Page 44 of For the Love of Layla

I glare as he grasps my shoulders, “Layla, relax, you’re safe here. I won’t let him touch you.”

“I can’t stay here forever, Liam! You have no clue what he’s like. Nobody will help me!” I yell, trying to wiggle loose from his grasp, ignoring the soreness between my legs. His eyes darken, making me still, if only for a moment before I resume my struggling. “Why the fuck not, Layla? Why can’t you stay here? I want to keep you safe. Why won’t you let me help you?” His deep voice takes on a familiar gravelly note as I finally jerk free from his arms.

“Because we won’t work, Liam. Not after what you did!” The words leave me before I can register them, making my heart thump painfully in my chest. I watch his jaw clench as he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath, fisting his hands before opening and closing them again.

“Explain to me what I did that was so wrong so I can fix it.”

After all this time, you want to fucking fix it?

“If I have to explain it to you, there’s really no point. Where is my dress?” I want to tell him, I want to cry and scream at the top of my lungs, telling him how he betrayed my trust. How he broke my heart the day I left him.

But I don’t. I can’t. I’m splitting apart at the seams.

I don’t have a chance to scream before he lunges for me, pushing me into the dresser as his hand captures my throat, “What was I supposed to say, Layla? You stood there and tore my fucking heart out. What was I supposed to say!? Tell me the right words and I’ll say them! You’re supposed to be mine!” I just stare at him, his chest rising and falling quickly with anger as those intense eyes bore into me.

I’m supposed to be yours, yes. How could I possibly be when I’m living underneath his thumb? God knows what he’ll do to me for coming here. What price I’ll pay for feeling safe for one night?

This moment right here with you is all I’ve dreamed of for far too many months. The moment you want to fix things, the moment you fight for me. Of course, it comes when I can’t have you. The deafening sound of another crack forming in my heart nearly drowns out our heavy breathing as I realize what I have to do, to protect myself…to protect him. Wrapping him into this would be wrong, as much anger as I feel towards him he doesn’t deserve my baggage. Not when it comes with such a heavy price. I can’t survive another person I care for having a target painted on their back.

“Peaches, come!” I yell, placing my hands on his chest, the rapid beating of his heart drums beneath my palms. It matches mine and for once, I think we’re on the same page.

“I’m warning you, Layla, don’t.”

I don’t want to.

Peaches pads into the room, her heavy steps slow as she takes in the scene before her. I hate this. I fucking hate this. I’m sorry I have to use her against you. I know you love her, you let me keep her to keep me safe. But I’m not safe and neither are you.

“Watch him.”

Liam shakes his head as she inches closer, her tail no longer wagging as she pushes her enormous frame in between us, growling, teeth barred when he doesn’t move.

“You need to let me go. For good, god, this was a mistake. I don’t fucking want you, Liam. I was drunk and you took advantage. Let me go.”

Pain flashes through those blue eyes, snapping me like a twig as a strange calmness takes over his sculpted face. His high freckled dusted cheekbones look so smooth my fingers twitch with the need to touch him. He releases me slowly, taking small steps back to the wall before leaning up against it as if nothing happened. I gawk, dumbfounded, unsure of what to do or say as he speaks. His voice is cool and chipped. “Whatever you say, little star.”

A whimper leaves my throat at the use of his old nickname for me.Thisis the man that broke my heart. This version of Liam that I hate. He cocks his head to the side slightly, sending a chill up my spine. Maybe whatever breed of fucked up my monster is, lives inside Liam too. He remains there watching me with familiar uncomfortable intensity as I search for my dress. Coming up empty, I opt for taking some of his pajama pants.

Consider us even.

I gasp as I flick on the lights in his walk-in closet, all of my clothes hanging exactly as I left them. My hands tremble as traitorous tears spill from my eyes. I don’t ask and he doesn’t offer an explanation not that either of us need one. I know what this means, and it makes it hurt so much more than I ever thought possible. I don’t bother hiding myself as I strip, his eyes never leaving me, not even as I gawk at the fact that he changed my underwear at some point last night. Strange things like that used to make me fall so much harder for him. He was always so… attentive.

Uncomfortably so, but I loved it. I loved-

“If you need me, don’t hesitate to call. You don’t have to do this alone, Layla, you don’t have to be alone.”

I’m not, that’s the problem. He will never let me be alone. I’m not doing this to you, Liam, I’m doing it for you.

My day gets exponentially worse after I call into work expecting to be berated for my absence. I’m not. Apparently,Mr. Currancalled in on my behalf, letting Blinked know I would be absent for the next few days. As the Uber pulls into my driveway, I apologize for the one hundredth time for sobbing like a maniac in the back of her car. Using up all the tissues she had in her purse and having to revert to wiping snot on Liam’s shirt.

“Uhm, ma’am, your door.” The older woman points nervously towards my house. My heart lurches to my throat at the sight of my front door caved in on itself. My hands shake as I pull out my phone, quickly dialing 911, Peaches whines as she nestles her head on my lap.

“I’m… I’m so sorry. I’m calling the police.” I mumble fresh tears running down my cheeks as I force my hand to open up the car door.

“911, what is your emergency?”

Why can’t I speak?

I meet the eyes of the older lady as she holds out her hand for the phone, I don’t think as I hand it over closing the door again. I can’t hear her words as she speaks to the dispatcher, can’t even bring myself to care if they show up. What difference will it make? What will he do to punish me for my absence? Does he know I was with another man? I rest my forehead against the cold glass, staring blankly into the ruined front entrance of my grandpa’s house…my home. I can tell the damage continues inside. Why wouldn’t it? Ibetrayedhim. That was clear by the bulk of texts I received as my phone came to life earlier. He felt hurt, betrayed. Thank God Peaches wasn’t home. He warned me there would be consequences if I disobeyed him…I was so sure I had the answers. So surehewas Liam. Now I’ve declared open season on everyone I know. Everything I care about.

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