He watches me come back down from my almost high. When my panting slows, he goes back in, building me back up until I’m writhing beneath him again. With his free hand he reaches up to palm my breast, and I’m desperate now.
I’m on the verge of begging, and then he stops again.
“Fuck, Liam.” My voice is higher than I intend it to be, I’m whiny, and it only makes him chuckle.
“Come on, Princess, you know what I want.”
He starts again, and I’m so fucking ready that it doesn’t take long to get me to that edge again. He brings his face up, keeping his fingers in place. “Baby girl, just tell me what I want to hear, hmm?”
“Liam…” I trail, barely holding myself together.
“Come on, baby.”
“Liam, this pussy is yours.”
With that he brings his mouth back to my clit, flicking over it with his tongue and lets me crash over the edge.
I’m panting and breathless when he climbs on top of me and plants sweet kisses along my collarbone, up my neck, and to my lips.
“Good job, Baby girl.”
I CAN FEEL GEMMA’S HOT breath over my chest as we lay together after sex. Her breathing is finally evening out and she trails her fingers lightly over my abdomen. I relish the feeling of her curled up against my side, completely naked and satisfied.
“Liam?” she asks softly.
“Yeah, Princess?”
She pushes herself up so she can turn her face to look at me. Her hazel eyes are flecked with gold and interest. “What was he like?” she asks, nearly whispering.
“Who, baby?”
“Your brother.” Her eyes are watching mine, like she’s waiting for me to get angry with her for asking. Is she always on edge like this? Waiting for the moment when someone breaks?
I take a deep inhal
e and let the air rush from my lips. I don’t like talking about my family, and definitely not Niall. I don’t know what to tell her. Niall was an asshole, a truly terrible person, but he was also my brother. My flesh and blood. I think blood has to mean something. It binds us together in strange ways. Because we share DNA, we’re indebted to those people, a fact that’s been passed down for generations.
Family over everything.
“He was…” I trail off, still unsure how to answer her. “When we were kids, he was a typical big brother I guess. He was cruel, he bullied me and Declan, but he also protected us.”
Gemma laughs lightly. “I get that,” she says. “Gian was the first to pick on me, but also the first to beat the shit out of anyone else who did.”
I grin. “Yeah, exactly like that. Niall would push me around, tease me and stuff, but I remember one time there was a kid, older than me by maybe like a year or two. He tried to push me around at school, take my lunch money or something. Well, Niall caught him in the act and went crazy. Kid never touched me again.”
She smiled, “There’s something to be said about protective older brothers.”
“Yeah,” I pull her in tightly, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“I’m sorry,” she says next. The words are soft and filled with empathy. I think she truly means it. It wasn’t like it was her decision, she didn’t call the shots or pull the trigger. Still, I appreciate the apology all the same.
“It’s okay.” I kiss her temple again. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
She pulls away for a moment, facing me again, meeting my gaze with those hazel eyes. “I know.” She whispers. “But it’s all so silly, you know. This whole thing, this feud, this war. Hating people because we always have. Why? Why do we do that?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Blood.”
Gemma scoffs. “Bullshit. Blood shouldn’t matter. Loyalty has to be earned.”