“You didn’t seem too happy to see me.” Liam quirks an eyebrow then rolls on his back, tucking his arms behind his head to stare at the ceiling.
I snort. “Didn’t expect my dad to allow you to come to the basement of all places.” He turns his head and searches my face with an impassive look on his face. “It’s not every day he welcomes the law into where his miscreants play.”
He chuckles softly and this moment seems almost too intimate. Lying on my bed, looking at each other letting the terrors from the night fade away like it didn’t happen. There’s so much left unsaid between us that this all seems like some sort of cruel façade. What could’ve been but might never be.
I never craved normalcy. Not like I do when I’m lost in those blue pools swirling with complex feelings that continue to war with each other. Much like myself.
Liam sits up and moves to stand before adjusting his semi-hard cock in his jeans. I bite my bottom lip watching the outline shift beneath the denim as he tucks it into his waistline. He clears his throat, and my eyes snap up, he gives me that devilish smirk that could make me come on the spot.
He offers me his hand and I reluctantly take it. I know once we step outside my bedroom door our moment will melt away and I will have to fight to get it back. As I finally give in and accept his hand to help me out of bed, I make the decision. There’s nothing that’s made sense between the two of us since this all began months ago. The only clarity I know when it comes to Liam is when he is next to me.
I am Liam Brenner’s, and he will be mine.
And I will do anything I have to, to make it happen.
Twenty Nine
Liam
ONCEAGAINMALIALEADSme through the halls toward The Omen’s office. She’s masking her pain now when she walks but I can see the tension around her eyes. That moment we shared in her bed felt like a new resolve in all the mayhem between us.
I hold a lot of my irritation with her father over her. And from what The Omen says, Malia is none the wiser to everything going on. He asked me not to tell her anything and I won’t. Despite my conflicted feelings, I do care about Malia and what happens to her.
I can see the impulsive and dangerous woman underneath it all. She doesn’t hide the power or respect she demands and that just piques my interest more. There’s still the matter on if I believe The Omen’s story about my parents or not and that’s not something I’m willing to just accept because of who I’ve fallen in love with.
Malia is loyal to her father, not to me. If he turns out to truly be my enemy I won’t risk getting close to her again for it to get ripped from me. I don’t want to use Malia against him, but I will if I have to.
For years I’ve been creating a war between myself and a man that could possibly be the only family I have left. He said he was my godfather and this man who nearly blew up the woman I hate to love is the true killer of my parents. The only person who can give me the answers is Martinez and I have to play my cards right to get them from him.
I don’t have the resources to get to a man who a crime lord can’t even reach. All that matters now is swallowing my pride and playing allies until The Omen gets his hands on him.
Malia and I walk into the office and The Omen faces us. He’s yelling on the phone again and his words drop when his eyes shift between the two of us. Malia stands in front of me and I’m close at her back.
The Omen mumbles something into the receiver and drops his phone on the desk. There’s that softness again in his eyes while he watches us. Malia doesn’t speak or move nor do I. We just wait for him to get his fill, clearly living in some of the past as his focus grows distant.
The look he gives us is almost enough to sell me on his story about my parents, but I can’t be weak. Not even for her. The Omen’s eyes shift and his focus snaps back.
“Mal, you’re bleeding again,” he says in a voice holding both worry and irritation.
Did I hurt her when I pulled her into me?
My hand brushes the back of her neck, turning her head to look at me. I try to move her body to face me so I can look her over, but she steps away. I don’t use force not wanting to hurt her further. I still don’t know the extent of her injury or where it is.
“I’m fine,” Malia clips. “Here’s your delivery.”
She brushes past me without sparing another glance, slamming the door behind her when she leaves.
The Omen snorts and shakes his head. He slides into his chair and blows out a long breath.
“You look good together,” he says after a few silent moments and it’s my turn to snort and shake my head.
“We aren’t together,” I correct him and drop into my own chair across from him.
It’s been a long night and I’ve slipped past exhaustion at this point. I didn’t mean to fall asleep in Malia’s bed, but I was able to get some, even if it only made me more tired.
“You killed someone last night, Liam,” he says, changing the subject understanding I’m not going to talk about my fucked up situationship with his daughter. “How do you feel about that?”
Who the hell even knows how I’m feeling. If I were that put together in my thought process I’d know what to do about Malia.