you awake?”Mom softly tapped on the door just as I was coming out of the bathroom after a long, hot shower.
“Come on in,” I rushed out as I gently rubbed the towel against my wet hair, trying to get the water out. When we left Sydney it was summer time, and we landed in LA in winter weather. True, LA winter wasn’t “cold” per say, but still, it was a bit chilly to me and the hot shower somehow made me feel fresh and clearheaded.
Mom strode in with a casual look about her, carrying two steaming mugs. “Chamomile tea. I thought you might need something to relax you,” she murmured before setting a mug next to my bed then taking a seat on the mattress, sipping her own tea.
