“Are you ready?” Dylan asked, stopping at the door to the cubicle. Both Nell and Liam nodded before Dylan slid open the door. Nell stepped through the door, followed closely by Liam.
Seeing his father look so weak was harder than Liam imagined it would be. Sure he had seen him sick before. Several years before Sean had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, but thankfully it had been caught at an early stage, so with treatment, he went into remission. But this, this was different, this was scary. His father was his hero and seeing him so frail and vulnerable, broke Liam’s heart.
“I know it looks scary,” Dylan spoke in a hushed voice. “I mean, I’m used to these machines, but seeing dad like this…”
He coughed to clear his throat.
“But they are mostly for precaution,” he finally continued. “Doctor Browning said the operation couldn’t have gone smoother and that Dad would be up and about in no time. He said he would come and speak to you shortly.”
“Thank you, Dylan,” Nell whispered as she reached for Sean’s hand, bringing it to her lips. She kissed his hand softly before she leaned forward, kissing his cheek. “Sean, I’m here. Thank you for not leaving me.”
A wave of grief suddenly hit Liam.
“I need to get some fresh air,” he blurted out before he turned and hurried out of the cubicle. As he hurried back down along the corridor, Callum stepped out of the waiting room.
The moment he saw Liam, a worried look filled his face.
“Liam, what’s wrong?” He asked, sounding completely terrified.
“I just need some air,” Liam replied without even slowing down.
“Liam!” Callum called after him, but Liam didn’t stop. He didn’t even wait for the elevator, instead choosing to take the stairs. He just needed to get out; he felt like everything was suffocating him.
He barely made it out the front doors of the hospital, when his stomach heaved. He hurried to a nearby trash can, where he vomited violently until his stomach was empty.
Finally, when there was nothing left inside him, he wiped his mouth, then stumbled to a nearby bench.
Breathe! He chanted in his head over and over. Everything is going to be okay.
“Are you okay?” Callum’s voice came suddenly from behind him.
“Yeah,” Liam sighed without turning to look at his brother.
“He’s going to be okay,” Callum assured him. “This is Dad we’re talking about.”
“I know,” Liam replied, this time he turned to smile at his brother.
It was weird. Out of his four brothers, Callum was the one he was the least close to. Or at least, that’s how it used to be. But over the past few months, since the whole Georgie thing, he and Callum had grown closer. He knew that there was nothing he couldn’t tell Callum that would change their bond now.
Lexi crashed into his mind, and Liam wondered what Callum would say if he told him about her.
He opened his mouth to speak, but then just smiled instead, deciding that now was not the time or place.
“Let’s go back in,” Liam said, standing up, giving his brother a pat on the back. “We need to let the old man know that scaring us like this is not cool.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Callum chuckled before he turned, leading Liam back into the hospital as he pushed Lexi from his mind one more time.
Chapter 2
Liam pulled into the underground parking garage of his loft apartment and turned off the engine. As he released a long sigh, he wiped the tiredness from his eyes, before he pushed open the door of his Mustang.
It had been almost a week since his father’s operation, and Liam felt happy that Sean was doing much better. Dylan said he should be home in a day or two. Liam knew this had made his mother happy, so that made him happy too.
Still, it had been a long, hard, emotional week and Liam was glad that it was finally over. Climbing from the car, he made his way across the parking garage, to the large manual lift at the far side of the dimly lit space, and pulled up the large wooden door. Stepping inside, he pulled the door back down, before pressing the button to make it move. The old service elevator jumped into life, rising slowly up through the building.
When he reached his floor, he hit the button again, stopping the lift once more, before he pulled up the door and stepped off.
As he walked to his door, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, smiling when he saw Dylan’s name flashing on the screen. Hitting accept Liam brought the phone to his ear.
“Hey,” Liam said, as he slipped his key into the door. “I only left the hospital fifteen minutes ago, don’t tell me you’re missing me already.”
“Yeah,” Dylan chuckled down the phone. “Like I’d miss a hole in the head.”
“I love you too, Asshole,” Liam laughed as he threw his keys on the hall table. “Is everything okay? Is Dad okay?”
“Everything is great,” Dylan assured him, and Liam could hear the smile in his brother’s voice. “I was actually wondering if you’d like to go for a drink?”
“Tonight?” Liam asked, half hoping he’d say no as he flopped down onto the sofa in his living room.
“Yeah,” Dylan replied, as Liam sighed silently to himself. “The girls have all gone home with mom, and Finn and Callum are just about to leave the hospital. So, we thought that maybe we could all go for a couple of beers. Finn is calling Landen as we speak.”
Liam closed his eyes, dropping his head back onto the sofa, wishing he could just say no, but he knew he couldn’t. Dylan wouldn’t have let him off that easy.
“Come on, Liam,” Dylan pushed, clearly sensing his reluctance. Liam smiled, knowing that there was nothing he could hide from Dylan.
“Let me jump in the shower,” Liam replied, releasing a long sigh, before he lifted his head once more. “I will meet you when I’m done.”
“Great!” Dylan exclaimed. “We’re gonna check out the new bar across from the hospital, so meet us there.”
“Okay,” Liam replied, as he pushed up from the sofa. “I won’t be long.”
Liam said his goodbyes to Dylan, before hanging up his phone, and heading to his bedroom. Once there, he threw his phone down on the bed, then pulled his t-shirt over his head.
Walking into the bathroom, Liam quickly reached in and switched on the shower, before he reached for the buttons on his jeans.
When he was stripped off, he climbed beneath the hot water, letting it wash away his tiredness.
If he was honest, it was more than just tiredness. Since the morning his father had the operation, Liam felt like there was a dark cloud hanging over him. He tried to convince himself that it was all to do with his dad. He hated seeing his father so weak and helpless. Sean was, after all, his hero, and Liam was so afraid he would lose him.
Still, in his heart, Liam knew it was more than that. Even after Sean came around, something was still bothering him; he just didn’t know what.
You need sex; he thought to himself as he worked some shampoo through his hair. His mind instantly returned to Lara, the blonde he had spent the previous weekend with. Maybe he should give her a call. She was fun to spend time with, and her body. That body!
Instantly his cock twitched.
You don’t have time for that, Asshole! He scolded himself in his mind, pushing thoughts of Lara from his head. He switched off the shower, then climbed out, heading back to his bedroom to get ready for this night out with his brothers.
Forty minutes later, Liam pulled open the door to the bar across from the hospital, where he had agreed to meet his brothers. It was pretty crowded, but then it was Saturday night.
He stood by the door for a moment, as he searched the crowd for his brothers. He was just beginning to regret his decision to come, when he spotted Dylan at the far side of the bar, waving at him to get his attention. Liam lifted his hand, waving back, letting Dylan know that he saw him.
He pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the table where his brothers were
all sitting. Liam was the last one to arrive.
“You made it!” Dylan exclaimed slapping his brother on the back. “We thought you were blowing us off.”
“And let you losers have all the fun?” Liam laughed. “As if.”
He looked around the club, taking in all the pretty girls and his smile widened.
“We are here to relax and spend time together,” Landen said as if he was reading his mind. Liam turned back to his brothers and grinned. “We’re not here for hooking up.”
“That’s because three of you losers are happily married,” Liam laughed. “Or at least as good as married. Dylan and I are still young, free and single.”
“Is that all you think about?” Callum asked with a chuckle.
“Isn’t that all you think about?” Liam said, raising his eyebrows, then added with a laugh. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Callum laughed as he crumpled up a napkin and threw it at him, just as the waitress arrived at the table to take their drinks order. She was a pretty blonde, wearing a top and skirt that left nothing to the imagination, which Liam knew was exactly the effect she was going for. The moment her eyes met Liam, she smiled at him and gave him a flirty wink.
“What can I get for you gentlemen?” The waitress asked, giving Liam a look that said nothing was off the menu.
“Well, we could start with your number,” Liam growled, giving her a killer smile as he took in every inch of her beautiful face before his eyes dropped a little further down to her boobs that were almost trying to escape from her top.
“We’ll have five beers,” Landen quickly said, before the waitress could answer, while Liam shot him an unimpressed look.
“Coming right up,” she replied, giving Liam one more grin, before she turned to head back towards the bar.
“You really can’t help yourself, can you?” Landen said, shaking his head at his younger brother.
“What?” Liam asked as he glanced toward the waitress one last time. “I’m single, and she is hot.”
Landen rolled his eyes, as the rest of the brothers just laughed.
When the waitress returned a few moments later, she set the tray of beers down on the table, before placing the bottles onto the table. Then, she turned to Liam, handing him a piece of paper, she leaned down and whispered.
“I get off at twelve,” she breathed against his ear.
Without saying another word, or waiting for a response, the waitress returned to the bar, leaving Liam sitting there with a broad smile on his face.
“Unbelievable,” Dylan laughed as he shook his head. “You’re in the bar all of ten minutes and you already have a girl’s number.”
“What can I say?” Liam laughed as he picked up the piece of paper and slipped it into his pocket. “Some of us are just too damn irresistible.”
He reached for his bottle of beer and brought it to his lips, laughing as he took a long sip.
Over the next couple of hours, the five brothers sat there, laughing and talking. It was exactly what Liam needed. Finally, the dark cloud seemed to have disappeared, he was feeling more like his old self.
It was just after midnight, when they all decided to call it a night. As Liam stood up, he searched the bar for the waitress. Every time she came to take their order, she had flirted shamelessly with Liam; touching his arm and bumping against him deliberately. He knew this girl wanted him and if he was honest, he wanted her to.
He quickly found her standing at the bar, watching him. The minute their eyes met, Liam could feel his cock twitch, as he thought about the things he wanted to do to her.
“Are you okay?” Dylan asked suddenly next to Liam, making him jump.
“Yeah,” Liam replied, a little surprised by his brother’s question. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know,” Dylan shrugged. “You haven’t seemed yourself this week.”
“I’m okay, Little Brother,” Liam assured Dylan, using the term that always drove his brother insane, as he slapped him on the back.
“Don’t start with the little brother crap,” Dylan groaned, rolling his eyes as he slipped on his jacket.
“I’m sorry,” Liam laughed, slapping Dylan on the back once more. “Sometimes I can’t help myself.”
“Please, try,” Dylan replied with a grin, before he gave Liam a worried look. “But if there is something on your mind, you know you can talk to me.”
“I know,” Liam said, giving his brother a genuine smile. “It’s just been a long week, for all of us, but Dad is on the mend, so everything is okay now.”
“If you’re sure,” Dylan replied with a smile, but Liam knew there was something else, something he wanted to say but didn’t. Instead he smiled again before he glanced towards the bar and the waitress, who was still watching Liam with great interest. “So, I see your friend is waiting for you.”
“I see that too,” Liam grinned, giving Dylan a wink.
“You’re really going to go home with her?” Dylan asked, giving Liam a look of disbelief.
“Why the hell not?” Liam laughed, as he glanced over at the waitress and gave her a wave.
“Because you don’t even know her,” Dylan sighed, giving Liam a worried look.
“And that, dear brother, is the best part,” Liam laughed, as he turned back to Dylan. “I don’t need to know her.”
“But you know you’re never going to meet someone,” Dylan replied, his face completely serious. “Not if you keep screwing this endless string of women.”
“Dylan, you’re starting to sound like those other three ladies,” Liam laughed out loud.
“Who’s a lady?” Finn asked as he stepped closer to Dylan and Liam.
“You and the two ugly sisters,” Liam quipped, then laughed again. “Dylan wants me to be more like you girls. Meet some chick and settle down.”
“There are worse things in the world,” Landen said, as he and Callum joined the conversations.
“But I like my life the way it is,” Liam said, feeling a little bit irritated that once more, his brothers were on his ass about the girls he hooked up with. “That life may be what you guys want, but it’s not for me.”
“It was once,” Dylan said, stunning Liam that he actually went there.
“Screw you, Dylan.” Liam hissed, pissed that his brother would bring Lexi up. “She has nothing to do with this.”
“Doesn’t she?” Dylan asked, not backing down.
“What is he talking about?” Callum asked, looking from Liam to Dylan.
“Nothing that matters,” Liam replied abruptly as he pulled his jacket from the back of the chair, then slipped it on. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I hate to keep a beautiful lady waiting.”
He turned on his heel and pushed through the crowd, making his way toward the waitress, feeling really pissed off at Dylan.
“LIAM!” Dylan called after him, but Liam pretended not to hear him. Instead, he remained focused on the girl at the bar.
She smiled when she saw Liam working his way through the crowd towards her. She stood up from her stool, waiting for him to reach her.
“Hi there,” Liam said, as he reached her, giving her one of his most charming smiles. “How would you like to get out of here?”
“I’d love to,” she replied with a wicked grin. “I’m Sasha, by the way.”
“Liam,” he replied, offering her his hand. “It’s lovely to meet you, Sasha.”
“You too, Liam,” she purred as she took hold of his hand, stepping closer to him, she pressed her other hand to his chest. “I’ve got a bottle of merlot back at my place and a twelve-year-old bottle of scotch. How would you like to join me for a nightcap?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Liam said, grabbing hold of her hand, then heading for the door.
Once they were outside the bar, Liam raised his hand and stopped a passing cab. Opening the door, he stepped back, allowing Sasha to climb in, before he climbed in after her. He barely had the door closed when Sasha launched herself
at him.
“You’re a naughty little minx,” Liam gasped, as he pulled his lips from hers. “Maybe I’m gonna have to teach you how to behave.”
“Oooo,” she giggled before she moved closer to Liam once more. “I’d like that.”
Before Liam could reply, she bit down on his bottom lip, as she dropped her hand to his crotch, taking hold of his cock through his pants.
“Mmm,” she growled against his lips. “Tonight is going to be fun.”
Ten minutes later, they were climbing the front steps to a four story walk-up where the girl lived. Sasha slipped her key into the door, then opened it, leading Liam inside and up the stairs to the second floor.
They had barely made it through the door when Sasha launched herself at Liam once more.
Liam wasted no time. He picked her up and made his way down the hallway to the living room, before he crashed down onto the sofa, taking her with him.
They quickly began to pull at each other’s clothes, their mouths colliding over and over, as they each seemed desperate to consume the other. Finally, Sasha pulled back and smiled, before she slid down to the floor, reaching for the belt on Liam’s trousers,
“I need to taste you,” she growled, watching him from beneath her long lashes, making short work of his belt and zipper. Before Liam could reply, his cock was firmly between her lips as she began to work her magic.
He rested his head back on the sofa, trying to think of nothing but the gorgeous blonde who was now sucking his cock. But suddenly Dylan crashed into his mind and what he had said to him before he had left the bar.
Fuck him! Liam thought miserably. Fuck him for bringing her up.
Lexi instantly flashed into his thoughts, but he refused to go there, he refused to think about her.
He hated that she was still there, still inside his mind, still inside his heart. He couldn’t let himself think of her again. He would not open the wound once more.
Suddenly he felt tired and wanted just to go home. Maybe this was a mistake after all. Maybe Dylan was right.
Liam (The Murphy Boys Series Book 4) Page 2
