Liam & Gwen - Entirely Yours: A Romance Novel (The Adair Series Book 1)

by Tania De Melo

  I turn in my seat and look to her, “And why would you do that, Emily?”

  She brings her hand to my bicep, “Liam, you never know when things might change. One should always be ready to pick up the pieces, which another has carelessly dropped. From what I remember baby, you only ever came for a drink alone whenever you and I fought, so I’m guessing the same has happened. Let me help you out, Liam; I can be your friendly ear.”

  I look over at Emily, “No, Thank you!” I stand up and walk to the bathroom.

  When I return, Emily must have taken the hint, as she has returned to her seat a little look of anger and disappointment on her face. I take the last couple of swigs of my beer, then motion to Jimmy for another; this is definitely more than a 'one beer' night.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  -Gwen-

  I am on my way to Liam’s, after the argument yesterday at lunch. Last night, when I never heard from him, and all my calls were sent to voicemail, I wasn’t able to sleep. I love him, and I want to move forward. Last night I made the decision to open up entirely to Liam so that we can make this work.

  I pull into Liam’s house, and there is an unfamiliar car in the driveway. I walk to the front door and knock, but there is no answer. I notice that the inside door is ajar and decide to enter. Everything is quiet. I look around, but I don’t see or hear Liam. It’s still early, but he is usually awake by now. I walk toward the bedroom and hear the soft chuckle of a female voice. I pause, and a sick feeling hits my stomach. No, it can’t be what I am thinking. I open the door slowly; eyes closed, then open them to find Emily on top of Liam. My heart stops, I hold my breath, and I can feel the tears burn my eyes. Emily jumps off in a weak attempt to act as though she’s hiding what I saw.

  “Gwen!” Emily shrieks pulling Liam from his, what I am assuming is a lust-filled haze.

  He looks up to me, then back to Emily, jumping quickly from the bed. He’s looking around as though he is lost and can’t seem to grasp what is happening. Sobbing, and feeling sick to my stomach, I turn to leave.

  “Gwen, wait, please. Dammit Gwen, please, Stop.” He yells hurrying after me.

  I come to a quick halt, and turn facing Liam, “I came here to apologize for yesterday, and finally share everything with you, but you have obviously decided that you had enough of it, and moved on.”

  He runs his hands through his hair, “Gwen I don’t know what happened here. I don’t remember anything from last night.”

  I let out a laugh through my sobs, “Nice, Liam. Couldn’t think of a better excuse for being caught in bed with your ex? Screw you, Liam! SCREW. YOU!” I turn quickly and make my way to the door, my eye blurring through the tears flooding my eyes.

  “GWEN, STOP!” he yells, anger filling his voice.

  I turn again, “Don’t you dare, raise your voice to me!” My hands now fisted at my sides. “You are such a hypocrite, Liam. Going on and on about honesty and openness; yet here you are, being as deceitful as the next guy.”

  “Deceit, that’s rich, Gwen. Let’s talk about deceit, shall we? Let’s talk about how I can’t find anything on you before two years ago when you first came to Emerson. Nothing, no school transcript, old addresses, not even, an official birth registry.”

  I freeze. “You did a background check on me,” I ask, feeling as if I don’t even know this man.

  “Yes, I’m done with this game you are playing, Gwen!” he says

  I look to him for another second, take a deep breath, turn, and head to the door.

  “Gwen if you walk out of here without talking to me, we’re done. I can’t keep doing this!”

  I look over my shoulder as he finishes, and see Emily come out of the bedroom cloaked in his sheets. She slides her arms around his waist. “Baby, let her go!”

  I wait for his response, but nothing, so I leave. It hits me quickly that I have left the love of my life, in the arms of another woman, and he only stood there, watching me go.

  I drive straight home, and head to bed feeling sick to my stomach with the thought, that Liam and I are over! I am curled in a ball, sobbing when Ati enters my room. She says nothing, gently slides into bed and capes her arms around me.

  “It will be ok!”

  Even though we haven’t said a word to one another for days; although I know she is still angry with me, she is here comforting me, understanding that my heart is broken. Understanding what I didn’t believe she was ready to grasp…the effects love can have over you.

  ***

  It’s Saturday evening. Ati and I are cleaning up after another long day at the salon. Things with Ati became strained when Liam and I walked in on her and Ben kissing, then more when I asked Ben to stay away. I love Ben like a brother and wish I could feel differently about the two of them being together at this time, but just because I say no, doesn’t mean their feelings stop. You would have to be blind not to see how in love they are with each other; that said, even the blind could feel their energy radiating off them. I can’t deny it, what they have is something far beyond the realm of explanation, and even explained; it’s hard to comprehend precisely, how in sync they are with one another. They love one another fiercely, and it worries me that Ati will give up so much opportunity to be with Ben. I need to have faith Ben will do as he says, and keep at a distance to be able to allow Ati to experience life.

  “Have you spoken to Liam?” Ati asks.

  That there, is another matter, that I would rather not deal with; actually, I don’t think it’s a matter at all. Liam made the terms clear that morning at his place, ‘I walk out, and we were over! I look over to Ati, and I know she can see the sadness in my eyes at the mention of Liam.

  “Ati, he ended things. We were both angry and hurt. I don’t know if we can ever come back from that, let alone that he slept with Emily.”

  “Gwen that is the biggest load of B.S. that has ever left your mouth. You know as well as I do he loves you, and you…” she pauses for a moment “Well, look at you, you practically fall apart at the mention of his name. One of you two needs to stop being so pig-headed and say sorry first.”

  “Why do I need to say sorry? He’s the one that got caught in bed with his ex.” I say in my defense.

  “That woman, Gwen, is a vindictive witch, and I wouldn’t put it past her if she staged that somehow, Thea and Grace agree. Either way that aside you do owe him an apology for being dumb. If neither of you works to save it, no one else will Gwen. You need to fight for each other, and if he won’t, then you fight for the both of you.”

  Leave it to my sister not to hold anything back.

  “Gwen, he’s a good man; honest, loyal and a man that you could trust. We need to be able to let people in, Gwen. We have to be able to start truly rebuilding our lives, which starts with letting the people we love and trust, in.”

  “Have you told them, Thea and Grace?” I ask a little nervous about her reply.

  She shakes her head, “Not what you said I couldn’t, but I did open up a little more about my past, carefully though. I never mentioned the other stuff, not that I know much about it anyway.”

  I look to Ati, “I get it, and they are good friends, ones I am more than sure, you will have for life.”

  “They are, I never really had close friends like them…it’s kind of nice.” She gives me a soft smile and gives her shoulders a little shrug.

  My thoughts return to Liam. She’s right; one of us needs to take the first step. Geez, when did little Ati become so wise? As I start to run through the ways in my head of how I want to approach Liam, the front bell rings.

  “Sorry, we’re closed,” Matilda says, from the other side of the work area, as she finishes folding the clean hair towels.

  “Surely, not for a family member?”

  My heart drops to my feet at the sound of the voice. The same rasp and tone which had haunted my night’s years before, and has been resurfacing recently. A shiver runs through me, is this the demon? Is it possible?

  “Ati, go
to the back, now! Call 9-1-1!”

  “Oh No, Ati, you stay right where you are.” He says as he slowly starts to come up around the reception area. In clear view, confirming what I heard…it’s him, the images start appearing in my head. OH GOD, it was all real; he is real!

  “Gwen?” Ati looks at me, tears already in her eyes and her voice trembling.

  I shake my head, “Ati, do as he says.” I say softly, trying not to let my voice tremble.

  “Yes, Matilda, listen to your sister!”

  “You need to leave?” I ask

  “Now, Gwyneth, is that any way to greet your father?”

  “You are not my father. Even stepfather is far too much of an honorary title for you. You’re a monster.” I say with disgust.

  “Well that may be, but that little beauty there is my blood, my daughter. Did you all think you could keep me from finding out about her?”

  He walks towards Matilda gun pointing at her the whole time.

  “Stay away from her!” I shout hopeful for the possibility he may listen to me.

  “Gwyneth, I don’t want her. I want the sweet little girl that bitch took away from me, but she’s gone.”

  Another scene flashes. One with my mother covered in blood, crying as she cradles a young girl.

  “She killed her.” The words escape my lips in a whisper.

  It’s coming back like someone opened the floodgates to my subconscious. My Mother was killing the young girl, but why, I don’t seem to have that piece yet. I look up to the man, who now, has more intense anger, burning inside.

  “Years, I spent waiting to avenge Morgan, my only true daughter, and make your Mother suffer as she watched me take you from her, but the bitch died before I had the chance.”

  He must see the confusion as I try to piece it all together.

  “Let me tell you a little story, Gwyneth. See your mother was a master at covering up what she didn’t want others knowing; been doing it all her life. I was in love with her, even though she was dirt poor and her family were nothing but drunks and thieves. I was at University, working toward a better life when I met her, but I still wasn’t rich enough for her; she wanted more. She wanted to live like royalty, and not myself, nor our baby she was carrying, were going to stop that. So, she managed to nail down the first sap holding a sizable trust fund, convincing him it was his baby; My best friend…Your father! A few months later, they married, and she gave birth to my daughter, your older half-sister Morgan. Six years of torment passed, and news of her second pregnancy came to light, there was no way I was going to let him raise my flesh and blood any longer, she was mine…so I killed him.” He lets out the most horrifying laugh.

  “It was quite easy really; a little break tampering did the trick nicely. Well of course as the best friend, I had to comfort the grieving widow, and help her with her daughter and new child that would be coming along. That was when it started. My need to take someone’s final dying breath. However, I found more pleasure in girls, little bitches, just like your mom. Morgan had followed me one time, she saw everything, but as I looked into her eyes, I saw the same desire, the same need I had. Four glorious years we had together, she would watch as I brought in each whore and relished in her screams.”

  The images one by one take over with all the pieces fitting together. Nights when Morgan would sit with me and tell me about what they had been doing at the farmhouse. Reciting detailed graphic accounts of the horrors. I must have been about four at the time. That’s when the nightmares started, and my mother became concerned. I remember the police around and taking my stepfather away. I remember Morgan had taken me to that exact farmhouse and begun the process of doing to me, what the Monster had done to all those girls; that’s when my mother had found us before Morgan was able to plunge the knife into my little-battered body, that’s when…my mother killed her.

  Suddenly, Ati’s screams bring me back, just as he raises the gun to her temple.

  “Let her go! If you want me, take me, but let her go!” I scream, trying to reason with his insanity.

  “This is how this is going to work, Gwyneth.” He reaches into his pocket and removes a syringe, throwing it to the floor in front of me.

  “You’re going to pick that up and inject it into yourself.”

  I look to the floor and pause.

  “Pick it up, NOW, or I will not hesitate to pull the trigger and end the precious life you have been trying so hard to protect.”

  Not wanting to provoke him further, I bend down and pick up the syringe filled with a clear fluid.

  “What is it?” I ask.

  “A sedative so you don’t try anything stupid once we leave here.” I look down at my shaking hands.

  “Now Gwyneth, Inject it!” He says with impatient anger growing in his voice.

  “What are you going to do with Ati?” I ask, worried more for my sister, than myself.

  “Do as I say, Gwyneth, and she will be fine.” The look in his eyes is unreadable.

  “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

  “You don’t! My love, it’s simple; you don’t have a choice here. Inject yourself, or your sister dies.”

  I take the cap off the syringe and bring it my arm. “Gwen, NO!” Ati screams

  I look at my sister’s swollen and frightened eyes. “It’s Ok, Ati, I love you…I love you so much!”

  I don’t waste another moment. I inject myself and wait for it to take effect.

  “Gwen, No!”

  I can hear Matilda screaming, and see her struggle to break free from his grasp. I try to reach out to her, but slowly, her voice becomes faint, and all I can make out is a soft silhouette of her beautiful face, and as I feel myself fall to the floor; a gunshot sounds off.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  -Liam-

  “You need to go and talk to her Liam.”

  I’m sitting with my brothers and father outback of my parents’ house. It’s been a few days since Gwen showed up at my house and found Emily in bed with me. I should never have let her walk out, but everything escalated so fast, neither of us was thinking clearly.

  “Kai, it’s not that easy, there’s a lot that happened; ‘I’m sorry,’ just isn’t going to fix it this time,” I explain.

  “Bullshit! You’re not even trying.” He shouts.

  “Kai…” I start, but my father steps in.

  “Kai enough! This is between Gwen and Liam, and for them to figure out. “

  “Dad, he's an idiot. He’s going to let the best thing that’s ever come into his life, walk right back out.”

  “As I said, Kai, it’s not that easy,” I reply. I never gave them the full breakdown of what happened, and if I had, I don’t think Kai would be trying to make me work things out with Gwen.

  “Well, then if you won’t be 'man' enough to accept what she is offering, maybe I should claim her myself.”

  As the words leave his mouth, I jump from my chair, leap over Ben and grab Kai by his collar, lifting him from his seat. Both Ben and Ewan are quick to their feet.

  “What the hell did you say?” I ask him, anger rising inside me.

  “You heard me, Brother. If you’re so quick to throw her away, then I can be as quick to pick her up and show her a man willing to appreciate her.”

  Ben manages to pull me away.

  “Stay away from her!” I roar, pointing my finger at him.

  “No can do, Liam; I love her!” Kai says easily

  Rage fills me, and I break free from Ben’s hold and then lunge at Kai. I push him to the ground and manage to land him with a hard punch to the lip before our father pulls me off.

  “ENOUGH!” Our father yells, throwing me back to Ben, while Ewan gives Kai a hand and helps him up.

  Kai now to his feet; looks to me with a dead stare, as he wipes the blood from his lip.

  “You feel the anger, that anger you have there, Liam? Anger at the thought of me with Gwen. Well Brother, imagine that anger when it’s another man. I told y
ou once before; I love Gwen. I love her like a sister, we all do. I would never think about her like that, but she is amazing, and another man will love her and care for her because that is what she deserves, and then you will lose her, for good.”

  I step out of Ben’s grip and relax my shoulders. Breathing heavily now, I try to get a grip on what Kai said. The thought of Gwen with another man will kill me.

  Just then, my father’s phone rings.

  “Hello.”

  “I understand.”

  The look on his face is full of concern and …fear, we all see it.

  “I’m on my way now. Don’t worry; I will take care of it.”

  He ends the call and turns to us, pointing a finger between Kai and me, “This, is done!” We both nod in understanding, knowing that is his final word, and he won’t tolerate this from us any longer.

  “Good! I have an emergency. One of the new builds is leaking through the stack pipe.”

  We all look to my father and knowing there is something else there. What is going on?

  My father walks off, and my brothers sit down, but I follow him. We reach the door to the kitchen. “Now tell me what’s really, going on, and don’t feed me a line about a leaking stack pipe.”

  “Son, you are going to need to trust me and know, when the time is right, you will find out.”

  I shake my head, “Why does it feel like everyone is always keeping me in the dark?”

  “Liam, I can’t speak for Gwen and to her reasoning for not opening up, but I know that girl, and know she’s not telling you because she truly believes she can’t. Now, I’m sorry, son, but I have to go.” He finishes and walks out.

  I’m standing there processing what happened with Kai, and what my father said. I do need to fix this with Gwen before it’s too late.

  ***

  I’m sitting in the kitchen when my mom walks in.

  “Hey Slugger!” she says with a mock tone.

  “I guess I deserve that,” I reply.

  She comes to me, placing a kiss on my head. “You do, but so did Kai. From what I hear, he wasn’t holding back and pushing all the right buttons. When will you boys learn?”