“Have fun.”
“Yeah. See you later.” He hung up without waiting for me to respond.
When I heard the line go dead, I put the phone down. I pulled a blanket over my legs and watched TV. The silence of the empty house washed over me. I tried to concentrate on the TV but the depression came over me.
Why couldn’t I be like everyone else? The old Keira would jump at the chance to take the money of a group of guys in a poker game. My dad taught me how to play when I was little. The thought of him made me sad again.
My eyes closed and I fell asleep, tears stilling on my cheeks until they disintegrated.
At midnight, my phone rang. Slightly disoriented, I reached for it and looked at the name. It was Liam. Scotty still wasn’t home yet, so I wondered what Liam wanted. I debated not answering, but knowing he would call on Scotty’s phone instead, I took the call.
“Hello?” I whispered.
“Do me a favor. Open your front door.”
I felt the panic rise.
“I’m not there,” he said quickly.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Just open your front door.”
“Okay…” I walked to the other side of the house and opened the door. On the doorstep was a basket filled with sweets. Large bags of Skittles and m&m’s, along with other candy bars were stacked in a pile. Despite my initial fear, I smiled.
“Everyone left. Now it’s just me and Scotty. Come over and play poker—your version.”
I couldn’t stop smiling. It was such a meaningful gesture. I told him I was a sweet tooth and he remembered. “Okay.”
“Good.” I heard the smile in his voice. “I’ll text you my address. See you soon.”
“Bye.” I went back inside and changed while I ate a bag of sweets. I tried to make myself look as presentable as possible, but time was limited. I finally left the house, still snacking.
When I reached the two-story house, I checked the address again. But they matched.
He lives here?
I pulled into the driveway and looked at the large house again. Wow. He was loaded.
When I got out of the car and approached the doorway, he was standing there. He wore jeans and a dark blue t-shirt. It brought out the color of his blue eyes. He had a slight smile on his lips, and his eyes were bright. His hands were in his pockets.
I approached him, carrying the basket. “My dentist is going to hate you.”
“I hope you have good insurance.”
“Nope. I just floss.”
He stared at me for a full minute, not saying anything. I started to feel awkward with the look. He studied every feature of my face, looking at my lips and my eyes. But he didn’t touch me. “Thank you for coming.”
I felt winded with the look. “Yeah…”
“Now let’s get this game started.” He walked inside and I trailed behind him.
Scotty was sitting at the table. “Look who’s here,” he said with a smile.
I placed the basket next to me, still snacking.
Scotty reached to grab a bag but I slapped his hand away. “Nope. This is my stash.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I always knew if you won the lottery, you wouldn’t share the wealth.”
“You sound surprised,” I teased. I smiled then looked at Liam. He was staring at my mouth, noticing my smile. I quickly looked away.
“Let’s play,” Liam said. He dealt the cards and played a few rounds.
It was easy playing with just the two of them. I won most of the rounds, conjuring full houses and triples out of thin air.
Liam eyed me. “How are you doing this?”
I shrugged. “I’m just lucky.”
“You got a pack of cards back there?” Scotty asked as he leaned over the table.
“You just suck,” I teased.
“Ouch,” Liam said. “Thanks for being compassionate about the less fortunate.” He snatched a bag of Skittles I won from him then ripped it open.
I didn’t steal it away. “Consider it charity.”
Liam smiled. “I’m so grateful.”
We played for a few hours. I didn’t care how late it was because I hated sleeping. Nightmares would always plague me, and Scotty emptied my liquor cabinet so I had nothing to help me.
Around two, Scotty yawned. “I’m calling it a night, guys. Besides, Keira is gonna take me for all I got.”
I shrugged. “Maybe you should practice.”
He rolled his eyes. “Brat.”
“That’s me,” I said with a smile.
Scotty stood then stuffed his keys in his pockets. If he was leaving, so was I.
“You don’t have to go,” Liam said, watching me grab my things. “We can keep playing.”
Umm…the idea of being alone with him in the house—his house—was daunting.
“I don’t bite,” he said with a smile.
I didn’t know what to do.
Scotty placed his hand on my shoulder. “Give us a moment.” He pulled me away. “Keira, you should stay. I know you’re a night owl.”
“But…”
“He’s not going to hurt you. He’s perfectly trustworthy.”
“I don’t know…”
“How is this any different than the coffee shop?”
“Other people were there.”
He gave me a serious look. “Loosen up, Keira. He’s your friend, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Then treat him like it.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath and tried to stifle my fear.
Liam approached us. “You staying?”
“Umm…”
“Yes, she is,” Scotty said. He headed to the door. “I’ll see you later.”
“Bye,” Liam said. He held the door open then closed it behind Scotty.
As soon as it was closed, the silence became louder. Liam turned around and looked at me. My heart was pounding so strongly that I could hear the blood in my ears. I started to sweat.
“Let’s play another round,” Liam said. He walked back to the table.
I wasn’t sure what I expected to happen, but I was glad we got back to the game.
When I sat down, we played a few more rounds. When we were concentrated on a different activity, I felt calm. We laughed as I won most of the rounds. I cleared out his stash of sweets.
“You’re going to be bouncing off the wall with all the sweets you’ve had.”
“But I can’t stop,” I responded.
When he was out of candy, he eyed my pile. “Share the wealth?”
I pulled it toward me. “Nope.”
He smiled then stood up. “Want to watch TV?”
“I doubt anything is on this hour.”
“There’s always something on.” He snatched a bag of Skittles then moved to the couch.
And the panic returned.
He leaned back and poured the Skittles in his palm. He ate them by the handful.
What do I do? Just sit down?
I moved for the opposite couch, far away from him.
He eyed me for a long time.
“What?” I asked.
“You can’t see the TV from where you’re sitting…”
He was right. That meant I had to sit on the same couch as him. “Oh.”
He seemed disappointed with my actions. He grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels.
I finally moved to the other couch, sitting at the opposite end.
He didn’t comment on my selection.
We ate our candy while we watched TV for the next hour. We watched I Love Lucy, and we both laughed at the crazy things Lucy Ricardo did.
“You like this show?” I asked.
“It’s a classic,” he said. “How could I not?”
I relaxed when he didn’t move any closer to me. An hour later, my eyes felt heavy. I was tired and wanted to get to bed. And I didn’t want to drive when I was even more exhausted. “I’m going to call it a night.”
“Okay.” H
e didn’t ask me to stay.
We both headed to the door and he opened it for me.
“I’ll walk you out,” he said.
“No, it’s okay.”
“I insist,” he said firmly.
“Okay…”
We walked around the house then down the driveway. I dug my keys out of my purse then approached the driver side of my door. Liam was next to me the entire time.
“Well…thanks for inviting me over,” I said, staring at my keys in my hands.
“Thank you for coming—finally.” His hands were in his pockets, an unthreatening stature.
I smiled. “And thanks for all the sweets.” I put the basket on the car so I could get the door open. I turned but he stilled me with his voice.
“Hold on a second.”
I flinched at the request and turned back to him. What did he want?
He stared me down. Lighting was limited, but I could still see the details of his face. He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t upset. He wasn’t anything. “Whatever you think I’m going to do, I’m not. You’re always edgy around me, afraid I’m going to do something to hurt you or make you uncomfortable. I’m not sure what I did to enlist that reaction from you, but I’m sorry. Whatever it was, it wasn’t intentional.
“We’ve been friends for four weeks now and I don’t see any difference from you.” He stepped closer to me. “I want you to be comfortable with me, not watch my hands every other second. It’s not how friends are with each other. They are comfortable and trusting. Are you my friend or not?”
Now I felt bad for making him question himself like this. “Of course, we are.”
“Could you start acting like it? I think I’ve earned that.”
I nodded.
“Because I like you, Keira. And I want to be close to you. You’re only comfortable around Scotty, but I want you to be comfortable around me too. I’ll keep working on it if I have to, but I would like some direction.”
“No,” I said immediately. “You’re fine.”
“Am I?” he asked seriously.
“Of course. I’m just…”
“What?” he pressed. “Scared of me? Keira, I would never, ever hurt you.”
I believed him. “I know.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay. So…are we okay?”
“We’re more than okay.”
“Is it going to be different from now on?”
I couldn’t promise anything. “I’ll try.”
“That’s all I can ask for.”
I nodded, not sure what else to do. He didn’t step away. The silence stretched between us.
“We’re friends?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“You know what friends do?”
I didn’t know where this was going. “What…?”
“They hug each other. And I would like one if you’re willing.”
A hug? What? “Umm…I don’t know how to do that.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t know how to hug someone?” A smile was on his lips.
“I just don’t do it very often.”
“Because you only hug your friends?” he asked. “Because that would make me feel special.”
I didn’t move, feeling my heart pound.
He kept his hands in his pockets. “You don’t have to, Keira. I just thought it would be nice.”
But I wanted to. I wanted to touch him, to feel him next to me. I wasn’t sure why. His body was thick and strong. I wanted his large arms to wrap around me and make me feel safe. I wanted to connect to someone, to feel normal. The only person I’ve hugged in years is Scotty.
Liam looked disappointed. “It’s okay, Keira. Don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable.”
I stepped forward then looked at his chest. He looked down at me, watching me.
“Let me help you,” he said. “Since I’m so much taller than you, you should put your arms around my waist. I’ll put my arms around your shoulders.”
I felt like an idiot. Someone had to explain how to give a hug. It was so embarrassing.
Liam still didn’t touch me. He let me come to him. I appreciated his patience.
I finally moved my arms through his then wrapped them around his waist. My head moved to his chest, resting against his heart. Then his arms moved around my shoulders. As soon as he enveloped me, I felt safe. I assumed I’d be scared. I would freak out and run away. But I didn’t.
He pulled me to his chest and rested his chin on my head. He was so much bigger and taller than me. I was completely dwarfed.
He had a special scent to him. Perhaps it was his shampoo. I inhaled it while he held me. His hands moved gently against my back, reminding me I was real. His chest felt solid next to me, like a concrete wall. I hadn’t felt safe like this in a long time.
Suddenly, I felt the tears bubble under my eyes. It hurt my heart, feeling him hold me. I breathed deeply, trying to control it. I haven’t felt comfortable with anyone but Scotty in so long. Did this mean I was getting better? Did it mean I could actually trust someone else? When a few tears escaped my eyes, I knew it was true.
Liam tightened his hold on me and listened to me cry. But he didn’t ask me what was wrong. He just knew. His hand moved to the back of my neck, and his fingers moved through my hair gently. He still held me close, letting me treasure the embrace. I knew my tears started to soak his shirt but he didn’t complain.
I don’t know how long he held me for. An hour, maybe more. But he didn’t pull away. When my emotions were finally under control, I was able to show my face. I pulled away, missing his touch as soon as I left it.
When I looked at his face, I saw the distant moisture in his eyes. They were slightly red, like his eyes had welled up. That made me shake. The emotion in his eyes was something I never expected.
“Good night…” I reached for my door.
He opened it for me then helped me get into the seat. Then he handed me the basket. “Night.” He closed the door gently then stood back. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for me to leave.
I started the car and pulled away, trying to figure out what just happened. When I got home, Scotty was asleep. I crept to my room and got into bed, replaying the evening in my head.
My phone vibrated on my nightstand and lit up the room.
I grabbed it and read the screen.
Just wanted to see if you made it home okay.
My heart squeezed when I read the words. Yeah. I’m home.
K. Thank you.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Liam
I didn’t know what Keira suffered from, but I knew I suffered from it too. Feeling her cry in my arms made me break into a million pieces. I’d give anything to know what made her so scared to live her life. I’d ask, but I knew she would never tell me. I just let it go.
For the next month, I tried to see Keira as often as I could without scaring her. I always arranged to see her in unlikely places, like in the hallway or around campus. She was different around me. While she was still reserved and on her guard, she didn’t flinch every time I moved or watched where my hands were. She was finally starting to trust me.
We never talked about the evening spent in my driveway. I wouldn’t address it unless she brought it up first. I was already making a lot of progress with her and I didn’t want to destroy that.
I was a different person than I was two months ago. When I competed in my fights, the blood lust wasn’t the same. I started to realize I didn’t need it to channel my anger anymore. My performance started to wane when the realization hit. The punches and hits didn’t give me any satisfaction. Now only the check meant anything.
Keira was constantly in my thoughts. I didn’t fantasize about her in a physical or sexual way because I respected her too much, but I didn’t think about other women that way, which was odd. I used my bedroom conquests to dissolve my hatred and anger, but I didn’t need that anymore either.
So what did I need?
I u
sed to pick up a different girl every night and take her back to my place. But I hadn’t done that in two months. I thought I would be sexually frustrated but I wasn’t. It was peaceful, actually. All the things I relied on to stay sane disappeared. But that left me questioning who I was. Without the things I needed, what did I become? I didn’t know.
Adrianna still pestered me but I ignored her most of the time. When she showed up at my house or at the gym, I slammed the door in her face and said hurtful things. The last thing I wanted was Keira to think something was going on between Adrianna and I. I couldn’t afford that right now. Keira was finally starting to trust me.
She said she just wanted to be friends, but she looked at me differently now. When I stared at her, she didn’t turn away immediately. She held my gaze for a moment then finally dropped the look.
She came over a few times to watch a movie or TV. The fact she came over alone was a testament to her trust in me. Now when I called, she answered. I was usually ignored, or when I asked her to do something, she rejected me. Now she didn’t do that. But if it wasn’t just she and I, she usually didn’t want to go. I could tell she didn’t like crowds.
I wanted to be more than just friends. I wanted that the moment we met. But I couldn’t rush her, and I didn’t want to mention it and push her away. Keira was a delicate creature, and every move I made could bring us closer together or destroy us. But I knew I really liked her if I was willing to make such an effort. That wasn’t me. When I hit on a girl, if I didn’t get her in sack in the five minutes I moved on to someone else. But I spent two months with Keira just to get a date.
I wasn’t sure why I liked her so much. I was attracted to her beauty, which was hypnotic and breathtaking, but I was drawn to the person she was. When she was calm and happy, she was a joy to be around.
But I recognized the same hurt in her that I carried. She and I were the same. I wasn’t sure how I knew that, but I did. If she opened up to me, I would open up to her. And we would realize how similar we were.
All in all, I knew I wanted Keira. And I’d do anything for a chance.
When I was having lunch with Bran at the tables on campus, Scotty joined us.
“Heeey,” Scotty said as he embraced us.
“What’s up?” I said.
“Just got out of class,” he said. “What’s new with you?”
Unbreakable Page 8
