Page 17 of For the Love of Layla

“Layla, look at me.”

A sob rips from my throat all the emotions I’ve kept bottled up bursting from me like a tidal wave. I frantically wipe my face as the elevator doors slide open, I didn’t even select a floor. A small amount of relief hits when I see an empty parking garage and not the filled lobby of a corporate office building. I don’t argue when Liam grabs my wrist, tugging me from the elevator as he tucks us into the small dark coved spot directly beside it.

Nonono, I can’t be here. Too small.

“Little star.” He breathes out, grabbing my face in his hands. My heart lurches from my chest. “Take a deep breath with me.” I do.

In, hold, out.

“Good job, another.”

In, hold, out.

“Another.”

In, hold, out.

“Everything is okay. You’re in control. You’re safe.” He tucks a loose strand of hair back into my sloppy bun that’s oilier than I care to admit.

Am I though? Am I okay?

I exhale a shaky breath as he wipes my tears away with his thumb, leaning his warm forehead against mine, “You did good for me, little star.” His lips graze mine as wetness pools between my legs only adding to the general chaos inside me.

No.

I jerk away from him, walking out into the garage. Looking anywhere but him. Months of zero contact, then he shows up and helps talk me through a panic attack. How fucking humiliating. As if he read my thoughts, he follows me out, coming to stand in front of me. His presence commanding every bit of my attention the way it always has, “You have nothing to be ashamed of, Layla, not with me.” I meet his eyes. There’s so much there. Things I don’t want to see. All the emotion he didn’t show that day, it’s there.

Pain, longing…love and something else, something strange.

“We know each other too well for that.”

No, we don’t.

I shake my head, “Thanks, I’m okay now though. I…I have some stuff to take care of, you should get lunch or something. Mr. Campbell usually takes a long one.”

“Layla…”

“No! No, Liam, don’t…say my name like that.”

He steps closer, capturing my wrist in a tight hold before he twists my phone from it. Reaching into my pocket and pulling out the ID. “Don’t touch that!” Something dark flashes in his deep blue eyes, something cold and alarming before it’s quickly wiped away. Making me second guess if I ever saw it there in the first place. But I did, I saw it. He lets go of my wrist, looking at the ID, “What is this?”

“It’s none of your business, Liam, now give it back. It’s important.” He lets me take it from him, handing my phone back to me as well. I take a deep breath, pulling up the contact information I saved for Officer Daniels.

“Officer Daniels?” He asks, staring at my phone screen. Just like that, he’s slipped back into old Liam. Controlling, obsessive Liam.

God help me and this warm feeling in my gut.

“Look, I’ve got too much shit going on to deal with you. In any capacity, ever again.” I spit out the words, making sure they’re laced with abhorrence. He takes a step back, eyeing me in that clinical way that used to make me feel so exposed to him.

Still does.

“Clearly whateveritis, you can’t handle it alone. I think you made that clear. Fuck me for wanting to make sure you were okay. I still-”

“Shut up. Shut the fuck up, Liam. It is none of your damn business.” I warn, locking my phone again.

A growl forms low in his chest as he steps forward, gripping my chin tightly, forcing me back into a concrete support. I gasp as my head knocks against it roughly.

What the fuck?

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