Page 51 of When It Rains He Pours

“No, I have no fucking clue.”

Glory stared at me, her face filled with uncertainty and anger. “Stop screwing with me. I've already been through enough, I don't need you messing with my head.”

Taking a step forward, I gently gripped her arm. “I'm serious, I had nothing to do with any of that. When I came in and saw that guy, I had no idea what was going on. That was all real, Glory, that was the real me, it wasn't an act.”

Her eyes scanned my face, searching for something to show her I was being honest. “Your brother told me he did it, he said it was a message. I just thought that you were in on it too, that it was a set up or something.” Her voice was delicate and uneasy as she nervously picked at the beds of her nails.

Jacob did that? Is it possible? Or is he just taking credit to drive her out?

I couldn't focus on my brother right then. All my attention was on Glory, on fixing the mess I created.

“I had nothing to do with that, I wouldneverdo something like that.” Running the tips of my fingers up her arm, I softly swept my hand down her hair. “Glory, the person you met, the man you thought I was, that was all me. None of this was planned, nothing between us was pretend.” Taking another step in, I gently rubbed her back. “I did come here originally to try and get you to sign your place over to us, but that was before I actually met you. Whatever Jacob said, I wouldn't even listen. If I thought for a second that he was capable—” Cutting myself off, I breathed in slowly though my nose, trying to stay calm. “I would have stopped him.”

Inside I was a raging mess. I was ready to find my brother and beat him into the ground, I was ready to grab him by the throat and make him apologize to Glory for all the trouble he caused.

There was no amount of words I could use to describe how disappointed and angry I was with my brother—and that word, I didn't even want to use it. He wasn't my brother, not anymore.

If he was behind what happened at her gallery, he was dead to me. But a small piece of me was hoping that he was just saying it. My brother was a liar, so you had to take what he said at times with a grain of salt.

Maybe he's just fucking with her. Maybe he just wants to use that against her.

“You're serious?” she asked.

“Yes, I'm serious, I would never do something like that. I don't want to take your shop anymore, I want you to have it, I want you to have everything you deserve.” Cupping her jaw, I forced her head higher. “I want you, I want this—I want us.” Lowering my face, I let my lips hover over hers.

“You really mean that?”

“Every word.” Pushing my lips against hers, I kissed her. I kissed her like she was the air I needed to survive. I kissed her like I would die if she pulled away.

Glory was all that mattered.

Pulling her into my chest, I curled my arms around her body and held her tight. I wasn't going to let her go, not now, not ever.

Our kiss deepened as her body folded into mine. Driving her hands into my hair, her nails raked my scalp feverishly. Swooping her off her feet, I carried her into my room, kicking the door shut behind me.

We didn't break the kiss, still devouring each other like the world was ending and this was our last moment on earth.

Shoving the suitcase off the bed, I laid her down and climbed between legs. My mouth placed feathery kisses down her throat, nibbling her skin. Moaning, Glory wrapped her legs around my waist as her hands clutched my back.

“I'm sorry,” I said, whispering the words into the crook of her neck. “I'm so sorry for all of this.”

“Don't.” Pressing her palms to the side of my face, she lifted my head so she could look me in the eyes. “You don't need to.” Scanning my eyes, her lips twisted as her breathing was heavy and labored. “It doesn't matter, what's done is done.”

Smiling, I kissed the tip of her nose. “You're so fucking beautiful.” Brushing loose strands of hair away from her face, I moved my lips down her cheek. “I don't know what the hell I was thinking, I couldneverrun away from you. Come with me, we can go together, we can start a new life someplace else.”

“Liam, I can't run from this place, it's my home. My mother is here, and she needs me. I'm everything to her, I could never just leave her.” The tips of her fingers traced the hairline on my forehead, sweeping behind my ear. “Stay with me, stay here.”

Biting her lower lip, her eyes pleaded for me to answer. To say the one word she wanted to hear, to know that she would never have to wonder when I'd be home, because this would be my home too.

But I didn't give her what she wanted. I couldn't tell her that I'd gladly carve out a small spot here as my own.

I had to show her.

Kissing her with all the feelings I felt for her inside, I gave her the answer she was looking for.

My life was missing this, it was missing her. I could never turn my back and leave, it wouldn't work. I'd never stop thinking about her, I'd never stop dreaming about her, I'd never be able to keep her as just a memory.

Licking and tasting her, I peeled her shirt up over her head and threw it onto the floor. We were all air and movements. There was no more need for us to speak, to utter one more word. Our bodies glided back and forth as hands touched and stroked, and mouths tangled together in filthy kisses.

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