Page 15 of A Simple Reminder

I stare back at him, my jaw tightening as the weight of my pride and frustration settles heavily in my chest. The urge to argue bubbles beneath the surface, but after what feels like an eternity of wrestling with myself, I force the word out through gritted teeth.

“I’m calm.”

He releases me, his attention shifting to the girls. “Now wash that blood off his face and then out. All of you.”

EIGHT

SOPHIE

Idon’t think I’ve ever sobered up this fast. I didn’t expect to watch Liam lose his cool and start fighting that guy. What was he thinking? Why would he stoop so low to fight a drunk man? Then again, after realizing it was the same guy who groped me earlier, I can’t deny that the thought of smacking him in the face crossed my mind too. But I would never act on it.Iwould never.

“Be gentle,” Liam hisses as I dab a cloth soaked in alcohol on the cut painting his cheek red. His jaw is clenched, and his dark eyes close in pain, their usual confidence dimmed by the discomfort.

A part of me feels a little bad seeing him like this—vulnerable, so human. It stirs something within me, an ache I don’t quite understand, equal parts guilt, and a strange sense of closeness. But another part of me, the part that despises macho men who think fighting solves everything, resists the urge to roll my eyes. This is exactly the kind of behavior that lands people in trouble.

“I’m trying,” I mutter, carefully tending to the wound. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“He deserved it.”

I just look at him, cocking an eyebrow.

“What?” he challenges, raising his hands in exasperation before letting them fall to rest on his knees again. “You thought I’d just stand by while he disrespected you two?”

Well, actually, the guy only disrespected Adeline in front of Liam. My disrespect came before, but he isn’t aware of that.

What would he do if he did?

I shake my head, pushing that thought to the back of my mind. “Sure, he was an asshole, but there are better ways to handle these things,” I say, pulling back slightly to examine the cut on his cheek. It’s not deep and doesn’t seem to need stitches.

I’m no doctor, but I’ve patched up these kinds of wounds before. My dad used to get into trouble when I was younger, and I was often the one holding the first aid kit, cleaning up the messes he couldn’t avoid—or wouldn’t. The memory stings, uninvited, as I press the cloth a little more firmly against Liam’s cheek than I need to.

He winces. “That’s your idea of being gentle?”

“Hold still,” I mutter, biting back the urge to snap at him. “You’re lucky it’s not worse.”

There’s another one on his lip, a little gash that mars his perfect cupid’s bow. His lips, usually a lighter shade, look swollen and bruised now. I meet his gaze, the dark shade even darker with the frustration he carries. “What was I supposed to do, Sophie? Just let him get away with it?”

I press the cloth against his lip, my movement deliberate. Silencing him. He winces again, but his eyes stay locked on mine, steady and defiant. I swallow hard, willing myself to keep moving, but the weight of his stare roots me to the spot.

For a few heartbeats, we’re caught in the space between us, tension thrumming like an unspoken challenge.

His dark to my bright.

His intensity to my still.

A clash of opposites, yet somehow balanced.

Yin and Yang, forever pushing and pulling.

Why does it have to be like this? His gaze feels like it’s peeling back layers of my resolve, searching for the parts of me I’ve buried so deeply I thought they were gone. Parts of me I fought tooth and nail to suppress. With every meeting we’ve had these past two years—dinners, celebrations, vacations with the rest of the 'family'—those parts have clawed closer to the surface, refusing to stay buried. And now… Now I’m not sure how I’ll keep everything buried, hidden behind a professional mask I’ve perfected. What if it all unravels? What if he sees through the cracks? I can’t let that happen. I made a promise to myself, and I’m keeping my word. I’m not letting him or anyone else see past these walls I’ve built. I’ve come too far to let that happen, and now my career and my future are my priority.

I break the spell, pulling back and murmuring, “Done.”

He nods, his eyes boring into mine even deeper. “Thanks,” he says softly, his fingers brushing against mine as he takes the bloody cloth from my hand. I turn away from him, needing to escape and leave the bathroom stall.

We find Adeline waiting outside the bathroom, calming the bouncer, who seems eager for us to leave as soon as possible. With a nod from her, we comply and exit.

“Addie, we should try to catch a cab,” I say, my voice uneasy, glancing around at the chaotic street. “Liam, are you alright?”

---