Page 108 of Unfinished

“What do you mean?” Liam asked.

“I mean …” I paused, then lifted my eyes to meet his, “I want to forgive everything because I know that I’m partially to blame for where everything went wrong with us. I want to start over with us. Get to know each other again.”

“We can do that.” Liam grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

Liam had always fought for me. It was the one thing I didn't do in our relationship. I didn’t fight for Liam because I had always believed he’d eventually leave. I let my issues prevent me from finding and enjoying my own happiness. I let them almost destroy me. This was a fresh start for us and it was time for me to fight a bit harder for us too.

Chapter 49

Hannah

Over the course of the next few weeks, we spent our days working from home and our nights in each other’s arms talking about the last six years. We had small arguments that didn’t really matter, mostly because we talked about who we dated while we were apart. The one thing both of us had in common through those other relationships was that our exes never compared to each other.

We lived apart for six years, but by the end of it all, we were still exactly who we both remembered, just a little darker. Our conversations were still endless. Our silences were still comfortable. We still read each other's minds. We still had chemistry and a connection that made our sex absolutely mind-blowing.

I somehow had to find the courage to tell him I loved him. He told me every single day while being patient with me knowing I didn’t rush into those feelings, and I was sure he thought he had to win back my love. The truth was, I was too damn stubborn to let myself admit that I never stopped loving him.

Tonight was the Trident Holdings Holiday Party and I was going as Liam’s date. Trident Holdings was the parent company to all the different companies owned by the Teresi family. It was our first public appearance, so I was a bit nervous. Thankfully, this was a private event, so there shouldn’t be any reporters around for it. His cousins would be there and at my request Ashley would be there too. We hadn't had much time to hang out over the past few weeks.

Things were not well between her and Bas and I felt like it was because of me. I had told Ashley everything back in college and she felt just as betrayed as I did. After confronting Bas, he had said some things to her that ended their friendship. She wasn’t accepting of trying to fix anything between them but I wanted to try because I knew they had been incredibly close at one point.

I finished curling my hair into giant waves and I pinned the side back with a jeweled clip. I went with a smokey eye and a matte wine-colored lip for my makeup. My dress was a deep purple with a black lace overlay. The long sleeves were lace and the neckline went across my collar bone, leaving my upper chest visible through the lace. It was a sheath dress that fell to below my knees with a slit in the back and hugged my curves.

I was wearing black high heels and carrying a black sequined clutch with my pistol tucked inside. As with the family party, I also had a knife strapped to my thigh. Until we knew for sure what was going on with Salvatore, I wouldn’t risk anything.

Walking out to the kitchen, I saw Liam in black pants, a purple shirt, and a black suit coat. His shirt had the first couple of buttons undone and his hair was styled in that perfectly messy way of his. His head lifted from his phone and his gaze turned heated.

He groaned. “Now I want to skip the party and fuck you all night long.”

“You can’t skip your own company party, Liam,” I laughed. He kissed me softly and ran his hands down my sides, pressing into me.

“Fine, but I’m tearing this dress to shreds when we get home.”

“You will do no such thing. This dress was expensive.”

His hand came down to my ass and he squeezed it as I passed him. I grabbed my black peacoat out of the hall closet and Liam helped me put it on before we left.

We left through the lobby, and slid into the back of a stretch limo. Liam slid his hand up my thigh and chuckled when he felt the knife. He didn’t say anything but pushed his hand further up my thigh. I smacked his hand away, knowing if he started something, we would never make it to the party.

"You'll be punished for that later," Liam whispered in my ear. I squeezed my thighs together for friction against the heat that settled between them. Liam chuckled as I bit my lip.

Arriving, he took my hand as we exited the limo, and we walked into the Trident building. We took the elevators up until we got to the floor for Trident Holdings. There were festive trees, lights, and holiday decor spread throughout the open area. A DJ played music and people were dancing and drinking.

Liam took me around and introduced me to members of his executive team and other employees. He remembered everyone’s name and what they did for this company, and I couldn’t help but be impressed by it. If I ever made it to a high level position, I’d have to put together binders to keep track of everyone.

We were speaking with some of the lawyers that were working with us on the project when gunshots rang out. Around us everyone went into a panic and started screaming. Spinning around, I saw masked men walking into the room, dressed in black, and carrying weapons. People knocked into Liam and me as the screaming continued. Liam shoved me behind him before Archer pulled me away.

“Everyone shut the hell up!” I heard what I only assumed was one of the masked men, as Rion and Archer took Ashley and me down a hall and out of sight. I realized what they were doing and that Liam and Bas weren’t with us.

“Stop!” I yelled in a whisper and tried to push against Rion behind me to go back to Liam.

“No, Hannah, trust us.” Rion wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up. The two pressed a badge to a metal door and pushed us in then closed it behind us, locking us in.

“Fucking hell!” I yelled and Ashley wrapped her hand over my mouth.

“Hannah, stop. It will be okay.”

I struggled against her. I’d be damned if I was staying locked up in this room while Liam faced down a group of gunmen. Is Salvatore attacking? They’d kill him. I couldn’t lose him. I just got him back.

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