Page 94 of Begin Again, Part 2

Eden writhed beneath him when he took one taut nipple in his mouth.

"You still haven't told me how hard you want me to fuck you?" he taunted, doing the same to the other.

She whimpered, arching her back when he nipped her playfully.

"I don't think you want it hard enough." Liam captured her lips in a fiery kiss as he caressed her, gently opening her up with his fingers.

"I do," she moaned.

"Then say it."

"I love you," she whispered, panting for air, kneading and stroking him. "I love you so much it hurts, and sometimes it feels like I can't breathe."

"Princess," he groaned on her lips, nudging her thighs apart.

"I love you more," he said as he sank into her and closed his eyes, stars swimming behind his eyelids as they began to move slowly, their rhythm perfectly in sync.

"Open your eyes," Liam said, picking up their pace. When she didn't do as he asked, he stopped and held her in place, aching to drive into her again.

"You are such a tease," she said as her eyes fluttered open.

He rewarded her by pushing into her again, filling her up.

For the longest time, they were both completely lost in each other's eyes. Their entwined bodies were sleek with sweat, their hands entangled above her head while they drove each other wild with their desire, and it wasn't long before they were calling the other's name as they held on tightly.

"I've got you," Liam soothed her as he held her through their orgasm. "And I love you so much."

Eden was fast asleep within minutes, snoring softly on his chest. But sleep did not come at all for Liam that night. He was still up when his parents called sometime after 6:00 AM. Dave or one of the housekeepers had connected the landline again when they reported for duty an hour earlier.

"Son," Clarke began on his end. "Why the hell are you on all the front pages of the news rags?"

Liam was still processing his father's words when his mother stunned him with her question, turning his blood to ice.

"And what's this talk about you seeing a therapist?"

Chapter

Thirty-Two

NO OTHER NARRATIVE

"When did you start seeing a therapist?" Lois didn't even give Liam a chance to answer her first question before firing her next one. And he just stood there in the middle of his kitchen, wondering how things had gone so horribly wrong so quickly. He knew it was bound to happen someday, and had tried to prepare himself for this eventuality. But he never expected his secret to come out just when everything in his life was spinning out of control. He'd barely begun to deal with Aleksei's threat, was still recovering from Eden's deception, and now this shit with a possible breach in Linda's office—

"Son? Are you there? Say something! When did you start seeing a shrink?" Clarke broke through his thoughts with his own demands.

"Two years ago," Liam replied as he sat down at the kitchen island and absently massaged his temple.

"Sweet Jesus." Lois burst into tears. "I knew it. I knew everything was too much for you. Why didn't you tell us? We shouldn't have forced you to take over the company."

Before Liam could assure them his therapy visits had nothing to do with him taking over the company, his mom was already in the middle of a long, tear-filled rant of self-blame and self-loathing, and he had to hear all about how she'd failed him 'so terribly' as a mother. His fragile mental health was all her fault. She should have supported him when he refused to quit racing. Clearly, the crushing weight of taking over as CEO and his father's illness had put him under immense strain.

"Mom—" Liam tried to cut in, but Clarke jumped in with his remorse and apologies.

"I'm so sorry, Son. Why didn't you tell us you were struggling? We could have eased some of the pressure."

"I'm not struggling," Liam replied. His parents hardly heard him, because they were now squabbling, with crazy accusations floating around.

"I told you we should have put Matthew or Julian in charge. Now, look at what we've done to Liam!" Lois yelled and sniffled.

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