by T. C. Clark
“What are you talking about?” Irene asked. She didn’t make eye contact as she spoke.
Mel frowned and shook her head. “We aren’t doing that again. Tell me what’s on your mind. I see the look on your face. What’s going on with Liam?”
“Mel, I’m not sure where to start.”
“Start with everything. There is clearly something going on between you two. You’re literally in Scotland visiting with his family. Hell, Gabby asked me about your favorite dishes yesterday. You are in this, Irene. So, stop pretending you aren’t.”
Irene sighed, and Mel relaxed. She knew her friend well; whatever she said next would be the truth, and no matter what happened, Mel would be there to support her.
“I’m in love with Liam.”
“I can see that.”
“And it’s not the easy kind of love, either. I am completely and utterly in love with this man, and I’m terrified.”
“I can understand that. You’ve been burned before. It’s probably hard for you to trust someone.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust Liam. Surprisingly, I do. I don’t know how it happened, but I know in my heart that Liam is not like my ex.”
“Okay, then what in the hell has you so afraid, and why haven’t you talked to me about it? I know I could just look it up, but I wanted to respect your privacy. But I’m beginning to think that decision was a mistake,” Mel admitted.
Irene looked down at her hands, folded neatly on her lap, and exhaled deeply. “A few years back, when I worked in Europe, I met someone, and I fell in love with him.”
“Yeah, you told me a little about that. What was his name… Bryce something?”
“Yep, he was one of the chief engineers for my department. It wasn’t an easy fall, not like with Liam. It took time for me to let my guard down with him, but eventually, I was very much in love.”
“Okay, I hear the but coming.”
“Bryce was married, a fact he hid from me. No one in our circle knew about his past. It turned out they’d been separated for years, but she wouldn’t agree to a divorce. The news broke me, shamed me to my core, and I left him. But that decision came too late. His wife, Sybil, is horrific. She told me she never loved him, but that didn’t mean she was willing to let him go. Sybil said she was going to use me as an example for Bryce to show him what she was capable of. She then proceeded to destroy me. She vilified me in the press, got me fired, and made sure that anyone who dared to help me or defend me would suffer. Bryce just stood by and watched in silence. Mel, she stalked my every move and took every opportunity to humiliate and shame me. Finally, when someone left slut spray-painted across my door for the third time, I left. She’d won… I was broken. I came back to New Orleans, and Sybil followed. I know she was trying to go after Shonda’s church, but for some reason, she stopped. But the lesson was engraved into my brain. Sybil had money and fame, which meant she had power. I told her I didn’t know about her, and I ended things with Bryce as soon as I found out. She laughed in my face and told me this was the opportunity she’d been waiting for to break Bryce. She is an awful woman with an appalling amount of power, and I’ve seen what she can do. So, I’ve stayed as far away from the press as possible and kept a low profile. Liam moves in the same circles Sybil does, and I don’t want him or anyone I love to have to deal with a woman like that.”
“You know this isn’t your fault, right? The blame is on Bryce. I know you; he would have never convinced you to date him if you knew he was married.”
“After a few years of therapy, I understand that, but it took years to find my self-worth again. Enough people call you names, and you start to believe them. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to look at me differently.”
“What? Irene, you are smarter than that. I’m the last person who would judge you.”
“I know that, but I was in a different place back then. My self-esteem was gone, and I doubted my instincts about everything. I just wanted to protect myself from any more pain. I was so depressed, Mel. I’m finally in a better place, and now, here comes Liam. He’s turned everything upside down.”
“And now you are afraid of what will happen to Liam?”
“You don’t understand the kind of things she’s capable of. She hired actors to play my exes, set up a press conference, and then changed the story around to suit her needs. Sybil knew the truth, but she told everyone I targeted Bryce for his money. The worst part was that she didn’t do it because she still cared about Bryce. She told me to my face that she never loved him, and she’d only married for his status and money. She wanted him to sign over his entire inheritance to her, and she was using our situation to sway the courts in her favor.”
“And where was that asshole when all of this was going down?”
“He left me alone to deal with it. I ended things as soon as I found out about Sybil. I never talked to Bryce again after that.”
“What a coward!” Mel frowned with disgust.
“It’s fine. Actually, it’s what I preferred. But you see what I’m saying? Liam would be an easy target for her. Hell, she would probably go after him just for fun.”
Mel stood up and walked over to the edge of the porch. “Has she contacted you at any point since you two last talked?”
“No, but she’s vindictive and unpredictable, Mel. I can’t get into another war with her. I barely made it out the first time.”
“Well, things are different now. You have me, and Liam isn’t a coward. You have to believe he can handle this, and if Sybil shows up, we will deal with her together. Trust me, Sybil isn’t the only one who knows how to be vindictive. Now that I know who she is, I’m going to look into her past. A woman like that has plenty to hide, and I know just where to look.”
“Mel, I don’t want that. I just want to….”
“Hide. I know. But I’m not going to let you do that. You love Liam, and that just doesn’t happen—not to women like us. We overthink, and if you do that here, you will lose something that I know you will regret later on. I’ve got you, Irene. If you trust Liam, let him in. I know how you were raised, and I get how that situation would have really hurt you, but I still think you should talk to Liam about it. He’s a Campbell, and I’ve learned that all Campbells are tough. I want you to be happy, Irene. Let yourself be happy.”
Irene sighed and looked down at the street below. Mel was right about one thing, Liam was not Bryce. She knew that in her heart. He wouldn’t run from a fight, and neither should she.
It was time for her to stop living in the past and start being grateful for her present. She had a wonderful man who actually felt the same way about her.
“Thank you for stopping by, Mel. Talking to you was just what I needed.”
“So, what happens now?”
“I go find Liam and make sure he knows how I feel.”
“And Sybil?”
“I will handle her if she shows up again, but I’m going to stop worrying about her and focus on me now.”
“That’s my girl. Now, go back in there and get your man.”
Irene hugged her Mel and ran back in.
Mel sat back down on the steps for a few minutes. She needed time to work out a plan. No one messed with her family, and now that Irene had finally told her the truth, she could act.
“Yes, girl, go get your man and leave Sybil to me.”
* * *
“Do you want to talk about it? I see that you finally caught the bug going around,” Cole said as he typed away on his laptop. The smug smirk on his face did not help Liam’s mood.
He knew Cole was referring to him making fun of his brothers for falling in love so quickly. In the last couple of years, the Campbell family tree had changed drastically. From what Liam could tell, none of the changes were a bad thing.
“Do you want me to tell Mel that you are working on your honeymoon?” Liam asked, instead.
He knew Mel had a strict no electronics policy for their honeymoon. Liam watched th
e smirk disappear from his face. “That’s low.”
Liam chuckled; it was funny watching his brother, a former soldier and hardened PI, squirm at the thought of disappointing his wife.
“I don’t need to talk about it. At least, not yet.”
“So, you’ve already decided,” Cole said knowingly. He closed his laptop and focused on Liam.
“I have.”
Cole nodded; everyone had warned Liam away from Irene. He was a man who never committed, and since Irene was Mel’s best friend, the idea of them starting any kind of relationship wasn’t ideal. But Liam had known better than that. Irene inspired something unique inside of him, and he wasn’t going to let her go.
Liam loved her. He nearly laughed at how insane this was. He’d never thought he’d be at this point with any woman. After years of dating, he’d figured he was destined to be single. Irene had slipped into his heart as easily as a warm knife cut through butter.
Yeah, he was sure about her. A man didn’t walk away from something this important. A man fought for what he loved. That decision calmed some of the tension building in his chest, but he still had a problem.
How did he tell Irene about Paris? Ted had bought him a little more time to make his decision, but the sooner he had an answer, the quicker Ted could review his contract.
His eyes followed Irene as she walked back into the room. Irene had pulled Mel aside as soon as they arrived to talk. He had an ominous feeling that the conversation was about him.
What was going on inside Irene’s head? He knew he couldn’t keep her in Scotland indefinitely, and he needed to be honest with her now. It was crazy to think how much his life had changed over the last few weeks.
Irene had become an essential factor in his decision making. He hadn’t said the words yet, but they were still there beating in his chest.
Liam had never been in love. No one other than his family had ever affected any decision he made regarding his career. Now, he had Irene. He needed to know how she fit into this.
Liam let his mind drift forward. The first image that popped into his mind was Irene swollen with his child. The picture hardened his cock, and he shifted in his chair. The idea of his child growing safely inside of Irene brought out something primitive in him. He was surprised to find no fear in his thoughts.
His reaction alone told him everything he needed to know.
“Hey, we are going to head out now,” Mel said when she walked back into the room. Cole stood up and greeted his wife with a tender kiss.
Liam smiled; his brother had been through so much pain in his life; it was beautiful to see him so happy.
“I thought you wanted to stay for dinner?” Cole asked as she picked up his laptop.
“Nope, we have a honeymoon to get back to, and you need to do your husbandly duties,” Mel wiggled her eyebrows with a lecherous gleam in her eyes, and Liam laughed.
“I’m sorry, Wife. I had no idea you felt neglected in that department. I’ll go warm the car. See you two later,” Cole yelled as he left the room.
“Oh, I need to get your present,” Irene said. She dashed out of the room. Liam knew she was referring to a throw they’d picked up in town a few days earlier.
Once she was out of the room, Mel turned back to him. There was a coldness in her eyes that he hadn’t seen since Belgium. “You know if you break her heart that I will come for you. She is an amazing woman, complicated as hell, but amazing nonetheless. She deserves only good things, Liam. Campbell or not, I will protect her from anything that brings her pain.”
“I love her, Mel. She is mine; that means I protect her from pain now,” Liam said simply.
Mel examined him for a second. “Good.”
“Here you go.” Irene handed her the package, and they all laughed when they heard the car honk.
“My husband calls. I will see you two soon enough. Take care of each other,” Mel said.
Irene ran to the door to wave them off. As soon as they disappeared from view, she closed the door and turned to face him.
There was something different in her eyes, something that demanded action.
“Irene, I need to tell you…” The words were cut off by the pressure of her lips.
She kissed him hungrily. Every thought but one disappeared from his mind. He could only feel Irene’s need calling to him. He picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom.
He never released her mouth. Liam needed to capture every sound that escaped her lips. Damn, she tasted good. Lust clouded his vision and made it hard for him to think clearly.
He pulled at her clothes and cursed when he heard her top rip. He could feel Irene’s nails clawing at his shirt as well. She was as lost as he was. Once they were naked, they stood chest to chest.
Liam had spent every night of this trip memorizing Irene’s curves. He’d tasted each one, and still, his cock was so hard that it touched his belly. Would he ever get enough of this woman? Was that even possible?
Liam ran a hand up her neck to cup her face. Her brown skin was so soft to the touch. He could spend hours mapping her body. Her thick black hair fell in waves around her face.
She was so beautiful. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you.”
Irene looked up, and he growled at the emotion he found in her eyes. For once, Irene wasn’t a mystery.
“I love you, Liam. I’m not sure if that is a good or bad thing, but it’s the truth.”
“Irene…”
“You don’t have to say it back. I just really needed to say it.” She kissed him again and automatically his arms wrapped around her. He held her in place and took his fill.
Somehow, the kiss tasted even sweeter. It took Liam a moment to regain control, but reluctantly he released her lips.
“I love you, too. I know it’s a good thing; it’s not going to be easy, but we will make this work, Irene.”
“And how do you know it will work?” Irene asked softly.
Liam could hear the vulnerability in her voice, and that relaxed him more than anything else.
He’d been worried about how quickly he’d fallen for Irene. Liam wasn’t adverse to love, but he’d also never experienced it. It was like being on a constant roller coaster that he wasn’t in control of. He was unsure how to direct it, but he had no intention of getting off.
Liam hadn’t lied when he’d told Mel that Irene was his to protect. He would make this work for them.
“Look at me, Irene.” Liam tilted her chin back so she could see his eyes. Her dark brown eyes searched his. “This will work because we will make it work. I’m not going to walk away if this gets hard, are you?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then we have nothing to worry about. Now, how about I show you what I mean when I say I love you.”
Liam picked Irene up and tossed her on the bed. She giggled as she hit the mattress. She tried to scoot back, but he caught her leg and pulled her back to the center of the soft bed.
“I’m not sure you understand what love is,” she laughed.
Liam didn’t speak while he looked down at his woman. There was a light sheen of sweat covering her brown skin. Her eyes were dark with desire.
“Oh, I understand what love is,” Liam whispered as he leaned down to cover her body. His steel cock pressed against her soft belly as he caged her body.
His tongue traced the column of her neck as his hand slipped down her body.
“I understand just fine,” Liam kissed her softly.
He let her feel the impact she had on his body. Every muscle swelled under her light touch.
Liam took her lips, and this time, he was gentle. He kept the kiss light as his hands roamed her body. He loved the way Irene moved her body against his.
He lifted his head and looked down at her. Irene’s eyes widened as she caught the emotion in his.
“You know tonight changes everything, don’t you?” Liam asked.
“I know.”
Irene widened her legs, and h
e settled between her soft thighs. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled him close and kissed him.
His hands moved up her hips to her full breasts. As she commanded the kiss, he worked her body with his touch. He couldn’t risk tasting her right now. Her essence alone was enough to make him lose control, and he wanted this moment to last. This was the first time he’d ever told a woman he loved her.
Irene must have understood the importance of the moment because she didn’t push him to move faster. She trembled under his touch.
How long they stayed locked in each other’s arms, he didn’t know, but by the time he pulled back, they were both gasping for breath.
“Liam, I need more,” Irene whispered.
“So do I, baby,” Liam pushed her legs wider with his hips. He could feel himself going over the edge.
He could feel her dew against the tip of his cock. He rubbed the tip along her sheath, to coat him. He would use it to ease his way.
Irene was a tight fit for his size, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to go slow tonight.
He entered her with one sure thrust and didn’t stop until his balls lay flush against her hips. She hissed at the invasion, and her walls clamped down on him hard. Before she could catch her breath, he moved. His hunger for her dictated his movements. His hips lunged forward with deep, heavy thrusts.
Irene’s hands moved up his neck to cup the back of his head, and she pulled him down to taste his lips.
With each buck of her hips, he felt her body tense. God, how was this so fucking good? It couldn’t be like this every time, could it? Irene’s body moved under his as her walls tightened.
He felt the sharp bite of her nails, and he hips continued to piston into hers. She didn’t release his mouth, but he could make out the tiny gasps she made with each thrust.
Suddenly, she stilled beneath him, and her eyes closed. She moaned as the tight walls of her sheath clamped down around him. As soon as he felt her contract around him, he let go of his control.
He rutted over, he needed to feel every pull of her womb. The animal in his chest demanded it. He ground his hips into hers until his body gave up the fight.
