Page 65 of For the Love of Layla

God help me, I’ve slept better the last two nights than I have since before this started. Wrapped in his strong arms, nestled into his chest. The smell of him ensuring my dreams are nothing short of blissful nightmares. Completely safe, completely content. How? How can I possibly feel content with him after the things he’s done? I turn my attention back to Liam, his muscular tattooed arms tucked under his pillow as he sleeps on his stomach. The script across his back, declaring his love for me. I hate to admit how hard I blushed after I saw he had tattooed my name. How hard we fucked after my revelation.

I need just as much help as he does.

I try to resist the urge to reach out and touch him. It doesn’t work. Never has. Watching those damming blue eyes of his flutter open as I trace imaginary pictures between the freckles that dot his shoulders, my eyes dipping to the bite mark I left on his back just days ago. He smiles as he props himself up on his elbow, “You should have woken me sooner, little star.”

“We can’t keep doing this.” I stare blankly, trying to keep my voice steady as I chew my bottom lip. “You can’t keep acting like this is normal. You have me chained to a bed for fuck's sake.” His eyes darken, the smile long gone by the time he cups my face, running his thumb over my cheek, “What do you want from me then? Tell me how to make you happy.” I roll my eyes, jerking from his grasp.

“I want you to get help. Liam, you’ve had me chained to a bed for two days, you’ve taken my phone, my keys, passport, everything. Ava is probably freaking out looking for me!”

“Maybe this isn’t the best way to go about it, but I love-” I shoot up, scrambling off the bed so quickly my head spins as I stalk towards the dresser.

I go to the dresser because that’s the only place I can go.

“Spare me that I love you bullshit! You can’t possibly love me.Thisisn’t what people do when they love each other.” My outburst is short lived as he slowly stands from the bed, his fists clenched.

“How have I not proved my love for you? Huh? You need more, Layla? Tell me and I’ll give it to you!” I flinch as he raises his voice.

Don’t yell, please.

“I don’t fucking love you.” He scoffs, shaking his head before closing the distance between us. Something in him shifts, that monster ripping the reins from him. He towers over me, capturing my chin before kissing me deeply, and I let him, because how could I not? His tongue and lips making expert passes at mine, like he’s trying to commit it to memory. “I’ll prove how deep my love for you goes. Everything I’m willing to do for you, to keep you here with me, safe. There’s no line I won’t cross, I’ll make you see that. It’s all for you. It’s always been you.”

A new coldness sinks into my veins as he pulls away, jerking on his hoodie that sat discarded on the bench at the end of his bed. My heart drums as he jerks his keys from an old pair of pants. True panic blooms in my chest when I realize he’s leaving. He’s going to leave me here chained up and alone, “Liam, no. Please. I don’t want that. I don’t need it, I’m sorry. Stay.” It comes out whiney and desperate and I don’t care because I’m both those things.

Say it, Layla. Tell him you love him. That's what he’s waiting for.

His eyes search mine for a moment before he bends down sealing our fate in another soul crushing kiss. I have no idea what he saw in mine if it was what he wanted. Liam gives nothing away as he heads from the room. Pausing in the doorway and my chest fills briefly with hope.

He turns, looking over his shoulder, that handsome and chilling smirk on his face, “I love you, little star, be home soon.” With that, he pulls the hood over his copper hair and he’s gone.

I love you too, please don’t go. Please.

Panic keeps those words locked in place and I’m an awful selfish bitch for it. They beg to be released. It was so easy before with him. Before he did things that changed me forever, changed us forever. I had no clue, I was so fucking stupid and I still am. He needed me. He needed me to tell him he was loved, and I didn’t. What he did to Danvers was just the start. The tip of his insanity and it scared me. What he’ll do now scares me. Yet these past months, all I’ve wanted was him, both versions of him. I should be horrified by what he’s done for me. To keepme.So why am I no longer horrified by the depths of his depravity? The thing I fear most of all is losing him. The wall of panic that comes with that thought slams into me the moment I hear the latch of the front door.

“Liam! Liam, wait! Please!” I scramble off the bed, whimpering as my feet tangle in the chain beneath me my chin colliding hard with the floor. Peaches stands from her bed, walking lazily over before settling beside me. Utterly oblivious to her dad going full on Joe Goldberg.

“Liam! For the love of God, Liam, get in here!”

It’s pointless, I know that. Why can’t I stop screaming? My grandpa’s words play over in my head,never let them go.I don’t think he meant my psychotic ex-boyfriend, but it doesn’t change a thing. I’ve found that person.

Chapter seventeen

I Love You

Iwipethesnotfrom my raw stuffy nose against the back of my hand, sucking in a shuttering breath. The past four hours I’ve been consistently bouncing between ugly crying and trashing his bedroom in hopes of releasing myself. Also, I’ve successfully blocked off my access to the bathroom, so that’s great. What he said before he left… I don’t know what he meant by it. He’s never shared his hidden agendas with me before. I suppose I shouldn’t be torn to shreds about it this time. I shudder to think what proving his love might look like to Liam.

I highly doubt he’s on a flower and chocolate run.

What the fuck does love even look like to him? His version of a happily ever after is almost certainly far different from mine. The past two days, he’s been… happy. Content to have me here. The circumstances didn’t faze him because he had what he wanted. I shake my head, groaning to myself at the ridiculous way that warms my heart. Peaches abandoned me outside the bedroom hours ago, can’t say I blame her. I’ve been… a mess. The rattling of a key turning in a lock jostles me from my thoughts, making my heart thump loudly in my chest. Although I’ve never seen Liam actually use a key before, save for my house. He always just unlocks his from his phone.

“Liam?”

I jump as Brandon’s booming voice fills the house, Peaches jumps to her feet snarling as she positions herself between me and the door just as he steps into view. His eyes go wide with shock as he takes in the scene and three apprehensive steps back, “Layla, holy fuck.”

“Peaches, halt. Lay down.” She lays down, still fidgeting anxiously on the floor as she watches him take a hesitant step forward, a deep snarl on her large jowls. “Where’s Liam?” I ask, trying to control the overwhelming urge to burst apart. Crying and screaming now won’t help me and I’m pretty sure I’m mostly tapped out, anyway. Brandon hurries into the bedroom, taking in the destruction as he goes his face contorting in horror as his eyes land on my battered ankle clasped and deeply bruised beneath the metal restraint. It’s not Liam’s fault, not this one at least. I’ve been jerking at the damn thing every chance I got since he slipped it onto me.

“I don’t know. I was trying to find him. Layla, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Let’s get you out, hang on.”

Liam, what have you done?

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