Page 81 of All Signs Point to Malibu

“I told you I’m not using,” he says in frustration. “I’ll take a piss test.”

I fold my arms and stare at him. “This isn’t up for debate. Carrying drugs will land your ass in jail if you’re busted and it’s only a matter of time until the influence of these jerkoffs you hang out with gets to you.”

“This is bullshit,” he says.

“Drugs or the team. The choice is yours.” My stomach’s a mess and my mouth is a desert.

Marcus stares at me defiantly. I’ve never seen a teen so angry, but I know it’s fear and pressure he’s under. I want to give him a hug and tell him his life can be better than all of this. But I need to just stand here and hope he makes the right choice for his future.

Fuck this is hard.

“Marcus, let’s roll!” one of his friends calls out.

He glances at them and then back to me. He looks conflicted and my heart breaks for the kid because I know in my gut which choice he’s going to make.

He hesitates, then moves around me. “Gotta go.”

“Marcus...” He knows what this means.

“Tell the team I said good luck with the championships.”

Fuck.

He walks away, rejoins his friends, and they take off. And there’s not a damn thing I can do but feel like I failed him in some way. I slam a hand onto the hood of the Jeep as I climb back in and drive off.

“As promised, before midnight,” I say as Liam opens the resort room door.

“Best. Night. Eva!” Sonia’s slurring reveals she’s even more far gone than originally assessed. I’ve kept her from drifting into incoming traffic on the short walk from the club.

“Wow, okay, party girl...you’re a mess. Let’s get you to bed,” Liam says, taking over as we step inside the room. He wraps an arm around Sonia’s waist and she immediately turns into him, draping her arms around his neck, and starts to kiss him. Awkward, gropey, and uncoordinated movements as she slobbers all over his face, I assume trying to find his lips.

I look away to give them privacy, this time not out of any sense of jealousy. Strange how a few weeks ago, this sight may have sent me into a tub of ice cream, but now there’s no attraction for my ex. Just a real hope that these two can figure out a way to prevent what I’d seen in my glimpse. Liam disentangles from Sonia’s attempt to molest him in front of the audience she’s obviously forgotten about. “Come on.” He starts to lead the way to the bedroom and glances over his shoulder at me. “Just give me a sec.”

I nod and wave to Sonia, who blows me a kiss in return.

Inside the bedroom, I see him help Sonia to the bed and she collapses onto it. He takes off her heels, lifts her minidress over her hips, and forces her to sit up as he removes the dress.

She reaches for him as he pulls back the bedsheets and he dodges her attempt to draw him down on top of her.

“In you go.”

She pouts as she climbs in. “You never want me anymore.”

The sad tone in her voice tugs at my heartstrings.

Liam lifts the bedsheets up over her and leans to kiss her forehead. He stares into her eyes as he says, “I do want you. Bad. But you need sleep. Big day, day after tomorrow.”

Liam kisses her cheek, then quietly leaves the room, closing the door behind him. He rejoins me in the seating area. “Thanks for looking out for her.”

Speaking of... I open my purse and hand him a bottle of Gatorade and a pack of painkillers. “She’s probably going to need this in the morning.”

He laughs as he takes them. “Best maid of honor ever.”

I shift slightly under his gaze and glance down, before saying, “Well...good night.”

“You don’t have to go. Have a drink with me?” he says quickly, surprising me.

I don’t think it’s a great idea. I need to distance myself, allow the wedding to happen and get my own life and career back on track. I’ve been neglecting so much the past few weeks in my narrow-minded obsession with Operation Breakup. But something in his voice makes me cave. I sense he could use an ear right now and my ultimate goal from the start was looking out for him. The least I can do after trying to sabotage his relationship is be there for him as a friend.

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