“But not Liam?” Lila asked quietly.
“NO.” Felicity gasped.
“Fels, why? That man was beside himself when they brought you in… he obviously cares about you. What’s the story there?”
Felicity smiled at her friend. Memories of Liam assaulted her brain, causing a sharp pain to settle in her chest. “He was my first… and only love. And I, the idiot I am, broke his heart to sow my oats. Look where that got me.”
“Wait… what do you mean your only love? You were with Jasper for over two years, right?”
“Yeah – but I asked him to leave the night he flipped out. I knew it wasn’t love. He was a controlling monster, and when he started using it got even worse. But Liam…” Felicity looked out the window and back to Lila, “He took my heart back then and I never got it back. Shitty relationship after shitty relationship, I realized he was the only one who I ever wanted.” Sighing, “When I left for college, I told him I didn’t want to do the long-distance thing. I broke that man’s heart – I don’t deserve his help.”
“Look – you were what, eighteen? That was ten years ago Fels. You were just a kid… hell he was just a kid. I don’t know Liam that well, but I do know he has been the eternal bachelor. Turning down anyone who has sought after him. I’m not even sure he does random hook ups. That has to say something. And the way he looked at you… it wasn’t a man looking at a woman as though she was broken. No, he was looking at woman he loved.”
“There is no way he loves me. You have that wrong.”
“Well, we will see about that.”
Felicity and Lila fell into a generic conversation after that. Dr. Borne and his husband stopped by and sat with her for a couple of hours. Everyone was grateful she hadn’t been killed and Dr. Borne assured her that she would still have a job when she returned. Felicity laughed because she would likely need physical therapy on her hand when she got the cast off. One thing stuck out from their conversation though… Dr. Borne mentioned Liam and how he obviously had some unresolved feelings for her. He and his husband, who saw Liam on scene, agreed that Liam and Felicity needed to talk. Felicity pushed that out of her mind – she didn’t want him to see her this broken. She reiterated to Lila and the nurse; Liam was not welcome in her room.
Chapter 18
Liam paced in the locker room, anger filling his body. Felicity refused to let him see her. The nurse had stopped him when he went by the other day, telling him emotionally she wasn’t ready for him yet. She assured him that would change, and to give her time, but it pissed him off anyway.
“Whoa, Liam,” Hanson slapped him on the shoulder, “Calm down – you’re pacing like a mad bull in a china shop. Who do you want to kill right now?”
“Felicity won’t let me see her.”
“Ah… I get it now.” Liam stopped moving, turning to pin his partner with a ferocious glare. “You’re in love with that woman.” Hanson chuckled.
“What? NO… I just need to see her and she’s being stubborn about it.”
“No… you’re in love with her. Didn’t you say she was someone from your past?”
“Yeah… she and I – well, we dated through most of our school time. I thought she was the one I’d marry, then she broke it off and left for college.”
“I see.” Hanson sat down on the bench.
“What do you see?” Liam plopped down next to him.
“You never stopped loving her. Sure, you might have been pissed as hell at her, but your heart always belonged to her. That’s why you’ve never had a serious relationship.”
“What the fuck, Hanson. You Dr. Phil now?”
“Nope… it’s just obvious to everyone but you. You. Love. Her. Now – what the hell you going to do about her?” Hanson stood, “Shift’s over. Go see her and don’t take no for an answer.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Liam parked in the visitor lot. Hanson and his dad insisted he still loved her… Did he?
He wasn’t sure, but he knew he needed to see her. It had just about driven him out of his skin the last week not being able to put his eyes on her. HE wasn’t taking no for an answer today.
“Liam,” the nurse met him outside her door, “You can’t go in there. Let me see if she will see you first.”
Liam paced the small hallway, his shoulders sunk when he saw the nurse emerge with a deflated look to her. “She’s not ready. I’m sorry.”
Grabbing a nearby chair, “Well, then I will wait. Let her know I am sitting outside her door until she agrees to see me.”
The nurse laughed, shaking her head and disappeared back inside her room. When she came out, “she said she hopes your butt is padded.”
Liam couldn’t resist the laugh that bubbled up, at least her sarcasm was returning, that was a good sign. Liam kicked back and closed his eyes. He must have dozed off, because he was startled awake when he heard her door open. Cracking his eyes open, he was shocked to see a man push open her door and step inside. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as he stood. Stepping to the closed doorway, he leaned in to listen.
♦ ♦ ♦
“Felicity?” a smooth sounding voice penetrated Felicity’s slumber. Liam must not know what stay away meant.
“Liam, I thought I told you to stay…” Her voice froze in her mouth when her eyes opened and landed on the man standing at the foot of her bed. “YOU! NO GET OUT! GET OUT NOW…”
“Please… I wanted to tell you,” Rob stood pleading as the door to her room burst open. Felicity shot a frightened glance towards Liam, who’s eyes showed murderous rage.
“Felicity?” Liam questioned, looking from her to the man at the foot of her bed.
“Please… get him out of here.” She clutched the covers to her chest, crocodile sized tears billowed down her face.
Liam grabbed the stranger, placing him in an arm bar and dragged him outside. Pushing him against the wall, “Who the fuck are you?” Liam hissed into his ear.
“A friend of Jaspers… I heard what happened and needed to make sure she was ok.”
“Sit right here and don’t move. You hear me?” Liam shoved him into the chair he’d previously occupied and pushed back inside Felicity’s room. His heart nearly shattered when he saw her. She had her knees drawn up to her chest with the sheet pulled tightly around her. Tears had soaked the sheet, making it nearly transparent.
“Felicity?” Liam approached her bed, sitting on the edge he placed his hand on the top of her knee causing her to jump. “Felicity, you’re safe. Can you nod, letting me know you hear me?”
She slowly dipped her head.
“Can you tell me who that man is?”
“Where… where is he?” Her voice cracked as she spoke.
“He’s outside sitting in a chair. A friend of Jaspers?” Liam probed.
Felicity nodded, “Yes… he was,” she squeezed her eyes closed, “He watched Jasper.” Her swallow was audible, her body began to shake.
Liam instinctively reached out and pulled her to his chest, “Felicity – I won’t let him hurt you.” He brushed her hair flat with his hand, “what did you mean he watched Jasper?”