Page 112 of Don't Puck His Best Friend
But there's this weight between us now, this unspoken tension that wasn't there before. Like we're both waiting for something to break.
Tonight's party is at Marcus's place—another celebration, another win. The team is on a roll, riding a ten-game winning streak that has scouts showing up to every game. Cole should be happy, should be enjoying this success. Instead, he's been quiet all night, nursing the same beer for the past hour while standing with Sirus and Tommy.
I'm talking to Maddie when the need to pee becomes urgent. Too many drinks, not enough bathroom breaks.
"I'll be right back," I tell her, weaving through the crowded living room toward the hallway.
The bathroom door opens just as I reach it, and Liam stands there.
We both freeze.
He's not stumbling drunk this time—his eyes are clear, movements steady. But there's something intense in the way he looks at me, something that makes my heart start racing.
He finishes buttoning his jeans, his eyes never leaving mine. "Trouble."
The nickname hits me in the chest. I haven't heard it directly in a clear voice in a while, and the familiarity of it makes something twist inside me. His blue-green eyes stare at mine, and I’m immediately reminded of the first night he approached me.
As stupid as it sounds, he holds a special place in my heart. I was heartbroken off of Bobby for far too long, and he helped me learn how to loosen up and have fun again.
But that night feels ages ago.
"I need to use the bathroom," I say, but my feet won't move.
Looks like his won’t either. He hesitates. "We should talk."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Sure there is." He leans against the doorframe, blocking my path. "When can I call?"
"You can't."
"Why? Because you live with him now and you can't do something without him knowing?" His voice has an edge to it. "He controls you now?"
I shake my head. "We have nothing to talk about, Liam."
"We have unfinished business."
"No, we don't."
"Yes, we do."
My pulse is hammering. I glance over my shoulder, needing to see Cole, needing that anchor. He's across the room, but his eyes are already on me. He's been watching. And the look on his face makes my stomach drop.
"May I use the bathroom?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
"No." Liam crosses his arms, not moving.
I look back at Cole again. This time his entire posture has changed—shoulders tense, jaw clenched, eyes locked on the bathroom door with an intensity that promises violence.
Liam notices where I'm looking and steps closer, lowering his voice. "I meant what I said that night. It's only a matter of time before you see his true colors."
My heart races like he knows something I don't, some secret about Cole that will shatter everything. But that's what he wants—to plant seeds of doubt, to make me question what I have. He's bluffing.
"Liam… please move."
He holds my gaze for another long moment, then steps aside. I slip past him into the bathroom and lock the door, pressing my back against it. My hands are shaking.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror. My face is flushed, eyes too bright, breathing too fast. What just happened? Why does every interaction with Liam feel like I'm walking through a minefield?
