Page 58 of When It Rains He Pours

Chapter Thirteen

Glory

Holding the brush tightlybetween my fingertips, I dabbed it into the deep royal purple paint and started to spread it across the canvas. It was thrilling, adrenaline in the form of colorful splashes and thick strokes.

I could see the image as clearly as if it was already on the canvas. The purple sky was going to be filled with bright red and orange blotches. A young girl would be standing at the edge of a small puddle, peering into her reflection. The image reflecting back would be a princess, her confidence bold and visible.

Liam's eyes followed me around the painting as he watched from a distance. He was sitting on the floor in his boxers, his gaze cemented on my back and arms as they moved with ease.

“It really is incredible to watch you.” His mouth was half full, chewing a handful of chips. “I don't how you do that. It's already beautiful.”

Looking back at him over my shoulder, I smiled. “Thank you.”

Pushing himself up off the floor, he came to my side, and curled his hands around my forearms. Kissing the top of my head, he placed soft kisses down the side of my face and over my neck. “If you didn't seem so into this painting, I'd probably take you again just like this.”

Giggling, I draped my hand around his neck as he kept kissing my skin. “I'll never get anything done at this rate if you keep touching me the way you do.”

Liam chuckled, pulling away. “You're right.” Grabbing his pants off the floor, he pulled them on. “I'm going to go in the back and make a few business calls. Get as much done as you can, because when I get back, I can't promise I'll keep my hands off you.” Yanking his shirt over his head, he gave me a wink.

Nodding, I watched him walk away, disappearing into the backroom. Moving my eyes back to the painting, I continued working.

It felt great to actually be painting again. I felt like it had been ages since it flowed this easily. I honestly wasn't sure if I'd ever paint again. A week ago I had written off this life all together, ready to just give up.

I'd never give this up, I can't. It's embedded too deep to ever let it go.

My hand traveled up and down, across and back again. Each layer adding a new dimension to the picture. Life was bleeding into the material from my fingers, and I could actually feel it, as if it was taking its first breath.

CRASH!

My hand skipped across the canvas as the sound of glass breaking echoed through the room. Jerking my body straight, I jumped to my feet and looked over the easel, searching for the source.

What the fuck was that?!

The front window had been blasted open by a flaming bottle. Spurts of flames traveled across the floor, scaling the walls and new paint. I stood in shock, gawking at the fire as it spread so easily, engulfing the room as quickly as it appeared.

“Glory!” Liam yelled.

Snapping my head over my shoulder, our eyes connected as he stood in the doorway. His lids had shot open as the same shock I felt filled his blank and fearful stare. The room flickered in orange and red as the flames moved like water.

“Go! Get out of here!” Holding his hand to his face, he tried to block the heat off the flames as he took a few steps in.

But we were separated by a river, a burning, smoking river that neither one of us could cross. Taking a few steps backwards, he yelled again. “Get out!”

The thought of abandoning this place cut through my heart. I couldn't—no I wouldn'tleave without trying to tame the out of control beast before it destroyed everything.

I can't lose this all again!

“No, Liam! We have to put it out!” Glancing around, I looked for anything to battle the fire as it crawled up the walls and over the ceiling.

It was moving so quickly, the sharp tendrils dancing and swaying back and forth as if they were mocking me. The new paint on my picture began to melt as the heat intensified. I watched as the colors bled together, each streak a crushing blow to my insides making me hurt.

“Get out, Glory!” Liam stood in the doorway, but I refused to listen. “Just go!”

“No!” I screamed back, snatching my shirt off the floor and slapping the flames with it. “I won't leave!” My eyes began to fill with tears as the smoke turned from gray to black, causing me to choke as I swallowed air.

Frantically, I flailed the shirt, doing my best to beat the fire out. It did nothing. The fire kept spreading, devouring every inch of wall and ceiling it touched. Coughing, I covered my mouth with the charred piece of cloth and dropped to my knees.

My eyes tried to find Liam in the consuming darkness, but I couldn't see him. Taking in short, slow breaths, I crawled under the smoke, working my way to the front door. It was getting harder and harder to breath as the oxygen was sucked from the air by the fire.

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