Page 97 of Waiting For A Girl Like You
“Is that what’s wrong with us?” Settling beside her again, he laced their fingers together. “We have mommy issues?”
She snorted. “Duh.”
“And daddy issues.”
“Oh, hell yeah.”
“And in two totally opposite ways.” He blew out an exhausted exhale. “Mine was always there, pushing me as I was growing up, while yours was pushing himself and never around.”
“Don’t forget the trauma,” she added. “We’ve got lots and lots of trauma.”
“Heaping amounts of trauma.” He went quiet, minutes passing as the sun rose, its light catching in the chandelier and scattering prisms across the ceiling. “I need to be out there.”
A part of her knew this was coming. Trapped at Haven House, unable to get his feet on the ground and be in the thick of the hunt, was killing him. Liam craved control. He was a strategist. And this threat to their family was personal.
“Before the women came, I heard snippets of your conversations,” she said, keeping her voice low. “With Samuel.”
His hand squeezed hers. “Don’t ask me about it.”
A tear slid free, but she didn’t let him see. She was a Fairweather and understood that sometimes, the less you knew, the better. Even if the unknown was terrifying.
“Promise that you won’t do anything that could take you away from me.”
Silence.
“William?”
“I can’t promise that.”
The finality in his tone told her not to push. Whatever he and Samuel had in their heads was firmly planted, and that was okay. She would work on breaking down the idea little by little. If she couldn’t, that was also fine because she had a secret weapon.
Evie.
Her sister would handle Samuel and end whatever he and Liam were planning with just a look. Samuel could take almost anything except his wife being upset. It was the ultimate chink in his armor.
“Yes, you can,” she said. “Or else I won’t marry you.”
And there it was.
Liam’s weak spot.
He was on top of her instantly, bracing himself above her with an arched brow. “I’m too tired to argue.”
“And I’m too tired to hear that you won’t promise not to die.” She bucked her hips. “I thought Bruce had killed you. I thought you were dead.”
He rolled off, grimacing. “You have to trust me.”
“That’s the problem. I do trust you.” She let him tug her close again, curling into his side. “But I also trust that you’ll run straight into danger and call it a solution.”
“I’m well aware of the cost. So is Samuel.”
Ah. So her brother was in on it.
“If you won’t tell me, maybe Evie will. Samuel doesn’t hide anything from her.”
She would swear she saw his eye tick in annoyance. “Leave Evie out of this. We’re ready for the birth, but we’re not ready-ready. Don’t upset her.”
“Fine.” In a grand huff, she rolled away. “Try to get some sleep.”
