Liam (The Murphy Boys Series Book 4)

by Holly C. Webb

  “It’s okay,” Liam said, giving her a smile, wishing that he could have that moment back again. Having her in his arms just felt right. It felt like it was meant to be.

  “How is he doing?” She asked, this time allowing her eyes to meet his once more. “I met Dylan yesterday, and he told me what happened.”

  “Yeah, Dylan told me,” Liam said, as Lexi smiled like she had known that’s exactly what Dylan would do. She had always teased them both about how close they were, back when they were dating. “He’s doing great. He hopes to be home in a few days.”

  “That’s great news,” Lexi replied, giving him another smile.

  “And you,” Liam said, finally finding his voice. “You look…you look amazing. How are you doing?”

  “Oh me,” Lexi sighed, giving him another smile. She opened her mouth to continue, but before she could speak, someone called out her name.

  Suddenly, some guy wearing scrubs and a white coat, walked up to her, quickly slipping his arm around her before he kissed her on the cheek.

  “I’m sorry, Sweetie,” the guy said, looking at Lexi like she was some delicate flower. “I didn’t mean to keep you waiting, but it’s been super busy in here today.”

  Lexi glanced at Liam, giving him a look that said she wished she was anywhere but there at that exact moment.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, suddenly noticing Liam was standing there. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  “Eric, this is Liam,” Lexi said, her eyes never leaving Liam’s. “Liam and I, we go a long way back.”

  “Lovely to meet you, Liam,” Eric said, offering Liam his hand.

  “You too,” Liam replied, forcing a smile on his face, but inside his heart felt crushed. Almost like he was losing her all over again, which he knew was stupid, but it was how he felt.

  Watching this guy touching her, almost like he was claiming her as his, made Liam feel sick to the pit of his stomach. He knew that he had no right; he was the one that messed things up with her. He was the one who broke her heart.

  Still, knowing this didn’t change how hard it was seeing her with someone else.

  “Well,” he said, his voice cracking, betraying his true emotions. “I should be going to see my dad.”

  “Please give him my love,” Lexi said, her eyes not leaving Liam’s, but suddenly he couldn’t meet her gaze anymore.

  “I will,” Liam said, knowing he needed to make his getaway as fast as he could.

  “There you are!” Dylan’s voice came suddenly from nowhere and Liam breathed a sigh of relief. “Mom was wondering where you were.”

  “I’ll be right there,” Liam said, giving Dylan a grateful smile, knowing he had clearly seen the uncomfortable predicament he was in and came to the rescue.

  “Hi, Lexi,” Dylan said, turning his attention to her. “Hi Eric.”

  “Hi, Dylan,” Eric replied, a look of realisation filled his face as he turned back to Liam. “Oh wait, you’re Dylan’s brother. You’re that Liam.”

  “I’m just Liam,” he said, trying not to sound as irritated as he felt.

  “Are you kidding me,” Eric continued with a broad smile. “The stories about you in this hospital are legendary…”

  “Yeah well,” Liam replied through gritted teeth. “You shouldn’t believe the hype.”

  “Anyways,” Lexi cut in, with a nervous laugh before she glanced at Liam again. “We should let you go see your father. It was lovely to see you again, Liam.”

  “You too, Lexi,” he said as he allowed his eyes to meet hers once more. She gave him a look that confused him, which was strange for Liam, because he could always tell exactly what she was thinking.

  That was before you broke her heart! He thought to himself miserably.

  They said their goodbyes, before Lexi turned and walked away with Eric, her hand in his and the last piece of Liam’s heart shattered

  “Are you okay,” Dylan asked, pulling Liam from his thoughts.

  “No,” Liam replied honestly. “No, I’m really not.”

  Chapter 4

  Liam sat at the bar of a club that he came to from time to time, staring down into the glass that was in front of him. He knew he was playing with fire looking for comfort in the bottom of a glass, just as he had when he let Lexi walk out of his life, but right at that moment, he really didn’t care.

  Lexi was back, but she had moved on. She was with someone new and it hurt more than he had ever imagined it would.

  Since the day Lexi had walked away from him, Liam knew he had made the biggest mistake of his life, just like he knew he had no one to blame but himself for her leaving.

  He had broken her heart. He knew it the moment the words had left his lips that night. When she walked away, the only peace his could find was when he was blind drunk, passed out in some crappy bar, or in some random girl’s bed.

  Dylan had been the one person who knew that his life was spiralling out of all control, and he was the one who pulled him out of the hole he had created for himself.

  When he finally sobered up, he promised Dylan that he would never go down that road again. After that, Liam found his comfort in the arms of a never ending stream of girls instead of a bottle of bourbon.

  Why did she have to come back now? He thought to himself as he continued to stare into the glass in front of him. Why now, at this moment in his life? Why was life always so fucking complicated?

  He closed his eyes and pictured her standing there in front of him earlier that day, staring up into his eyes. Liam had always been able to tell exactly what she was thinking; almost like they had become one single person. But for the first time ever, as he stood there looking at her, he had no clue what the hell she had going through her mind.

  Then she hugged him. Without even thinking, she threw her arms around him and held him like time had stopped, as if they were transported back to a moment in time where there was no one else in the world, except them.

  He remembered how she smelled. It was the scent he had longed for, for so many nights, as he lay alone in his bed. A scent he had believed he would never know again. Even now, he could still faintly smell her perfume on his clothes, and it filled him with so much longing, he could barely breathe.

  You need to get a grip! He sighed to himself as he picked up the glass, knocking his drink with one gulp. Slamming the glass down on the counter, he motioned to the bartender that he wanted a refill. He needed to get drunk as fast as he could, because he needed to forget. He needed to forget about her.

  “Hi,” a voice said suddenly from beside him, as the bartender poured him another drink.

  Liam lifted his head, glancing at the red head sitting there next to him. She was sexy in an obvious way, but looking at her Liam felt absolutely nothing, just like it was with every other girl he had been with since Lexi walked out of his life.

  “Hey yourself,” Liam sighed, giving her a half smile before he returned his focus back to the glass in front of him.

  “It’s busy in here tonight,” she chirped, clearly eager to keep the conversation going. “But I don’t think I have seen you in here before, because I would remember a cutie like you.”

  Liam glanced at her once more, but didn’t reply. Instead he returned his focus back to his drink once more.

  “May I,” she asked, pointing at the stool next to him.

  “Sure,” he replied with a shrug. Liam glanced over at her again, then smiled to himself. This girl was his for the taking, he knew it. He just didn’t know if he wanted to go there.

  Drink yourself into oblivion or fuck Lexi out of my system? Liam thought to himself miserably. He knew what he wanted to do, but he had promised Dylan he wouldn’t take that road again. Fucking it is then!

  “Would you like a drink?” He asked the girl, still undecided what his decision was.

  “I’d love one,” she replied, giving him a broad smile, looking a little like the cat that got the cream. Liam motioned to the bartender and he quickly took the gir
l’s drink order. “I’m Lolly, by the way.”

  “Lolly?” Liam repeated, giving her a questioning look.

  “It’s short for Louise,” she explained, but to Liam her explanation made absolutely no sense. Still, he just smiled, then returned his attention to his drink. “Do you have a name?”

  “Liam,” he replied, turning back to her once more, this time offering her his hand.

  “Nice to meet you, Liam,” she purred as she leaned into him.

  “You too, Lolly,” Liam replied, giving her a smile.

  The barman returned with her drink, setting it down in front of her. Liam looked up at him, and the barman, whose name was Brad, instantly gave Liam a knowing grin. Liam knew Brad from coming into the bar from time to time, and he also knew that Brad could tell Liam was about to get lucky with this girl.

  They sat there for a few moments in a comfortable silence, as once more Lexi crashed into Liam’s thoughts. He wondered where she was, right at that moment. Was she with the douchnozzle that she was with at the hospital? He closed his eyes as the image of her with him, kissing him, making love to him, crashed into his head, as a wave of anger thundered through his body.

  “Are you okay?” Lolly asked from beside him, pulling him back from his thoughts. Liam opened his eyes and turned to look at her.

  “Do you want to get out of here, Lolly?” Liam asked, ignoring her question.

  “Um… sure,” she replied with a smile, before she quickly downed her glass of white wine. She slipped down from the stool she was sitting on, before she leaned into Liam, kissing him softly on the cheek. “I’m just popping to the ladies.”

  She turned and pushed her way through the crowded club, as Liam sat there, watching her closely. Closing his eyes, he thought of Lexi once more. Why did he still have to love her so damn much? Why was she the only thing he could think about?

  Once more images of her fucking the loser from the hospital filled his head.

  Get a grip! He cried in his head. This is beyond madness.

  Right at that moment, he knew exactly what he needed to do. He knocked back his drink with one gulp, then pulled some money from his pocket, setting it down on the bar before he too pushed his way through the crowded bar in the same direction that Lolly had gone.

  When he reached the ladies room, he paused for a moment, before he slowly opened the door, peeking inside. He found Lolly standing in front of the mirror, fixing her makeup. Liam slipped into the bathroom.

  “I don’t think you’re supposed to be in here,” Lolly said with a giggle, as Liam quickly closed the distance between them. The girl turned to Liam just as he reached her, slamming his lips against hers.

  Liam wasted no time. He picked the girl up, his mouth still pressed against hers, setting her down on the edge of the sinks.

  “You’re so naughty.” Lolly giggled as she reached for the belt on Liam trousers. “What if someone comes in?”

  “Then they are about to see a show they’ll never forget,” Liam growled back against her lips.

  Dropping his hands down to her leg, he reached beneath her skirt, pushing it up until he reached her panties.

  Liam pulled back, looking down into the girl’s eyes. He noticed that her eyes were almost the same colour amber as Lexi’s, and instantly her face crashed into his mind.

  She’s moved on! He cried in his mind. You need to too.

  Pushing Lexi from his thoughts, Liam slammed his mouth against Lolly’s once more, as he reached down, taking hold of her panties between his fingertips. With one sharp tug, he ripped the lace open, as Lolly squealed with delight.

  Liam pulled a condom from his back pocket, making short work of putting it on, before he pushed Lolly’s legs open further.

  “Sweetheart, this is not going to last long,” Liam growled as he positioned himself against her. Before she could reply, he slammed his cock into her with one single thrust.

  “Oh my God,” Lolly cried out. “You’re a big boy!”

  Liam didn’t respond. He didn’t even look at the girl again. The truth was, she could have been anyone. He didn’t have any feelings for her. He just needed to forget; to get so lost in someone else’s body that every thought of Lexi disappeared from his mind.

  Thrust after thrust, he drove into her, each one pushing Lexi further out of his thoughts, until the only thing he could think about was the screaming girl that was coming apart, with her legs wrapped tightly around his waist.

  “DON’T STOP! DON’T STOP!” She cried out as her whole body began to shake. “OH MY, GOD!”

  Her cries were his undoing. He erupted inside her, as his whole body shook. But instead of feeling somewhat better, Liam just felt a whole world worst.

  “Wow,” Lolly exclaimed as Liam lifted his head, then took a step back. “You’re a fucking God!”

  “I wouldn’t go quite that far,” Liam sighed as he removed his condom, before discarding it in one of the nearby toilet stalls. He then shoved his shirt back into his pants, before fastening up his zipper and belt.

  “I think you are far more talented than you think,” Lolly gushed as she turned to the mirror, quickly straightening her clothes and fixing her hair. She then turned and looked at Liam, giving him the biggest smile he had ever seen. “But I was thinking, the night is still young, and I have a pretty nice bottle of bourbon back at my place.”

  She closed the distance between her and Liam, kissing him softly on the lips.

  “Maybe we could take the party back to my place,” she continued, leaning into Liam’s body, as she looked up into his eyes. “Then we can see who wins round two.”

  “As tempting as that sounds, Lolly,” he replied, knowing he needed to make his excuses, then make his escape as quickly and as diplomatically as possible. “But I’ve got an early start, and you… you have worn me out.”

  Lolly pouted, but Liam could see she was equally pleased by his comment.

  She turned to her handbag, pulling a pen from her purse before she turned back to Liam, then scribbled a number on to his hand.

  “Then maybe we can pick this up some other time,” she purred, giving him a knowing grin as she picked her handbag up from the sink counter, then kissed Liam once more, before she hurried towards the door.

  Liam stood there for the longest time, staring at the door long after Lolly had left. Finally he turned to look at himself in the bathroom mirror.

  When he saw his own reflection, he sighed to himself in disgust.

  “You look like hell,” he groaned at his reflection, as he walked to the sink and turned on the water.

  He didn’t think he could have felt any worse than he did, but it turned out he was wrong. There was rock bottom, then another layer of crap beneath that, and he was somewhere underneath it. He knew he had just used that girl. Not that he had promised her anything, but still, he fucked her because he needed to forget. She could have been any girl from the bar.

  He also knew he had no intentions of calling her either. Reaching for the soap dispenser, he squeezed soap onto his hand and set about washing away her number.

  When he was done, he glanced at himself in the mirror. He needed to get his shit together. He needed to try pushing Lexi from his mind. Right now, his dad was still unwell, and his family needed him to be a better man than the one he was.

  Heading for the door, he pushed his way back through the crowd, heading straight for the exit.

  As Liam stepped out into the night air, his phone chimed in his pocket.

  Pulling it out, he sighed when he saw Dylan’s name flashing on the screen. Taking a deep breath, he pressed down on the accept button, then took a deep breath before he brought the phone to his ear.

  “Dylan,” Liam said, trying his hardest to sound happier than he felt. “How did I know it would be you?”

  “Because you know me,” Dylan’s voice came through the phone. “Almost as well as I know you. So tell me, how many drinks have you had, and whose bed are you heading back to?”

>   “My own, Asshole,” Liam replied, but he sighed, knowing that Dylan wasn’t wrong either. He just hated that Dylan knew him sometimes better than he knew himself. “And I don’t need you checking up on me.”

  “Don’t I?” Dylan asked. “I think that’s exactly what I need to do. I remember how you were the last time Lexi walked out of your life.”

  “Only she didn’t walk out of my life this time, did she?” Liam asked. “She just got on with her own life and so have I.”

  “So you haven’t tried drowning your sorrows in the bottom of a glass?” Dylan asked, as once more Liam sighed.

  “No, Dylan,” Liam retorted a little more angrily than he had meant to. “I just… I just needed, I needed some time to clear my thoughts. It’s been a crappy few days and I fancied a drink.”

  “Then why didn’t you call me?” Dylan asked, “Liam, you know you don’t have to do this on your own. You have a family that loves you. You have me.”

  “I know I do, Dylan,” Liam sighed, knowing that his brother was right. “And I know you’re right. I just needed to blow off some steam. It’s hard, you know? To see her with that asshole. To see her and know that I’m the one that ruined everything.”

  “I know it is,” Dylan replied. Liam hated that he could hear pity in his brother’s voice. “Why don’t I stop by, I could pick up some beers. We could ask the others to come over too.”

  “Thanks, Dylan,” Liam said, grateful to his brother for his support. “But I think I’m just going to go home, have a long, hot shower, then climb into bed.

  “I don’t like you being alone tonight,” Dylan sighed. “Why not come back to my place instead? You know I have the spare room…”

  “Dylan, I’m grateful, honestly,” Liam quickly assured his brother, stopping him mid-sentence. “But I promise you that I’m okay. I’m going home. I just need a good night’s sleep. You know what Mom always says…”

  “Everything will seem better in the morning,” they both said in unison.

  “Okay,” Dylan laughed. “But if you change your mind, you know where to find me.”