Liam (The Murphy Boys Series Book 4)

by Holly C. Webb

  Suddenly the phone on his nightstand began to buzz. Liam glanced at the clock on his nightstand and saw it was already after midnight. He sighed as he grabbed the phone before it rang again and woke Lexi.

  “Hello,” he said in a hushed voice, as he pushed up in the bed.

  “Hi,” Matt’s voice came through the phone. “I’m sorry for calling so late, but there’s been another break in.”

  “Damn,” Liam said, but from the tone of Matt’s voice, Liam sensed that it was another bad one. “How bad is it?”

  “Not good,” Matt replied. “They’ve taken the girl to the emergency room, but it doesn’t look good.”

  “Shit,” Liam sighed, feeling the same feeling of frustration he’d been feeling the last two weeks. “Okay, give me a few minutes, then I will be on my way.”

  “I’m on my way to yours now,” Matt informed him. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  “Okay,” Liam replied, thinking of what he needed to do before Matt got there. “See you then.”

  Hanging up the phone, he released a long breath, hating the fact he would have to leave Lexi alone again.

  “It’s happened again,” Lexi said suddenly, almost killing Liam with fright. She was lying on her pillow, but her eyes were fixed on him. “Hasn’t it?”

  “We think so,” Liam replied, knowing that he would have to leave her here once more, knowing she would be upset. That was the worst part of this. That every time this happened, it upset her all over again.

  “Then you should go,” She said, giving him a knowing smile like she knew he hated leaving her alone. “You need to catch him. I’ll be okay. I’ve got Sky.”

  “Okay,” Liam said as he leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips. “I promise that I will be as fast as I can.”

  “I know,” she said, smiling once more before Liam climbed out of bed.

  As he dressed, Liam could feel Lexi’s eyes follow him around the room. He knew deep down she was scared, she was just trying to pretend she wasn’t.

  “Lex,” Liam said with a sigh once he was dressed. He walked to the bed, sitting down on the edge. He hesitated for a moment before he reached for the drawer on his bedside table. “If you’re worried about anything, you call me. I have no doubt that you’ll be safe here, but if something should happen. My personal handgun is in my drawer.”

  “You know how I feel about guns, Liam,” Lexi replied as Liam recalled the many disagreements they had about him keeping a gun in his bedside table.

  “I know,” Liam sighed. “And I know you’re not going to change on this. I just want you to know, should you need it…”

  “I have Sky,” Lexi stopped him mid-sentence. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay,” Liam sighed once more. He knew there was no point saying anything else. He kissed her once more before he pushed up from the bed. He walked across the room but stopped when he reached the door. “You know I love you, right?”

  “I love you more,” Lexi replied, giving him the most beautiful smile.

  “I know that’s not possible,” Liam laughed before he blew her a kiss and headed for the door.

  Chapter 19

  Liam stepped out into the night air just as Matt pulled his car in next to the curb. Liam didn’t waste any time. He hurried to the car, quickly climbing into the passenger seat.

  “Did you hear anything from the hospital?” Liam asked as Matt pulled the car out into the deserted road.

  “They were bringing the girl to surgery the last I heard,” Matt replied, glancing over at Liam. “But the doctors said she was in a bad way.”

  “Shit,” Liam sighed as Lexi crashed into his mind once more. “We need to catch this asshole.”

  “Did you hear anything about a match from the DMV yet?” Matt asked, glancing at Liam briefly once more. “Please tell me that this guy is on that data base.”

  “We knew it was a long shot,” Liam sighed, feeling just as frustrated as Matt sounded. “We might have to take it state-wide, if not country wide.”

  “Have you thought about releasing his image to the press?” Matt asked, once more glancing over at Liam. “Maybe we could get a hit that way.”

  “Or we could send him under ground,” Liam sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes. “I don’t want this asshole to know we are closing in on him. If he thinks we are, he could take off, and that’s the last thing I want. No, I’m gonna bust this scumbag myself. His ass belongs to me.”

  Matt didn’t respond for a few moments, and Liam knew there was something he wasn’t saying, and if he was honest, he knew exactly what that something was.

  “You can say it,” Liam sighed, turning to look at his partner. “I know you think I’m too involved in this case, and maybe I am. I hate that he hurt Lexi. I hate that she was with me that night, and she stormed out, walking straight into his clutches. I don’t even want to think what would have happened to her if she hadn’t gotten away from him. But I can be professional about this. I will do everything by the book, because when we catch this asshole, and we are going to catch this asshole, I want him put away for a very long time, and I don’t want some asshole defence attorney getting him off on some bull shit technicality. So, if I think me being with Lexi is becoming a problem, I will remove myself from this case.”

  “Then there’s nothing more to say,” Matt replied, giving him a nod, and Liam knew that whatever happened, his partner would have his back.

  Ten minutes later, they arrived at the apartment of the latest victim. Liam climbed out of the car and walked to the door of the building, showing the uniformed officer at the door, his badge.

  “They’re up on the fourth floor,” he told Liam as he pulled the door open for him, before giving him a look that told Liam this was bad.

  Heading to the elevator, he pressed the call button before he turned to see where Matt was. He was just coming through the door, when his phone started ringing.

  “I’ll follow you up,” Matt told Liam as he pulled his phone from his pocket, quickly bringing it to his ear.

  The sound of the doors opening, made Liam turn back to the elevator. He stepped inside and quickly pressed down on the button for the fourth floor.

  When the elevator came to a stop on the floor Liam wanted and the doors opened, the hallway was buzzing with activity. He stepped out into the hallway, spotting the ME talking to one of the other officers.

  “Hey Liam,” Justin Bright said when he saw Liam approaching him. “What a mess this is. Jesus, he gave the girl some beating.”

  “That bad, huh?” Liam asked, as he glanced through the doorway, into the apartment. “But what has you here? I thought she was taken to the hospital?”

  “Oh, she was,” Justine replied. “But when her friend found her, she thought she was dead. She was barely breathing. Even the first officers on the scene thought she was dead. Hence why I was called out.”

  “Oh,” Liam said, glancing into the apartment. Even from where he was standing, he could see the place was a mess. The sound of the elevator opening once more, pulled his attention back to the doors.

  The moment he saw Matt stepping off the elevator, he knew that something was very wrong. Then Matt’s eyes met Liam’s and he knew that the girl, whoever she was, was dead.

  This was now a murder investigation.

  Two hours later, Liam was climbing out of the elevator of his building, walking towards his apartment door. He sighed as he pulled his keys from his pocket and quietly let himself back into the apartment.

  It was now almost three thirty in the morning, and he was beyond tired. He knew Lexi would ask him about the girl, just like he knew he would have to tell her the truth. But right at that moment, the only thing he wanted to do was climb into bed beside her and hold her tightly.

  Taking off his jacket, Liam threw it on the armchair in the living room, before continuing on down the hallway toward his bedroom. As he reached the door, he could hear a low rumble coming from the far side of the door.

  Lia
m smiled, knowing it was Sky growling, protecting Lexi just as he hoped she would.

  Liam opened the door, and the growl grew more determined.

  “It’s okay, Sky,” Liam whispered in a hushed voice, as he walked across the room, scratching Sky behind the ear. “It’s just me, sweet girl.”

  Sky sniffed Liam’s hand, before she licked it, then lay back down on the end of the bed.

  Liam stripped off his clothes before he climbed into the bed next to Lexi’s naked body. The moment he did, she rolled over, moving closer to him, snuggling into Liam’s body.

  “You’re freezing,” she groaned, nuzzling into his arm.

  “And you are nice and toasty,” Liam whispered, as his hand glided down over her body, until he reached her hips, pulling her closer to him, as he kissed her forehead.

  “How bad was it?” Lexi asked, as she opened her eyes, looking up at Liam.

  “Bad,” he replied, as he leaned forward, softly kissing her on the lips. “But I don’t want to talk about it, not tonight. Please.”

  “Okay,” she breathed out, as she kissed his lips once more. The kiss was soft, but filled with so much promise. Instantly Liam’s body reacted. She moved closer to him once more, pressing her body against his, as her kiss deepened.

  Liam sucked in a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart, but it was no use. His cock was throbbing with desire. He needed her. He needed this. Right now, Lexi was all that mattered; she was the only thing that could make him forget the crappy night.

  He rolled Lexi onto her back, then climbed over her, his mouth never leaving hers.

  “I need you,” he begged breathlessly against her lips. “Please.”

  “I’m all yours,” Lexi whispered, before Liam claimed her mouth once more.

  As he slipped his legs in between hers, Liam wasted no time finding her warm centre with the swollen head of his cock. With one thrust, he pushed into her, making her cry out in sheer pleasure.

  “Oh, Lexi,” he moaned, as he pulled back, then pushed into her once more. “God, you feel so good.”

  She didn’t reply. Instead, she just held him tightly, as he pulled out once more and slammed into her once again. Liam held on to Lexi so tight, as he pushed into her, over and over. It was what he needed, what they both needed. To get lost in each other’s bodies and forget about everything, and everyone else.

  “Liam,” Lexi moaned as he continued to drive into her over and over again. She held him tighter, as her body began to quiver, pushing Liam on.

  He was close, and he knew she was too. He knew that neither would last much longer, but he wanted to make sure that they did.

  Pulling out of her, he pulled back, rolling her on to her tummy.

  “Liam,” she gasped breathlessly, a trace of uncertainty in her voice.

  “Trust me,” he whispered as he leaned down and pressed his lips to her ear. “It’s me Lex. You know you can trust me.”

  “Yes,” she breathed out with a cry of pleasure as he pressed his lips to the back of her neck, kissing it first, then biting it softly.

  Slipping his legs between hers once more, he pushed her legs further apart, before he reached down between them, finding her warm centre again with the throbbing head of his cock.

  With one push, he filled her completely as she cried out once more.

  Liam stilled, his body pressed up against hers, their breathing almost in sync with each other’s. Liam reached up, and grabbed hold of her hands, pinning them to the bed as he began to move.

  “Tell me you love me,” Liam growled into her ear, as he pushed inside her.

  “I love you,” she cried as he slammed into her again.

  “Tell me this is forever,” he demanded, his pace not slowing down.

  “This is forever,” She moaned breathlessly, with each thrust sending them both higher.

  “Marry me, Lexi!” Liam cried, as he could hold back no longer. He erupted inside her as he continued to push into her again and again.

  “YES!” She cried as she came apart too.

  Liam crashed down to the bed on top of her before he rolled off, and glance down at Sky, who was still at the end of the bed. She was now sitting up, watching them both with great curiosity.

  “I think we have an audience,” Liam laughed, still trying to catch his breath.

  Lexi just laughed, as she too rolled onto her back, but her eyes never left Liam’s. She looked like there was so much she wanted to say, and if he was honest, he wasn’t sure he was ready to answer the million questions she no doubt had in her head.

  Had he really just asked her to marry him while he was fucking her?

  Classy, Asshole! Liam scolded himself in his mind.

  It wasn’t that he didn’t want to ask her. Of course he wanted to marry her. He just planned on asking her the right way. Making a big gesture, doing it in a way that she deserved to be asked.

  He also knew that she had a million questions about the attack tonight. Liam knew he would have to answer them sooner, rather than later. He just didn’t know how he was going to tell her that the girl tonight had died. That the man who had attacked her three days before, had now beaten a girl to death. He was now a murder suspect.

  “Are you okay?” Lexi asked, surprising Liam with her question.

  “Me!” he asked, giving her a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

  “Because, you seem… strange,” She replied as she moved closer to him, her eyes still fixed on his. “Like there is something you’re not telling me.”

  “What… no… no,” Liam said, but he knew that he couldn’t hold the truth from her now. “No it’s just…”

  “It’s the girl,” Lexi said, and Liam smiled. He should have known that there was nothing he could hide from her. “She was badly hurt, wasn’t she?”

  “She was,” Liam said, giving her a sad smile. “She was rushed to the emergency room, and then to surgery, but…”

  “But,” Lexi asked, but the look in her eyes told Liam she already knew the answer.

  “But, she was too badly injured,” Liam continued, the words almost sticking in his throat.

  “He… he killed her?” Lexi asked as tears suddenly pooled in her eyes. “She died from what…what he’d done to her.”

  “Yes,” Liam confirmed, knowing that being honest was his only option he had right at that moment. “But we are going to get him, Lexi. I know I keep saying that, but we will. We know what he looks like now, and we are going to do what it takes to catch him.”

  “I know,” she nodded, but still tears spilled down her face. “It’s just. He was right there, today. If I hadn’t lost him, or panicked. Maybe I could have stopped him…”

  “This is not your fault, Lexi,” Liam assured her, surprised by what she’d said. “There was nothing you could have done. But I give you my word. The net is closing in around this guy, and we will stop him, and make him pay.”

  “I know,” she whispered again, a small sob escaping from deep inside her.

  “I love you, Lex,” Liam whispered as he reached up, gently wiping the tears from her face, before he pulled her closer to him holding her to his chest.

  Suddenly Sky moved, resting her head on Lexi’s side.

  “See,” Liam said, with a smile as he looked down towards the dog. “You have both of us to keep you safe, so you don’t need to be afraid. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Lexi sniffed, nodding her head.

  “That’s my girl,” Liam replied, kissing her on the top of her head.

  Liam was woken by a warm, sloppy, wet lick across his face. He instantly opened his eyes, and was greeted with a pair of big, brown eyes, and a wet, black nose, staring down at him.

  “Okay, okay,” Liam groaned as Sky licked his face once more. “I’m up! I’m up!”

  Liam rolled over to Lexi’s side of the bed, but he was surprised to find her side empty.

  “Lex!” He called out as he climbed out of bed, grabbing clean boxers from the top drawers of his d
resser, but there was no response. He quickly pulled on his boxers, before he hurried out of the bedroom, down the hallway to the living room, followed closely but Sky, but there was no sign of Lexi anywhere. “Where is she, Girl?”

  Sky sat down and watched Liam as he hurried across the living room to the kitchen, before he returned to the living room, having found the kitchen empty too.

  “LEXI!” Liam shouted as he hurried back across the living room. Sky barked, as she took off down the hallway, followed closely by Liam.

  Liam hurried back into the bedroom, just as the door to the en-suite opened, and a wet Lexi, wrapped in white, fluffy towels appeared through the door.

  “Jesus, Lexi!” Liam exclaimed, rushing towards her, wrapping her in his arms. “You scared the crap out of me. I was calling and calling you.”

  “I was in the shower,” Lexi replied, sounding almost surprised by Liam’s behaviour. “I didn’t hear you calling me.”

  “Just don’t scare me like that again,” he sighed, pressing his lips to her forehead. “If anything happened to you…”

  “Liam,” Lexi said, pulling back from him, looking up into his eyes. “I’m okay. Nothing is going to happen to me.”

  Liam didn’t respond, he just held her tighter, for a few more moments before he finally release her from his embrace.

  “I’m going to go make some breakfast for us,” Liam said, giving her a smile. “I think we’ve a hairy diva who wants to be fed too. Go get dressed.”

  “Okay,” Lexi replied, leaning up on her tippy toes, kissing him softly on the lips.

  Liam smiled once more, before he turned and headed back towards the door, and down the hallway, followed closely by Sky.

  Twenty minutes later, the bacon he was making was ready, as was the eggs. He looked down and smiled to see Sky sitting next to him, watching him closely. He glanced over at the bowl of untouched food he’d given her a short while before, and smiled to himself.

  “This isn’t for you, young lady,” Liam said, glancing down at Sky once again. Sky responded with a tilt of her head, and a lick of her lips, making Liam laugh. “This is grown up food.”