by Pamela Ann
“You’ll see.”
Her words had frightened me. Not only was I dreading tomorrow night, I was even more apprehensive about this entire trip. Fuck, I should have stayed in Sydney.
“Liv?” Gazing into my mother’s eyes, what she said next struck a chord in my heart. “Don’t do anything. I know it’s going to be difficult, but he’s not the same. That’s why I thought having Liam around would prevent you two from exchanging words in private.” She paused, brows furrowing at me. “I don’t want you hurt any more than you already are. It’s selfish of me to drag you back here, but I want a little of my own family, too.”
“Oh, Mom. Are you all right?” I asked when I saw moisture pool in her depths.
She made a wan smile. “It’s been tough, but I’m a little better now.” She gradually stood up and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Liam might not make you feel the way Grey could, but I know that man won’t ever hurt you. I love you both, and Grey’s the closest thing I have for a son, but he’s going to make you miserable.” She lifted my chin towards her, making me understand the heavy weight of her words. “I want to see you smile again. I’m not too sure he’s the man to bring it back to you, though.”
Chapter 11
Liv
My mom’s words swirled in my head like they were from a horror movie—dark and deep with an echoing voice that made the ends of my body hair all stand out.
Sleep was scarce, so I ended up shifting on my bed, praying my mind would stop racing even just for a moment. The only thing I could think of without walking out the door and crawling into bed to wake Liam up was to do some self-loving service, to which I still had to masterfully learn how to do properly. Grey had once taught me how to pleasure myself while rubbing my clit alone. And when the nights had come when I longed for his touch—his passion—I would close my eyes and bite my lips as my hand travelled downwards, picturing him, hearing his deep throaty voice guide me to completion.
It was wrong to even consider it after what my mother had warned me about, but my body had a mind of its own. The memory of him manually showing me how to pleasure my body made me moan wretchedly as I clenched my vaginal muscles tightly.
He gently parted my legs, flicking the middle of my slit with the backs of his fingers. “Concentrate on this area.” He licked his lips as he watched me, eyes dilated, glowing gold—hungry. His hand guided me there, pressing over it with pressure as he gradually held it against my fingers, guiding me. “Work on it harder… rub it harder,” he urged before he took out his shaft and started stroking himself, watching me.
“When you need me… I’m only a touch away. Your mind will bring you back to me,” he rasped out with a voice that promised so much brilliant wickedness. “Always…” he finally whispered before taking my lips. It took him less than a second to have me pinned down, lovingly impaled with his hard, rigid length.
“Grey—oh, God!” I choked out as I came on my fingers, hips convulsing as I ground down harder on my digits, merely wanting this pleasurable experience to last a little longer.
When the sexual high started to ebb away, tears conquered me once more.
“Don’t go yet. Sleep the night here. I need you here,” Grey whispered behind my ear, holding me tighter the second I tried to get away from him.
It was already about two in the morning, and we had to get up for school tomorrow. What’s more, the thought of getting caught by our parents in the pool house made me nervous every damn time.
“Why don’t we get a room tomorrow somewhere? I’d love to sleep and wake up with you, too. And the thought of Brett catching me in your bed turns my blood a little cold.”
He laughed, nuzzling my neck. “Dad likes you. He’d probably congratulate me for landing myself a very beautiful, stubborn to the point of overkill, yet lovable woman.”
I pinched his hand when he teased me about being so stubborn. Each time he referenced me this way—praising and hearing the awe in his voice—it made me feel dizzy and I always got this odd sensation that only his lips, his body, could soothe away.
My insecurities were high, and yet, I wasn’t ready to give this up. Grey made me feel unknown things, and as much as it scared me to feel these alien emotions, I felt struck—inevitably addicted to the potion he’d fed me though his kisses. Did all the women feel this way in his arms? I mean, I was aware that a lot of girls in school were in love with him—most even openly admitted that, after a night with him, they would obsess about how he skillfully showed them a night to remember. Videos were abundant. And the thought of coming across one terrified me to no end.
“What do you think about when you jackoff? Aside from porn, that is; who do you think of?” My question was invasive, and he could very well choose to answer it or not, but I had always been curious. Edith’s name certainly came to mind most of the time.
“Come on, Liv. What a dumb thing to ask. You know I think about you. Even before I had you this way, it was you who I imagined fucking…” His dick was at the crack of my butt when he brazenly started to thrust. The tip of his head started hitting my slit, opening it slightly to glide against it, instantly provoking the hunger in my body, making my juices flow freely, gradually coating his cock with my slick essence. “I knew the second my dream came true that I didn’t need any of that. Your pussy is healing me, curing me from all that bullshit.”
“Grey…” My breathing hitched as I anticipated his first thrust. “You’re talking crazy.”
And when he thrust—seating himself deeply into my channel—he didn’t move, he simply held on to the feeling for a little longer, heaving into my neck. “There’s no mistaking that I’m crazy. You knew this from the start—I’ve always been mental when it comes to you.”
I remembered it clearly as I blinked the tears away, as if the scene was playing out right before me. Through sex with Liam, I thought it would help me cope from the loss, but I was being proven wrong time and time again. Time surely didn’t make things easier for me, nor did my wounds heal. My heart was still gashed, injured as if it had been wounded yesterday. I was scared—stupefied of what tomorrow might bring.
Because, for the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure how I would react if I saw him or had a chance to be alone with him again, even just for a few minutes. My need for him went beyond the physical balm. I needed him to live.
Even though Liam was superb in his bedroom skills, what Grey had given me and showed me was a whole different aspect altogether. It was like the differences between a diamond and a crystal. Both were equally beautiful, both had a solid purpose, yet no matter how much you embellished it, once you had been given a diamond, it was harder to appreciate a crystal.
Greyson was a diamond. My diamond in the rough.
Chapter 12
Liv
As I applied the last coat of my mascara, Liam appeared, stopping right at the bathroom door. He lazily leaned against it as he studied me quietly in the mirror. He looked handsome in his black, long sleeve dress shirt with the sleeves pushed back and his favorite black, stonewashed jeans.
“I’m almost done,” I gently informed him as I plucked out a lip gloss from the few selections I had before looking at him from the mirror.
“Greyson…” he murmured, catching me off guard as our eyes caught each other. “I just met the guy. He’s downstairs, along with his wife.”
My bottom lip trembled the second after I heard him say the words his wife. Edith had been nothing other than a nightmare ever since she had claimed rights to Greyson. She had won, and now I had to muster up enough courage to fake it all through dinner. She was going to be ruthless—kissing and touching him just to provoke anger in me—and she would be right in thinking it would anger me. But above all, it would traumatize me.
As I closed my eyes because I was trembling terribly, my hand gripped the sink counter, needing something to hold on to. “I don’t think… I know I can’t… do it.”
Liam immediately was there beside me, curling an arm arou
nd my hip, steadying me. “Shhhh,” he softly cooed. “You’re fine… beautiful and so fucking sexy,” he whispered into my ear, distracting me from the real horror of what I had to face in a few minutes.
“What are you doing?” I asked, gasping in shock when I felt his fingers trailing along my thigh, hovering around the elastic of my underwear.
He then parted my legs before he slowly knelt down before me and roughly tugged my lower half to meet his lips. “Helping you relax.” Those were his last words before I felt the first flick of his hot, piercing tongue.
It was ghastly to do this to me right before we were about to go downstairs and pretend happiness was all around, but who was I to complain about a complimentary orgasm?
Thank goodness for sexy, over-eager, Aussie men!
A little over twenty minutes later, I was gasping and smiling brightly with my eyes closed after I had just been given an intense release.
“Feeling better?” Liam heaved out the question before he captured my lips, showing me how sensual I was at making love to his lips.
How I wished he owned my heart. The thought danced around in my head before I considered answering his question. “Pretty much. You can be very persistent. And who am I to decline you when you have these urges to please me?” I pulled away, slowly lifting my gaze, looking at him straight in the eye. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, my queen.”
That earned him a smirk before I reached down and gave him a quick rub. After fixing my lips, coating it with blush-tinted crème lipstick and peach lip gloss, we left my room to go downstairs and join the rest of the party.
My long, black dress had a corset-like, fitted bodice that had a flowing bottom made of silk chiffon with a delicate slit on the side. My hair cascaded across my shoulders, adorned with a freshwater pearl clip on the left side of my hair. I knew I looked great—well, I had certainly made sure to appear extraordinary because I believed in the theory that human beings loved anything that was beautiful. Besides, what a fantastic way to tell Edith to kindly fuck herself by being so sensational it let her know her petty emails and Mrs. Edwards campaigning hadn’t dulled my shine for a second.
I embodied indifference as though it was my second nature. It was a persona I used to keep everyone at bay, and tonight, I was grateful to have it. Even though I was a wreck and weak inside, exuding confidence was key to making them believe I was better off without having Greyson in my life.
Just as we took the last step after descending the stairs, Liam whispered encouraging words in my ear, letting me know I could absolutely do this without effort. His strength somehow influenced me, hardening my weakened heart and vulnerable mentality.
Before we entered the living room where everyone was gathered to drink and get caught up with events, Liam kissed me on the lips before we faced our small group, big smiles and all.
The first thing I noticed was him. Of course it was him. He was standing next to the fireplace, having a conversation with his dad before they noticed our presence. However, I didn’t direct my eyes nor did they dart to the figure almost attached to his hip.
I was quaking with fear by the time Brett broke off and sprinted to greet me like I was his long lost daughter. Mind you, he cupped both of my arms after his crucial bone-breaking hug, eyeing me from head to foot, shaking his head as if he hadn’t seen me in years, instead of mere weeks.
“It’s good to have you back! What’s changed?” he questioned as if he was confused and couldn’t pinpoint what it was. “Something’s different…”
I laughed nervously. “Nothing—”
“She lost weight in all the right places,” Liam interjected before winking at me.
“Ahhh, well, hell—there you go!” He laughed at himself before an elderly woman appeared out of nowhere and he introduced her as his cousin. “Brenna, this is Olivia, Laura’s one and only. Well, she’s my only daughter, too, since I suppose, I did help raise her a little,” he added jokingly, but his eyes told me otherwise.
I was consumed with love for him, wanting to reassure him I wasn’t going to ignore him the way I had ignored my mom because of Greyson. I wasn’t aware that he had been affected by it because Brett wasn’t exactly a vocal guy when it came to such things. So, for him to even mention it—let alone make a joke about it—showed me how much I meant to him.
There were a few other distant relatives of Brett’s that had come to celebrate with us. Edith’s parents were also present. Her father gave me a curt nod, however her mother simply gave me a cold, hard stare. As much as it killed me, my ingrained manners pushed me to acknowledge my mortal enemy with as little fake enthusiasm as I could show.
My heart hammered when our gazes locked, stroking that fiery hate we had for each other. “I hope you’re doing well, Edith.”
She didn’t give any response and simply looked the other way. My heart thudded wildly against my chest, knowing what I was going to do next. Greyson was right there, but I couldn’t look at him so I stared at his collar and neck. My tongue watered at the sight of his neck. It had been one of my favorite places to be—nuzzled up with my nose buried on his skin, breathing in the very essence of him. God, I loved him so much, and he would never know. Thank goodness for that. It would’ve broken me even more had he known and still married that hussy.
That was right. He was married. I shouldn’t forget that very cruel fact.
“Greyson,” I said, greeting him with as little emotion as possible before I felt Liam’s arm lock on my hips and pull me away.
He guided me towards a small settee that was situated across from my mother, who was having a martini. Brett appeared out of nowhere to hand me glass of champagne.
“Thanks,” I murmured before I watched Liam take a sip of his drink.
While the rest carried on with their conversations, Brenna and my mother seemed to be entirely too keen to interrogate Liam and me, much to my chagrin and Liam’s wicked excitement. I remembered him telling me he was going to make the best performance of being an attentive lover and boyfriend of mine, and he absolutely stayed true to his promise.
Chapter 13
Liv
“You kids look like a very striking couple, don’t you think so?” Brenna smiled at my mom, who eyed us both with loving interest. “How long have you two dated?”
“About a year and a half now,” Liam said without blinking through his lies before gazing at me as if I was the most precious thing known to mankind. “I was already intrigued from afar, but when she smiled at me that first time, I was dazzled, blinded by her beauty. And after I asked for her number and she told me to get lost, I knew then and there I was in love. I instantly wanted to marry her and have half a dozen babies that have angelic smiles and sarcastic tongues.”
Biting the bottom of my lip, I was having such a hard time trying not to laugh at the picture he portrayed. Did he really think that? Liam was being ridiculous—funny, but ridiculous all the same. And even though I was laughing and carrying on a conversation, my senses knew where he was. It was as if my body had some special detector specifically trained just to monitor him.
Though he was across the room, close to the fireplace, my ears faintly perked up to the sound of his voice. It was difficult to eavesdrop because of the distance, yet I picked up on his tone, and it was flat and monotonous. But what ticked me off was how he spoke to Edith. He would dip his head, placing it as close to her lips as possible and she would use that opportunity to caress him, kiss his cheek or whatever “loving” gesture she could think of.
Even though her make-up was impeccable, I could see the strain in her eyes. The exhaustion and her weight loss. Her hair lacked luster, and the usual easy and lively demeanor seemed forced.
For once, I came to dwell on her situation, stripping the jealousy and hate I had for her. I wondered how she was truly feeling. Was she scared? Terrified of the fact that she had declined chemotherapy and other doctors’ advice? Did she believe homeopathic therapy would help cur
e her sickness? And if, in some miraculous event, her illness did go in remission, would Greyson still stick to her side and really try to be married without her being sick as the main reason for them to stay married? Question after question nagged my mind as I joked about with Liam, my mother and Brenna.
Not before long, a woman dressed in all black with a white apron showed up and announced that dinner was to be served in the formal dining room. Brett occasionally hired a team consisting of a chef, kitchen helpers and waitresses to help out when he was hosting anything fancy.
Slowly, we made our way towards the formal room, which wasn’t far from where we were lounging. The long table that seated fourteen people was embellished with long, gold, tapered candles sitting on thinly stemmed crystal holders, surrounded with hanging amber-colored crystals. Deep burgundy and cream-colored carnations with red and white lilies adorned the tables. The smell of vanilla, peppermint and cinnamon made the ambiance very Christmas-y. Each place setting had names on them, and luckily, I was seated right next to Liam. Well, I thought it lucky until Greyson and Edith situated themselves right across from us.
How in God’s name was I going to enjoy the meal, let alone manage to chew and swallow the food without choking on it? I had only eaten a salad last night and half a sandwich this morning. This grand meal was something I had looked forward to ever since the smell of food had wafted through my door and hankered my diminishing appetite. A light, savory soup was served first.
Liam waited until everyone was quiet before he brazenly reached out to the man sitting across from him, engaging him in conversation. “I heard you go to UCLA; what are you majoring in?” he casually asked while I saw my hand shake before I took a spoonful into my mouth.
“I’m still undecided. I’m just taking the basics for now,” Greyson responded with a hardened voice that didn’t invite friendliness.
