Page 12 of Begin Again, Part 2

"This is hardly a gift, and sex is off the menu!" Eden snapped, unable to believe they were deserting her.

"You promised to help me," she reminded them as she walked them out.

"We promised to help cover you when you tell Liam the truth," Cassandra corrected her as they all piled in her car. "Doesn't look like there'll be much talking tonight."

"Yeah, Edie, but text us updates." Sienna poked her head out of the back window. "And please, can I be the first to know when you guys decide to go public? I have to get the scoop first. Your tryst has the potential to get me a talk show!"

"Shut up! This is not a tryst!" Eden yelled after them.

She watched them drive off and disappear from view before walking over to Liam's men.

James stepped out of the car when he saw her approach. He nodded courteously. "Ma'am."

"Please call me Eden," she said. "Can you get your men to come and take Mr Anderson home?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Why not?" Eden asked, stunned by his ridiculously firm response.

"It's Mr Anderson's orders," James explained. "He gave us strict instructions to bring him here, and only take him back at his say so."

"He's drunk!" Eden grumbled in exasperation, unable to believe the nightmare she was in. "He didn't know what he was saying."

"Even so, we could lose our jobs if we deviate from Mr Anderson's plans!" James tilted his blonde head in a slight nod and returned to the car.

For the second time that night, Eden stormed her way inside her house, beyond furious with Liam, determined to shove him off her couch and make him sleep on the floor. But when she saw him, still sleeping peacefully, a slight flush on his cheeks and ears, she didn't have the heart to follow through with her nefarious plans.

She grabbed the only photo of her and Aiden in the room from the TV stand, and took it to her bedroom in case Liam woke up during the night. She wanted no mistakes.

Eden was exhausted, but she took a quick shower anyway, changed into an old sleep shirt, and went to bed. But after tossing and turning for two hours, she kicked off the covers, rifled through her linen cupboards for a pillow and a light blanket, and headed to the living room.

As much as she wasn't thrilled to have Liam over, she hadn't forgotten her manners. After all, he was Aiden's father, and she had to make him comfortable.

Making him comfortable, though, was a mission and a half, one she was painfully underprepared for.

"You came back for me." He still sounded drunk when he spoke, but his eyes, bloodshot as they were, were lucid.

"I didn't come back for you," Eden said as she helped him sit up. "I wanted to make sure you don't vomit all over my couch."

"I can buy you ten couches," he offered, smiling at her sweetly.

"And where the hell would I put all those couches?" she asked, wiping a thin film of sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. A sober Liam was probably heavy with all his muscles and strapping physique, but a drunk Liam weighed as much as one of his freight trucks easy, and trying to slip off his jacket was a nightmare she prayed she never had to repeat.

"Christ, Liam! Why the hell do you sleep in a suit? Who does that?" she ranted as she tried yet again to prop him up and tuck the jacket out from behind him.

"Me?" He gave her a sleepy smile, adding proudly. "This guy right here!"

"Unbelievable, even at a time like this, you still find something to be proud of," Eden scoffed as she tugged at the offending jacket now twisted around his back.

After a few pulls, she yanked it off at last and threw it beside him before taking off his tie and shoes.

"I could tie you up right here, right now," she taunted him, dangling the tie in front of him. "I could torture you for weeks, and no one would know."

"I won't mind," he smirked. "I have handcuffs too, and—"

"Shut up!" Eden glared at him, annoyed at the notion that he owned a pair of handcuffs and likely used them with other women—other women who were not her.

"Shit, Princess, you're fucking beautiful," Liam growled, pulling her down onto his lap. His mouth fluttering too close to hers sucked all the air from the room and her lungs, making it impossible for her to breathe.

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