Page 159 of Begin Again, Part 1

"Even if it's just a little bit. Please like me, okay?"

"Okay, okay, I like you," he admitted. "Now, tell me where you are."

"You do? Do you really like me?" She sounded amazed by his confession.

Liam gritted his teeth, his patience running out fast. "Eden—"

"You can't take it back!" she said. "You said you like me, so you can't take it back."

"Okay, I won't take it back. Now tell me where you are, Princess?" he begged her. But talking to a drunk Eden was like banging his head on a brick wall. He didn't even think she knew she drunk called him.

"Since you like me, you can't like anyone else," she sniffled.

"Eden, snap out of it and tell me where you are!" Liam closed his eyes and groaned, wondering which god he'd pissed off this time.

Finding her wouldn't be hard at all. He'd turn this place upside down if he had to. But his life would be so much easier if she could just tell him where she was.

Before Eden could reply, he breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the faint sounds of toilets flushing, doors opening and slamming shut, and water gushing out of taps.

"Stay there," he told her sternly. "Don't move; I'm coming to take you home."

He hung up and returned to the cellar where the semi-final round was still raging on.

"Dude, what happened to you? You said you're going to take a call, but then you vanish for ten minutes. What the fuck?" Julian asked when he stepped back into the dimly lit, smoky room, reeking of wealth, power, and self-importance. The twenty men and women crowded around the four tables were heirs to thriving business empires. Once a month, they met to discuss the latest in business and finance. The tournaments were just an ill-conceived idea to blow a few million over an evening of heavy drinking and drug-fuelled orgies.

Liam had made it to the semi-finals this time, but he didn't care much for the contests or orgies, and usually skipped these meetups. But today, he was on a mission to get all the info on LUSSO, a luxury-goods enterprise with plans to take its flagship store nationwide.

"Are you even listening to me?" Julian was still ranting away.

Liam wasn't, but he nodded anyway.

"Matt lost a couple of millions, but he managed to rebound, and he won it all back. You have to jump in and take your place!"

Liam picked up his jacket and car keys and announced, "I'm out."

"Are you serious? You know the rules. You can't leave in the middle of the game. If you leave now, you forfeit everything, and Ivanov will win this thing."

Liam was well aware of what was at stake here—his ego and reputation. But even if he stayed, there was no way he'd focus on the game. Not when his heart was passed out in the women's restroom.

"Look, I know a hundred million is chump change in the grand scheme of things. But it's Aleksei Fucking Ivanov. We can't let him win!" Julian grumbled as he knocked back his whiskey and took a long drag on his cigarette. He seldom smoked. But today, with their reputation on the line, Julian's stress levels had reached epic proportions. Alcohol alone wasn't cutting it.

Liam patted his back and squeezed his shoulder. "Matt's doing okay. You can jump in and help him at any time if you hate to lose that much."

Julian whipped up his head. "Me? Hate to lose? You hate it more, especially to the Ivanovs."

"Yeah, but Eden needs me," Liam explained. "I have to take her home."

His cousin's eyes lit up. "Say no more, dude!"

"Let's meet tomorrow to discuss the bidding proposal for LUSSO," he said as he swallowed down his bourbon before heading for the door.

"Leaving already, Anderson?" Aleksei taunted him. "It's only twenty million you've lost. You can still make it up, don't be a pussy!"

Liam flipped him the bird. He'd deal with him another day, and he'd get back more than just the twenty million he lost.

As he made his way upstairs, he called Eden and was mighty relieved when Clara picked up.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

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