Page 89 of Liam
Kane doesn’t even blink, and I have to stifle a laugh at how nonchalant he is as if he’s used to being dragged into their antics.
“Bodyguards or not, I’m not trusting anyone else to keep you safe,” Ryder says, his voice rough. “You’re mine to protect, Cora.”
Cora’s cheeks flush. “Well… I mean, that’s...very sweet.” She blinks. “But seriously, Kane could crush a watermelon with his bare hands. I think we’re good.”
Ryder shrugs, his voice steady, eyes locking on hers. “Watermelons aren’t the problem, Cora. It’s everything else.”
And just like that, Cora’s swooning. She tries to play it cool, but I see her subtle smile.
Sloane, never missing a beat, fans herself. “Someone get her a drink before she faints.”
“So, Dr. James,” Liam says, his voice low and teasing, “care to explain the physics behind your impressive dance moves earlier?”
I laugh, grateful for the distraction. “Well, Mr. Valeur, it’s quite simple. It’s all about maximizing rhythm while minimizing embarrassment. I call it the ‘Awkward Genius Theory of Dance.’”
He chuckles, pulling me closer. “I think you’ve revolutionized the field. We should patent it.”
I watch the Valeurs interact. Despite their teasing and playful jabs, there’s an unshakeable bond between them. To my surprise, I fit into their dynamic, trading quips and laughing along, my earlier embarrassment fading away.
Lucas raises his glass. “To Aleria, for surviving her first Valeur Girls’ Night and giving us the show of a lifetime.”
“Here, here!” the others cheer, clinking their glasses.
I look over at Liam, caught in an animated discussion with Logan. His eyes are bright, his hands gesturing as he makes his point. He looks happy. Truly, genuinely happy.
It hits me then—this side of him, the one that comes alive with his siblings, that’s as much a part of him as the brilliant CEO or the man who holds me at night. Maybe even more so.
A pang of homesickness washes over me. When was the last time I sat with my parents in their cramped kitchen, Dad’s hands still greasy from work, Mom pushing leftovers at me like I might disappear if I don’t eat enough?
But the Valeurs are different. The way they move around each other, like planets in a carefully orchestrated orbit. Every gesture carries weight; every word holds meaning. Their love isn’t in cluttered kitchen conversations or casual touches; it’s in the way they stand between each other and the world.
Cora catches my eye from across the room and winks. Lucas is already moving to refill Liam’s drink before he asks. Logan shifts in his chair, making space for his brother withouta word. It’s like watching a dance where everyone knows the steps by heart.
I used to think his devotion to his family was a wall between us. Now I see it’s not a wall at all—it’s his foundation. The core of who he is.
“Earth to Aleria,” Cora teases, sliding into the seat beside me. “You’re thinking awfully hard over here.”
I smile, watching Liam and Logan huddle over a phone, their heads bent together like little boys sharing secrets. “Just observing the natural habitat of the wild Valeur.”
She laughs, but her eyes are knowing. “It’s a lot, isn’t it? The whole...” She waves her hand, encompassing the invisible bonds that tie them together.
“Yeah,” I admit. “But I think I’m starting to get it.”
Because I am. The way Liam’s shoulders relax when his siblings are near. How he’ll drop everything for a family emergency. Why he carries their secrets like they’re his own.
His family will always come first. It’s not a choice he makes; it’s who he is.
And maybe that’s not a bad thing. Maybe loving someone means accepting that there are parts of their heart you’ll always share with others. Maybe it’s about finding your place in the orbit without trying to change its course.
Liam glances up, catching my eye. His smile shifts, softening into something just for me. And I realize I’m not outside their orbit anymore. I’m being drawn in, slowly but surely, finding my own place in their celestial dance.
Ava’s next words bring me crashing back to reality. “We never got to continue our talk from before,” she says. “Whatever’s going on between you two, don’t let his pigheadedness ruin it. But...” she pauses, and I can see her weighing her nextwords. “Just remember, loving a Valeur means accepting that there will always be parts of their life you can’t touch. Can you handle that?”
Can I? Can I love Liam, knowing there will always be secrets between us? Can I trust him enough to accept the parts of his life he can’t share?
I look back at Liam, who chooses that moment to glance my way. His face softens, a smile spreading across his features that makes my heart skip a beat. And I realize, with a clarity that terrifies me, that I already know the answer.
Chapter Twenty-Six
