Page 2 of The Tape Job
“And I still couldn’t let you go, letting you break my heart all over again when you called off our wedding,” he says. “If anything, this should prove I won’t fucking leave you.”
He’s right, but there’s no such thing as a happy ending, is there?
“It didn’t take you long to move on,” I snap, referring to his social media. “You couldn’t have been that broken-hearted.”
That was not the right thing to say. Liam’s nostrils flair, and he stands up, moving towards the balcony railing where his hands grip the bar, turning his knuckles white.
He’s still for a moment before scoffing. “Yeah, right. What do you think happened, Vic?” He releases his grip and walks towards me. “I couldn’t have you thinking I sat at home wallowing between games and training. It was all a fucking show.”
“A show? Do you realise how that makes me feel?”
“You’ve broken my heart twice. Twice, Vicky.” He glares at me, sadness in his eyes. “How do you think that makes me feel?”
I can’t answer him. It will become a battle of broken hearts with neither of us willing to back down. Liam is too stubborn, and I’m too much of a control freak.
I half expect him to start yelling at me, telling me he doesn’t want to see me, that he despises me, orwhatever—but he doesn’t. He’s looking at his runners, deep in thought.
“I’m sorry—” He sniffs loudly, cutting me off. And I think for a moment, wondering if I can do something to show him how sorry I am. I lean in and press my lips softly against his cheek. I expect him to push me away, but his arms clamp around me, pinning me into him.
“See, even now I want to push you away, but I can’t. You’re like a fucking drug, Vic. I can’t get enough, but I can’t let you do that to me again. One minute you want to get married, the next, it’s off. Then, you’re calling me for phone sex. It’s messed up.”
Yes, shit. The phone sex. He’s right again. It is messed up, but he’s the only person I’ve ever wanted. Selfishly, I didn’t even think about how he would be feeling. Now he’s holding me close, and it’s another reminder that I’ve missed this. The safety and security of Liam James Preston. The only person who’s ever looked at me as a complete person, apart from his mom. I wasn’t seen as an extension of Johnny or an inconvenience, as my parents saw me.
I’ve been a complete fucking idiot.
“You’ve given me a fucking boner, you know,” he scoffs. “That damn perfume of yours and your hair—” I swear he sniffs my hair.
But the sound of the balcony door creaking open causes Liam’s head to turn, spotting my brother, Johnny, as he pokes his head out of the apartment. “You guys, okay?” he’s looking at Liam, not me.
Liam nods, and I tell him we’re fine.
“Everyone’s leaving now. Jen and Ryan have already gone to bed,” Johnny adds. I’d forgotten we were supposed to be at a Christmas Eve-Eve party with the rest of Johnny and Ryan’s hockey team.
“We’ll be in soon,” Liam says, his arms still wrapped around me.
Johnny slips back inside, and the door closes with a light thud. The thought of Liam leaving me now is too much to bear. I need to talk to him, to make him understand my thought process.
Liam’s supposed to be staying at Johnny’s place, but I can’t help myself. “Come to mine?” I ask, and he nods, squeezing me.
“Told you, you’re like a fucking drug, baby girl.”
He takes a step back and holds his hand out to me. I take it, letting him leadthe way.
Liam
It’s Christmas Eve and I’ve somehow convinced Vicky to come skating. Seeing the look on her face—a look of pure joy as she glides across the smooth surface—I know I’m in trouble because I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be socialising with her. I shouldn’t be enjoying her.
We were meant to talk last night. I know that was the plan for both of us, but as far as I’m concerned, we can talk any time—you can’t cuddle over a video call.
She’s soaring towards me, her beautiful blonde hair rippling behind her and my Marlies toque pulled over her ears. She stops right before me, her palms resting on my chest.
“Why aren’t you skating?” she asks, moving her hands to grab onto my biceps.
I get a whiff of her Chanel perfume and the sweetness of her shampoo, and it makes my stomach clench with excitement. I’ll be taking that toque home because it’ll smell like her.
“I was watching you,” I say, because when Vicky is around she’s all I can focus on. It’s always been the same. Since I first laid eyes on her, I’ve known deep down that she’ll either make or break me—and right now, she’s fucking breaking me.
The first time I saw her, I almost landed flat on my ass because I wasn’t watching where I was skating and bumped into her brother, Johnny. She’s had the same effect on me ever since.
