by Rosanna Leo
“Far too many clothes.” Lifting his head from her breast, he repositioned himself at the other end of the bench by her dangling legs. He unzipped her jeans and tugged them over her hips and pulled them off, along with her panties. Tossing them onto the keyboard, he chuckled when they made a discordant noise.
Liam ran his hands up her legs, spreading them with a determined touch. He lowered his head, breathed in and smoothed his tongue over her already swollen lips.
Insane pleasure tackled her, rattling through her veins. “Good God.”
He teased her with gentle licks, but never sliding deep, never touching her clit. Even so, her sex fluttered and flexed, wanting more, wanting it harder. She dug her hands in his hair, urging him to press on with his intimate kisses.
“You want more, sugar?” he said, lifting his head.
She nodded, desperate for release.
“How bad do you want it?” His fingers glided over her delicate skin.
Just as she was about to tell him to get back to work, or else, he surprised her by tapping her mound, right on her clit.
Her nerve endings exploded in wonderful agony as she experienced a mini-orgasm. Liam didn’t give her a chance to recover. Finally rewarding her for her trials, he insinuated his face between her legs and sucked hard.
Her vision grew foggy as she came in his mouth and cried his name over and over.
He continued to lap while two fingers found a home inside her. Stroking, stroking, he did not stop until she’d quieted. Once she did, he continued his ministrations until she tightened under him once more. Shocked she could come again so quickly, she squeezed her eyes shut and went along for the very bumpy ride. He knew just what to do to make her moan, to make her tremble, and as she pondered his power over her, she shattered under him once again.
Before her orgasm had even subsided, he gathered her in his arms and carried her to one of the wide bar stools.
“Lean over, baby. Show me that pretty ass.”
She leaned over the stool, glad for the velvet crush on her chest. Liam caressed the globes of her behind and massaged up to her back. She resisted stretching and meowing like a cat but it was hard not to purr as he manipulated her grateful muscles.
His hands stilled. “Shit. I just realized I don’t have a condom.”
She stood and turned and eyed her gorgeous man. As much as she still had reservations about his emotional wellbeing, she wasn’t worried about catching anything from him. He’d been meticulous up until now. “It’s okay. I’m on the pill. I trust you.”
He cupped her face. “I would never do anything to destroy that trust.”
She held his hand closer to her cheek, loving his touch. Kate then turned and positioned herself over the stool. “Take me. Now.”
She wiggled her bottom for incentive, as if any were needed. Liam groaned and stripped out of his remaining clothes. She looked over her shoulder at the nude god behind her, biting her lip when he touched a reverent hand to her pussy.
“You’re so sweet, baby,” he said as he wriggled a finger into her core.
“Liam, please. You tease too much.”
“There’s no such thing as too much teasing, sugar. You know, you look so tempting from this angle, I might get on my knees and eat you out again.”
“Liam, fuck me, please.”
He slapped her ass. “So unladylike.”
Before she could beg, he speared inside her. She shouted in shock and ecstasy as he filled her. He slammed into her over and over, stretching her tight channel as easily as he’d taken her heart. He gripped her hips, digging in with his nails, and she relished the sharp tug on her flesh. Curling over her body, he pistoned into her, his strong muscles powering each debilitating glide.
Her orgasm spiraled into view and her arms and legs went tingly numb.
Kate froze, realizing the numbness wasn’t brought on by Liam’s thrusts. It was the aura of an impending seizure, the only warning she’d ever received before phasing out.
Only, as always, it happened so fast, too fast to tell him. Her limbs stiffened, she opened her mouth to talk but no words came.
Kate blacked out.
Liam had hoped his movements would liquefy her limbs, but realized something was wrong as soon as her entire frame tensed. When guttural noises emerged from her throat, he frantically pulled out and took her off the stool. She moved like an automaton. Her eyes had rolled back in her head and there was spittle on her lips.
Fuck. A seizure.
He remembered a kid from high school who used to suffer from epilepsy. The teacher always said there was no way to stop it. One should just make the person comfortable. Knowing all he could do was help her ride it out, he bundled her to the ground and turned her on her side, facing him.
She shook and sputtered and mumbled strange words. Her fingers dug into his legs. Where her toes should have curled with pleasure, they now stretched as her body was ravaged by the episode.
And he couldn’t stop it. He couldn’t fucking stop it. She seemed to be in agony and he couldn’t do a damn thing. Could only watch and wonder at how much it made his heart hurt.
He ran a hand over her hair. “It’s okay, Kate. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”
He spoke in gentle tones, belying the frantic pace of his pulse. After the longest minute of his life, her shudders began to subside. The relief that streaked through him was palpable.
Her pretty irises floated back into view and she focused on him, but then she turned away, as if ashamed.
“Hey.” He pulled her into his arms and cradled her on his lap. “You went for a little trip. Are you in pain?”
“No.”
“Thank God. Can you remember anything?”
“No.”
He kissed her brow, letting his lips linger on her clammy skin. Christ, he was just as clammy. Thinking he might have caused her seizure was doing a real number on his sanity. Fuck, to think he might have hurt her…
Had he? He knew he’d been pushing it, pushing her. Guilt stabbed through him, making his chest seize with its familiar pain.
They didn’t talk for some time. He was too consumed with the memory of her sightless gaze, her terrible tremors and moans. He wanted to help her, to ensure she never had to suffer like that again.
“What can I do, Kate? Tell me. Should I call an ambulance?”
“There’s no need.”
“I can call Dr. Chan.”
“No, but I should get back to the suite and take my pills.” She pulled away, ever so slightly. “I’m usually diligent about taking them, but I forgot the past few days. I’ve been…distracted.”
“Kate, sweetheart. Please tell me I didn’t hurt you.”
She lifted her head. With her face drawn and pale, she appeared exhausted. When she smiled, it didn’t quite reach her eyes. He could have sworn in that moment she retreated from him.
“You didn’t. No one knows why the seizures happen. Just tragic timing. Sorry to spoil the moment.”
Fuck the moment. He wanted to know he’d have other moments with her, but with the way she looked at him now, he wasn’t sure anymore. She looked everywhere, nervous, and colored with what might even be regret.
No, it must be the seizure. Damn, seeing that had done horrible things to him. His heart was still racing. Liam didn’t know if he’d ever enjoy another moment of peace, knowing she could drop to the ground at any time. She could collapse in front of a bus, for God’s sake. “I want you to see a specialist.”
“I’ve seen them. Lots of them.”
“I want you to see another one. I’ll get Chan to give you a referral.”
“There’s no need.”
“Of course there’s a fucking need.” His voice rose with each syllable. Why was he shouting? Maybe because she edged away from him, because she continued to edge away f
rom him, rather than sink into his embrace. “You may not have seen what happened but I did. I don’t want you to go through that again.”
Kate gazed at him, her cheeks white, her eyes wide. Shit, he was scaring her when he should be comforting her. It seemed the emotion he elicited more than anything in her was fear. This is what came from expressing himself. He didn’t know how to do it properly, like a sane person.
“Liam, I know you’re trying to help, but I’ve lived with this a lot longer than you. I’m usually very careful with my medication.” Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. “It’s been a long time. Please, don’t worry about me.”
Don’t worry about her. Right. He’d never stop now.
When Kate saw Lisa’s number come up on her cell display the next day, she grew excited. She missed her friend and felt badly about not checking in more frequently. They were so out of the loop with each other. Were Georgie and Sarah doing all right? Was Lisa keeping her head above water? God only knew she had her own updates to share, including her whiling away the hours at Vice with Liam. That wouldn’t go over well. Even still, she clicked the keypad, eager to have a good chinwag and determined to bring Lisa up to speed.
“Hey,” she said brightly as Lisa picked up. “How are you?”
“Oh, I’m fine.”
“I tried to reach you the other day.”
“You didn’t try very hard. A couple of cryptic ‘don’t worry about me’ messages in a week? All kinds of things went through my head.”
“I wanted to talk to you, not a machine. Look, I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch more, but there’s been a lot going on…”
“Like hanging around with Liam Doyle? Is that what’s keeping you so busy?”
Shit. Donny told her. After avoiding his wife’s presence for weeks, she should have known he would have made an exception so he could run home and tattle like a child. “Lisa, there’s a reason I’m here.”
“And I’m assuming it has nothing to do with your pathetic protest, right? Remember when you had morals?” Lisa’s voice grew with every syllable. Kate knew her friend was in a fragile place, but her tone still stung.
“Lisa.”
“Don’t ‘Lisa’ me. Before Donny told me everything, I was worried sick about you. And all the while, you’re playing footsie in Vice. I heard how Doyle came to your rescue. How he held you in his slimy embrace.”
“Now wait a minute. You’re not even giving me a chance to explain.”
“I don’t want your explanations, Kate. I want your friendship, and your loyalty. I want you to leave that place now, and come home. I want you to tell Liam Doyle he can go to hell.”
“I can’t do that. It’s not what you think.”
“Oh, that’s rich,” she scoffed. “My life is falling apart, and my best friend is fucking the owner of the casinos my husband lost all our money in. What is wrong with you? I know it’s been a while since you got laid, but I thought your standards were higher.”
“You’re just being cruel now. You don’t understand.”
“I understand perfectly. I understand you’re no longer my friend. I understand you will stay away from me and my children, and stay out of my life. Do you hear me?”
“Lisa,” she whispered, unable to make her voice any louder. “Don’t do this.”
“I mean it, Kate. I looked up to you.” She let out a sob. “But now, I can’t even bear the thought of looking at you.” She slammed her phone down and the line went dead.
Kate stared, dazed, and listened to the flat noise. That dial tone would forever be the soundtrack of her life spiraling out of control.
“No,” she murmured. “No. She’s just hurt right now.” Donny might be spouting his vitriol in her ear now, but Lisa was a smart woman. She’d see through what he was doing. Like any compulsive gambler worth his salt, he’d pounced on a chance to make someone else look bad in his stead. Her father had done it dozens of times.
Don’t blame me your mother ran out of money to pay the bills. She should have organized the finances better.
It’s not my fault your cousin doesn’t have enough cash to pay for his knee procedure. Yeah, he loaned me some money, but he should have gotten some insurance.
Don’t blame me for going to the casino for a couple of hours of fun. Maybe if the women in my life were more interesting, I’d have stayed home.
Don’t blame me. It’s not my fault.
Always someone else’s problem.
She’d give Lisa some space and try her again in a day or two. It would have to work. The thought of losing her was too much to bear right now.
Thank God she had Liam. He’d been her rock and she wouldn’t let Lisa or anyone else badmouth him. They didn’t know him like she did.
Do you really know him at all?
Oh, she hated her fucking inner voice.
She looked at the clock, wondering when he’d come through the door. He’d gone to work, promising to return in a few hours. She had to admit, she rather enjoyed dwelling in his fantasy suite, but it seemed so empty without him.
When he walked through the door around six, she flew into his arms.
“Hey,” he said, kissing her with a tired chuckle. He pried her off long enough to peer into her face and frown. “What happened?”
She told him what Lisa said and his frown grew deeper. When she finished, he just stared at her.
“After everything you did for her and her kids. That sucks, Kate.”
“It’s been over a week and I didn’t even bother to let her know I was alive or dead. What was I thinking? I’ve been a bad friend.”
He raised her chin, making her look at him. “You wouldn’t know how. Lisa has no idea what you’ve been through. Remember the reason you came here in the first place. Don’t beat yourself up for this. I mean it.”
“Maybe I never should have come here. It’s been like a dream, but I need to get back to reality.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Don’t I? Liam, despite everything, despite your generosity, it’s wrong for me to be here.”
His face began to harden. “You’re safe here. I don’t want you to go.”
“But…”
“No buts, Kate.” His eyes took on a possessive gleam. “Stay with me.”
Even though his face was so serious, so set with determination, his voice cracked. When he looked at her like that, she couldn’t say no to him. He was her great vice, her only temptation. People like her dad and Donny might gamble their lives away, but Kate was powerless before Liam’s persuasions. He whittled away all her good sense.
“Liam,” she said. “I can’t hide here with you forever.”
He began to breathe heavily, his gaze hovered near her lips, but unfocused. “Yes, you can. I want you to stay, and you know you want it too.”
Before she could stop him, he dropped to his knees. He pushed up her shirt and kissed her bare waist. His fingers slid up her legs, under her skirt, pushing it up toward her waist. His face, contorted by desire, made the hairs on her arms stand on end, but she didn’t stop him. Dammit, she wanted him even more because of it.
He reached for her panties and dragged them down her legs. Unthinking, she stepped out of them. As she took in the sight of the silky cloth on the floor, Liam pulled her to him and buried his face in her pussy. She cried out as his tongue made hot contact with her skin.
He wasn’t gentle. He sucked and bit and demanded her orgasm with every move. As much as she wanted to fall to the floor, to kick and thrash, he held her upright as he continued his ferocious adoration. There was nothing polite about this lovemaking, nothing sweet. Just Liam, showing her how much he needed her, how badly he needed her to come. She banged on his shoulders, eager for him to stop, only to pull at his hair, desperate for him to continue.
He released her pussy lips for one mom
ent and stared at her from the floor. His lips, swollen and wet, seemed to mirror his bright gaze. “You’ll stay with me. Now come.”
His mouth met with her again, and she reeled under his touch. Heat streaked across her skin, setting her on fire from the inside out. He plunged his tongue into her pussy, staking his claim, and she capitulated. Writhing in his grip, her knees buckled. Horrible, wonderful pressure sliced through her belly, making her ache and squirm. And just when she thought she could take no more, he nibbled on her clit and she exploded into a million pieces. She was sure her head had ended up somewhere in the corner of the room.
Only then did he let her fall to the floor. She lay, dazed, and waited for him to rip at his clothes and fuck her like an animal. But he didn’t.
Liam just sat next to her and ran a gentle hand through her hair, a sad smile on his lips. “I won’t let you go,” he said, pulling her to him.
When she’d first agreed to stay at Vice, Kate had worried he might be a bad influence on her. Now she wondered if she was a bad influence on him. He’d already lost so much. The idea of losing anyone else had turned him into a possessive beast. And she didn’t know how to help him other than give him the raw physicality he craved.
Maybe they were each other’s vice, after all.
And maybe this feral need in him proved he’d be better off without her.
Chapter Fourteen
That evening, Kate decided she needed to get out of Vice altogether. Liam hadn’t been thrilled, still worried about her seizures and Vaughan. However, she accepted his offer of a car and a drive from Wade.
The best medicine for her right now would be to attend a New Horizons meeting. She hadn’t been back since the attack, and she missed her pals, especially in light of Lisa’s comments. As much as she’d shied away recently, she was now eager to attend and just be there.
Of course, she had every expectation Lisa had given them a run-down on her activities at Vice, and her liaison with Liam. She hoped, however, that they’d listen to her and hear the voice of reason, unlike Lisa. After all, she’d spent years listening to them, supporting them through their trials.
