I smirked. “Breakfast for dinner?”
“Yeah. You’re that good of a cook.”
“Oooh…now I’ll get another kiss.”
She grabbed the front of my shirt then pulled my lips to hers. Our mouths pressed together tightly before she pulled away. Being over a foot shorter than me, she had to stand on her tiptoes. “You can have as many kisses as you want.”
After we had dinner—I mean breakfast—we snuggled on the couch again.
“I have a TV in my room.” It would be nice to fall asleep in there instead of moving.
“Your bed is way more comfortable than these couches.”
“I’m glad you agree.”
I scooped her up and carried her down the hall. She giggled while I held her. She was light as a feather and I didn’t mind hauling her around. After I placed her on my bed, I pulled my shirt off then undid my jeans.
She watched me, swallowing the lump in her throat.
“Do you want me to change in the bathroom?”
“No, it’s okay…”
I pulled off my jeans and stood in my briefs. I felt her heated gaze on me. The static was in the air. There was so much tension I thought lightning would strike. Then I pulled on my sweatpants, still shirtless.
When I looked at Livia, she quickly turned away. “I don’t care if you look at me.” Actually, I wanted her to.
She turned her eyes back to me. “I guess I’m guilty of doing the same thing you used to do.”
I sat at the edge of the bed. “It’s okay to look…I like it when you do.”
“Well, it’s hard not to.”
I wasn’t ignorant to my looks. I was a good-looking guy with a nice body, even before I started training. Girls always gave me lustful looks. Most of the time, they wanted to use me, not the other way around. I’d been with two girls at once and women just threw themselves at me. But hearing those words coming from Livia meant a lot more than all those empty compliments. “You flatter me.”
“Can I have some clothes to wear?”
“Sure.” I pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. “They won’t fit but you’ll be comfortable.”
She took the pile and smelled it. “But it has your scent.”
“You like my scent?”
“Maybe…” She blushed then walked into the bathroom.
Just thinking about how she would look in my clothes got me hard.
Damn.
I tried to think of something else so I wouldn’t be aroused when she came out. I didn’t want to cuddle in bed with her and press my hard-on into her back. She would know I was thinking about sex, or at least sex with her, and it might make her uncomfortable. “Snakes…snakes….” I kept thinking about the way they slithered through the desert. But Livia would pop into my mind and it would shatter everything. Then I thought about Bran. “Playing ball with Bran….” Instantly it went away. Phew.
She came out, but she wasn’t wearing the sweatpants. My shirt stretched to her knees, looking like a dress on her.
Fuck. My cock was hard again.
God fucking damn it.
“I was a little hot last night,” she explained.
“I can turn down the air.” Put the sweatpants back on.
“No, it’s okay.”
Put the sweatpants back on.
She came to the bed and tucked herself in, keeping the shirt past her knees. “Awe…this is so comfortable after walking around all day.”
“Yeah.” I pulled the sheet over my waist, hiding my throbbing cock.
She turned on her side and stared at me. “You’re the worst snuggler in the world.” The playfulness was in her eyes.
Bran…think about Bran… “Then get over here.”
She gave me a bright smile then wrapped her body around mine. Discreetly, I adjusted myself so her leg wouldn’t feel the obvious bulge. Her head rested on my chest and her arm was tight around my waist.
I was thankful that crisis had been averted.
I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. Feeling brave, I moved my fingers to her hair then glided through the soft strands. It was as silky as I imagined. She breathed deeply but didn’t object. My fingers continued to the back of her neck, where I gently massaged the muscle.
Within an hour, she was asleep. She breathed evenly while she still was attached to me. Her hand rested on my stomach and she was deep in her dreams. Unable to sleep, I just watched her, hoping she was dreaming about me.
“Where were you all weekend?” Keira asked when I stopped by the house.
“Busy…” The huge smile on my face told her who with.
Keira narrowed her eyes at me. “Livia?”
“Yep. She stayed the whole weekend—and slept in my bed.”
“You slept with her?” Keira asked in shock.
“No, I slept with her. Totally different.”
“Oh. Well, that’s great.”
“We went to the zoo and out to dinner…she’s amazing.”
She smiled while she listened to me gush. “So…does that mean you’re an item?”
“Yep.” I kept grinning like an idiot.
“That’s wonderful!” Her eyes lit up in joy.
“It took her awhile to come around. She almost said no…but she said she would try.”
“Why the hesitance?” she asked.
I think I knew why. “Not sure. But she trusts me a lot more now. That’s all that matters.”
“I’m happy for you. I can tell you really like her.”
“I do.” I looked over her shoulder and searched for Liam. “Can I borrow your fiancé?”
“So, you don’t want to hang out with me?”
“Not really.”
She narrowed her eyes in annoyance. “We used to do stuff together all the time.”
“Well, now you’re engaged and I got a girlfriend.”
“But you’re hanging out with Liam…”
“Because he’s better than you.”
She rolled her eyes.
“You know I’m teasing. I just want to talk to him about something.”
“What?”
Um… “Fighting stuff.”
“You could ask me. I’m as good as he is.”
“Nah…”
“Whatever.”
Liam came up behind her. “Hey, man.”
We shook hands. “Let’s get a beer.”
Judging the inference in his eyes, he knew what we would be discussing. “Sounds good.”
“Can I come?” Keira asked.
“No annoying brats allowed,” I said as I headed back to the truck.
“I’m not an annoying brat,” she argued. She turned to Liam. “I’m not, right?”
“No, baby.” He cupped her face and kissed her. “I’ll be home soon.”
When I turned around, I saw my cousin melt into a puddle on the floor.
Gross. “Let’s go before I throw up.”
We got a table near the back. Liam was the strong and silent type, and compared to Bran, who wouldn’t shut up most of the time, it was a nice change. I’d become better friends with Liam than Tony and Bran in a short period of time.
I drank more beer than I usually did. I was happy with Livia but I was also extremely depressed.
“Something on your mind?” Liam asked.
“It’s always on my mind,” I said darkly. “Livia has opened up to me a lot but…I know she’s still scared. I’m pretty sure what I fear most is true.”
“But you won’t know unless you ask her.”
“I don’t need to ask her.”
He sipped his beer and watched TV.
“I want to find out who did it.”
He turned back to me, an eyebrow raised. “Who raped Livia?”
I hated that word. I hated hearing it. “Yeah.”
“And what do you want to do?”
“Make him pay.” Kill him, actually.
“How do you know legal action wasn’t already taken against him? Maybe he’s in jail already. Perha
ps Livia has already received justice and now she’s just moving on.”
“No. She’s close with her brother and it’s pretty clear he has no idea. He always teases her for not having a life and going out. If he knew, he wouldn’t say half the things he says.”
“Well…maybe she didn’t tell him.”
“She wouldn’t be able to hide it if there was an investigation going on.”
“You know what you should do?” he asked. “Just talk to her.”
“No,” I said immediately. “I know her really well. She would be mortified if I knew. She needs to tell me on her own terms. If I rush her like this, she’ll run. And I can’t afford to lose her.”
“Then how do you propose we find this guy?”
I thought for a moment. “You said roofies was common at parties. If this guy got lucky using it, he’s probably still doing it. If we follow the drug, we can follow the culprit.”
“And what if we find a guy raping girls but it isn’t the same one?”
Was that a serious question? “We kill him too.”
Liam held my gaze before he looked down again. “I understand why you’re so upset. Fortunately, nothing like that ever happened with Keira, but I know I’d be bleeding inside if it did.”
“It kills me every moment of every day.”
“But taking out the culprit won’t do anything.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “If you could have killed Finn with your own hands, would you?”
He didn’t answer the question. “I was referring to Livia. It won’t help her. What she needs is for you to be there for her, to help her move past what happened. If I had killed Finn, Keira would be exactly where she was before. She had to grow and get stronger before she finally let it go.”
I understood what he was saying. “But he still needs to pay. He’s probably doing this to other girls every weekend. We could save other girls. It’s too late for Livia, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t too late for someone else.”
“I admire your intent. I do. But you still don’t know if Livia was raped—not for sure.”
“No. I do know.”
Liam looked away then drank his beer.
“Are you with me on this or not?”
He was quiet for a long time, his eyes lingering on something I couldn’t see. “You don’t need to ask that, man. I just wish you would get your facts validated before we jump the gun.”
“I don’t want you to tell Keira what we’re doing.”
He raised an eyebrow. “How will I pull that off? She knows I don’t go to parties. What will my excuse be? And how will I justify not bringing her? Plus, I don’t lie to her. And I’m not going to start now.”
I guess I should have thought of that. “I want to respect Livia’s privacy as much as possible. I doubt she wants everyone to know what happened to her. That’s not right.”
He sighed. “I get that. I do. But I can’t lie to my fiancé. Of all people, Keira wouldn’t judge her or think less of her.”
“Can you just tell her you’re doing something but you can’t tell her what? That’s not lying.”
“No…it’s not.” He pondered the question for a while. “I guess I could do that. I know she trusts me and wouldn’t question it.”
“Then that’s what I prefer. And don’t say a word to the other two—especially Bran.”
“Your secret is safe with me, man.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“Well, are you ready to go?” Liam asked. “I have a fiancé waiting for me.”
I looked at my beer, wanting to drown in it. “I’m going to stick around for a while. I’ll see you later.”
He eyed me for a moment. “Is there something I can do?”
“No…there’s nothing anyone can do.”
He placed his hand on my shoulder and let it rest there for a few seconds. Then he pulled it away before he walked out.
I sat alone at my table, wanting to drown in all the alcohol I could drink. Livia was such a beautiful person and she didn’t deserve that horrific fate. Images kept flashing across my mind, a guy holding her down and ramming himself inside her. It made my head want to explode and tears to stream down my face. Why would any man want to do that to someone? It was despicable.
It was a constant burden on my heart. When I watched Livia sleep in my arms, I imagined how frightened she must have been. She was so small, so delicate, and the idea of a man using his size to overpower her sent me into a rage. How could someone hurt something so beautiful?
It didn’t change my attraction to her. If we ever made love, I know I wouldn’t think about her past. The moment would be different than any other she experienced. It would be tender and loving, soft and gentle. My heart would be open to hers, and I would kiss every inch of her body. I would erase what happened to her, making her scars fade. And with enough time, I would erase the tragedy from her heart.
But it pissed me off nonetheless.
When it happened to any girl, it made me livid. But since it was Livia, it was a whole new ball game. I wished she would just open up to me, just tell me. I wouldn’t judge her or think less of her. Somehow, it would only make me fall harder for her.
“Scotty?”
I was broken from my trance by Ash’s voice. “Hey, man.” I couldn’t hide the melancholy from my voice.
He moved to the seat across from me. “So, I talked to my sister today…”
“Yeah?” I had no idea what that meant.
“So, she stayed with you all weekend?”
Okay…this could go either way. He might be pissed I was getting close with his sister, or he might be thrilled about it. We’ll see. “Yeah. We went out to dinner then we went to the zoo the next day.”
He nodded slowly. “She slept over there?”
I wasn’t going to lie about it. “Friday and Saturday night.” He probably thought I had sex with her. I didn’t bother denying it because he probably wouldn’t believe me. And I didn’t want him to think I was a liar.
“You’re serious about her?” The threat was in his eyes. “Because I know what type of guy you are.”
The accusation stung a little bit. “I’m very serious.”
“Which is why you’re sitting alone in a bar?”
He was playing hardball. “I shared a beer with a friend. He just left.”
“Are you her boyfriend?”
“I am.” Thankfully. I worked hard for that title. “Not only do I care about her, but I respect her. You don’t have to worry about me playing games. I would never hurt her. There are no words to describe what she means to me.”
He studied my face for a moment before he finally let up. “Okay. That’s all I wanted to know.”
I’m glad that was over.
Then he smiled. “I’m glad my sister finally has a boyfriend. God, she’s such a loser.”
I smirked. “She’s not a loser. She’s just picky.”
“I thought she was a lesbian for a while.”
I laughed. “No, definitely not.”
He raised an eyebrow.
I just realized how that sounded. I didn’t bother rectifying the situation.
“She told me about that creep my parents set her up with.”
My mood suddenly turned sour.
“And that you scared the shit out of him.”
“He’s lucky I didn’t break both of his legs.”
“I wish you had.” He leaned back in his chair. “I don’t understand my parents. Sometimes I’m not sure if they even like Livia.”
“It doesn’t matter if they do. They aren’t her family—I am.”
He studied me. “I’m getting the impression that you don’t just like my sister.”
I knew what he was implying. “And you would be right.”
Approval was in his eyes. “Does she know?”
“I haven’t said it…but if she paid attention she would know.”
“I’m glad my sister has a man in her life, a good one, I think
.”
I wasn’t going to compliment myself.
“You’re training to be a fighter?”
“Yeah.”
“You’ve gained like ten pounds since the last time I saw you.”
“I train every day. And my trainer is psycho.”
He laughed. “Sounds like it.”
A blonde approached Ash then moved into his lap. “Baby, I’m tired of waiting…” She was all over him, her lips moving to his neck.
Ash seemed annoyed. “Wait by the truck and I’ll be there in a second.”
She pouted her lips. “Come now.”
“I said in a second.” He gave her a firm look then practically shoved her off.
She rolled her eyes then walked outside.
I smirked. “You’re a dick, you know that?”
He laughed. “I’m the biggest dick you’ll ever know.”
I guess I wasn’t any different.
He stood up then shook my hand. “Welcome to the family.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Now I don’t have to babysit her all the time.”
“She’s actually a very cool person—she just doesn’t show it to the world anymore.”
“And why is that?” he asked. “Six months ago, she just changed. It literally happened overnight. She’s never told me and I haven’t been able to figure it out. Did she tell you?”
I would never betray her secret. “No.”
He sighed. “Well, when you figure it out, let me know.”
“Sure.” Never.
“See ya.”
“Bye.”
He left the bar and I was alone once again. When I felt heated eyes bore into my skin, I knew someone was watching me. I glanced over and saw Amanda making eyes at me. Sex was clearly on her mind.
This bitch wouldn’t quit.
I tossed my money on the table and got out of there quick.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Livia
The weekend with Scotty was one of the greatest times of my life. I couldn’t remember the last time I had fun, the last time I laughed, the last time I smiled, or the last time I hung out with someone besides my brother. Scotty brightened my life, making me forget about my past for just an instant in time.
I was falling hard for him.
How did that happen? I wasn’t sure. I should have rejected him and stayed strong, but I couldn’t. Those hazel eyes pulled me in, and his large hands made me feel safe. When he cuddled with me in bed, I never slept better. When Scotty was in my life, I was a better person.
Unstoppable (Forehead Kisses #4) Page 14