Page 53 of Trouble

“Liam?”

My consciousness slowly seeped back at the achingly familiar voice speaking my name. For a moment, while the haze of sleep lifted, I thought I was back in Audrey’s bed, and the warm sense of completion that filled me made a lazy smile spread on my lips. “Mmh?”

“The bread’smoldy.”

I frowned, the comfortable feeling lifting as I became aware of the painful kink in my neck. I grimaced and stretched, feeling leather underneath me rather than my comfortable mattress. I wasn’t in Audrey’s bed—I was on the living room sofa, and the realization made last night’s events come rushing back like a flood of proverbialshit.

My eyes flew open and I looked up into Audrey’s pretty face. She had sleep-messy hair, but she was fully dressed in the same set of comfortable jogging pants and T-shirt she’d been in last night. I hadn’t stripped her when I’d carried her into my bedroom last night after she’d fallen asleep on the sofa toTwo and a Half Menreruns, figuring she’d probably not appreciate being naked around either of us at the moment. Similar reasons was why I’d slept on the sofa. Normally, I’d have bunked with Louis, but that wasn’t in the cards at the moment. As much as we needed to work together to ensure Audrey’s safety, I hadn’t forgotten what he’d done. And I doubted I everwould.

“What?” I croaked, coughing to clear mythroat.

“The bread—it’s moldy. I’m starving, and you literally don’t have anything else to eat in the house.” She arched an eyebrow at me. “I assume I’m not supposed to do a quick croissantrun.”

“Oh, sorry.” I pushed the blanket off and sat up with a grimace at my stiff neck. “We usually keep something around, but…” But neither of us had had the mind to shop in the pastweek.

I rubbed my neck. “I’m just waiting for a call from our brother—he’s got some spies out, keeping tabs on Perkinson. Once he’s given us the all-clear, I’ll get some food for us,love.”

“Okay,” she said, her voice flat. With a sigh she sank down in the armchair to the right of the sofa. “You didn’t have to give me your bed. I could have slept on thecouch.”

I snorted. Fat chance I’d make her sleep on the damn sofa. “It’s allright.”

She didn’t respond, but she didn’t leave, either. I looked over at her, and my chest tightened at the sight of her pretty face. I’d missed her so goddamn much, it’d been nearly unbearable. Only the promise I kept repeating to myself that I’d find her again once this shit with our dad was over—and somehow convince her to give me another chance—had made me strong enough to pullthrough.

When I’d seen her at Perkinson’s event, I’d been too floored by her unexpected appearance to do what I should have done—quickly diverted her to ensure Perkinson never suspected she was more than a distant acquaintance. But I’d been so wrapped up in the rush of emotion her nearness brought up, I didn’t manage to react. And when she’d told him we weretogether… I’d been too confused at her apparent disregard for the break up between us that I hadn’t kept a sharp enough eye onBrian.

A least her reaction to seeing me there was explained when I saw her in Louis’ arms momentslater.

The acid fury in my gut returned at the memory of how utterly... How completelyin loveshe’d looked as he held her close, the wayIwas supposed to. The way I had been, until I’d realized how much danger I was putting her in. I’d thought I could keep her away from my world, but I’d been wrong. So I’d given her up, because I couldn’t keep her safe any other way, even though it nearly killed me. I knew my text would have fucking broken her heart, and that I’d promised her… But I’d had no otherchoice.

And then Louis… My fuckingtwin—the one person I’d always been able to count on… He’d brought her right back into the danger zone for his own selfish, fucked upreasons.

She hated us both now. I didn’t know what lies he’d told her to get her to look past my text, but she sure as shit was blaming me in equal measure for hisdeception.

“I didn’t know he went to you,” Isaid.

She gave me a dark look. It spoke of so much mistrust, it made my chestache.

“I didn’t know he was pretending to be me,” I said. I needed her toknow.

“I’m sure. That’s why you never called to straighten it out after I found out, right? Makes perfectsense.”

God, she was so hurt. It was clear to see, through her armor of anger. She’d been hurt so fucking much, and as much as I wanted to blame Louis for it all, I knew it’d started with me. When I left her, after promising I wouldn’t mess her around. Then what she’d said set in, and Ifrowned.

“I called you. Multipletimes.”

“You didn’t.” She fished out her phone and lobbed it at me. “Check the call records, why don’t you? Neither of youcalled.”

I swiped right to open her phone and pressed her call logs. There were no incoming calls from my number this prior week. I bit the inside of my cheek when it occurred to me that she didn’t have a PIN on herphone.

He wouldn’thave…

I navigated through her phone until I got to the list of blocked numbers. Mine was the only one on there. When I checked, I recognized Louis’ number by my name under her addressbook.

That absolute piece ofshit—

My own phone chimed, pulling my attention from the renewed surge of betrayal rising in the pit of my gut. One glance at the display revealed Blaine’s name. Finally, some news. I answered with a swipe of mythumb.

“Dad knows. Wesley’s on his way. Get out—now.”

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