Page 29 of Falling For Liam
“Do you like the house?” I cringe as another dumb and pointless question falls from my lips.
“It’s incredible. Needs a woman’s touch, though.”
“What are you trying to say? We clean…sometimes,” I protest.
“I…uh…could tell.” Hearing her say it with a laugh gives me hope that things can go back to how they once were between us.
Chapter Nine
Olivia
“Stop fighting, you little bitch,” he snarls in my ear before his fingers wrap around my upper arms.
I scream and thrash about, trying to get him off me. “No, no,” I chant. How can this be happening again? How did he find me?
I continue fighting, even though I know it’s pointless. Even in his drug-fuelled state, he’s too powerful for me. A cold layer of sweat covers my skin, and I shiver as he shakes my body. Shakes? What?
“Liv, Liv. Fucking hell, wake up.” The words slowly start to filter through my panic and, as the fog starts to clear, I realise that I was dreaming and the person who’s currently holding my upper arms and shaking me isn’t Griff, but Liam.
Dragging my eyelids open, still engulfed by fear that I’m not going to find his rich chocolate eyes staring back at me, I burst into tears the second they appear.
His fingers leave my arms and I’m lifted. In seconds, I’m on his lap with his arms wrapped around me. His thoughtfulness only has me sobbing harder.
“Liv, are you…” I hear BJ shout over my cries as he comes rushing into the room, but he trails off when he sees that Liam beat him to it. “Shout if you need me,” he says softly before he walks away.
His interruption thankfully dampened my meltdown a little, but as I sit surrounded by Liam, the tears continue to pour from my eyes, even though my sobs have subsided. My body trembles in his arms as the images and fear from my nightmare fade away.
It’s been a few days since I had one this bad, and I stupidly hoped it was the end of them. I should have known better. That monster is determined to ruin my life even when I’m miles away.
Liam doesn’t say anything as he sits there, his support unwavering. He doesn’t care that I’m covering his chest in snot and tears. He doesn’t care that I’m falling apart because I think he knows as well as I do how much he’s holding me together right now. I’m afraid that if he lets go, I’ll crumble to a pile on the floor. The weight of everything that happened feels unbelievably heavy.
Tucking my face into his neck, I breathe him in, savouring his fresh, manly smell, replacing the putrid memory I have of howhesmelt. The stale alcohol and fags on his breath that were so real only moments ago.
“You’re okay, Liv. I’ve got you.” His voice is so soft it makes fresh tears sting my eyes. “You’re safe here. Safe with me. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” I know it’s not something he can really promise, but hearing him say the words fills me with such security and comfort. I don’t know what it is about Liam, but he has this ability to take all the bad stuff away and replace it with…well, him. He knows exactly what I need to hear, and he’s able to carry the weight for me.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper once I’ve got the strength.
“You’ve got nothing to be sorry about, baby.”
Heat blooms in my chest at his word choice. David always called me ‘babe’, and I bloody hated it.
Pulling my head from the safety of his neck, I blink a few times before looking up at him. His deep eyes stare down at me and I’m pretty sure I’ve never felt so safe yet scared at the same time. It’s a good scared, though, if that’s a thing. This fear is because I think he could be silently offering me everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m so scared to get it to only have it taken away. I’m not sure I could cope with any more heartache. I already know that if Liam breaks me, I’m not going to survive.
His eyes flick around what I can only assume is my red, blotchy face before settling on my lips. Something stirs in my lower belly, the excitement pushing the final few pieces of my nightmare to the back of my mind.
I sit stock-still as my head and body duel.
I want him to kiss me, but it’s such a bad idea.
I suck in a breath when he finally moves, but his lips don’t connect with mine. Instead, they land on my forehead as his hand slides up my back and his fingers twist in my hair. His grip is just a tad too tight, and it’s like everything with Liam. He’s this sweet and considerate guy but I can’t help thinking there’s more to him. The thought of finding out what really makes him tick excites me more than it should.
“You need to stop looking at me like that,” he mumbles against my head.
“I—”
“I’m barely holding it together as it is. I need to do the right thing, Liv. Don’t make me do something I’ll regret.”
“I haven’t done anything.”Aside from have a terrifying nightmare followed by one epic meltdown in your arms.
