by Leah Holt
Peering up, Liam's face changed as his mind turned with whatever plan he had brewing inside. I could see the disappointment and anger in his eyes. Liam had to make a choice, and he had chosen me over his own brother.
That had to hurt on some level, regardless of what was happening. I was certain that he felt a broken loyalty. Blood was suppose to be thicker than water, until that blood ran so thin it dried up.
Tracing his fingers up and down my arm, Liam smiled. “Come on, let's go shopping.”
“Shopping?” Drawing circles over the center of his chest, I played with the small hairs. “What are we going shopping for?”
“You'll see.” Sitting me up, he stood up off the bed and grabbed his pants off the floor.
“So, I take it you're not leaving then?” Glancing at his luggage, I let my eyes shift back to his.
Smirking, he chuckled. “No, I'm not leaving. I don't even think I would have actually gotten on the plane to begin with.” Unzipping his bag, he pulled out a clean shirt and slipped it over his head. “Well,” he said, rolling his hand. “Get dressed.”
Eyeing him curiously, I picked up my clothes. “Where are we going?”
“I told you, we're going shopping. Do you not like shopping?”
“No, I like shopping, I just don't like surprises.” Shimmying my jeans over my hips, I buttoned them. “At least tell me what we're shopping for.”
“Nope.” Grabbing his phone and wallet, he stuffed them into his back pockets.
“This isn't fair.”
“Fair is a debatable word.” Standing at the door, he waited for me to finish getting my clothes on and brush my hair with my fingers. “You ready?”
“As ready as I can be.”
A car was waiting for us outside, and I had no idea how he did that so quickly. I didn't even see him use his phone. Liam leaned into the driver's side window and whispered something into the man's ear.
His massive sized body dropped down next to me and his hand immediately came to rest on my thigh. “This is going to be fun.”
“I wouldn't know, I have no idea where we're going.”
Smirking, he leaned over and gave me a quick kiss. “You're just going to have to trust me.”
The car moved forward, turning onto Main Street. Liam braided our fingers together, keeping his face looking out the window.
This man is something else.
Squeezing his hand tighter, I watched the buildings pass by as we drove. A giddy childlike excitement crept through my chest, making my lungs ache and my stomach clench.
“We're getting close, shut your eyes.”
“Seriously?” I asked, snapping my head over my shoulder to look at him.
“Yes, seriously,” he said, running his hand down over my eyes, forcing my lids down. “And keep them shut.”
“Fine.” Everything went dark and I could feel the car still moving. “How close are we?”
“Not far. Are they shut?”
“Yes, they're shut.”
Liam's shadow swept across the back of my lids and the weight of his body shifted around my face. “You're not trying to peek are you?”
Giggling, I tilted my head as I spoke. “No, I'm not peeking.” The car slowed down, coming to a stop. “Are we there?”
“We are, keep them closed.” Taking my hand, he guided me out of the car. “Don't open them until I tell you to.”
“This is really dramatic, you realize that right?”
“It's suspenseful, not dramatic.” His hands gripped the outside of my shoulders as he positioned me where he wanted me. Curling his fingers over my eyes, he whispered into my ear. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, I'm ready, let me see.”
“Are you sure you're ready?”
“Liam!” I yelled playfully, giving him an elbow to the ribs. “Yes, I'm ready.”
“Alright, alright.” His hands peeled away, but my eyes were still shut. “You can open them now.”
Blinking quickly, it took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the light. Looking up at the building, I squinted to read the sign. Always Paint.
“What are we here for?”
“Was I talking to myself the whole the time?” Nudging me with his shoulder, Liam looked down on me, his teeth bright behind his lips. “We're going shopping.”
“For what?”
“For you.”
“Liam, I—”
“Glory,” he said instantly, stopping me from finishing my sentence. “I'm taking you shopping, and you can't tell me no. I'd buy everything myself for you if I could, but I don't have a clue where to begin.” Taking my hand, he pulled me towards the double doors. “You need new stuff, let's go get it.”
“This is too much, you already got me a security system, that's more than enough.” Dragging my heels, I leaned back hesitantly.
“Will you stop with all that. I want to do this, so let me. It's my fault for all of this anyway.” His voice trailed off as his tone went soft.
Arching a stern brow, my lips turned down. “What are you talking about? None of this is your fault, you didn't do anything wrong.” Raking my fingers through my hair, I swallowed hard. “I mean, yes, you should have told me who you really are, but you had nothing to do with anything else.”
Liam stopped short, dropping his head into chest. “Glory, I was the one who suggested this town to begin with, I was the one who told Jacob that your building and the ones around it were the perfect spot. If I hadn't done that, none of this would have happened.” His eyes darted up to mine, and I could see the pain and regret he felt inside.
“You can't blame yourself, you didn't make the same choices your brother made. It doesn't matter what you suggested, he made his own decisions.”
Shaking his head, his lips folded into a thick frown. “I know, but I still feel guilty.”
“Is that what this is?”
“What?” he asked, furrowing his brows.
“All this.” Looking up at the store, I nodded my head. “Shopping, the alarm system, are you doing this because you feel guilty?”
Opening his eyes wide, he held up his hands. “No.” His voice was sharp and powerful. “I'm not doing this because I feel guilty. I'm doing this because I want to, because you deserve it.” Liam reached for my hand and pulled me into his arms. “I want to give you the world, Glory, and it's not because I feel guilty. I feel guilty that all of this happened, and as much as I wish I could take it all back, something good did come out of this mess.” Running his finger across my lips, he smiled. “I met you and that's one thing I wouldn't change. Giving you these things makes me happy. I like you seeing you smile, I like seeing your eyes light up. And I'd do anything to make you do that every day for the rest of your life.”
My cheeks heated as my heart went crazy inside my chest. “You mean that?”
“Every word.” Liam lowered his face, giving me a deep passionate kiss. Pulling away, he peered into my eyes. “Always.”
Gripping my hand, Liam led me into the store. He made me grab a carriage and he took one of his own. We filled both of them, and then we filled a third and a forth.
Canvases, paints, brushes, charcoal, sketch pads, frames, a new easel. . . He wouldn't leave until I had everything I needed to start over.
I was more than grateful for everything he was doing. I felt like I was living in a fairy tale, like any second my eyes would open and I'd find myself laying at home in my bed.
But it was real, all of it was real. From the good to the bad, they both went hand in hand. You can't appreciate the great things if you don't experience the horrible things.
“Is this everything?” he asked, scanning his eyes over the items and looking back at the isles. “Are you sure you don't need anything else? Modeling clay, finger paints, sponges?”
“No, this is plenty.” Laughing, I placed my hands on my hips. “And you're sure about all this? This is going to be expensive, you know that right?”
“Glory, the money doesn't matt
er. You being happy is all I care about. I want this for you, I want to watch you paint. . .” Pausing, he closed the small gap between us and gripped my hips. “Maybe you paint naked, I don't know. We can get a few more drop cloths if you want in case you decide to go wild.”
Giggling, I placed my hands around his neck. “I don't usually paint in the nude, but I might make an exception here and there for your viewing pleasure.”
Liam let out a sexy growl as he pressed his forehead to mine. “Sounds like we have a date.” Kissing me softly, he wriggled his brows. “You ready? Are we all done here?”
“Yeah, I think we're done.”
Driving back to town, squished in the back of the car with everything we couldn't fit in the trunk, Liam never let go of my hand and I never stopped smiling.
He had become more than just a hero to me.
He had become a piece of my soul.
And I could never thank him enough for making me feel whole.
Chapter Twelve
Liam
Glory was separating everything from the car, making small piles and stacks. Stepping back, she clutched her hips and peered down on all of it. She had this look on her face, almost like she was confused.
“What's wrong? Did we forget something?” I asked, walking up behind her and scooping my arms around her stomach. Digging the curve of my chin into the crook of her neck, my eyes glanced over all the items. “I'll go get you whatever it is you need if something is missing.”
“No,” she said, shaking her head, causing her hair to tickle against my cheek. “Everything is here, it's just that I feel like this is the first time I honestly don't know where to begin.”
“You begin with sketching, at least, that's what my mother always did first.” Glory tilted her head so she could look at me, her eyes full and inquisitive. “I used to watch her when I was little, she had this old ratty drawing book she carried everywhere.”
Thinning her lips into a tight smile, Glory walked to her tote bag and dug around inside. “Was it something like this?” she asked, pulling out a warped and worn spiral bound book.
“It was exactly like that.” Holding out my hand, I flapped my fingers. “Can I see that?”
Tipping up her chin, she gave me a stern look. “This is private, you need clearance to see inside.”
“Is that right?” Arching a high brow, my lips curled up. “I'm pretty sure I have the right clearance.”
“I don't know, do you have the secret code word.”
“Please?” Putting on my best puppy dog face, I pouted.
“Wrong, denied.” Holding the book in her hands, she flipped the pages quickly, creating a soft breeze that blew the loose strands of hair around her face.
“Denied, huh.” Taking a firm step in, Glory stepped back, her giggle infectious as she tucked the book behind her back. “Maybe I'll just take it from you.” Each step forced her closer and closer to the wall behind her.
“You won't get this from me. You're going to have to pry it free from my cold dead hands.” Bouncing her eyebrows up and down, she kept creeping backwards.
In one quick movement, I lurched in her direction, making her sway on her heels as she realized she had no where else to go. Looking over her shoulder, she bit her lip and smirked.
“Ah, you didn't see that wall did you?” Resting my hands on either side of her head, I boxed her in. “Where you going to go now?”
“You can't see it.”
“I don't think you can stop me.” The cat and mouse game we were playing was making me hard. She couldn't escape, there was no where for her to go. Licking my lips, I brought my face to hers, brushing the tips of our noses together. “You're trapped.”
“Am I?” she asked, her tone mocking me. “Is that what you think?”
“Where can you go?” Flicking my eyes side to side, I pushed my toes against hers. “I got you right where I want you.” Leaning in, I was about to kiss her, but suddenly she was gone.
With one fast dip, Glory had ducked under my arm and darted out into the center of the room. “Trapped, huh?” Laughing, she flashed me a big smile.
Hanging my head, I didn't say anything else. Running forward, Glory let out a loud squeal as she took off, doing her best to avoid my hands.
We were like two kids, the boy chasing the girl, wanting nothing more than to feel her in his arms. My dick throbbed, eager to grab hold of my girl and swoop her in my arms.
She was laughing, the purest laugh I had ever heard. Her smile was bright and full of life, her eyes twinkling like there wasn't a care in the world.
Glory looked so beautiful right then, her skin was glowing, her cheeks rosy and pink as she huffed with her breaths to stay clear of me.
Taking a sharp turn to her right, she lost her footing, causing her to slip and fall off balance. I was at her side in one step, snagging her in my arms and yanking her into my chest.
“Gotcha,” I said, hugging her as tightly as I could without hurting her.
Our eyes connected, her smile fading into the sexiest little grin. Pushing my erection into her hip, her arms dropped by her sides as her tongue ran over her bottom lip.
I heard the notebook fall to the ground, the metal binding clanked off the floor as the pages splashed open like water.
She didn't even look down at it, her eyes were frozen on mine, her body molding into my hands as her breathing became thick.
Neither one of us uttered another word. We were lost in each other, in a trance that I doubted anyone could break if they walked in right then.
Her slender fingers came up and ran over the scruff of my jaw. Parting her lips, her tongue tempted the opening, making my cock jerk and my heart hammer inside my chest. Pushing up onto the tips of her toes, she didn't wait for me to make a move. Glory took charge, she drove her lips onto mine as her nails raked through my hair, digging at the roots.
Gripping her under her ass, I lifted her off the floor and guided her legs around my waist. Stalking backwards, I didn't stop until her back hit the wall, sealing her in place.
Growling, I forced my dick against her hot center, grinding against her. Her hips pivoted forward, meeting the motion with a sway of her own.
We were fucking with our clothes on, our lips locked tight, bodies glued to each other. Each kiss was devouring, every breath was ragged and unhinged, our hands were greedy, our tongues were angry.
With a rough hand, I pinched her nipple, making the perked bead turn to stone. Glory groaned, her soft moan air-filled as it entered my mouth between breaths. I couldn't get enough of her, no amount of time would be too much.
Glory wiggled her hips, forcing her feet to the floor. Tearing at her pants, she yanked them down over her thighs, kicking them off her feet into a puddle of blue at her side. Her hands found the trim of my pants, and with the same fierceness she tore them open.
Digging my fingers into the soft flesh of her ass, I picked her back up, pinning her to the wall again. With one strong hand, I kept her in place as I gripped my cock with the other hand and positioned it against her entrance.
A shiver ran through her body, forcing goosebumps to erupt over her skin. The heat off her pussy warmed my dick, her sweet arousal soaked the tip, making it easy for me to slid inside.
Driving into her with one hard push, Glory's head fell back against the wall as her eyes snapped shut and her lips puckered into the perfect O. The muscles in her pussy squeezed around my shaft, drawing a throaty moan out of mouth.
“Fuck, you're so wet.” The words were soft as I pulled my hips away and slammed back inside.
Her eyes opened, glinting like liquid fire as she peered at me. “You do that to me, you make me drip, Liam.” Clutching my hips with her thighs, she rocked her clit against my lower belly, moving in rhythm with my cock.
Her pussy milked my shaft, making my balls draw up tight and my lower stomach clench. Glory's thighs were shaking, but she never let go of me. Throwing her body forward, she tucked her face into my should
er, biting into the skin as she moaned.
My hands vibrated as her body trembled when the orgasm swept through her muscles and veins. Air filled coos filled my ear as she nuzzled her face in deeper and held onto me tighter.
With one final pump, my dick exploded, forcing wave after wave of hot come into her pussy. I could feel the sweat as it dripped down between my shoulder blades, and my muscles as they tensed with electric pops.
Lowering Glory to the floor, she touched down on the tips of her toes first, dropping onto flat feet. Biting her lower lip, she glanced up at me with this look in her eyes.
“What?”
“I think I know where to begin now.”
“See, I'm good for something here—inspiration.” Taking both her hands, I tangled our fingers together.
Glory stared at me, her gaze filled with hope and new life.
That look, that look was the only look I ever wanted.
If everything else in my life suddenly vanished, if I lost it all, I wouldn't give two shits as long as I had those eyes looking back at me every single day.
She was quickly becoming my world.
Chapter Thirteen
Glory
Holding the brush tightly between my fingertips, I dabbed it into the deep royal purple paint and started to spread it across the canvas. It was thrilling, adrenaline in the form of colorful splashes and thick strokes.
I could see the image as clearly as if it was already on the canvas. The purple sky was going to be filled with bright red and orange blotches. A young girl would be standing at the edge of a small puddle, peering into her reflection. The image reflecting back would be a princess, her confidence bold and visible.
Liam's eyes followed me around the painting as he watched from a distance. He was sitting on the floor in his boxers, his gaze cemented on my back and arms as they moved with ease.