“True, but nah, something happened.”
“I did give him Mia’s message.”
“Oh yes. That was a fucking big blow to his ego. Look at the way he’s standing in the doorway like he’s about to bolt.”
“And go where? He just got out of those cuffs, but his face is all over the papers. Maybe he’s pissed about that.”
I’m unaware that I’m growling with anger until I speak. “I’m fucking pissed because you’re talking about me like I’m not fucking standing here.”
“Ah look, Cole, it speaks.”
“It does that from time to time. You’d be surprised.”
“He’s been tight lipped about one thing though?”
“What?”
“Mia.”
“Shut the fuck up, Liam!”
“Okay, okay…” he says, hands raised, but I can see the hard set of his eyes as he stares me down. “You look like you have a fucking screwdriver up your ass.”
“You’re about to get something up your fucking asshole if you don’t watch your fucking tongue.”
“Watch my tongue?” he scoffs. “Why don’t you focus on planning that wedding, huh, J?”
“Liam…” Cole mutters, shaking his head.
“No,” Liam says. “He thinks he can sneak around with one of those Bishop bitches and not get caught. I mean, why else was she at the hospital.”
One of the Bishop twins was at the hospital? I fucking bet she’s the one who told Mia about the contract.
A heavy sigh escapes me.
These days, well, since the night Mia practically used me and threw me out, I’ve been a mess. Not just your regular, angry toxic masculinity mess, but like a powder keg about to explode.
I know it’s only a matter of time and now as I look at my brother, gauging his rage toward me, I decide there and then to spare him.
I know my brother. If I blow up at him, there will never be a relationship between us in the future.
We are already at the edge of the precipice and depending how today goes, everything will change. So, I try to center myself.
“You know what, it’s high time you and I talk,” I mutter silently, walking in the foyer, shutting the door behind me. The sun is still rising, but I haven’t slept since the day Mia woke up.
“Talk?” Liam scoffs. “What good does talking do if you’re just going to lie to me.”
“I’ve never lied to you,” I snap. “And you know that.”
We stare at each other for a beat. Cole decides then to settle down on one of the lounge chairs in the foyer that looks like a fucking hotel lobby, looking highly entertained.
“Yeah, you just never offer up information,” Liam says. “You just keep it to yourself, even when it doesn’t just concern you.”
“And what is it that you want to know exactly, Liam?” I demand, folding my arms. The doctors advised me against putting pressure on my arm but fuck that and fuck them. “Right now, grow a fucking pair and ask me the one question you want to know.”
I watch him. He’s silent, not even giving away any emotion and yet, I already know what’s bothering him. I just want him to admit it and face it.
“How would it feel, J,” he says softly. “if the roles were reversed? How would that make you feel if it was me in your shoes and you watched me take her?”
I don’t need a translator for that. I already have an answer.
“There’s no question about it. I’d fuck you up, bury you and go teach her a fucking lesson that she’s mine.”
He blinks, watching me.
“Ha! Bet you weren’t expecting that one, were you, Little Liam? Cole says from the couch. Liam and I study each other. We danced around this at the hospital and before that but now, this is the moment of truth.
“Fuck,” he mutters. “You really do love her.”
I look away from him then. I’ve said that I love Mia like a million times over but still that’s not enough to keep her with me.
“You say I keep secrets from you, that I’ve been lying to you but Liam, between the two of us, who has secrets?” I demand. “I’m a fucking asshole with issues, but you… you need to fucking figure out what you fucking want or else there will always be a fucking rift between us.”
“Maybe you don’t get it,” he snaps. “I’m always by your side until the real dangers comes out and you shove me, and Cole, behind your back! You take the blows, over and over again as if someone is asking you to do any of that.”
I just stare at him. From the corner of my eye, I notice the smirk on Cole’s face is gone. I can see he agrees with Liam as they both look at me.
“Yeah? While I think it’s fucking cool that you have my back, and you’ve been the best fucking friends a guy could ask for all my life, the one time I wasn’t careful, the one time I didn’t watch my front so I can take those blows, guess what fucking happened Liam? She jumped in front of me, all beaten and bloody, and took a bullet for me!” I shout the last four words. “Mia took a bullet for me and now, I might have lost her forever, but you listen to me you sonofabitch,” I cross the room and stand in front of him in the blink of an eye. “Like I told Mia and told you over and over again, I will not be marrying anyone else!”
A week after Mia crashed me like a bug and then proceeded, in short order, to toss me out like yesterday’s trash, I’m here to ensure her fucking safety.
Cole called me about the text Mia received, but I was already dealing with the situation with Dad and now, today is D-day.
I’m a mess, sure. The cops are still on me but after a brief chat with them, they finally uncuffed me and let me leave.
There was no way I could stay there, under the same roof as Mia to be honest, especially when my instincts and the very core of me ate screaming to take her, screaming, kicking and all, and fuse her to me in a way that she’ll never leave me.
When I left her room, I did it only for her and the ordeal she suffered, but one thing I fucking know for sure is she’s fucking mine and don’t give a damn what she says.
She will kiss me. I’d give up everything in my life just to be kissed by her, which makes me a dangerous man.
I’m already suffering from guilt, but I can’t have her just dismiss us like we were never anything.
For now, I’m going to give her space and make sure that when she’s always safe. Even if that means I have to do all the devil’s dirty work to ensure that.
“J…” Liam starts, sounding uncertain.
“You could have had faith in me,” I mutter, staring at him. “You could’ve just believed in me.”
He frowns, watching me. “Brother, if I offended you, I…”
“No, the time for talking is done. You need action to make you feel better about a pair of girls you hate, huh?” I turn away from him and look around the foyer. “Dad? Where are you?”
“In here!”
We all turn toward the voice and like a single unit, we all make our way down the familiar hallway to his office.
The double doors are slightly open and when I push them open, I don’t bat an eye when I see the two people in the room.