For example, Liam could transcend, which meant he could shift into another dimension and reappear in different places at will, which was the only reason he’d even considered going after Rowen in the first place. If Olivia was in danger, he’d feel her fear through their connection and could be at her side in seconds. Angels were the only beings who could transcend. The fallen could shift, but they couldn’t disappear unless it was to go back to Sheol. Liam supposed the same rules applied to the Nephilim.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t transcend with Olivia, which would have made this whole running with her thing a hell of a lot easier. But mortal bodies were stuck here on Earth. If he transcended her, her soul would go and her body would stay, instantly killing her.
Angelic could also command stationary objects with their minds. It was a talent this Neph wouldn’t have, so as long as Olivia stayed put this time, she’d remain relatively safe in their room.
Liam flashed into the back ally of Parker’s Paradise and stepped across dimensions. He entered the club through the back entrance. The moment he stepped inside, the tang of smoke and sex permeated the air. It didn’t take more than a minute to locate the object of his loathing, and with the stealth of a true predator, Liam approached.
Rowen didn’t see him standing there at first—probably because a woman with ratted pale blonde hair, wearing nothing but a thong, sat straddling him. Her breasts were shoved in his face as her hips moved to the bump and grind of the music. It’d be so easy to kill him right now. The only thought that stayed his hand was the trauma it’d cause this woman to witness it. As her head tipped back into a practiced seductive swing, she cleared Rowen’s line of sight and his dark brown eyes locked on Liam.
Rowen quickly masked his initial shock. If he thought hiding out in a strip club filled with cigarette smoke, the bitter stench of crack, and musky headiness of sex would cover his own distinctly pungent, sulfurous odor, then he thought wrong. If he thought that surrounding himself in sin and skin would buffer him from Liam’s wrath, then he thought wrong again.
He didn’t buy the arrogant grin slowly spreading across Rowen’s hawkish face for one second. Rowen was surprised to see him standing here and was scared shitless.
“Liam—” Rowen greeted him like they were old friends, yet his grip on the woman’s waist tightened almost imperceptibly as if preparing to use the female as a shield if need be. “Never thought I’d see you on the dark side. Please, sit. Your hovering is making me nervous.”
Liam slid into the booth across from him, mainly because he wanted some answers about the Neph before he killed him, and thought he’d have a better chance of getting them if the bastard wasn’t on guard. “I think you know why I’m here.”
“Indeed I do. But don’t worry,” he sneered, “your secret is safe with me. I gotta warn you, though, yesterday it was whores and today its strip clubs and whores. You’re heading down a slippery slope here.” Rowen waved a waitress over, or at least Liam thought it was a waitress until a woman smelling of sickly sweet perfume stepped up from behind him, put her hands on his shoulders, and swung her leg over his lap, straddling him.
The shock of having a thong-clad, topless woman grinding on him momentarily stuttered his reflexes. Before he could stop her, her arms circled his neck as she leaned forward, pressing her breasts into his chest.
“Oh my… You are gorgeous,” she purred next to his ear. “Let’s go in the back and I’ll turn that frown upside down. What do you say, baby?” She licked the side of his neck, and the moist swipe of her tongue jolted him into action.
The touch of another woman…just the thought of any female other than Olivia having this intimate of contact with him made him cringe. In one fluid motion, Liam grabbed her waist and lifted her off his lap. He pulled the reluctant female loose from his neck and set her feet back on the ground.
“Sorry, that’s not why I’m here,” he told her, glaring at Rowen, who chuckled in amusement.
“Well, that’s a pity,” she pouted, reaching out to coil a strand of his hair around her finger.
He reached up and caught the woman’s wrist, untangling her fingers from his overgrown locks, and said, “Jessica, stop.” He looked up, meeting her startled dark blue gaze.
“How do you know my name?” she gasped, taking a cautious step back.
“Go home to your family. They love you and they’re worried about you.”
The young woman looked like she’d seen a ghost. Her hands flew up to cover her breasts, suddenly self-conscious of her nakedness. “Do… Do I know you? How did you find me?” she demanded. Stumbling another step back, tears filled her eyes.
The woman on Rowen’s lap had stopped dancing and looked from Liam to her co-worker, then back to him. “Jessica?” She was concerned for her friend—and she should be. The young woman would soon be reaping heavy consequences if she didn’t go back home to her family.
Suddenly, the stripper turned and ran toward the back of the club. The woman straddling Rowen scrambled off his lap and raced after her. “Jessica, wait! Are you all right?”
“Seriously?” Rowen growled, glaring over at him. “You are one damn killjoy, you know that? Now, that was a perfectly sweet piece of ass you just sent packing. Maybe if you got laid once, you’d lighten the hell up.”
Liam seriously doubted it. Since being with Olivia, he was temperamental and surly as hell. He’d hate to imagine how territorial he’d be right now if he’d fully made love to her. Not that it was a possibility and just maybe that little detail added to his crankiness. It was torture wanting something he could never have.
“Tell me about the Neph,” Liam said, focusing on the task at hand.
Rowen’s brow shot up curiously. “Not much to tell, really. He’s tight with Gahn, does most of his bidding, cranky bastard. Dangerous, too—”
“Are there others like him? Other Nephilim...?”
Rowen shrugged. “Not that I know of. Jeez, Liam, don’t you ever get tired of always being the good son?—always towing the line? Don’t you ever want a taste of what you’re missing?”
The unwelcomed reminder sent a rush of adrenaline flooding Liam’s veins at the mere thought of where he’d been last night, what he’d done. His energy stirred in response to the involuntary impulse, sparking his craving for Olivia that was now stronger than ever. Before he could tamp down the reaction that, no doubt, triggered his eyes to fire dark sapphire, Rowen chuckled softly.
“Ahhh… So I see you do. Perhaps your tastes are just a bit more selective than whores. I’ll bet long black hair and verdant green eyes, is what turns your crank these days.” Rowen stretched back in his seat, laced his fingers behind his head, and kicked the hornet’s nest for the last time. “So, tell me…does she taste as delicious as she smells? No, wait, don’t tell me… I want to find out for myself—”
A feral growl tore from Liam’s throat as he leapt across the table and barreled into Rowen, ripping the booth away from the wall and toppling the high-back seat to the floor. Rowen tried to shove Liam away as he lunged for his throat, but that would have been about as successful as stopping a hurricane. He easily dodged the wild punch and dealt his own punishing blow to Rowen’s jaw. It connected with a satisfying crack. With his other hand, he grabbed the demon by the throat, catching him before he could shift dimensions and escape. As long as he had ahold of the demon, Liam controlled his corporeal form.
“I’m going to enjoy killing you,” Liam snarled, transporting them to the top of the Stratosphere.
***
Olivia didn’t know whether to scream or cry. After getting over the initial shock of discovering that Liam thought she and Mitch had slept together, a knot of guilt had taken root in the pit of her stomach. She shouldn’t have called him an asshole. He wasn’t. In fact, she’d never met a more perfect, selfless guy. And maybe that’s why she’d reacted so badly to this revelation.
But then, why wouldn’t he think she’d had sex with Mitch? Women this day and age didn�
�t wait for marriage, and she’d certainly behaved wantonly enough with him last night. There’d been no hesitation in her. She’d practically thrown herself at him and would have willingly given him the one thing she’d never considered giving another guy—if he’d let things go that far, which he never would. And that issue carried its own set of heartaches, because she’d never wanted anything more in her entire life.
In her heart, she belonged to Liam, and as much as she knew he’d crossed a line with her last night, she was having a hard time regretting it. And it broke her heart to know that he clearly did. Something was different about him now. Something had changed, though she couldn’t quite say what.
It was in the way he looked at her. There had been an edge of possessiveness in his marble-colored gaze, not that she minded seeing it, but he also seemed...more conflicted, more at war with himself—with his emotions, and that troubled her. His naturally calm, methodical persona was absent. Essentially, he seemed moody this morning and almost a little irate, which wasn’t like him at all. If she didn’t know better, she almost ventured to say he seemed more...human, which was a completely unnerving and asinine thought all together.
He didn’t sleep—ever—so she could only guess at the thoughts that had filtered through his mind last night while she slept obliviously in his arms. Had he thought of Mitch?—probably, given his line of questioning when she’d woken up this morning. Was he still angry with her for disobeying him last night?—probably, she’d nearly gotten herself killed. Was he worried about Rowen and his legion finding her?—probably, considering how quickly Haden had swooped in and found her. Was he worried about falling after what had happened between them last night?—probably, he’d fallen once and it’d been a miracle he’d gotten his wings back the last time. Did he regret her?—no doubt about it. How could he not? In the last three years, it seemed as though she’d become his own personal brand of hell.
Olivia sighed and plopped down on the couch. She looked at the clock hanging on the wall and the knot in her stomach tightened like a vice. He’d been gone a long time—too long. Had something happened to him? What if he was avoiding her?
Stop it! Just stop it! she scolded herself. He’s fine. Stop fretting. He’ll be back soon.
A current of nervous energy hummed through her as she sat there restlessly tapping her toe on the royal blue and gold paisley carpet, wishing she had her phone. She needed to talk to Ashley. They’d been friends since kindergarten, and she was the only person who really knew her—who knew about Liam, and the only person she could confide in. Dammit, sitting here was making her crazy.
When the lock on the door clicked, a rush of relief flooded her veins. She leapt off the couch and started running to the door. “Liam, I’m sorry I—” Olivia froze. Meeting her startled stare, Haden’s top lip curled into a wicked grin as he slowly lifted a finger to his lips.
“Shhh…” he hushed, warning her not to scream. He made no further attempt to get closer, which was the only reason she attempted to restrain her fear. “I wouldn’t panic if I were you,” he warned. “Liam needs to stay focused if he’s going to walk away from Rowen alive. You wouldn’t want to be responsible for his death, now would you?”
His tawny brow arched, accentuating the slow, wicked smile spreading across his face. “I just thought we might finish the conversation we were having last night, before we were so rudely interrupted.”
He took a step toward her, and she tried to fight the panic building inside her. Not only was she scared shitless, she was afraid for Liam. He should have been back by now, so what if Haden spoke true and Liam really was in danger? She’d never forgive herself if something happened to him. Taking a deep breath, she tried to still the rapid pounding of her heart while swallowing back the fear threatening to choke her. “I have nothing to say to you,” she said, barely above a whisper. “What do you want?”
As he advanced, she countered his steps, walking back until the couch abruptly halted her retreat. “Oh, I want many things, Olivia. And you, sweetheart, just happen to be wearing the key to all my hopes and dreams.” He reached for her and drew the back of his hand down the side of her cheek before fingering the heart-shaped stone at the base of her throat.
Olivia shivered. It wasn’t his appearance making her cringe from his touch. The guy was actually dangerously handsome. It was the coldness—it radiated an evil that threatened to seep into her very bones. She cocked her head defiantly, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his touch repulsed her. Standing straighter, she struggled to hold onto her resolve, fighting the urge to run.
“I’ve been watching you for a while now, Olivia. I gotta admit, you’re quite an intriguing female. This little saga between you and Liam, I keep wondering… How will it end?”
Olivia’s breath came in quick bursts as she fought to hold back the rush of adrenaline threatening to escape. She knew the moment she let it go, all her emotions would crash into Liam. He needed to stay strong, remain focused and sharp if he was with Rowen, and she had no doubt that he was. Otherwise, he never would have left her alone for so long.
“Focus…” Haden coached, snapping his finger in front of her face. “Your lover’s life depends on it.” She tensed as he reached for the stone, but as soon as his hand clasped around it, she could hear the sound of sizzling flesh. Haden hissed, jerking his hand away. The smell of charred skin made her stomach turn and bile surged up the back of her throat.
“Dammit!” he snarled, his pale green eyes radiating pure fury. “Olivia,” he said, with exaggerated patience, “give me the stone.”
She stood frozen and unmoving, coaching herself to breathe.
“Olivia,” Haden warned, fisting his hand into her hair and jerking her head back to meet his towering glare, “give me, the stone.”
She didn’t speak—she couldn’t move—the last threads of her control were breaking.
With his other hand, Haden grabbed her by the throat and jerked her up against him. “Olivia! Give me the goddamned stone!”
As the heat of Haden’s breath blasted against her face, a tidal wave of panic flooded her veins. She tried to wrench herself free from his grasp, but his hold was too strong. She couldn’t breathe. Haden’s grip on her throat was choking off her air.
As her vision began to fill with black spots, a ferocious growl tore through the room. Air flooded her lungs as Haden’s hand was ripped from her throat. Her eyes refocused just in time to see Liam and Haden crash into the table across the room. Glass shattered as the lamp fell to the ground with them.
Liam landed on top of Haden and slammed his fist into his jaw. There was no way something didn’t break by the sound of those two sickening cracks echoing among a mixture of snarls and growls. As Haden grappled for positioning, he nailed Liam in the ribs with his knee, knocking him back. Liam let out an enraged roar and leapt to his feet, diving for Haden again. A second before reaching him, Haden disappeared. It was too late for Liam to pull his punch and his fist slammed into the floor with a bone-crushing thud.
“Fuck!” he growled. Flying up with preternatural speed, he moved with stunning agility. It wasn’t until he faced her and took a few steps, that she noticed he was favoring his left side.
“Liam?” Olivia cried, running over to him. He held out his arms and in a rush of relief, she threw herself against him. The air left his lungs in a pained grunt. “Oh, I’m sorry!” She tried to jerk back, but he wouldn’t let her go. His arms tightened, holding her even closer.
“Are you all right?” His hand cupped the back of her head and pressed her cheek into his chest.
“Yeah, I’m okay. What about you? Your side—”
“I’m fine. It’ll heal. I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I had to take care of some things—.”
She drew in a deep, calming breath. It felt so good, so safe, to be in his— Olivia stiffened and pulled back far enough to get a good look at him. Her brows pulled together as she sniffed his chest again. “Where were you
?” she asked. When her eyes fell on his neck, she scowled.
“Why do you ask?” His guarded tone suddenly made her nervous and suspicious as hell.
It gave her no comfort that he answered her question with one of his own. He couldn’t lie, so he often answered her this way when he didn’t want to tell her the truth. What was he hiding? “Oh, no reason, other than you smell like smoke and reek like a cheap whore. Oh yeah, and there’s lipstick on your neck!”
She tried to pull out of his arms, but he wouldn’t let her go. Tears threatened to come and she struggled to hold them back. She’d be damned if she was going to let him see her cry. Hours… He’d been gone for hours! And to come back to her looking and smelling like this! “Let me go,” she said, casting her eyes to the floor.
Liam sighed. “Olivia, look at me.” When she refused, he took ahold of her chin and gently tipped her face up to meet his. “I am not like men. Just because we share similarities in appearance does not mean we are compositionally the same. I have no attraction to mortals, other than you. I never have and I never will. I am inherently loyal and would never forsake you. If you really want me to tell you where I was and what I was doing, I will. But I’d prefer that you trusted me and I’d rather spare you the violent details of my job—of my nature—you’d be better off not knowing.”
The sincerity in his violet eyes and the raw honesty of his words melted her heart. Despite the damning evidence of his infidelity, she knew in her soul there must be a reasonable explanation. She did trust him, totally and unconditionally, and it filled her with remorse to think that how she felt three minutes ago must be how Liam must have felt for the last three years, watching her with Mitch.
Olivia wound her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. His lips instantly parted to accept hers. “I do trust you,” she whispered against his mouth. “And it thrills me to know I am the only woman who’s ever felt the kiss of your mouth, or knows the taste of your tongue, or the heat of your embrace. You’re mine, Liam—always and forever.” She gave him one last kiss and reached up to wipe the lipstick smudge from his neck. “But right now, you stink like another woman, so please go shower.”
Shades of Darkness (Redemption Series) Page 19
