Page 3 of Tempted By Sin

I’ve had my suspicions about what Liam might be up to while he’s supposed to be at work. No matter how many times I ask him about the perfume, he reassures me that it’s nothing. His explanation is the scent likely transfers to his clothing from the women he works with at the office. While it could have some truth to it, I’m skeptical.

I don’t want to believe my fiancé—who proposed to me six months ago—is cheating on me, but I’m also not blind to the evidence staring me directly in the face. A couple of weeks ago, a woman whose name I didn’t know found me on social media. She messaged me with details of a night she spent with Liam. It was a weekend he had been “out of town” for work. While the message came as a shock, I already knew deep in my heart that Liam was hiding something from me.

But despite all the evidence stacked against him, I can’t find it in myself to confront him about what I was told. Why? Well, part of me is afraid of his reaction. Liam has a bit of a temper, which I’ve seen many times since we’ve been dating. It’s not something I want to be on the receiving end of, and I know that if I were to accuse him of cheating on me, he wouldn’t be able to hold back his temper.

But that’s not the only reason. Keeping my mouth shut is my only option, especially if I want to keep the continued financial support he offers for my mother’s medical bills. My paychecks as a fairly new psychologist aren’t terrible, but it’s certainly not enough to support such extensive bills since my mother has no insurance. Liam comes from a wealthy family who has more money than they know what to do with. His father is an established politician, and his mother is the CEO of Aster Pharmaceutical. Not only do they provide their son with an abundance of money and a recognizable name to help him win elections, but they would do anything for him. And I meananything.

If I want to continue living a comfortable life, it’s in my best interest to keep my mouth shut and pick my battles. I need to think about my mother to ensure she gets the best possible care for her condition. Without Liam in my life, it would be rather hard to give her that comfort.

“I managed to get away early,” he says, watching me as I take a step back. The skin between his brows creases as his eyes roam over my face. It’s almost as if he’s searching for something. Can he see the fear from earlier lingering on my features? “Is everything okay, Pae?”

Not wanting him to learn that I’m still shaken up over what happened earlier and the scent of the perfume on his collar makes me nauseous, I force a smile. “I’m fine. Just tired from work is all.”

Liam nods slowly and runs a hand through his dirty blond hair. “You work hard, Pae. Pour yourself a glass of wine and relax a little, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” I throw my thumb over my shoulder in the direction of the kitchen. “I’m going to cook pasta for dinner. Do you want a glass of wine while you wait?”

He grins and leans forward to wrap his hand around the back of my thigh. His fingers skim the curve of my ass before he grabs a handful of the skin and squeezes hard. “You know me so well, darling.”

* * *

Cutlery clinkingagainst porcelain plates echoes across the large kitchen. Liam is devouring the creamy chicken pasta on his plate, but I’m unable to stomach the food. The incident with the man earlier tonight plays through my mind, making my stomach twist painfully.

The more I think about him, the more I realize I could have been in serious danger had I not gotten to my car as quickly as I did. If he had gotten his hands on me… well, I wouldn’t be sitting here with my fiancé eating this delicious meal.

I keep coming back to the same question:Why? Why me?

“Pae, what’s on your mind?” My eyes snap up at the same time Liam lowers his fork and wipes his mouth with the napkin from his lap. “You’ve barely touched your food, and you seem lost in thought.”

I swallow hard. “I’m okay, I promise.”

He gives me a pointed look. “I’ve known you for four years, Pae. I can tell when something is wrong. So, spill it. What’s on your mind?”

“Okay.” I lower my silverware and exhale slowly. “Well, when I was walking to my car after work I felt like someone was watching me. It was… unnerving, to say the least. I made a beeline for my car and once I was safely inside, I noticed a man standing next to a streetlamp nearby. I couldn’t get a good look at him because he was wearing a mask. It scared the crap out of me though.”

His eyes widen ever so slightly before they lower. “A man, you say? Did he approach you at all?”

I shake my head. “We didn’t interact, but I could tell he was watching me. Waiting for me even. I was totally freaked out.”

He reaches across the dining table to take my hand in his. His skin is cold, despite the warmth from the heater, but I ignore the frigidity and squeeze his hand. “You have nothing to be worried about, Pae. Whoever he is… I will protect you from him, okay? When you’re with me, you’re safe. Besides, maybe it was just some kid trying to scare you to impress his friends.”

I want to tell him that the build of the man watching me was not that of a teenager, but I keep the thought to myself. While I appreciate Liam’s sentiment in wanting to ensure he is able to protect me if someone were to ever try and hurt me, I know that deep down if push came to shove, Liam wouldn’t be able to hold his own against a perpetrator.

Liam may not have a strong build or lots of muscles, and at times can be a little wimpy, but it doesn’t make me love him any less. I know deep down he believes he could protect me, but I know that isn’t the case.

I smile at him. “Thank you, darling.”

At that moment, Liam’s phone started vibrating on the table beside him. He snatches his hand away from mine to check the caller ID. His eyes find mine as he points to the device in his hand. “Sorry, Pae, but I have to take this.”

“Take your time.”

I watch him stand from the table and walk out of the room. His voice travels down the hallway as he takes the call, leaving me alone in the dining room.

Slumping back in the chair, I sigh heavily. My stomach growls, but my appetite is completely gone. I hate wasting food, but right now, the thought of eating what’s on my plate is nauseating.

As I’m pushing around the food on the plate, I hear Liam’s voice rise with anger. That captures my attention. I still my hands and listen intently, hoping to catch part of the conversation. I’m not one to eavesdrop on him, especially if it’s a work-related call, but I’m also curious. He doesn’t share too many details about his campaign for a seat in the Senate other than how he’s doing in the polls, the candidates he’s up against, and other minor details about working with his father.

After the media caught wind of some images circulating of Liam at college parties in some rather unflattering positions—mostly him passed out on the front lawn of a fraternity—his position in the polls dropped, despite having his father’s last name. Not even his father could dig him out of that faux pas.

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