Page 99 of Unfinished

I remember telling Liam I didn’t want to know anything about my stalker or what he had done, because I didn’t want to have to testify against Liam. I should have demanded all the information at that point. He didn’t kill Derek then, but he did eventually kill him.

I didn’t love Derek and, to be honest, I wasn’t upset that he was dead. I wasn’t even scared that Liam had him killed. Six years ago I would have been freaking out, but after Chad, a lot of my perspective changed. I didn't see it coming with Chad. Even looking back, I never thought Chad was a threat to me. If I didn't see the danger in Chad or Derek, how much worse was Liam when I knew how dangerous he was.

I had to be careful. Staying here, it would be easy to fall for Liam again, or rather fall harder. I could already feel my carefully built walls cracking. There were still a lot of things that I didn’t know about. I had a lot of unanswered questions and I hoped I would get answers to them. Maybe I’d get a few answers by meeting his family tonight.

What the hell do you wear to a family dinner when the family was a crime organization filled with potential killers? Was this a jeans and sneakers situation or should I dress nice? Should I carry my gun with me for this too? Would guns and knives be considered part of the outfit? Like an accessory?

After mulling it over I went for a long sleeved dark blue dress with a slightly flared skirt that was knee length. I slipped into nude sky high heels for a boost of confidence and draped a long silver chain with a sapphire pendant around my neck. My hair was straightened and pulled up into a ponytail, and I kept my makeup neutral.

Seeing that Salvatore might actually be hunting for me, I decided to strap a knife to the inside of my thigh. Slipping my handgun into my nude clutch might be overdoing it, but I was about to meet the head of the Teresi family. They’d likely be armed too.

Leaving my room, I walked to the kitchen at a quarter to five and saw Liam standing there scrolling through his phone. He was wearing navy blue pants and a white shirt with the top buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up. My eyes landed on his forearm, noticing a tattoo I’d never seen before.

When he heard my heels on the floor his head popped up from his phone and his eyes widened when he saw me. My body heated as his gaze took in my outfit, scanning me from head to toe and back.

“You are stunning,” he said and I smiled softly.

“Thank you,” I responded, taking a few steps towards him and placing my purse on the counter. I reached out and took his arm to inspect the tattoo. It was a pocket watch surrounded by orchids and in the middle of the pocket watch were the words.

12th Date

L&H

Our twelfth date was the day I told Liam I loved him for the first time. I looked up into his eyes. If I got the courage to allow it he might absolutely freak out if he saw my tattoo. Liam bent and kissed my cheek lightly and then reached for my clutch to hand it to me but stopped at the weight of it.

“What the hell?” He opened my clutch and amusement spread across his face. “Are you packing for a family dinner?”

Snatching my clutch from him and closing it, “And you aren’t?”

Turning his body he lifted up the back of his shirt and I saw his gun in a holster at the center of his back, “Always.”

“If Salvatore is after me, I figure I should stay protected.”

“Absolutely, beautiful.” Liam offered his hand.

After hesitating, I took his hand and we walked out of the apartment. We took the elevator down to the garage in silence. Once inside his black Audi, my nerves started to get the best of me as I started fidgeting with my hands.

Liam’s hand came over and he gripped both of mine in my lap, “My family is going to love you. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Remember the last family event I attended.”

“This isn’t her side of the family, plus she was banished a long time ago. To be honest none of us even talk to her anymore. Don’t judge the whole family based on my narcissistic mother.”

“Why was she banished?”

“For what she did to you, to us.”

“I’m nothing to your family. Why would they banish her?”

“You are not nothing. You are important to me so that makes you important to my family.”

Staying quiet after that statement, I looked out of the window. Even to this day, I held a grudge against her for what she put us through. Elaine was a horrible mother and a horrible human being. Still, there was a sense of peace knowing I'd never have her toxicity around me again.

Arriving at the estate, an attendant opened my car door and I exited the vehicle. Liam tossed his keys to the attendant as he rounded the car and walked up to me. There was security all over the grounds, and I spotted them all quickly.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever met a Greek family before…” Liam said, grabbing my hands.

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding?”

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