Page 3 of Begin Again, Part 2

"Can we talk about this, please?" she asked, wishing he wouldn't shut her out.

"What? The fact that I can't fuck you either? You thought you were different? Special?" he glared at her as he furiously buttoned up his shirt.

"Stop it," she said as she threw on her clothes. "Don't do this, Liam."

"I guess I was wrong about you, Princess. You can't fix me. No one can." He ignored her, his face dark with rage she knew wasn't meant for her, but still hurt to see all the same. He was furious and disappointed with himself, and she was the closest person he could take it out on. She was okay with that. She just wished he wouldn't push her away.

"Today wasn't the right time," Eden tried again to get through to him. "You're under a lot of pressure. You just returned from handling the crisis in Port Alfred, and now this tragic incident with the trucks, the drivers we lost, the press conference. It was all too much too soon."

"Stop making excuses for me and leave." He spat, his fingers working nimbly while he snapped on his belt and threw on his shoes.

"I'm not making excuses," Eden pleaded with him. "Please don't shut me out."

"You sound like we're in a relationship," he reminded her coldly. "This was only going to be sex! Nothing more."

His words were like a bucket of cold water over her head, washing away the cloud of desire she'd been floating on, smashing her heart. But even so, she couldn't leave him when he was so broken. Walking away from him would just prove his fears right.

She grabbed her phone from the coffee table and sent Brenda a text. The nanny responded immediately, promising her she and Aiden were still okay, no need for her to worry.

Liam turned from his desk and frowned at her. "Aren't you leaving Ms McBride?"

"No, Liam," Eden held his gaze, challenging him. "I'm staying here with you for as long as you need me." She added, seeing right through him. Every time he tried to put some distance between them, he reverted to honorifics and formalities, the same way she did. They both had to stop.

"I don't need you! I don't want you!" he roared at her in a voice that would have terrified her on any other day. But not today. Not when she had just seen how broken he was.

"That's okay. I need you, and I want you." Eden smiled and left her seat. "And I'm not going away." She carried on firmly as she went to his bathroom to fetch a pillow and the light blanket Gibby kept in the storage cabinets. A musty smell clung to the pillow and throw blanket, but if she breathed deeply, she could pick up his scent—the same raw, powerful scent that had threatened to devour her just moments ago.

Liam was in front of the window when she returned to the office, his anger still swirling in the room, drowning out all the things she wanted to say to him, all the words she hoped would give him comfort.

"Liam?" She began as she dumped the stuff on the sofa, hoping to open up the lines of communication. But when he turned slightly to look at her, the fury in his eyes almost palpable, she shook her head quickly and backed away.

"I'm going to get you something to eat," she said as she left his office. "I'll be back."

Rise was about to close when Eden arrived. But they were kind enough to let her grab whatever she needed. She wasted too many minutes in front of the deli sandwiches, deciding what to get. She never got a chance to go through Liam's dietary requirements.

"Anything?" The girl behind the counter asked, her eyes fixed on the clock on the wall, her message loud and clear—Eden's indecisiveness was cutting into their closing time. Feeling under pressure, she randomly picked a sandwich, water and some juice.

By the time she returned to Liam's office, he was already sprawled out on the couch, under the blanket. She took off her shoes just inside the door and tiptoed her way to the coffee table, careful not to wake him up. She laid out his food and slid beside him on the couch, promising she'd only lie down for a few minutes. Liam pulled her close, his arm reaching around her waist as he kissed her hair. "I'm sorry. And thank you for not leaving. I don't want to be alone tonight."

Eden closed her eyes, smiling a little, glad her gut hadn't led her astray.

"Get some sleep," she said, tracing soothing circles on the back of his hand. "I won't be here when you wake up. But I'll see you in the morning. I won't leave you. I'll never leave you, and I'll be here for as long as you need me—"

Liam's loud snore stopped her affirmations, and she smiled, shaking her head, unable to believe he was already out like a light.

Eden snuggled closer to him, promising herself she wouldn't fall asleep. But when she opened her eyes again, the office was bathed in a soft glow of the desk lamp. Liam wasn't at his desk, and his spot beside her was empty. She reached for her phone and saw the note on the coffee table. Eden read it note, trying to ignore the thick lump of disappointment lodged in her throat. She understood he had to leave urgently for his meeting with the detectives working the case, but he could have woken her up or said goodbye at least.

"What did you expect?" she said as she grabbed her phone and car keys, somewhat relieved to see the sandwich and one of the juice bottles were gone. At least he ate, she thought as she slipped into her shoes and headed home.

It rained for a week straight after the truck incident, adding even more gloom to the sadness and depression that had settled over the company soon after Liam called an emergency meeting to pay tribute to the fallen drivers. It was almost as if the heavens above felt their loss just as fiercely, and they, too, were in mourning.

The horrid weather also coincided with Gibby's departure from Anderson Logistics. By the third day, when the relentless storm showed no sign of ceasing, the assistants on the 36th floor began to think that maybe the dark clouds and torrential rains were an omen that the Gibby wasn't meant to leave. But as she told everyone during her farewell speech, the rain was a blessing and a sign of all the wonderful things awaiting her in retirement. There wasn't a dry eye in the medium-sized private room at La Famiglia, as she addressed all the executives and their assistants, thanking them for all their love, care and support over the years. Julian and Matthew jumped in at some point, easing the sombre mood with their jokes.

Subdued throughout the whole lunch, Liam took to the front of the room and clinked his champagne glass to get everyone's attention.

Eden hadn't been alone with him since their encounter in his office following the press conference, and not for the lack of trying. He was constantly in meetings dealing with the fallout from the attack or at the police station, following up on the investigation. Even when he was in the office, Liam declined all her meeting requests. She understood he was grieving the loss of his drivers and dealing with a lot, and their disastrous encounter in his office was rightfully the least of his concerns. But his obvious attempt to push her away cut her deeply. She wanted nothing more than to be there for him, but—

"Poor Dragon," Clara said, breaking through Eden's dreary thoughts. "This has to be the hardest week of his life. He not only lost three drivers, but is also about to lose his chief assistant."

---