Olivia’s scowl deepened. “Is this about Max?”
“Yes. No! I mean, not like you think it is.”
“Oh, so it’s not me, it’s you, right?”
Liam groaned in frustration and roughly dragged his fingers through his hair. “Olivia, you’re so beautiful…so amazing. You just deserve so much more.” He reached up and touched the side of her face.
Olivia closed her eyes and drank in the heat of his touch, igniting a fire burning deep in the pit of Liam’s stomach that threatened to consume him. If he didn’t get away from her soon, his chivalrous intentions would be nothing more than that—intentions. He pulled his hand away, and her eyes flew open in surprise. “We should be getting you home,” he said hastily.
She let out a long frustrated sigh, turned abruptly, and threw the door open. She climbed out without so much as another word, jumped into the Jeep, and drove off. She tore down the road, tires squealing as she took her anger out on the gas pedal. Liam had no difficulty keeping up with her in the Camaro. He cursed, angry with himself for inadvertently affecting her free will. He’d pissed her off, and as a result, she was putting herself in danger without even realizing it. Shit, at this rate, he was going to get her killed before Max did.
Headlights flashed as a car turned down the side street. The engine roared as it flew down the road heading straight toward Olivia. Even if she saw it, she was going too fast, she’d never be able to stop in time before colliding with it. He gunned the Camaro, easily passing her as he shot around her on the left and cranked the wheel. The Camaro’s tires screamed as it spun a 180, stopping in front of the intersection a second before the car plowed into him.
***
Olivia slammed on the breaks when Liam raced around her. She watched in horror as a car from the side street slammed into the side of his Camaro, pushing it into the oncoming lane. The crashing sound of crumpled metal and shattering glass was deafening.
“Liam!” she cried, jumping out of the Jeep. Broken glass crunched under her feet as she ran over to the totaled car. She was afraid to look inside, once she reached the crumpled driver’s door. He must be dead, no one could survive that. She forced herself to peer in through the shattered window. He was gone! Panic seized her as she frantically searched the back seat—nothing! Her chest tightened until the lump in her throat choked off her air. Where is he?
A loud thud rent the air, and she looked through the passenger window to the other car, no more than twenty feet away. There he was, standing beside the driver’s door. Relief flooded over her. Thank God, he was alive! Already, he was checking on the welfare of the man in the other car. How thoughtful and caring…
She jumped when another loud bang resonated through the still night air. Liam drove the heel of his boot into the driver’s door. Metal creaked and the side crumpled like a tin can. “Get out of the car!” he yelled, slamming his boot into the driver’s car door again and again. The whole car shook. Her eyes must be playing tricks on her because she would swear that the car actually skidded along the pavement each time he kicked it.
“If you don’t get out of this fucking car, I’m going to drag you out!” he snarled.
Olivia’s heart stopped—she was frozen in shock. Liam’s voice sounded so menacing, goose bumps crawled up her flesh. What in the hell is wrong with him? She reached out, grabbing the edge of the window sill to steady herself. Broken glass bit into her fingers, leaving them cut and bleeding.
She watched in horror as Liam reached in through the shattered window and grabbed the guy by the shirt, dragging him out through the twisted hole. He slammed the man against the side of the car. Reaching up to grab Liam’s hand, he struggled to break the death grip, and that’s when she saw the wrist splint.
Holy shit! This was the same man who was following her!
“You think it’s going to be that easy?” Liam growled, slamming his fist into the man’s jaw. “After eighteen years, one would think you’d give up!” Liam hit him again with a sickening thud. Olivia’s stomach turned.
She had no idea what Liam was talking about. He easily overpowered the man who was bent backward against the hood the car. If she didn’t do something to stop him, she was fairly certain Liam might just kill him. Olivia forced her feet forward, running around the front of Liam’s shattered car.
His arm was pulled back, ready to drive it into the guy’s face for a fourth or fifth time. He’d gotten in a few more hits in the time it took her to run over there. It wasn’t easy skating on a floor of broken glass. Without hesitation, she grabbed a hold of his arm and buckled her knees, using all her weight to restrain him. “Liam, stop,” she pleaded. “It was an accident.”
He turned his blazing amethyst eyes on her, and she gasped. Olivia let go of his arm, stumbling back in fear.
“She’s right.” She turned to see Balen stepping out of the shadows. “His fate is not yours to decide. Let me take him before the courts.”
“He nearly killed her!”
“And he’ll answer for what he’s done,” Balen replied, stopping a few feet from them.
She wasn’t sure what court he was referring to, but any court would be preferable to getting beaten to death in the middle of the street.
“Come on, Liam, you don’t want her to see this. Take her home. I’ll handle things here.”
She stood there in stunned silence. Liam looked over at her, and after a long moment of hesitation, he wrenched the man up from the hood of the car and shoved him
at Balen.
“There will be no leniency this time,” Liam growled. He turned to walk toward her, and this time when his eyes met hers, they held that familiar deep violet warmth. He took a hold of her wrist and gently pulled her into his protective embrace.
She stood stiffly in his arms, trying to comprehend what just happened. It wasn’t more than a few seconds before she began to relax in his arms. Despite the violence she’d just witnessed, his touch was soothing—comforting, and she knew with absolute certainty that Liam would never hurt her.
“Are you all right?” he whispered, bringing his hand up to smooth over her hair in a gentle caress. His chin rested on the top of her head.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” It felt good to be in his arms, better than she’d even imagined. After a minute, she reluctantly pulled back, but only far enough so that she could look up at him. “I can’t believe you. You were just in a horrible accident, and you’re asking me if I’m all right? Liam, how are you even alive right now? You’re not even hurt!” Her calm and collected façade was starting to crumble the more she considered the impossibility of Liam standing here before her.
“I’m fine,” he said dismissively, pulling her back into his embrace.
“But you can’t be fine,” she protested against his chest. “It’s a miracle you’re even alive!”
“It just wasn’t my time, I guess.”
“That man…he was the one following me tonight, wasn’t he?”
Liam nodded. “One of them.”
“So, your friend’s turning him over to the police?”
“Something like that. He won’t get the chance to hurt you again, I promise you that.”
“I don’t understand. Why would he want to hurt me in the first place? And you saw him coming, didn’t you? That’s why you pulled out into that intersection. You were willing to trade your life for mine! Why would you do that? You hardly know me?”
“Please, don’t ask me that, Olivia.”
“Why not?”
“Because you wouldn’t like the answer.”
He looked shaken—tired, a stark contrast from the man she saw a few minutes ago. “I don’t understand.” Why did it feel like she was always saying that around him?
“That’s okay, you’re not supposed to. Sometimes the more you know, the more complicated things become. Come on,” he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, steering her toward her Jeep. “Let’s get you home.”
“But your car…” She turned to l
ook at the broken hunk of metal lying in the center of the road.
“I’ll have it towed.” He opened the passenger door, and she climbed inside.
“Why don’t you just drop me off and you can take my Jeep home tonight. It’s the least I can do.”
“This wasn’t your fault. You don’t owe me anything,” he protested.
“Are you kidding me? Liam, I owe you my life!” He pulled the Jeep back into the street and skirted the shattered glass. “If I hadn’t been speeding, I probably would have seen that car in time. It is my fault.”
“If I hadn’t pissed you off, you wouldn’t have been speeding.”
The edge of self-loathing in his voice surprised her. She looked over at him, completely speechless. Can this guy possibly be for real? He glanced over at her and his scowl disappeared into a hint of a smile. He was so stunning to look at, it was hard not to stare. “What?” he asked, looking a little self-conscious. They pulled into her driveway, and he parked the Jeep.
“Thank you,” she whispered, “for everything…”
“You don’t have to thank me, Olivia. I’m just glad you’re all right.”
“Well, still, thank you anyway.” She unfastened her seat belt, leaned over the center console, and pressed her lips against the smooth skin of his cheek. Liam stiffened under her touch. His surprised gasp nearly made her laugh.
“Good night, Liam,” she whispered, purposely letting her breath brush against cheek. He didn’t say anything as she climbed out and shut the passenger door. Maybe he was too surprised to speak? His reaction to her kiss was certainly unexpected. She walked up to the house and turned back to wave good-bye. There he sat, statue still. Olivia laughed, shaking her head as she walked inside. You’d think the guy had never been kissed before.
Her dad was still up when she walked in, probably waiting up for her.
“Home a little late, aren’t ya?”
She walked into the living room and sat next to him on the couch. Roger put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. He was watching the news, as usual. “Well, I would have been home a lot sooner if my Jeep hadn’t broken down—again.”
“What? Why didn’t you call me?”
“I tried, but no one answered.”
“We were here all night.”
“Well, I don’t know. It was real fun, though. My cell phone lost signal so I had to walk to the grocery store and use their phone. I called a friend who picked me up. He took me back to the Jeep to look at it. Apparently he’s a car genius because it fired right up for him. Someone hit his car on the way here. Thank God he wasn’t hurt. I sent him home with my Jeep for tonight.”
“Who’s this he friend?” her father asked, eying her suspiciously. Olivia couldn’t help but smile at his teasing grin. “What about Max? I’m surprised you didn’t call him.”
“His name is Liam. He’s just a friend, but I’m pretty sure he likes me.”
“Of course he does. You’re fantastic,” he said, winking at her.
Olivia laughed. “Thanks, Dad, but you kinda have to think so,” she said, bumping her shoulder into him playfully.
“So, what’s going on with you and Max? You two didn’t get things patched up from last night?”
Olivia frowned and shook her head. “I’m not sure I’m interested in patching anything up with him anymore. Something’s going on with him, and frankly, I’m getting pretty sick of his drama. He’s just too much work.”
The news came back on, and they both stopped talking. “Police in Evercrest are still looking for two missing girls. A young woman, Amanda Whent, was last seen Saturday afternoon leaving Karen’s Bagels.” Olivia froze. Amanda? That was the name on the napkin! A chill raced through her, making her shiver with dread. Her mind tried to make the leap she refused to even consider. You have no proof, she scolded herself.
“It’s a damn shame we live in the world that we do, Liv. I want you to be extra careful. Lord knows what kind of monsters are out there.”
“I will, Dad. Don’t worry…” she replied numbly. Her heart was pounding so loud, her father’s words were nothing but a distant echo. She replayed her conversation with Max over in her mind. He acted so strange last Saturday night. Of course, that was probably because she’d just accused him on cheating on her, and with the same girl who was now suddenly missing. What were the odds? Stop it! It’s just a coincidence—that’s all. Max may be an ass, but he certainly couldn’t be a murderer—could he?
Chapter Fifteen
Olivia woke early the next morning. Her whole body ached from tension and fatigue. Every time she thought of Max, her stomach turned and a wave of nausea would hit her. His suspension was over, and she really wasn’t looking forward to dealing him today. What if he showed up this morning to take her to school? What would she say?
She flipped open her phone to check the battery life and saw four missed calls. She scrolled down to see the caller. Max…Max…Max…Max…Olivia sighed. He just isn’t going to make this easy now, is he?
She heard a car pull up and raced over to the window. Her heart skipped and a smile lit her face when she saw her Jeep sitting in the driveway. She ran down the stairs, finding her dad standing at the door. Liam stood at least four inches taller than her dad. Olivia waved when he looked over her dad’s head and gave her a beautiful white-toothed smile.
Her dad stepped to the side as Olivia approached. “Well,” he said, extending his hand toward Liam, “it was nice meeting you.”
“It was nice meeting you too, Sir.” Liam shook his hand.
“He’s a big one,” her dad whispered to her as he walked away.
“Dad…” she hissed, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Liam chuckled. The soft rumble in his chest was like music to her ears.
“Come in,” she said, stepping to the side. A “meow” echoed from the living room. She turned to see a ball of white fur running toward them. “He acts like you’re here to see him,” she laughed.
“Maybe I am,” he teased, bending down to scoop the cat into his arms. Andre’s purring filled the room.
“Unbelievable…” she laughed, shaking her head. “So, besides turning my cat into a traitor, why are you here as seven in the morning?” He looked up from the cat, sprawled across his arms, clearly in seventh heaven. It wasn’t hard to imagine why, having been in those arms herself last night.
“I was wondering if maybe you’d like to take a holiday and hang out with me today.”
“What were you thinking we’d do?” The idea of getting away from Evercrest for the day sounded fabulous, and the idea of spending the day with Liam—even better. Not to mention the added benefit of avoiding Max.
“It’s going to be a beautiful day. I thought we’d head down to the beach. Maybe walk along the pier, bum around, check out some shops, get out on the ocean, go dolphin watching.”
Perfect! “It sounds great. I just gotta run upstairs real quick and get changed. ”
“Take your time. We’ve got all day.”
Oh, she loved the sound of that—all day. Olivia ran upstairs and changed into a light blue tank top and cut-off shorts. She pulled her hair up into a twist, set her sunglasses on top of her head, and grabbed a bottle of sunscreen off her dresser. On the way out, she ducked into her parents’ room across the hall. Her mom stood in front of the full-length mirror, putting on a pair of earrings. She looked beautiful, as always.
“Hey, honey,” she met Olivia’s eyes in the mirror. “You look like you’re ready for the beach. And you smell like a coconut.”
“That’s because I am.”
“A coconut?”
“Ha, so funny.” She laughed at her mother’s poor attempt at humor. “I’m going to the beach. Liam’s here. We’re going to spend the day together.”
“Hmm…and what about school, and Max?”
“School’s fine, it’s only one day, and what about him?” she answered coolly. The last thing she wanted to do right now
was think or talk about Max.
“Be honest with him, Liv. Just don’t string him along. He doesn’t seem like the type of guy who’d be very understanding about his girlfriend spending the day with another guy.”
“I’ve tried to tell him, Mom, but he isn’t hearing me. And I’m not his girlfriend anymore.”
“All right then,” Kim turned away from the mirror to kiss Olivia on the cheek. “Be safe and have a good time. Remember it’s family night, so be home for supper. It’s your dad’s movie pick tonight, so if I gotta suffer, you gotta suffer with me.”
Olivia laughed. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll see ya tonight.”
She ran down the stairs, feeling bad she’d kept Liam waiting so long. He was standing in the foyer, still loving up on her cat when she walked over to him. He didn’t seem the least bit irritated she’d kept him waiting. That’s because he’s not Max.
He smiled up at her, and even that simple gesture made her weak in the knees. Does he realize how gorgeous he is? If he did, he never gave any indication of it. There wasn’t even a hint of arrogance about him, which was a huge turn-on for her. He was so different from Max. His confidence came from somewhere else, somewhere…deeper. It made her want to know him all the more.
“Ready?” he asked, setting Andre on the floor. The cat protested with a “meow.”
“Yep. I just have to be back by supper. It’s family night.”
“Family night?” Liam chuckled.
“Yeah, Tuesdays and Thursdays we have dinner together and watch a movie. Everyone takes turns picking. Tonight’s my dad’s pick, so it will probably be some lame Clint Eastwood spaghetti western.”
“It actually sounds fun.”
“It is. I just like to give my dad a hard time. I’m ready if you are. Do you mind if we swing through the coffee shop on the way out of town?”
“Not at all. Do you mind if we take your Jeep? Mine’s in the shop,” he teased.
“You’re funny.”
The drive to Clearwater couldn’t have been more relaxing. When was the last time she’d had this much fun? Or felt more relaxed? No pressure, no brooding. Being with Liam made her feel…alive—refreshed. God help her, she was falling for this guy—hard.
The Redemption Series Page 12
