“Who are you, the love doctor?”
“Basically,” Landon chuckled, scratching his fingers through his hair. “Speaking of, Tori stopped by to grab some merchandise for the club, totally thought I was you. She was all psyched, though you had come home early, gave me one of those awesome girl hugs, all tits everywhere. You should've seen her face when she realized I wasn't you. Is it okay if I fuck her?”
“What? No. A girl hugs you and you think that means she'll fuck you?” Liam asked.
“No, I think she'll fuck me because she wants to fuck you.”
“What!?”
“Okay, I'll break it down. She has the hots for you. We look alike. Logical deduction is she thinks I'm hot,” Landon replied. Liam recoiled.
“Tori doesn't have the hots for me. She regularly bitches to me about what a disgusting man-whore I am. And if she doesn't wanna bang me, then she sure as shit doesn't wanna bang you. And even if in some weird parallel universe she did, I still say no. You touch her, and I will beat the shit of you, then turn you and your coke stash over to the police.”
“You wouldn't turn your own -”
“Try me.”
They stared at each other for a long, charged moment. Liam wasn't fucking around. Tori was a friend. A good friend. His sister from another mister. One of the few people in his life who never gave him any real grief. If Landon did anything to jeopardize that, Liam would kill him.
“Sensitive today,” his brother finally chuckled. “Whoever the girl on the phone was, you've got it bad.”
“Yeah,” Liam groaned. “Yeah, I really fucking do.”
“Anyone I know? Or have slept with?”
It was supposed to be a secret, as per the original deal. As per Ayumi's own actions and wishes. But in that moment, after all the bullshit, Liam just really didn't care.
“Wulf's assistant, Ayumi,” he sighed. Landon burst out laughing.
“Her? The ice bitch? I can't believe it. I mean, that body is fucking amazing, but I'm shocked she ever even gave you the time of day.”
“Me, too. It was all her idea. She went on the road trip with me, met mom.”
“Holy shit, you introduced her to mom?”
“Yeah. And all of mom's sisters. And dad. Everyone.”
“Damn.”
There was another long silence. Liam had his head leaned back against the couch and he waited for his brother to ruin it. To say something crude or awful or mean. When he felt a hand on his shoulder, he held his breath.
“That sucks, Liam. You like her. She should like you back. The world is a shitty place.”
Liam let out the breath, slowly and shakily. Then he managed to nod.
“Yeah, it really fucking is.”
“But hey,” his brother started. “I have some good news. A Christmas present for my one and only twin.”
“Oh god. I've seen your presents. I don't want a hooker, Landon,” Liam said, sitting up fast.
“No, it's better than that. I'm giving you your couch back.”
“You're ... I'm sorry, what?”
“I've been thinking a lot about what you've been saying,” Landon sighed as he pushed his fingers through his hair. “I can't do this forever. I'm not particularly happy anywhere, but at least when I'm working, my mind can focus on something.”
“You got a job?” Liam felt his hopes rising.
“I'll find something. Lots of places need doctors,” Landon chuckled.
“Oh. So you'll be going somewhere far away.”
“Yeah. Aren't you happy?”
Liam honestly wasn't sure how to feel about it. Of course he wanted his dead beat brother off his couch, but he also wanted him to be happy. Wanted him to do something he loved and be around people who loved him. Life was so unfair. Landon had inherited all the brains, and Liam had inherited all the heart.
I have more than enough, why can't I give him some?
“I'm gonna miss you,” he was honest. Landon's chuckle turned into a laugh.
“No, you won't. But don't worry, I'll check in from time to time, make your life hell from another time zone. This is a good thing, bro. I'll find some jungle somewhere, just me and nature and locals. Can't get into any trouble.”
“You'll find a way,” Liam said.
“Probably. And you'll bail me out.”
“Probably.”
They sat in silence for another second, then Liam took a risk and wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulders.
“I'm gonna miss you,” he said it again, and this time, Landon didn't argue. He took a deep breath, then nodded.
“I'm gonna miss you, too.”
How come when one area of your life goes to shit, every other area starts to fall like a domino?
16
Life wasn't a whole lot easier for Ayumi.
The first thing she did after she got off the plane in San Francisco was buy a new cell phone. The second thing was go to work. In her shorts and flip flops and tank top, she strolled right through The Stone Agency, earning a lot of shocked glances. Wulf barely glanced at her clothing, though, and just handed her a file before giving her a run down on the new issue. It was nice, she didn't have any time or space in her brain to even think about Liam. If she did, she'd break down crying, just like she had during the whole plane ride there.
Home was a different story, she made it a point to change before she faced her mother. Then she was made to walk through her entire apartment while her mom pointed out how wrong everything was, and showed where she'd rearranged furniture. Pointed out the art work she'd thrown away. Explained how since the guest bed was only a queen and thus inadequate, she'd taken over the master bedroom.
“That's fine, mother,” Ayumi had replied. “I won't be staying here, so you can have my room for as long as you like.”
While she packed all her necessities, she explained about her “babysitting” job. Gave a brief history of Brighton Stone and her relationship with her brother. Of course, Ayumi's mom didn't like this plan at all. She complained the whole time her daughter was packing, following her from room to room.
“Mom,” Ayumi said, interrupting another tirade. “Why did you get rid of my graduation photo?”
One of the few pictures Ayumi had with both her parents, it usually sat on the bureau in her bedroom. Her mother had stood off to her left, frowning deeply. Her father had stood off to her right, looking indifferent. Ayumi had been between them, smiling big for the camera. It had been a hot day and the ceremony had been over, so she'd unzipped her gown, showing off the short cocktail dress and tights she'd chosen to wear under it.
The photo was gone, though. She looked all around the top of the dresser and even behind it, but she didn't see the silver frame anywhere.
“I didn't get rid of anything! You are too ashamed of your own mother to keep any pictures of her around, that's what it is,” her mom told her.
Ayumi frowned. It wouldn't be the first time her mother had lied to her, but it was an odd thing to lie about, for sure. Her mother threw away stuff of hers all the time. What was one more picture? She had a digital back up, anyway.
It wasn't the only thing missing, though. A bathing suit was gone, as well as a silk blouse. She could see her mother thinking the swimsuit was too risque, but a high collared silk shirt? What possible problem could she have had with that?
She wouldn't say, though, and Ayumi was too tired to argue anymore. So she had her hired driver come up and get all her boxes and suitcases, then she'd kissed her mother goodbye before following the driver out the door. Her cat Boppo mewed angrily from inside his carrier, but she ignored him.
If you don't like this, kitty cat, then you're going to hate where we're going.
Brighton had been forewarned that Ayumi would be moving in, but she still acted like it was the end of the world. Stomped and shrieked and shouted before eventually locking herself in her room. Ayumi completely ignored the entire temper tantrum, instead carrying all her stuff to the room. Then she c
alled the boutique in L.A. Where she'd purchased her date-night clothing, and she arranged for all her forgotten packages to be forwarded to her new Twin Estates address.
It wasn't till after everything was unpacked and put away and she was laying on the bed that she felt like she could finally take a moment. Boppo jumped up onto the mattress and curled up next to her hip, purring loudly. She let her hand rest on top of him and she stared at the ceiling.
“Why,” she whispered as she cried alone in the dark. “Why can't I just be normal?”
TWO DAYS AFTER LEAVING Liam, and Ayumi wasn't making much headway on the Brie front. She said as much to Wulf.
“If I'm home, she just hides in her room,” Ayumi told him. “She refuses to talk to me. How can I influence someone if I'm never around them?”
“Just give it time, it's still new. She's in her pouting phase. Next she'll move onto her destructive phase. After that, it'll probably be her annoying phase. Take this time to gather your strength. It'll get worse before it gets better. And hey, if she's in her room, at least that means she can't be partying or making a mess.”
Ayumi was pretty sure the young woman's room was a complete mess – Brie refused to be in Ayumi's presence so much so that she only ate take away in her room. Ayumi never saw any food packages come out. Where was it all going? Under her bed? In her closet? She couldn't live adjacent to that kind of filth. She'd break down the door if she had to and clean it out herself.
Exactly what Wulf wants. He's clever to the point it's annoying.
Just then, her phone dinged. She glanced at her cell, then slowed down. Let Wulf get a couple steps ahead of her. Then she bit down on her bottom lip and unlocked the screen. A text message stared back at her.
Liam. She hadn't spoken to him since she'd gotten home. She didn't want to say she was actively avoiding him, but ... she was actively avoiding him. She was embarrassed and ashamed, just like her mother said she should be. She also still needed time. She'd barely stopped moving since she'd gotten home, she had to take a beat to think things over in her head. She wanted to see him, almost desperately. Every moment of every day. She wanted to cry on his shoulder about life with Brie and drink beers and eat tacos and do absolutely nothing with him.
But she wanted to do it only when she was finally one hundred percent positive she was the only one he wanted to do those things with, too. And that phone call with Katya was still hanging between them, still bothering her. She couldn't even look the other woman in the eye, she was still so upset about it. She just needed some more time.
Liam, however, was apparently done waiting. He'd been calling, she knew he'd stopped by her apartment, and he'd even come to Brie's one time. Thank god the younger girl had been out for the evening. Ayumi had hid in her room, holding Boppo to her chest while she willed Liam to go away.
He'd taken a different approach that day. In his text message, he'd included a photo. A lacy thong stared back at her. The same one, if she wasn't mistaken, she'd been wearing during their last night together. There was a short, concise message under the picture.
I have something of yours I'm sure you'd like back. I can drop it off at your office, is now a good time?
He wasn't being polite – it was a threat. One he'd make good on, she knew. She wasn't quite ready to admit to Wulf that she'd been lying to him for the last week and a half, so she quickly typed out a response.
I'll come on my lunch break. One o'clock.
The reply was almost instant.
You had better.
So at one o'clock sharp, Ayumi found herself knocking on Liam's office door. She didn't wait for a response, but instead strode right into his space.
“Oh wow,” he said, leaning back in his seat as she approached his desk. “You are real. I was beginning to think I'd made it all up.”
She managed to keep her face straight, but it was hard. After spending so much time with him, she'd gotten used to his facial expressions and mannerisms. His smiles and grins and animated gestures. None of those were on display, though, that particular afternoon. He sat still and stared up at her.
Ruiner. I am a ruiner of things.
“I'm real,” she said, then she took a seat across from him. “And I'm here. Can I have my underwear, please?”
“Oh no, that's my only bargaining chip. I'm holding onto those puppies until I get what I want,” he replied.
“What do you want?”
“What the fuck do you think I want, Ayumi? You said it wasn't over, yet you won't return my calls. I thought you had bigger balls than that,” he called her out. She bristled at his word choice.
“I'm not scared,” she insisted. “I'm just ... confused. I told you I needed time. I need some more.”
“Oh yeah? How much more? How long will it take you to get over being ashamed of me?” he asked. All the breath flew out of her body.
“Is that what you think?” she asked softly. “You think I don't want to see you because I'm ashamed of you?”
“What the fuck else would I think? You refuse to tell anyone about me, you stopped answering my phone calls, you couldn't even hang around long enough to say goodbye to my face,” he reminded her. She shook her head.
“I'm not ashamed of you, Liam. Honestly. I ashamed of myself,” she said point blank. The look of shock that washed over his face was almost comical.
“Uh ... what?”
“I told you I didn't know how to do any of this,” she explained, holding up her hands in frustration. “I'm not used to ... I don't let myself feel things or react to things, and then you come along, and it's all feelings, and all reactions, and I just ... I can't ... I don't know how to be like this, Liam. I never learned. I'm broken.”
She wasn't sure when she'd started breathing hard, but by the end of her speech, she was on the verge of hyperventilating. Liam got out of his chair and hurried around his desk.
“Stop. Breathe. Everything is okay. Breathe,” he urged as he squatted down next to her and took her hands. She shook her head.
“Everything is not okay. My mother ruined it. Katya ruined it. I ruined it. I ruin things, didn't you know? My mother, her marriage, my body, our relationship,” she let out a dark chuckle as she spoke.
“Stop talking like this,” he whispered. “You didn't ruin it, I promise. And what does Katya have to do with anything?”
I didn't plan on having this moment today.
“It's not really her,” she sighed. “It's more like ... what she represents? I don't know. You were on the phone with her, and the way you talked to her. It's like you're still with her. Like you still want to be with her. I didn't know it would make me feel that way.”
“I ... I had no idea,” Liam stammered. “It wasn't anything, I promise. She just called to check on me.”
“I know, and that's the problem. You're just the type of guy who talks to everyone like that, and I thought I was okay with it, right up until it happened. I was there, feeling like everything was so special, and then I have to hear you call her pet names, and flirt with her, and say how you'd found our place for her, originally, and it just ... I'm sorry. I freaked out. I'm so sorry.”
“Don't be sorry. You have no reason to be sorry. I'm sorry I'm an idiot,” he groaned, letting his head drop down.
“You're not. It's stupid. I'm so stupid.”
“Stop it!” he snapped. “You're not. I just ... I guess I'm like you. I don't know how this all works. I didn't even think about it when she called, I just spoke to her like I always do.”
“Which you should do, it shouldn't be a problem.”
“Maybe it is, and maybe I shouldn't.”
She wanted to pull that statement apart. Wanted to fall into his warm brown eyes and big strong arms and just sob. Before she could do anything, though, the office door flew open and banged against the wall next to it.
“Eden, this is your last chance to ...”
Brighton Stone had walked into the room with a lot of confidence, but it fell away as
fast as her voice did as she took in the scene in front of her. Liam, almost on his knees, next to Ayumi. Holding her hands.
“This isn't what it looks like,” Ayumi spoke quickly. Liam's fingers squeezed hers.
“Yes it fucking is,” he said. “Brie, get the fuck out.”
“Oh my god,” Brie gasped. “You two? That was real!? You told Wulf it wasn't!”
“Get the fuck out, or I'll have security drag you out,” Liam threatened. Brie narrowed her eyes and stomped up next to him.
“Go ahead and try it, I'll sue your stupid club. You think you can just use any woman you want, huh? First Katya, then me, now her? You have a thing for the women in Wulf's life, don't you?” Brie sneered. Ayumi knew it was the kind of comment that could cut Liam in half, but he just stood upright and stared calmly down at the short woman.
“Honestly, I don't care what you or Wulfric thinks. This is between me and her. Get out.”
“You said we had something special!” Brie shrieked, then she shocked everyone by slapping Liam across the face. Ayumi jumped to her feet.
“Don't touch him!” she shouted back.
“Oh, what, you think you're special?” Brie yelled. “Whatever he said to you, don't worry, he says it to all of us.”
“Everyone, calm down!” Liam shouted over them both.
“Sounds like you're just a jealous little girl who's mad because no one wants her,” Ayumi hit below the belt. Brie gasped, then stepped up close to her. Liam jammed an arm between them, keeping the two women apart.
“Sounds like you're an idiot who doesn't know when she's being played,” Brie threw back at her.
“Maybe that's true,” Ayumi nodded her head. “But at least I'm not pathetic enough to come down here and make a scene.”
Before Brie could argue back, Liam stepped between and cupped Ayumi's face in his hands.
“You're not being played,” he said through clenched teeth. “You know that. You know that. I don't care what I did with her or what I said to Katya. It was you who met my family and was in my car in the woods and stayed on that hill in Malibu. Every single moment, it was only you.”
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