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“Of course.” He took the keys and kissed my forehead. “I know this is hard, but we’re going to find a way through.”
I really hoped so because I didn’t know how much longer I could keep going when I knew that someone might be watching me from the shadows. What if, next time, they opted for a more violent route? My stomach hardened. If that were to happen, I wouldn’t want to leave Liam wondering how I’d felt about him.
I touched his arm to stop him getting into the car and stretched up to kiss him. “I love you,” I told him. “I always have. Every beat of my heart has been for you since the first time we met.”
His eyes widened. He pocketed the keys and cupped my face between his palms. His eyes searched mine. I felt no fear that he wouldn’t reciprocate. I didn’t need him to. I loved him anyway. His gaze softened, and he captured my lips in a slow, toe-curling kiss. I smiled against his mouth.
When we separated, he spoke softly, his breath ghosting over my lips. “I’ve been terrified of opening my heart again, but when I dig deep, I don’t think I ever really shut you out of it. I love you too.”
My heart filled to the brim. Despite the horrible events of the past couple of hours, the tears that prickled in my eyes were happy ones. “Really?”
He nodded. “No more pushing you away or trying to pretend I don’t feel that way.”
“And no more of me suggesting I should do things on my own,” I said wryly. “We’re a team.”
“Always, baby.” His fingers tangled with mine. “Everything that comes, we deal with it together.”
I released a shuddering breath. That sounded pretty perfect to me.
He led me to the car and helped me into the passenger side, then rounded the hood and got behind the wheel. We drove to his childhood home on the western outskirts of town near the golf course, our hands connected the entire time. When we arrived, he kept an arm around me as we approached the door. It flew open and Heather raced out, her arms outstretched. They closed around Liam and me, and she pressed a motherly kiss to both of our cheeks.
“I heard what happened,” she said, looking shaken. “Nate called. I’m so glad you’re both okay.”
Eugene wasn’t far behind. He seemed just as anxious as his wife, tugging Liam into a hug and then scanning me from head to toe to make sure I was unharmed.
“What happened to your leg?” Heather demanded, reaching for the hem of Liam’s shorts and lifting it to reveal the taped gash.
“It was cut in the accident,” Liam told her. “It’s not a big one though. No stitches.”
She covered her mouth with her hand and whimpered. “You could have died.”
“But I didn’t,” he soothed. “We’re both all right.”
“No thanks to that psycho,” Eugene grouched. “What the hell do they think they’re playing at?”
Guilt swelled in my chest. “I’m sorry,” I said, suddenly regretting my agreement earlier to back off from trying to do things on my own. These loving people had been dragged into a nasty situation because of me. They didn’t deserve to have me disrupting their lives. “I never meant for Liam to get hurt.”
“Oh, sweetheart.” Heather pulled me into an embrace, shocking me so much I didn’t know how to respond. “We know you didn’t. Please don’t feel guilty for this. The only person responsible is the one who destroyed the brakes and broke into Liam’s house.”
My lower lip wobbled, and for a disastrous moment, I thought I might burst into tears, but I managed to school my emotions.
“Come in.” Heather placed a hand on both of our backs and guided us toward the entrance. “You’re welcome to stay for as long as you need. As soon as I heard what happened, I put fresh sheets on one of the spare beds, and there are brownies in the oven.”
“Brownies?” Liam perked up.
Eugene clapped him on the shoulder. “She wanted to rush down to the police station, but Nate said to give you time, so she stress baked instead.”
“There are cookies too,” Heather assured Liam, “and enough dinner for everyone.”
My heart warmed, and the trepidation I’d been feeling about their reaction to us turning up unannounced melted away. They’d expected us to come here. They’d prepared for us. Because that’s what family did. And it felt so good to be part of their family once again.
ChapterForty-Five
KENNEDY
Liamand I spent Sunday at his parent’s house, playing Scrabble and fielding visits from every one of his siblings except Connor, who sent a message but didn’t turn up in person. It warmed my heart to know they cared.
At the end of the day, Nate informed us that the police were still going over Liam’s house, but that he’d arranged for someone to come over when they were done and install new locks. Meanwhile, we’d stay where we were. He also let us know that they hadn’t been able to confirm an alibi for Aiden or determine whether the missing paparazzo was still in the country, nor had they had any luck calling around local accommodation providers and inquiring about their guests.
