Never Giving Up (The Never Series Book 2)

by Kristin MacQueen

  “I'm fine.” I grumble. I don’t want Macy to feel any guilt. The only guilty person in all of this is our piece of shit father.

  “How’s your side?” Her voice softens. She sits up again, peering down at me. Her hand reaches towards me, tracing the outline of the light bruise under my eye. Soft finger tips caress my skin, my eyes close, enjoying the touch of someone else. “How’s your eye?” She whispers. Tingles spread through my body. I don’t think I’ve ever been attracted to someone as much as I am to Miranda.

  “I'm ok.”

  “Did you put ice on your side?”

  “No, it will be fine.”

  “This isn't the first time, is it?”

  I bolt upright, glancing away, I can't look at her and admit I’ve been getting abused since the day my mom walked out. I shake my head, staring at an old playset in the backyard.

  A pair of arms wrap around my waist, holding me tightly. I blink in surprise, peering down at Miranda holding onto me like I mean something to her. I wrap my arms around her, not really sure what else I should do.

  “I'm sorry.” She says into my chest. Her warm breath filtering through my shirt, heating my skin.

  “For what?”

  “That you have to deal with all of this. It’s horrible, Liam.”

  “It’s gonna be ok. I just have to figure things out.”

  “I want to help.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know. I can hang out with Macy so you can have some time to yourself. You guys can come over here as much as you want. If you want to get an apartment, I can help with that.”

  “You’re not paying for an apartment for us and I don’t know how I’d pay for one.”

  “Liam...” She pulls back slightly, staring up at me.

  “No, Mira, I gotta do this myself.”

  “Will you at least live with us when we start college?”

  “Yes.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah,” I chuckle at the excitement in her eyes. She’s so beautiful right now. “Noah and I always planned to live together and it would be nice for Macy to have some girls around... If you don’t mind her living with us. If not, I can find something else for us. None of you signed up to live with a kid.”

  “They won't mind at all and I definitely don’t mind. I love Macy. I’ve always wanted a little sister... there’s one more thing she’s upset about.”

  “What?”

  “She thinks you’re not going to fall in love because you’re too busy taking care of her.” She bites her bottom lip, trying her hardest not to laugh or smile. She fails horribly.

  I run a hand down my face, nothing can possibly be more embarrassing than your eight-year-old sister being worried about your dating life. My hands fall to her hips, holding on for dear life.

  “That’s insane.”

  “Then why don’t you have a girlfriend?”

  “Because I don’t want one.”

  “You’re such a bad liar.” She smirks at me. Heat spreads up my neck, I'm sure my cheeks are red. “Who is it?”

  “Who’s what?”

  “Who’s the girl you wanna date?”

  “No one. I don’t wanna date anyone.”

  “Hmmm... that means I know her.”

  No! Fuck no!

  I'm not having this conversation with Miranda. I can't just say You! I wanna date you!

  I can't have a girlfriend right now; my sole focus needs to be Macy and only Macy. In time I’ll be able to focus on myself... only like ten more years, right? Shit.

  “Nope. No, not at all. You don’t know them because they don’t exist.”

  “Ok.” She lays back down with a shrug of her shoulders.

  “That’s it?” Irrational anger flares through me.

  “What?”

  “You’re just letting it go? What’s wrong with you?”

  “You said she doesn’t exist. Me probing isn't going to get the truth outta you, I might as well lay back and relax, I can't make you admit something you clearly haven’t admitted to yourself.”

  “I don’t like you sometimes.” I mumble under my breath.

  “Sometimes?” Hope fills her voice; wide eyes stare back at me. “It used to be all the time. That means you’re starting to like me!”

  “Nope. Still don’t like you.”

  “And you didn’t say hate!” She gives me a look that seems like she might start crying.

  “Anything else embarrassing she said I need to be aware of?” I try to change the topic; I don’t want to discuss how I feel about Miranda with Miranda.

  Her eyes focus on anything but me, her smile widening no matter how hard she tries to hide it.

  “What else did she say, Mira?”

  “Nothing, it’s not important.” She jumps to her feet, trying to get away from me. I stand right along with her.

  “Miranda!”

  “Hey, Macy and I are besties, that means I don’t have to tell you everything.”

  “And I thought we were besties.” I grumble under my breath.

  Her eyes widen, her mouth falls open slightly, she stares at me. She looks like a fish but she doesn’t say a word. It takes her a few moments to pull herself together.

  “You made it very clear you didn’t want to be friends with me.” Her voice is barely a whisper but it’s like a megaphone to my heart. I’ve crushed her each and every time I told her I didn’t want to be friends. I knew it upset her, yet I still was doing it!

  “What if I changed my mind?”

  “Why?” She takes a step back, out of my reach.

  “What do you mean, why?”

  “I mean, why would you change your mind? You’ve been pretty dead set on keeping your distance.”

  I close the distance between us. One hand finds her hip once again, the other tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear, tracing her jaw before cupping her cheek.

  “You came out of nowhere and turned my entire life upside down. I didn’t want a damn thing to do with you but you refused to take no as an answer. You’ve taken care of Macy, done everything in your power to help her and make her feel better. You’ve taken care of me. Made sure we’re fed, safe and taken care of. You calm my sister’s worries and are there for her every second of the day. I’ve never met someone like you. I judged you on assumptions and I'm sorry for that. You deserve better.”

  She beams up at me, I don’t think her smile could stretch any wider if she tried. But then it widens even more, proving me wrong.

  “Does that mean you wanna be my friend?”

  “Nah, I don’t wanna be your friend, Mira...” Her face falls, her head drops, severing our eye contact. I grip her chin between my thumb and forefinger, lifting it until she’s forced to meet my gaze again. There are tears in her eyes, making me feel like the biggest asshole in the world. “I don’t wanna be your friend. I wanna be your bestie.”

  Her arms snake around my neck, she jumps in the air, wrapping her legs around my waist, holding onto me like she’ll die if she lets go. I’ve never felt as loved as I do right this second, with Miranda wrapped around me. I never want to let her go.

  I bury my face in her neck, close my eyes and enjoy the feeling of her in my arms. I know this isn't going to happen often but I'm going to enjoy it while I can.

  “There’s my girl!” A deep male voice rumbles from behind us.

  Miranda’s head snaps up, a huge smile breaking across her face. She lets out a loud squeal and jumps out of my arms. She races in the direction of the voice. I spin on my heels, staring after her. My jaw clenches, my hands form fists when she jumps into a guy’s arms, wrapping her legs around his waist like she just did to me.

  My heart deflates, I feel empty inside. I mean nothing to her.

  The guy kisses her cheek, holding her against him, whispering something in her ear that makes her throw her head back laughing. I want to punch him in the face. I want to rip her from his arms and claim her as mine. I want to rewind five minutes to when I w
as the most important person to her.

  I amble towards them, I'm in no hurry to meet her boyfriend. I thought she left everyone behind. She always said she didn’t have a boyfriend but she also said she was the one to end things, the guys never wanted to break up. Maybe this one is trying to get her back.

  “I missed you, Max.” Frankie says, embracing him like he’s a long-lost friend. My gaze snaps to Noah. I expect him to be livid but he’s smiling at Max. My mouth drops open when Noah gives him a hug too. What the fuck is going on? “How’s college?”

  “It sucks without you two in my life.” He throws them a wink causing them to giggle. My jaw clenches even tighter, I'm afraid I'm going to break a molar. “How’s my girl doing?”

  He pulls Miranda back into his arms. My blood boils. I need to get out of here before I do something I regret.

  “I missed you so much, Maxy. Why can't you go to college around here?”

  “Baby girl, you know I would if I could. But next year you’ll be with me again and it will be just like old times.”

  “I can't wait! It’s gonna be so much fun!”

  “Are you living with me or Frankie?”

  “Frankie. We’re all gonna move in together.”

  “Good. You’ll have fun... Wanna introduce me to the guy who looks like he’s gonna rip my head off?” Max’s eyes twinkle with amusement, making me even more mad.

  “Huh?... Oh! You mean Liam?” She glances back and forth between the two of us. “Liam, this is-“

  “Where’s Macy? We have to get going.” I push past them, scanning the area for my sister.

  I don’t want to be introduced to the guy she’s dating or at the very least has a thing for. My ego’s hurt, my heart bruised, I want to go wallow in self-pity.

  “Macy! It’s time to go!” I call loud enough I know she’ll hear me. She comes trotting from around the corner, a big smile on her face.

  “Ok! Thank you for taking me shopping, Miranda! I had so much fun. Thank you for playing with me, Frankie and Noah.”

  “Of course, squirt. You know we love having you around.” Noah tousles her hair causing her to scowl up at him. He laughs and Frankie elbows him in the ribs.

  “It was lovely to meet you, Macy. You’re always welcome here.” Frankie hugs her and gives me a wink. They’re amazing friends to be treating my sister so well. They don’t even know what’s going on at home. No one does... except Miranda.

  I take Macy’s hand in mine, leading her to the sidewalk. We’re half way down the block when I hear someone running up behind us. I don’t look over my shoulder, I can guess who it is and I don’t want to talk to her right now.

  “Liam! Stop!” Her hand grips my bicep. I only stop because if I don’t, Macy will make a big deal out of it.

  “What do you want, Miranda?” I practically growl. Her eyes widen in shock for an instant before she schools her features.

  “So, we’re back to that, huh? I thought we were friends... besties.”

  “Yeah, I'm not sure about that anymore.”

  “What the hell happened in the past five minutes that could’ve possibly changed your mind?”

  “Why don’t you go back to your boyfriend and forget all about me. We don’t need you in our lives, Miranda. Macy and I were doing just fine before you came along and we’ll do just fine after you move on from us.”

  Miranda steps back like I physically slapped her. She stares at me for a few moments before a slow smile spreads over her face.

  “I don’t have a boyfriend, Liam.”

  She takes a step towards me then pauses.

  “You were all over that guy. How is he not your boyfriend?”

  She takes another step closer.

  “Because he’s my brother. My brother who practically raised me when my parents didn’t give a shit about me.” Her voice softens, understanding washes over her face. “You were jealous.” She whispers so only I can hear her.

  Her brother? I completely forgot she had a brother.

  “I was not!” I sigh, running a hand through my hair.

  “You were, and I like it.” She takes the final step separating us, her eyes lock on mine, I couldn’t look away if I wanted to.

  Her small hands fist my shirt, she pulls me down, pressing her lips against mine. I swear my entire world explodes in colors I’ve never experienced before. Fire races through my veins, I’ve never wanted anyone as much as I want Miranda. She makes me crazy, but I can't let go of her. My hands grip her waist, pulling her closer. I tilt my head, deepening our kiss. Her tongue glides across my bottom lip, I open my mouth without a second thought. I can't get enough of this girl.

  Someone taps my arm; I growl in response until I remember Macy is with me. I pull back slightly, press my forehead against Miranda’s. My eyes squeeze shut; I don’t want to open them. I want to live in this moment forever.

  “Hey, cucumber, I thought we were going home.” She whisper yells.

  “In a second, pickle. Just give me a second.” I whisper back.

  Miranda’s body shakes against mine, she tries to keep the laughter in but it breaks free. I love this woman’s laugh.

  “How do you find this funny?”

  “Because she’s been trying to convince me to marry you all day.”

  I pull back, my gaze locking on hers. Her eyes twinkle with amusement, a lopsided smile spreads across her swollen lips.

  “And you find the idea of marrying me funny?”

  “Nah, but I do find it funny we needed an eight-year-old to point out our feelings for us.”

  “Get over here, Mira.” I pull her back into my arms. “You too, pickle.” Macy races over to us, throwing her arms around both of us.

  “So... are you gonna get married?” Macy gives us a cheeky grin, this time both of us crack up laughing at her.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Miranda

  “CAN YOU COME BACK AND meet my brother now?”

  “Yeah, I feel like an idiot though.”

  “Oh, you totally should. You were a total ass to him.”

  “Wow, thanks for making me feel better.”

  “Mhm, anything for you.”

  “You’re such a smart ass.” I say softly, kissing her head as we make our way back to Frankie’s house.

  “But I also have a fantastic ass! Especially in these jeans... check it out!”

  She runs ahead of me a few steps then sways her hips as we continue on our way to the house. She glances over her shoulder; my eyes are locked on her ass. They squeeze shut and I shake my head a little before opening them again. I smirk, biting my bottom lip. She’s sexy as hell but I’ve always known that.

  “You don’t like it?” The most adorable pout forms on her lips. Lips I’d do anything to kiss again. I’ll dream about them tonight, wishing I could hold her in my arms again.

  “I love it, darling.” I glance towards Macy then back at Miranda, silently telling her we need to watch what we say in front of the kid. Her mouth forms an O and she gives me a small nod.

  We go in the house and down to the basement. Frankie and Noah are cuddled up on one couch and Max is sitting on the other. His face lights up when we walk in. Miranda grabs my hand, threading her fingers through mine. Tingles race up my arm and spread through my entire body. Every time we touch, I react like never before.

  She pulls me over to where Max is. Smiling up at me, she turns back to her brother.

  “Max, this is Liam. Liam this is my brother, Max.”

  “Hey, man, it’s nice to meet you... I'm sorry about before.” I hold out my hand, he shakes it, examining me the entire time.

  “What was that about?”

  “It was a misunderstanding.”

  “He was jealous. Thought we were tonsil hockey partners. I set him straight.” She shrugs.

  “Mira...” I groan, scrubbing my face with my hands. “Seriously?”

  “What? You were.” She rolls her eyes. “I think he thought we were playing twister in the bed if y
ou catch my drift.” She winks at me.

  I’ve never wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole before, but right now? Yeah, I’d take that in a second.

  “Ew, dude, she’s my sister.”

  “Obviously I didn’t know that.”

  “Please tell me you aren’t playing...twister with her.” He winces like it’s hard to say.

  “No! Not at all!”

  “I love twister but I’ve never played in bed. Wouldn’t that be hard?” Macy’s voice comes from behind me. I glare at Miranda. She mouths I’m sorry with a wince.

  “You should never play twister in bed. You could get hurt and fall off the bed.” Miranda says, trying her hardest to fix this.

  “Is he your hockey partner?” Max smirks, eyeing me up and down. Silently evaluating if I'm good enough for his sister. I'm not. I know I'm not. She deserves better.

  “He’s trying out for the team. No decisions have been made yet.”

  “Team? As in more than one?” I choke out, a cocky smirk spreads over her lips, my breath catches in my lungs. She’s gorgeous.

  “Aww, it’s ok, buddy. It’s only a duo team. Me and the boy of my choosing. We just gotta wait and see if you make the cut.”

  “Bestie’s got skills!” Noah shouts. I'm not sure if he’s rooting for me or Miranda. They're oddly close.

  “Who am I even competing with?” I know she’s joking around, but the thought of another guy touching her makes my blood boil, my jaw clench and my hands to form fists.

  “Billy...” She holds up a finger for each name. “Jack... Jeremy... Alex... Caleb... Eddie... and Shane.”

  “Seven guys? I'm competing with seven other guys?”

  “Stop screwing with him, Randy. You’re gonna give him a heart attack.” Noah laughs.

  She takes a few steps, closing the space between us. Cupping my cheek, she stares up at me.

  “It’s only you, Liam. I'm just not sure if you’re gonna make the team.” She pats my cheek a few times before she walks away.

  I follow her like an obedient puppy, all the way up the stairs and into the kitchen. She stops in the middle, spinning on her heels to face me.

  “What’s wrong?”