by Niles, Abby
The phone rang again, and Ava froze.
“Don’t answer it,” he murmured against her lips. Not this time. Stay with me.
She pulled back, blinking. Passion cleared, and he knew he’d lost her again. Fuck! She pushed against him, straining, until he was forced to release her, his aching body rebelling.
Cursing, he gave a short punch to the wall as she hurried away from him and grabbed the phone. “H-hello?”
Her eyes shot to his, the pink from her arousal leaching out of her skin until it was a deathly white.
Liam froze with his fingers still entangled in his hair, watching her, unnerved by her reaction. He tried to siphon through the line, but only heard the distinct mumble of a man.
A forced laugh came from her. “Jimmy. Hey.”
Then she turned her back on Liam.
He stiffened. Wasn’t that the name of the guy she’d been on the phone with weeks ago? The same man who’d been outside her house the night he’d decided to fight for her? “No,” she said to whoever it was. “You don’t have to do that..” He stepped toward her, and she spun around, holding up a hand to stay him. “I know. I miss you, too.” Tears glistened in her eyes, and she closed them for a moment before she reopened them and stared straight at him. “I can’t wait for you to get home, either. I love you, too. See you soon.”
Having his heart torn out of his chest would’ve been less painful. He stumbled back, and as she hung up the phone, he asked, “Who the hell was that?”
Though he feared he already knew the answer.
Her fingers tightened around the receiver before she released it and turned to face him. “Jimmy, my...boyfriend.”
His beast howled, enraged. No! She was lying. It was another pathetic attempt to push him away. “Then what the fuck was that?” He gestured to the wall.
“A mistake.”
“It sure as hell didn’t feel like a mistake.”
“I got caught up in the moment, Liam. It shouldn’t have happened, and it won’t again.”
“If you love this asshole so much, where the hell has he been? You almost died. Doesn’t he care? I haven’t ever seen one hair of this boyfriend of yours. And now you suddenly have one?” He crossed his arms across his chest. “Don’t play me for a fool, Ava.”
Between clenched teeth, she said, “He doesn’t know. He’s been out of the country on business.”
Liam scoffed. “Likely story.”
“You can believe whatever the hell you want, Liam. But I love Jimmy. You were the mistake. I won’t hide what just happened between us from him. But I don’t want to ruin what we have. So you need to leave. I don’t want you to be around when we talk. And you better hope you haven’t messed things up for me.”
He stepped closer and was shocked when she actually took a step back. “I’m not going anywhere, Ava.”
“Jesus, Liam, what is it going to take to make you see I don’t want you here!”
“You do want me here!” He pointed at her. “I refuse to believe otherwise!”
He stormed past her and back out into the garage, slamming the door behind him. His body vibrated, tingled, threatened to shift from the rage. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply until the sensation passed. Until all he was left with was a growling, pacing, furious beast.
He hadn’t gone into Bahrraj. Instead his beast had threatened to emerge, needing to run off the overload of anger.
You don’t believe her, either.
His beast roared, tail whipping.
Tension left him, as did his worry about going into a Bahrraj episode in front of her. His beast didn’t believe her lies any more than he did. If she could throw another man in his face without consequences to his condition, then there was nothing she could do to make him believe she didn’t want him.
…
Ava hugged the tattered remains of her shirt around herself as she shuffled into the living room. She stood there, staring into space, then collapsed onto the couch.
He’d called.
No yelling. No sinister threats. Just a quiet admonishment that had terrified her to her very core.
What are you doing, Ava?
Soft. Inquisitive. And more petrifying than if he’d been enraged. The following conversation had been done in the same tone.
Emma is at school, right? Geometry. Mrs. Potts class. Class is almost over, Ava. Lunch is about to start. What does Emma do for lunch?
He knew, of course. He knew every detail of Emma’s schedule, her routine, but he was reminding her of what an easy target her sister would be in those moments, even with the dog there to guard her. Emma took her lunch and her sketchpad outside to draw in the sun. Ava realized how unprotected her sister still truly was. One shot. That was all it would take.
It wasn’t until he’d told her that she had to fix it while he was on the phone that his tone had changed to an ugly eagerness that had made bile rise in the back of her throat.
And she had. God help her, she had. She’d looked Liam in the eyes and pretended to tell another man she loved him.
The disgust of saying those tender words to the madman was nothing compared to the agony of watching the pain explode across Liam’s face. Ava wrapped her arms around her stomach.
There’d been so much hurt and anguish in his eyes. Hurt and anguish. Ava froze, then blinked, recalling everything he’d told her.
Wait. How was she hurting him?
Wasn’t he supposed to be able to feel her emotions inside his body? Wouldn’t he have felt her terror when she’d picked up the phone and demanded to know who had frightened her so badly? Months ago, it would’ve been the same thing. He would’ve known, as she ended their relationship, she had been dying inside.
Yes, he had felt her fear before, her ‘death’ and also smaller things like her regret and happiness, but how could he miss an emotion that had been overwhelming her while he was standing right in front of her?
God, would she ever understand his world.
Looking down at the ripped T-shirt still fisted in one hand to keep the material from gaping open, memories flooded through her. Memories of her breasts brushing against Liam’s chest as his fingers delved wickedly into her body spread warmth through her. She would’ve allowed Liam anything, if—
She shook her head. No if’s. Their captor, her tormentor, had called, interrupted…threatened. Nothing had changed that. Nothing would change that until he was stopped. Made to stop. An uninformed person couldn’t stop a mastermind. Come hell or high water, she wasn’t going to be uninformed anymore. If she had to she’d go to the damn dog following Emma for answers, she would.
After she carefully made her way upstairs, she discarded the ripped T-shirt and tugged on with a white, high-neck shirt and headed back downstairs.
Two heated voices outside stopped her in her tracks
Liam’s and…Jimmy’s.
The real Jimmy. Oh, crap.
She hobbled to the door, yanking it open. Liam glared down at Jimmy, barricading the steps to the porch with his massive body. Jimmy might be a good five inches shorter than Liam, and definitely not as muscular, but he was all puffed up, too, not backing down.
“Get the hell out of my way,” Jimmy demanded.
Liam’s shoulders shook. “You’re not going near her.”
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Jimmy peered around Liam. “This buffoon won’t let me on the porch.”
“Liam, let Jimmy by.”
His fingers curled into fists before he shouldered by Jimmy, knocking him back a step, then stormed across the yard and around the house. He didn’t look back once.
She closed her eyes, hating herself for hurting him again.
When she opened them, Jimmy was staring at her He mouthed, “Oh. My. God.” as he climbed the steps. “Was that who I thought it was?”
“Yeah.”
He lifted a brow. “Girl, we have a lot to talk about.”
After he brushed by her into the house, she follow
ed and closed the door behind them. “How was your trip?”
“Good. Now tell me what happened.”
“Good? That’s all you have to say after going on your first romantic getaway with Adam? You can do better than that.”
“I think your story will be more interesting than me talking about the vineyards and ruins.”
“I had an accident. Not much to tell.”
“And the sexy beast that came storming out of your garage the minute I got out of my car?”
Beast. If he only knew. “He heard about the accident and came over.”
“That’s all? That dude was furious. All I could think about as he stormed at me was Hulk-Smash. Since I didn’t do anything but get out of my car, I don’t really think that anger was directed at me.”
“We just had a fight and I told him to leave.” She considered telling Jimmy what it had been about, but decided against it. He would kill her if he knew she had used him to put distance between herself and Liam. She hadn’t meant to use him, it had just popped out because she was terrified, but she couldn’t tell Jimmy that part, so it was just better to keep it all to herself.
He sat down on the couch. “Why’d you do that?”
“For the same reason we broke up. I told you.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard the spiel. He wanted more from you than you were ready for, blah, blah, blah. I also saw how shook up you were when you saw him a few weeks ago. That sure didn’t look like a woman who’d been afraid of having more with that man. There’s something you’re not telling me, so spill it.”
If only she could.
She sat down beside him, thankful to have him there. He wasn’t Liam, didn’t make her feel as safe, but his presence was still a comfort. She’d met him about two weeks after she broke up with Liam, when Jimmy applied for the café’s assistant manager position she’d posted. During the interview, they’d clicked instantly, she’d hired him on the spot, and he’d become her right hand. Also her best friend. She wouldn’t know what to do without him.
She curled up against his side. When he immediately put his arm around her, she laid her head on his shoulder. “It’s one of those toxic relationship things,” she murmured. “We’re just not good for each other.”
“Seems as if he disagrees with you on that. He was pretty protective of you.”
“Liam has always been overprotective.”
“I can think of worse things than having someone that hot being overprotective, Ava.”
She sighed. “You don’t understand.”
“No. I guess I don’t. I know you still have feelings for him. I don’t understand fighting feelings, hon. Adam fought his feelings for me for months, and we’re happy now.” He peered down at her. “There’s no way the two of you could be happy?”
Yes. That was the saddest part of it. She could be so very happy with Liam.
“No. Someone will end up getting really hurt.”
Emma.
He squeezed her close. “All right then, you know your relationship better than I do.” He pulled back and she tilted her head up to look at him. His gaze lowered, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. “Ava…what kind of accident did you have, again?”
“I fell into a ravine while hiking.”
He pushed her up, cupped her chin, and tilted her head to the side, tugging down the neck of her shirt. When she yanked away, pulling the fabric up, anger sparked in his eyes. “What really happened, Ava?”
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Damn it!
“Was it him? Is this why you said your relationship is toxic?” he demanded.
The notion that Liam would ever hit her was so absurd she simply blinked at him.
“I’ll frikkin’ kill him.”
Before she could even grasp what was happening, he was up and out the front door. “Jimmy!” She hobbled after him, cursing the fact that her crutches were still in the garage. She came out of the house just in time to see Jimmy disappear through the garage door. “Jimmy! Wait!”
There was the sound of fist hitting skin, and a grunt. Shit! Shit! Shit! She stumbled toward the garage, wincing as pain stabbed through her ankle. She refused to slow down, knowing she had to get to them before things went really bad. When she rounded the corner, she saw Liam advancing on Jimmy as he rubbed a hand over his jaw.
“No!” She hurried between them, spreading her hands out.
A growl came from Liam, but he at least stopped.
“Why are you protecting him?” Jimmy shouted, trying to go around her.
Ava grabbed him by the shoulders, making him look her in the eyes. “He didn’t do this!”
“Then who did? And don’t give me some bullshit lie about falling. Someone choked you.”
“Fine. Some guy attacked me the other night. I’m going with the ravine thing to keep Emma from knowing.” She spilled out what detail she could, feeling Liam’s warmth as he stood right behind her.
“They said you were gone for two days, Ava. Where were you?” He sent Liam a fierce scowl. “Unless you’re trying to protect this asshole.”
God, the lies, they just kept adding up. To Emma, to Liam, and now Jimmy. Would there be anyone she wouldn’t have to look in the eye and lie to?
“Listen to me. He grabbed me, this other guy. He took me somewhere, and I— I had to escape.”
Jimmy’s anger left him in one shocked exhale as he gaped at her. “Y-you were kidnapped? Did they get the guy?” His gaze shot to Liam again. “Oh my God, is that why he’s here? They haven’t caught him?”
“They caught him,” she lied.
“Then why is he here?”
“He heard about the incident and came to see me.”
Jimmy’s eyes narrowed even more. “Then why was he acting like a rabid guard dog?”
“Liam was mad. Like I told you inside, I’d just asked him to leave, that I didn’t want him here.”
The sharp inhale from behind her had her closing her eyes. Would she ever stop hurting him?
“But they caught the guy that hurt you?”
“Yes.”
The tension left Jimmy and he sent Liam an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry about the punch.” He wrapped his arm around Ava and turned her around. “This woman means the world to me.”
She forced herself to look up at Liam, and her blood turned to ice at the way he stared straight ahead unseeing. She stepped closer to him. “Liam?”
He didn’t move.
Didn’t flinch.
Showed no emotion. None whatsoever.
Her throat closed. What was happening to him? Never had she seen anyone so devoid of emotion. So detached. As if he was no longer standing before her, but somewhere else entirely.
“L-Liam?” His name cracked as it came out a bare whisper.
“What’s wrong with him?” Jimmy asked.
“I— I don’t know.”
She touched Liam’s arms. They were locked rigid at his sides, his fingers curled into tight fists. “Liam!” she yelled, grabbing hold of his biceps, shaking him. He didn’t budge, his muscles locked down, stiff as a statue. Panic clawed inside her. “Liam! Look at me!”
His eyes never focused, just stared straight ahead.
“I think he’s having a stroke or something,” Jimmy said. “I’m calling 911.”
“No!” When Jimmy froze, staring at her as if she lost her mind, she frantically shook her hands, trying to find a reason why. “Uh…er—”
She pressed the heel of her palms to her forehead. Her mind spun, but the only thing she could concentrate on was getting Jimmy away from this. He couldn’t witness this, whatever this was. “Do me a favor and go to my bedroom and—” what? “—grab my bathrobe off the back of the door.”
“What the hell, Ava? A bathrobe?”
She spun on him. “Just do it!”
He shook his head but left. As soon as he was gone, she shoved her hand in Liam’s front pocket and yanked out his phone. The cell trembled in her hands as she scroll
ed down the list until she found a familiar name. Brit.
She hit call.
“Yo! Liam, what’s up?”
“B-Britton?”
There was a pause. “Who is this?”
“It’s Ava. Something’s the matter with Liam. He’s here…at my place…standing right in front of me…but he’s unresponsive.”
“Goddammit!”
He didn’t say anything more, just disconnected the line in her ear. As her body shook with fear, she stared up at Liam, fighting to remain calm and not completely lose it. He looked dead. No life at all shone in his usually expressive eyes.
Your death will ruin me.
But she wasn’t dead! Not yet...
She placed a trembling hand against his cheek. “Liam…” She had to swallow back the sob that threatened to explode from her mouth. “Please, baby. L-look at me.”
She waited, prayed to see a flicker…anything that showed life still existed inside him, and saw nothing but an empty void. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she brushed back his hair, touching, trying to stimulate, to bring him back to her. “W-what is happening? Oh, God, what is this?”
Nothing worked.
Out of desperation, she rose up on her tip-toes and placed her lips to his, “Please, Liam, come back to me,” she whispered against his mouth.
Instantly, his body relaxed and jerked backward. Dismay rounded his eyes as they refocused, and he stumbled across the garage, away from her.
At the sudden change, she gave a shocked gasp and swiped the tears off her cheek with her palms. He was back, as if he hadn’t just been standing there like a statue, completely unaware of her. Of anything.
“What just happened, Liam?” Alarm and fear saturated her voice. She pressed a shaking hand to her mouth, unable to fight another wave of tears. “What…just happened to you?”
He didn’t say anything. Just stared at her. Horrified. Then he shook his head, rounded the tool bench, keeping a wide distance between them, and walked out.
She swallowed.
Nothing about that had been human.
Never compare my instinct to yours. You have no fucking clue what mine does to me.
As those other words replayed in her mind, she pressed both hands to her mouth. Was this what he’d been talking about? Was this why he wouldn’t confide in her what deserted meant?
