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We stayed like that for a while, in a comfortable silence that breathed devotion, before Liam spoke. “Are you okay, Baby?” His voice was soft, treading carefully not to burst this perfect bubble.
“I am. I really think I am. I’m relieved he isn’t my father. He never loved me, never cared for me, so knowing that he isn’t my father comes as a relief somehow. It all makes sense now. My mother fell in love with someone else, and I’m the living reminder of it. She died giving birth to me, and he still loved her despite everything. That only makes him hate me more.”
“Don’t try to understand his actions, Jamie. There’s no good enough reason to do that to a child. Never mind your own daughter.” Liam was trying as hard as he could to keep his temper at bay, his hand balling my t-shirt into his fist.
“I’m not. What I’m saying is that now it doesn’t hurt as much, if that makes sense.”
I felt free somehow. Lighter and less bruised.
“What you saw wasn’t even the worst of it. He used to lock me in the basement or in the closet for days on end.”
“Fucking asshole!” He growled, my bones rattling by his enraged tone alone. I pulled up and kissed him softly, trying to calm him down. Somehow, for the first time, I could finally speak about it without shame, without guilt. Liam had infused me with courage and love, and I knew that there would be no judgment.
“That’s where my fear of closed spaces comes from.”
“It figures.” There was pain in his expression, running just as wild as the anger that burned behind those green eyes of his.
“That’s why I was shaking before you attacked me in the elevator at AD the day we met.”
“Fuck! I’m so sorry, Jamie. I’m such an asshole.”
“No. You most definitely are not. That was the best elevator ride of my life. I have dreamed about it and you every night since.” He chuckled lightly, the darkness in his eyes clearing just a little. “What?”
Liam pulled me onto his body, my legs straddling him while my arms caged him beneath me. “You loved me then?”
“Well, maybe I did,” I replied with a sneaky smile.
“I loved you then, too. I just couldn’t make sense of it.”
I smiled wider at his confession. A kind of smile that came from deep inside my heart and spread to my whole body. Threading my fingers through his dark hair, I leaned down and kissed him with all the passion and love I could put in a kiss. It started off slow but quickly grew wilder.
Liam’s hands glided down my body, grasping my ass and pulling me into him, making me feel just how much I affected him.
“This is what you do to me, Miss Harden. Every single time since I first laid eyes on you.”
Liam’s phone rang, cutting off the tension that was building, but it was a different ringtone than I was used to hearing from his calls. By the way Liam sprung up from the bed, he knew exactly who was calling.
I watched him walk across the room and answer. “Hi, Matt. What’s up?” Liam’s voice was etched with annoyance even though it was his own brother calling. “Can’t this wait?”
He fell silent, and I watched as his features darkened again, his jaw clenched in a tight bite. “I’ll be back in a couple of days.” It was clear on his face that Matt didn’t agree with that, Liam’s face growing even more tense. “Fine. I’ll be there tomorrow after lunch.”
Without another word, Liam hung up and threw the phone onto the bed. I wasn’t about to pry even though I was curious about what was so urgent that required Liam’s presence back in New York, so instead,I simply smiled.
But Liam wasn’t having it. He let his body fall onto the mattress in a slump, his weight making the whole bed jiggle.
“We still have tonight,” I said, trying to ease him up, swapping my disappointment for hope. I wasn’t ready to go back to reality. I needed more time alone with Liam, more time in our little bubble that we had still barely entered. But Liam’s expression didn’t change. “Anything serious?”
“It’s just business that needs my attention right away. I’m sorry, Love.” Apparently my attempts to sound light were feeble. He had seen right through me.
What would it mean for us to be back to reality? Would Liam want to be discreet, keep whatever this was just between the two of us? Or be open?
I wasn’t sure what was the best approach. When you’re in a good place and show it, it’s so much easier for anyone to screw it up.
Not to forget that Liam still was, in fact, my boss. How much gossip will that particular detail render at AD?
“I’ll need to head straight to Dea Tacita once we arrive.” His voice was heavy, matching his frown and his heavy steps as he got up and made his way to the bar set in the other corner of the suite and poured himself a drink. Not even a second later, the whole thing was gone, spilled down his throat in one single gulp.
“It’s okay,” I reassured, making my way towards him, snaking my arms around his waist and hugging him from behind. “It’s not a big deal. I can get an Uber when we arrive.”
