by Trisha Grace
“Trevor is a way better fighter.”
Helena bit down on her lips to stop herself from laughing.
“Idiot,” Elias said. “I would’ve chosen Helena.”
Liam gazed down at her and smiled, then leaned over and pressed his lips to her hair.
“Oh, please.” Killian rolled his eyes. “We’re still here. Wait until you guys are in your room.”
Chapter 16
Helena’s eyes flew open as she gasped. Her eyes searched the darkness for the face of the devil she had seen. She closed her eyes and pushed herself upright when she realized it was nothing but a nightmare.
She checked the time on her watch before trotting out of the room.
She didn’t want to go back to sleep now, so she thought she’d go watch some TV in the living room.
Helena was surprised to find the lights on in the suite. She’d assumed Liam would switch everything off once she went to bed, which was almost immediately after they got to the suite. She was so tired, she just said goodnight to Liam, bathed and crashed.
She was surprised to find Liam sitting on the couch, typing away on her laptop. “Liam, it’s after three in the morning.”
He turned to her, and his lips curled back when he took in what she was wearing.
She was in one of his sweaters. “It’s comfortable.”
“What are you doing up?”
“I could ask you the same.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d do something productive.”
“Still setting traps for the stalker?”
“I’ve already done that. I’m just thinking about how to make sure your stalker hasn’t backed up those videos elsewhere, and how to delete them if he did.”
She came around the couch and sat next to him. “Go to bed, Liam. It’s late.” She supposed she should be worried, but she wasn’t. Liam had it handled, she was certain.
“Why are you awake?”
“I had a nightmare.”
He arched a brow. “About your stalker?”
She nodded slowly.
“I’ve been thinking. Given the nature of the sketches, could it be one of your ex-boyfriends?”
She drew a breath through her nose. “I dated three guys in college. Got into a relationship with one of them. None of them ended badly. We just chose to remain friends. I also didn’t sleep with any of them, so …” She paused as she recalled the sketches. “Besides, the sketch wasn’t really of me. It’s of the game character in Flora. He just replaced the character’s face with mine.” She licked her lips.
“What is it?”
“I can’t be sure, but something the stalker drew …” She shook her head. “I need to look at the sketches again.”
“I didn’t bring the book with me. It’s in the safe in my study.”
“We need to get it.” She got up, and Liam took her hand.
“Not now. I’ll get Trevor to bring it here.”
“I don’t—”
“He won’t look.” He tugged her back onto the couch. “What did you come out here for?”
“I thought I’d watch some TV. Get my mind off things.”
Liam got up and grabbed the remote off the TV console. “Here.”
“You should go to bed.”
He returned to his seat and stretched his arm across the back of the couch. “I’m not tired.” He handed the remote to her.
“Just scroll to a movie channel.” She dropped her head against his shoulder. “Are you missing your nightly swims?”
“It feels a little odd.”
“Why do you work out so much? You lift weights in the morning. Sometimes you box. Then you swim at night.” She gazed up at him when he didn’t reply.
“I don’t sleep well.”
“So the exercise tires you out? But you still go back to work after swimming.”
“I don’t really feel that tired until an hour or two later.”
She nodded slowly. “I’m sure there’s a pool in the hotel.”
He dropped his arm from the couch onto her shoulders. “Don’t worry about me.”
She frowned at him before stifling a yawn.
“You should go to bed,” he said.
She shook her head as he channel surfed. “Let’s watch this,” she said when she saw one of the Transformers movies.
“How about we watch the news?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t mind.”
Liam wasn’t sure which news channel was on TV, but he didn’t care. He just wanted something boring to play in the background to lull her back to sleep.
Right now, he was more concerned about holding Helena close to him.
Throughout the whole ride to the hotel, he’d stayed alert to make sure no car was following them. Several times, his eyes locked with Elias’s in the wing mirror. His brothers were clearly being cautious too. Killian made several sharp turns, seemingly to make sure that whatever car was behind them wasn’t tailing them.
On the drive, he’d felt Helena nodding off against his shoulder.
Each time, he wanted to put his arm around her, but she always jerked awake before he could.
They didn’t have to worry about anyone tailing them now.
Liam shifted and brought her closer against his chest. Something settled in his heart as he felt her snuggling against him. It was the same feeling he got whenever he felt her relaxing in his arms. Completeness?
No. Fate.
This is it, a small voice in the back of his mind whispered.
Liam already knew, of course. Which was why he didn’t mind waiting.
“How are you feeling?”
Liam smiled at the sleepiness in her voice. He didn’t answer her, thinking she would fall right asleep.
But she didn’t. She tipped her head back to look at him.
“About what?” he asked.
“Leaving the mansion.”
He ran a hand down her arm. “I don’t feel anything.” The sudden panic that had surged before leaving the mansion felt silly now. He wanted to press her head back against his chest when she didn’t settle back against him, but she was watching him carefully.
“Even when the men in the lobby scurried away at the sight of you?”
“I’m actually glad I had that effect.” Liam didn’t want anyone else near them, not when he didn’t know who the stalker was. Also not when she was in that peach dress of hers.
Helena had been wearing his suit jacket over it, which he absolutely loved. But he still didn’t like how much of her legs it revealed. He probably had to work on that, too. He’d never felt jealous over anything. Not even when he saw the difference in treatment her and Bobby received when he was a child.
Her hand cupped his face, drawing her attention back to him. “What are you frowning about?”
“The dress.”
She laughed softly and rested her head back against his chest. “You’re so cute when you’re jealous. I’m going to wear that dress all the time.”
“Of course you are.”
“Maybe to the gym.”
“Do you go to the gym?”
“No, but since you’re rich, I thought you could get me a gym membership.”
“I’ll build you a gym at home.”
She shook her head. “I want to go to the biggest gym available, so everyone can see me in my dress.” She turned into his chest as she yawned softly. “Where else can I wear that? I really should go out more often.”
“What does your life revolve around?”
“Work. Netflix.” She chuckled. “I sometimes binge-watch a series for so long that Netflix prompts to ask if I’m still watching. Nigel says it’s checking if I’ve died on the couch.”
Liam wanted to shake his head. In spite of the cowardice Nigel had shown, Helena clearly still loved him.
“Do you have Netflix?” she asked.
“No. I don’t watch TV.”
“That explains why there isn’t a TV at the
mansion.” She shrugged. “I could share my account with you. Have you watched Cheer? Seeing them put in so much effort makes me want to start working out.”
“I don’t think you’re supposed to share accounts.”
“Well, considering I’m already Mrs. Black and your brother is asking me about a pre-nup, I think it’s allowed.”
Liam winced. “Trevor probably just said that so your name wouldn’t come up, and you can just ignore Elias.”
“Is it lonely?”
He cocked a brow when she turned to look up at him.
“To wonder if everyone around you is only there for the money?”
“I don’t have a lot of people around me. My brothers own the company with me, so I guess … no.”
“What about George and Kelly?”
“What about them? They’re only there because Edward Eolenfled paid them to be there. I’m paying them now, but still …”
“They’re not only there because they’re getting paid, Liam. I’m sure they care about you.”
He shrugged a shoulder.
“Are you going to bring them along to your new place?”
“Yes.” He hadn’t even thought about the possibility of not having them around. He hadn’t actually thought about moving away, not until now.
“You’re not that alone, Liam. You have George and Kelly. You have your brothers. I hope you know that.”
Liam frowned, because one person was missing from the list she’d come up with. “What about you?”
She pursed her lips.
“Considering that people already think you’re Mrs. Black.”
She pulled away from him and straightened. “Once you move out of the mansion, things will change.”
“So?”
“You won’t be trapped in that place. You’ll see more people.” She bit down on her lips. “Maybe … Maybe you’ll find that you don’t want Miss-stay-at-home around you.”
“Helena, you do know that’s all I do.”
“Yes, for now. But things may change.”
“And can’t I have you beside me even if things do change?” Otherwise, he didn’t want the changes. He would buy out that rotten place and continue to lock himself away.
She sighed. “We’ll see.” She dropped back against his chest, but Liam shifted her back so he could look at her.
“Don’t hide from me.”
She swallowed. “You’re rich. And despite what you think, you really are ruggedly handsome.” Her gaze shifted to his scar. “And I’m just me.”
He took her hand. “I’d almost forgotten the scar.” He kissed her palm and turned to her when she shivered. “The way you look at me, it’s as if I don’t have the scar.”
“And what if someone else looks at you that way? I’m the only one who’s done that because I stumbled into your mansion where you’d locked yourself away. You’re not locked up anymore.”
“I could be, if that would make you happy.”
“No.” She frowned and crossed her arms. “And you should never do that for anyone—anyone.”
He really shouldn’t be smiling when she was so angry, but he couldn’t help himself.
“Which is why I’m going to wear that dress everywhere.”
Liam groaned, and she laughed.
But the laughter quickly faded, and she gave him a rueful smile. “I don’t want you locked up, Liam. I want you happy.”
“You make me happy.” He kissed the back of her hand. “I love you, Helena.” This isn’t the eighteen-hundreds. People don’t meet once then get engaged. Elias’s words pounded in the back of his mind, causing Liam to hesitate before saying his next words.
He shook his head and pushed those thoughts out of his mind. “If you say yes, I’ll make you Mrs. Black before the sun comes up.”
“Say yes?”
He realized then that he hadn’t asked. “Marry me.”
“That’s not a question.”
“Hel—”
She covered his mouth with her hand. “You can’t do that.”
He pulled her hand away. “I’m not expecting you to love me back. I—”
Her brows drew together. “Why not?”
Liam blinked.
“I can’t say yes.”
“Can’t?”
“Because it’d be unfair to you. Because logically, I know it’s crazy.”
“You’re all I want, Helena.”
Helena’s chest rose, and she pressed her head to his chest. “You need to stop saying those things.”
“Why?”
“Because I might end up marrying you before sunrise, and I can’t do that to you.”
“Can’t do what to me?”
She sat upright again. “See the world. Step out. Meet other people.”
“How many people do I need to meet before you can be sure I won’t change my mind about what I said?”
“Ten thousand?”
His eyes slitted.
“I don’t know. This conversation is too much. Can we please stop talking about this?” she asked with furrowed brows, and sadness seeped into her gaze.
“Hey.” He cupped her face. “Nothing will change between us.”
“You don’t know that.”
He pressed his lips to hers. “I’ll make sure of it.”
She sighed, and Liam nodded.
“Okay, we’ll stop talking about this,” he said. “As long as you promise never to wear that dress if I’m not beside you.”
She laughed softly.
“I’m not hearing a yes or okay.”
“Okay.” She smiled at him with the soft gaze that made Liam realize he wasn’t the only one feeling this connection between them. “I won’t wear the dress without you beside me.” She leaned back against him.
“Doesn’t this feel right? You belong right here with me.”
She elbowed him in the ribs. “Do you want me to wear that dress out to the gym?”
He grinned.
They were quiet for a while before she suddenly asked, “Why don’t you sleep well?”
He sighed at the change of topic. “My mother used to pound on my door and scream about wanting to kill me when she got drunk.”
She pushed herself upright again.
“Kept me up at night.” He played with the ends of her hair. “I guess I got used to it.”
“I’m so sorry, Liam.”
“I hate telling you all this.”
“Why?”
“It makes me worry that you’re only here because you feel bad for me.”
“You have a lot of concerns for someone who wants to marry me before the sun comes up.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Maybe I’m just selfish enough to keep you around even if that was the case.”
“I do feel bad for you. I hate everything that you went through.” She leaned forward and kissed his scar. “But I’m not going to marry you because I feel bad for you.” She shrugged. “Or I’d already be married to Bobby.”
He scowled, and she stuck her tongue out at him.
She ran her hand through his hair. “Go to bed, Liam. No one’s going to pound on your door.”
Liam sighed and shifted her away. He got up, then scooped her up.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking you back to bed.”
She nestled her head against his shoulder. “Promise me you’ll go to bed too.”
“I will.” He put her down on the bed and pulled the duvet over her. “Goodnight.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Goodnight, Mr. Black.”
Chapter 17
Helena woke up when she thought she heard movement outside her room. She sat up in bed and listened for a moment, trying to gauge if they were in any trouble.
But there was no sound after that, so she got out of bed and washed up before heading out of her room.
Clad in a pair of black shorts and a white T-shirt, Liam was doing push-ups. He glanced at her when she made her way over to
him. “Good morning.” He pushed himself up, then jumped to his feet.
“Good morning.”
“Are you hungry? Order whatever you want to eat.”
“What about you?”
“I’m used to working out in the morning,” he said. “I can eat later.”
“I can wait.”
“No. Don’t. I don’t want you to be hungry.”
“How long will you be?” she asked.
“An hour?”
“I’m not hungry. I’ll wait for you.”
“Is it okay if I work out here? I don’t want to leave you here alone.”
She looked over her shoulder at him. “Go ahead.” She watched the news for a couple of minutes before turning around. She propped her elbows on the back of the couch to watch Liam doing push-ups behind the couch.
“I can’t even do one.”
Liam stopped and looked up at her. “I thought you were watching TV.”
“You look super strong when you do that. I’m pretty sure I’d end up smashing my nose in if I tried.”
He laughed as he did another.
She ogled him as he continued for another minute.
“Are you going to keep staring at me?”
“That’s what some people do, right? They sit and watch workout videos.”
“What’s the point of that?” He removed his white T-shirt, spread it on the floor and lay on top of it.
She shrugged and watched his well-defined abs as he did a sit-up. “I can see the fun in it.”
Liam sat up and stared at her.
“What?”
“Come here.”
She shook her head. “I’ve decided there can only be one bossy person in a relationship. I’m volunteering. So, you can come over here if you want.”
“If I come over there, I’m going to hug you while I’m all sweaty.”
They stared at each other for a moment, then Liam bent a knee and pressed his hand to the floor.
“Don’t you dare,” she said.
“Then come here.”
Helena glanced to the sides to check her exit route. “No.” She hopped off the couch as Liam got to his feet.
“Last chance.”
“No.”
He made a move to a side of the couch, so Helena bolted in the opposite direction. But instead of going around, he jumped over the couch and had his arms around her in two seconds.
