Page 45 of Red Zone

His voice was low and gravely, making my stomach clench. “The Tylenol kicked in, and she finally fell asleep. She’ll probably wake in four hours in pain, though.”

Lily’s eyelids fluttered, and she let out a small, pitiful groan.

“Hey, kiddo,” he said softly, crouching beside her. His voice was quiet, as though he was afraid to disturb her. “Not feeling too great, huh?”

“My ear hurts,” she mumbled, barely lifting her head.

Something shifted in his expression—something I hadn’t expected. It wasn’t panic or discomfort. It was… focus.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’re burning up,” he said, his voice steady, but his eyes flicked to me, sharp with concern.

“She’s been fighting it all day,” I said, my tone clipped. I didn’t mean to sound defensive, but the tension in my chest refused to loosen. “The Tylenol brought the fever down, though.”

He didn’t say anything, just grabbed the washcloth I’d left on the nightstand to dip it into the bowl of cool water. His movements were careful, precise as he wrung it out and folded itneatly before pressing it against Lily’s forehead. “There you go, Lil,” he murmured, his voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “This’ll help.”

I stayed rooted in place. Lily didn’t flinch, didn’t twist away like she usually did when someone who wasn’t me tried to help. Instead, she sighed, her tiny body relaxing slightly under his touch. It shouldn’t have surprised me, but it did.

He stayed like that for a few minutes until Lily’s breathing evened out. I untangled my legs and stood with Lily in my arms. Liam beat me to her bed and moved the covers out of the way so I could lay her down. He covered her when I carefully extracted my arms. We both waited a few tense seconds before returning to my bed.

The room had no space for any other seating, not with both our beds, the dollhouse in the corner, or her overabundance of toys spilling out of the pink-and-purple chest. I scooted back to lean against the headboard, and Liam did the same. Our shoulders pressed together, and it took everything in me not to move away. It didn’t mean anything—he was only there for Lily, not me.

“I know you’re busy. I shouldn’t have asked you to come,” I said, though part of me was glad he had. Lily’s soft breathing filled the quiet, but the tension between us buzzed louder than any words. I threaded my fingers together on my lap to keep from fidgeting.

“I just want to be here with you both.” His deep voice rumbled.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, his profile caught in the soft glow of the bedside lamp. His jaw was tight, a muscle ticking there like he was holding something back. But his eyes—dark and full of unspoken emotions—drew me in despite myself.

“I don’t want you to feel obligated, Liam,” I said quietly, though the words wavered, betraying me.

His head turned, his gaze locking on mine with an almost physical heat. “I don’t feel obligated, Skye. Iwantto be here. For her, yeah, but also for you.”

My chest tightened, my gaze dropping to my hands knotted in my lap. “Why? We’ve been fine. I’ve been fine.” Even as the words left my mouth, I wasn’t sure I believed them.

He shifted beside me, and I felt the weight of his movements before I saw them, the mattress dipping as his knee brushed against mine. He didn’t pull away or apologize, and the contact sent a ripple of awareness up my spine.

“I know you have. You’re stronger than I’ll ever be,” he said, his voice low and rough. “But just because youcando this alone doesn’t mean you should have to.”

The words hit harder than I wanted to admit, and my throat tightened. “It’s not like I had a choice.”

The bitterness in my voice came unbidden, sharp, and raw, but Liam didn’t flinch. Instead, he leaned closer, his arm brushing mine. The warmth of his skin seeped through my thin sweatshirt, and suddenly, it felt like there wasn’t enough air in the room.

“I know I screwed up,” he said softly, each word deliberate and weighted. “I should have been there from the start. If I’d known?—”

“You didn’t know because I didn’t tell you,” I interrupted, my voice trembling. “And I had my reasons, okay? It wasn’t just about protecting her. It was about protecting me too.”

The silence between us crackled with tension, and I could feel his eyes on me, searching. I didn’t pull away when he reached for my hand, though I told myself I should. His fingers slid over mine, warm and calloused, and I hated how much I liked the weight of his hand. Letting him in meant risking everything. Butas his thumb brushed over my knuckles, I felt the tiniest flicker of hope. It scared me more than anything.

“I get that,” he said. “I don’t blame you for doing what you thought was best. But I’m here now, Skye. And I’m not going anywhere—even if you try to push me away.”

My pulse pounded in my ears, and I stared at our hands, the simple contact unraveling something inside me. “It’s not that easy,” I whispered, but I could hear the hesitation in my voice.

“Maybe not,” he admitted, his tone gentle. “But we can figure it out. Together. You don’t have to trust me all at once. Just let me prove it to you. For Lily. For you.”

His words tugged at a part of me I’d buried long ago, a part that still ached when I looked at him too long. Slowly, I turned to meet his gaze again. His face was so close, his expression open and unguarded.

“I don’t know if I can,” I admitted, my voice barely audible.

“You don’t have to know right now.” Liam’s free hand came up, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face. His fingertips skimmed my temple, lingering just long enough to make my breath hitch. “But let me try.”

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