by Lila Rose
At least I hoped he did.
Christ. I wanted them both.
My cock jumped behind my trousers from the thought of the three of us in bed.
Only it wasn’t the time to be picturing it. That was a fact when a short woman who looked older than her sixty years, in a grey matching tracksuit came through the front door.
“Mrs Long I presume?” I held out my hand towards her. She looked down and then up to me and snorted.
She took my hand and shook it hard twice before dropping it. “You know what people say about presuming? Makes an arse outta you and me? Well, that just happened, and if you ever call me Mrs Long again I will wallop you one. Now, where in the hell is my grandbaby?”
My head jerked back. “If you’re not Mrs Long, then can I ask who you are? As far as I knew, Miss Long has no other living relations except her mother.”
“That fucking cockmuncher,” the old woman snapped.
“Now I don’t think that’s any way to talk about me, Mum.” Another woman dressed in tight jeans and a tight vest top entered the room. She had to be Mrs Long.
The older woman snarled. “Don’t call me Mum. I was never your mum. Thank god for that. Don’t know what my son ever saw in you.”
“Shall we go to the conference room and sort out what exactly is going on?” I asked, and without waiting for a reply, I started down the hall. After a few beats, I heard them both following me.
Opening the door, I walked in and witnessed Liberty stiffen while Damien grabbed her hand.
Mrs Long came in first. “What the fuck you done to bring me here to this fancy joint, Liberty?”
Liberty’s stare hardened. “Nothing, I—”
“We’ll talk in a moment,” I stated.
“Libby….”
Liberty’s eyes flashed to the doorway. Her brows dipped, and she bit her bottom lip in confusion. “Who?”
“Oh, my precious baby girl,” her grandmother cooed with tears in her eyes. “You look like your daddy.”
Liberty’s hand came to her throat. “D-do I know you?”
“My name’s Franny Mayberry, used to be Franny Long when I was married to your daddy’s dad. You don’t know me, sweet girl, because your fucking twat of a mother ran off with you, but I’m here now.”
Liberty’s eyes were wide, her mouth agape. She was startled and lost for words.
“How come you’ve never found her before and how did you find her today?” Damien asked.
“Can we get on with whatever I’m here—”
“You, shut the fuck up,” Franny spat before walking to the table and sitting opposite her granddaughter. Mrs Long slowly sat two seats down from the older woman. Franny added, “I tried, boy.” Damien’s eyes widened at the boy comment. “But I had my own shit going on with my husband passing, then I was building up my business, and now, since I could afford a top-notch investigator, I hired him to find my grandbaby. He did yesterday. I got a flight out of Brisbane this morning, and here I am.” She glared down at Mrs Long. “I guess my timing is perfect. What in the hell have you done to her now, besides keeping her away from me for so long?”
Mrs Long snorted. “She’s better off with me in her life than your soul sucking—”
“Ladies,” I interrupted. “You can do all the fighting you want, but outside of this office.” I took a seat at the end of the desk and next to Liberty’s side. “Mrs Long, you’ve been called in here today so we could inform you Liberty will no longer be paying off any debt you consume for the rest of your life.”
“You bitch, you brought your nigga boss—”
Liberty stood, as did Damien, but it was Liberty who leaned over the table and snarled, “You ever call him that again, and I’ll call the police on your fuckhead of a boyfriend. Liam has been nothing but kind to me. He gave me this job, put up with my attitude, and now he’s helping me out by paying the debt I got into because I gave you all my money trying to protect you from going to jail or being killed. You’ve sucked me dry, Mum, and I won’t let it go on any longer. You do not come to my home. You don’t call me or come by this workplace. I should have lost all respect for you a long time ago, but after the way you spoke about Liam, anything I had for you is gone.”
Damien cleared his throat. His voice was low and filled with warning when he said, “Your daughter is my woman and everything she just said I back 100 percent. If you try to contact her in any way, you’ll not only have to deal with the cops but me also. And if you ever, fucking ever, speak about a man the way you did Liam, you being a woman won’t register on my radar. I will take you down, you disrespecting old hag.”
Fuck.
Fuck me.
My chest puffed out, my breathing shallowed, and my cock hardened.
Both of them stood up for me.
Not that I needed it. Hell, there would always be a small amount of folks out there who hated black people, and I didn’t give a flying fuck about them. I’d had my fair share of protecting myself from people like Mrs Long. However, to have two people stand up for me like Liberty and Damien had…. Shit, it meant the fucking world.
Clearing my throat, I said, “Right, well, now that’s settled, Mrs Long, I think you should leave.”
She snorted, then scoffed. “Should never have had you. You’re nothing but a—” She squeaked when Damien shifted as if he were about to escort the woman out. Only Liberty stopped him with her hand on his arm, and her mother quickly left right after. They both sat back down at the table and looked to the woman who remained sitting with a large smile on her face.
Chapter Four
Liberty
I had a grandmother I never knew about. My mum had said all grandparents had died when I’d asked about them. I was stupid to have believed a gambling drunk. Even more, I had a grandmother who just swore as much as I did. Sure, my mum swore as well, but there was no way I was anything like her.
She was out of my life.
My mother.
I should have felt guilt, remorse for the way I spoke to her, but I didn’t. For too long had she made me think everything was my fault. I’d put up with it all and received hate as thanks.
The last straw was the way she spoke to Liam. How dare she call him that word! Just thinking it made me want to punch something.
“So, now the rat has left, let’s get down to why I’m here.” Franny smiled. “Not only would I like to spend some time with you, to get to know you again, but I’m also here to pass this on.” She took her bag from the floor and plonked it on the table. After some digging, she pulled out a piece of paper and slid it across the table towards me. “Your granddaddy and I had an account set up for you the day you were born. We put some money in it each week and wanted you to have it when you turned twenty-one, but of course your… mother took you away, so I want you to have it now.”
I was touched at the thought, so much so, my eyes watered and with a shaky hand, I picked up the cheque and looked at it. Then I looked at it some more while my heart stopped beating and my lungs dried up from any oxygen.
“Breathe, Liberty,” Liam whispered next to me. Damien’s hand landed on my back and started to rub as I sucked in some much-needed air.
I looked at the two men in my life, one my boyfriend, the other my boss who, in my heart, felt more than that. I then glanced back down to the cheque. Placing it on the table, I slid it back towards Franny. She seemed perturbed by my action.
“I can’t take it. That’s a lot of fucking money, and I don’t deserve—”
“Codswallop,” Franny barked and pushed the cheque my way again. “You deserve that and so much more for putting up with your mama. And from what I gather, you put yourself last by trying to help a person as ungrateful as what she is.” She smiled warmly. “Please take it, if not for me, then for your daddy and granddaddy. Two men who missed out on getting to know such a strong, beautiful woman.”
Tears stung my eyes. I had often wondered about my father and to know I missed out on so much with not o
nly him, but a grandfather because of my mother, anger burned low in my belly. I sniffed. “I don’t feel right taking it.”
Franny sighed. She picked up the cheque and put it back in her bag. My body sagged in relief. “One month,” she blurted.
Tilting my head to the side, I asked, “Sorry?”
“I’m in town for one month, and I’d like to spend as much time as possible with you.”
My heart warmed. I had a family. Someone who wanted to spend time with me, to get to know me.
I wasn’t missing the opportunity. “I’d like that.” I smiled.
“Great, let’s start with dinner tonight. I’m staying at the hotel down the road. Room 205. Say six?” She stood from her chair.
“Sounds good.” I nodded and then felt awkward. Did I hug her? Pet her? Slap her on the back and say, “Good seeing you, Granny.” I wasn’t sure, so I managed a lame, small wave. She laughed, blew a kiss goodbye, and left.
I sighed long and loud, then looked to Damien sitting next to me. “Did that really happen?”
He grinned, leaned in, and pecked my lips. Pulling back, he asked, “Which part? You standing up to your mum, who, by the way, is evil, or meeting your grandmother and her trying to give you two million dollars?”
I giggled. “Both.” I laid a hand over my chest. I just knocked back two million dollars. Two. Million. Was I crazy? Most likely. Though, I could still be in goddamn shock over the whole episode. However, I knew deep inside of me I did the right thing.
“Then yes, they both happened. Proud of you, Libby.” His hand slid to the side of my neck. “You’re an amazing woman. Makes me annoyed we spent a lot of our years hating each other.”
I snorted. “Yeah, well, you were just Jade’s annoying brother.”
“Annoyingly handsome brother.”
Playfully, I pushed him and shifted to face Liam. “I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t,” he ordered in his deep, growly voice. “You should never apologise for that woman again, and I appreciate you both for standing up for me.” He stood from the table. “You’re a bigger person than I could ever be.” He paused, his eyes roaming my face. “Can I ask why you didn’t take the money?”
Shrugging, I said, “It just didn’t feel right. I don’t know her, and taking a stranger’s money is something, no matter my situation, I would never do.”
“It could have paid off your debt to me.”
Smiling, I nodded. “I know, but at least now you can’t fire me for some time. Even if I do stuff up and annoy you, there’s no chance you’re letting me go.”
His eyes changed, softened. He had been looking at me like that a lot lately. I liked it. No, I loved it, but it also made me feel uncomfortable because Damien was right there. There was no way, no matter how my heart fluttered for Liam, I would risk losing Damien.
“Anyway,” Damien said suddenly and stood. He helped me rise beside him, leaned in and touched his lips to mine. “I’d better get going. You coming over after your visit with your granny? Use this money for a taxi.” I opened my mouth to argue, but he stopped me when he said, “Just let me.”
Smiling, I agreed, “Okay.”
“Good, see you then.” He walked to the door, looked back and gave Liam a chin lift, with a gruff, “Liam.”
“Damien,” Liam replied just before my boyfriend disappeared out the door, closing it behind him.
Straightening my skirt, I said, “I better get back to work. Thank you again for taking care… I mean, I know I should have done it on my own, but she always says something that drags my emotions in and… I’m rambling about stuff you don’t need to know. I’m sorry.” I finished and started around the table behind Liam, only to stop when his hand curled around my wrist.
My heart jumped, and my stomach swooned at the touch.
With a tug, I was facing him. He looked down at me and said, “I always want to know things about you, Liberty.”
“Oh,” was all I managed to breathe out.
His thumb on my wrist circled on my skin and caused a shiver to ripple over my body. I shouldn’t have had that reaction to him. Not when I had a boyfriend I loved, a man who could drive my body insane with one touch.
So why was Liam pulling the same reaction from me?
He stepped closer.
Why was he stepping closer?
Shit, my heart was a pitter-patter of wild beats.
Damien.
I shouldn’t be doing this.
What is this?
I shouldn’t be close to him like I am.
But…
As I went to open my mouth and tell him I couldn’t… what? I didn’t know. Everything left my mind when his mouth slammed down on mine. A gasp escaped me, which gave him the opportunity for his tongue to come in and play with mine.
Step away.
It seemed I couldn’t. It was Liam Michaels. A man I had been crushing on since I’d started working for him, even if he drove me crazy with his bossy antics. So I found my arms curling up around his neck, and myself moaning into his mouth. I trembled from his hands gripping me, pulling me flush against him.
A throat clearing behind me had me jumping away from Liam like he was on fire. Spinning, I faced the door, and my stomach dropped. I laid a hand on it as my eyes landed on Damien.
No.
He laughed, only it wasn’t real. “I think my phone fell out of my pocket.” He walked around the table, the furthest away from me. “Yep.” He nodded. “There it is.” He picked up his phone and moved back to the door.
“Damien,” I started. Tears filled my eyes. I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t want to lose him. What was I thinking?
My stomach churned. What I’d done made me feel sick. No matter how I’d enjoyed it at the time, it wasn’t worth hurting my boyfriend.
God, I was confused. I didn’t want to hurt Liam, but to brush the kiss off as nothing….
It hadn’t been nothing.
I didn’t know what to do.
“Damien, wait,” I called as he was just about out the door. “Please,” I begged.
He waved over his shoulder. “I’ll see you later.”
“Damien,” Liam tried.
“Bye,” he called.
Turning to Liam, I saw his frown before he ordered, “Go after him.”
Nodding, I ran out of the room and down the hall. Damien was just walking out the front door. “Damien,” I shouted and opened the door after him to see him paused. “I’m sorry, so fucking sorry. I shouldn’t have let that happen. It was unexpected and just happened. I’m sorry. Please, please don’t… don’t leave me. I know I have no right to ask that of you, but….” Tears ran down my cheeks.
He faced me and took a step, so he was right in front of me. He smiled sadly down at me, yet I didn’t find hate or anger in his expression. If anything, from his drawn brows and hunched shoulders, I sensed his confusion, which made no sense.
He cupped my cheeks, tilted my head back a little and with his thumbs, wiped away my tears. “We’ll talk tonight, but… it’s okay.”
Shaking my head, I asked, “How can you say that?”
“Don’t worry. Get through work, and we’ll talk tonight.”
Was he just comforting me while at work and for when I saw my grandmother that night? Was he putting on a brave face, only fuming on the inside? Would he break up with me when I showed up at his place?
“But—”
“Tonight,” he demanded and offered me a small smile before he kissed me quickly and turned, walking off and leaving me there even more puzzled.
With a sigh, I wiped at my eyes again, and even though I didn’t want to go back to work to face Liam, I did.
Clenching my jaw from the guilt and sorrow my stomach and heart felt, I opened the door to find Liam standing just outside his office door.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Shrugging, I said, “I don’t know.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Please don’t apologise
.”
He nodded and then his phone rang. He dragged it out of his pocket and placed it to his ear, “Yes?” he clipped. His body stiffened. “Yes. Okay, when and where? Fine, see you then.” His eyes landed back on me. “I think we need to talk.”
“Not now.” I shook my head.
“Liberty, we’ve been attracted to each other for some time. It was bound to happen sooner or later.”
Sniffing, I crossed my arms over my chest. “I won’t risk losing Damien no matter how—”
“How what?” he snapped.
“How I feel about you,” I rushed out.
His jaw clenched, but he nodded. Did that mean he understood? Because I really didn’t. My mind was all over the place.
Why couldn’t my love life be easy like Jade’s and I had both of them?
That was selfish, though.
It was selfish because I would be the only one getting something out of it. I couldn’t expect Damien or Liam to like each other and want the same thing.
“We should get back to work then,” he offered and then walked into his office, shutting the door behind him.
I wanted to cry, shout, and cry some more. I even thought about throwing up. My body, heart, and mind were overloading with emotions, causing me to want to curl up in the corner of the room and pretend the kiss hadn’t happened.
Instead of doing any of that, I went and sat at my desk and got back to work.
Walking into my grandmother’s room as she opened the door was another awkward moment. She went in for a hug, and I went for a pat on the arm. She laughed loudly, and I blushed, slinking into the room like the idiot I was.
Family hugged. I had to remember that, but since my mother never showed an ounce of affection towards me, it was going to be a learning curve. The only woman I ever hugged was Jade, and that was because she never gave me a choice.
Franny gestured to the couch. I went over and sat. Her choice was the chair opposite me. “I’ve ordered burgers and chips for dinner. Hope that’s okay.”
“Sounds good.” I nodded.
“Great. Can I just say you look like shit?”
My eyes widened, and I looked from the coffee table between us up to her. “I, you, what?”
