Always Yours

by Kennedy Fox

  “Maddie?” he croaks, squinting his eyes.

  “I’m here, baby. I’m here,” I whisper, leaning over and gently touching his face.

  “I think I’m dreaming…” he murmurs, opening his eyes a little wider.

  I shake my head. “No. I’m really here.”

  He looks at me as if I’m a figment of his imagination before he drifts off to sleep. I pull the uncomfortable looking chair up beside the bed so I can stay close to him. Scratches and bruises cover his arms, both of his eyes are swollen, and his lips are busted. He looks like he’s been to hell and back. Tyler said Liam won and then was stabbed, which makes me wonder what condition Mickey is in at this moment. I can only hope he’s suffering in pain and gets what’s coming to him for doing this to Liam.

  Eventually, a nurse comes in and lets me know they’re about to transfer him to a room on the fifth floor. Once he’s situated, we’ll be able to continue our visit. It takes all the strength I have to leave his side, and I promise Liam I’ll see him in a minute, even if he can’t hear me.

  “His vitals are doing great so far. We’ll observe him for a couple of days to make sure his stats stay within the normal range, and that there are no signs of infection,” the nurse tells me as she walks me out, and I’m actually comforted by her words.

  “Thank you,” I tell her. When I walk into the waiting room, everyone is eager for an update, though I don’t feel as if I have much to report.

  “He’s tired, but there were no issues during surgery. They’re moving him to a room soon, and then we should be able to go up and see him.”

  “That’s great news,” Tyler says, and I can almost see relief pour over Mason and Sophie. It takes about an hour before the nurse lets us know Liam was transferred to a room. We thank her and immediately go to the elevator. Sophie grabs my hand as we walk down the long hallway.

  “He’s banged up,” I tell her before we walk in, giving her a warning about the way he looks.

  She nods, and we all enter. My heart races when I see he’s actually awake, sitting up, and sipping through a straw.

  His eyes go wide when he sees us all, and I rush toward him.

  “Maddie, baby,” he says through a painful smile. As I touch his shoulder, he winces. All I want to do is plant kisses over his broken face, but I know it’s not a good idea. Instead, happiness floods me, and the waterworks turn on. I’m a blubbering mess, but I’m so fucking thankful. Confusion is written all over his expression as he makes eye contact with Sophie and Mason, but he pulls me close to him, not letting me go.

  “I thought I imagined you were here,” he says, gripping my hand as I sit on the edge of his bed. I’m careful not to move too much as I stare at him.

  “I had to be here for you, baby. I was so scared of losing you. It was just…” I choke up. “Too much for me to be so far away.” I swallow down my emotions and wipe more tears away. Liam places his hand on my thigh and squeezes.

  “I promised you, Mads. I’ll never break my promises to you,” he tells me. “I love you too damn much.”

  I hold back the urge to wrap my arms around him and suck in a deep breath. “I love you. God, I love you.”

  Tyler speaks up, interrupting the moment. “Do you remember what happened?”

  Liam stares at Tyler for a long while before nodding. “I just remember that asshole stabbed me after I won and then hearing gunshots. That’s it. Everything after that is a blur.”

  “I’m still trying to figure out what happened, honestly. It was mass chaos and panic. I was worried,” Tyler admits.

  Liam chuckles at his admission. “If I would’ve died, I’d just haunt you the rest of your life.”

  “Not funny,” Tyler snaps just as his phone rings. He looks down at it, then steps out of the room as Sophie and Mason walk to the other side of Liam’s bed.

  “I’m so happy you’re okay,” Sophie tells him as Mason stands with his arm around her.

  “Yeah, we were worried fucking sick,” he says. “If it weren’t for Maddie, we wouldn’t even be here right now.”

  Liam glances at me, and I shrug. “Yes, why are you guys here?” he asks. “Not that I’m not happy you are now, but I told you to stay away from this place because it wasn’t safe for you.”

  “And you thought she’d listen?” Mason snorts.

  “I found your letter,” I admit. “Which I’m really mad at you for writing.” I wipe a tear off my cheek, smiling at him because I’m not really upset about it, but still, it was hard to read.

  “Oh, you found that, did you?” He smirks, squeezing my hand.

  “What letter?” Sophie asks.

  “Basically, an ‘in case I die’ letter,” I deadpan.

  “Would you rather I didn’t, and then I really did die?” he counters.

  “I wasn’t going to allow that on my watch,” Tyler interjects, entering the room. “Though I couldn’t have predicted the shitstorm that happened tonight. Thank God he didn’t stab you somewhere else or hit a main artery.” His words send a shiver down my spine at the what-ifs. Tyler’s right, Mickey could’ve killed him.

  “I’m glad you did write it,” I tell Liam. “I love you with all my heart. And if something worse had happened, I would’ve never forgiven myself for not being here with you.”

  “I know,” he says softly. “And I love you too.”

  I lean over and gently kiss his cut lips.

  “See, this is why I worry about you so much,” he tells me. “You’re stubborn. I should’ve known you’d find your way here, especially since I told you to stay home.”

  Sophie giggles, and Mason smiles.

  “I’m not denying that one bit. I know I am,” I admit with a smirk. “Have to give you a run for your money, though. Keep you on your toes, Hulk.”

  Liam shakes his head as Tyler rounds his bed, coming closer. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he saw a ghost by how pale he looks.

  “What is it?” Liam asks, searching his face.

  “JJ’s dead,” he says.

  With wide eyes, Liam stares at Tyler. “What? Is that why I heard gunshots?”

  Tyler nods. “Yep. It was Victoria,” he says. “She found out what JJ had orchestrated between you and her baby daddy. She was pissed and wanted him to—”

  Tyler doesn’t even finish, but he doesn’t have to for us to know what he was going to say. Victoria wanted him to pay. We’re all in shock, and I have no words. Liam shakes his head and closes his eyes. “I didn’t want any of this to happen.”

  “It’s not your fault,” I offer. “None of this is your fault.”

  “I can’t help but feel somewhat responsible. Victoria killed her own brother. How could she do something like that?” he asks, confused like the rest of us.

  Tyler sucks in a deep breath and exhales. “Love sometimes makes you do stupid things. Victoria wasn’t exactly stable; look what she put you through. But I guess that means it’s over now, Liam. You’re finally free.”

  Liam frowns, shrugging. “But at what cost?” He looks down at his bandaged leg and bruised knuckles. “At what cost?”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  LIAM

  It’s been two weeks since the fight, and I’m recovering as expected. I was released from the hospital with a pair of crutches but stopped using them yesterday with hopes to find my normal again. Plus, I hated using the damn things.

  There have been good and bad days since the fight, and I’m still moving slow, but at least the pain is becoming more bearable. One doctor told me that if I’d been stabbed one inch to the right, I would’ve died before I made it to the emergency room. It’s something that still haunts me. I think about all that’s happened over the past year, and my head is still spinning at the shit I went through. It all started with a poker game and ended with a murder.

  I’m still in shock that JJ is dead. I hated the guy, but I didn’t want him killed. Though I’m relieved that I can finally move on and not worry about any of the O’Learys.
>
  I never thought Victoria was capable of killing her brother, but I should’ve known better. She made her own rules in life, and JJ pushed her to the limit by orchestrating one of the dirtiest fights in mob history, hoping I’d kill Mickey DeFranco for him or that he’d end up injured trying to kill me. The rumor is he found out his sister’s babies were DeFranco bastards and lost his mind trying to get his ultimate revenge. He wanted DeFranco dead without causing a bigger war between the families so he planned the fight. I’d been blackmailed into doing his dirty work for everyone to witness and walked right into his trap. If I died, no one would’ve cared because I was just an O’Leary pawn. If I’d won, JJ’s problems were solved, and his enemy was taken care of. Ultimately, he took a risk, but there’s no way he could’ve envisioned Victoria ending it or rather him. She was always a vindictive bitch, though. Even I knew not to cross her at times.

  Apparently, she was so enraged that JJ had set up a fight with Mickey that she loaded a gun, drove to the warehouse, and found him. Tyler told me the last thing she said to her brother before killing him was, “You gave me no choice.” After the shots were fired, mass hysteria broke out, and everyone scattered. Victoria won’t go down for murder. Considering she’s Daddy’s little mafia princess, I’m sure she made up some erroneous lie and completely buried the truth with her brother. Manipulation is her middle name.

  As I roll out of bed, I can’t deny how happy I am to finally be free from it all. I wasn’t sure if it’d really happen, even if I won the fight. There are days when slivers of doubt randomly creep in, and I still can’t go out in public without looking over my shoulder, but I think it’s going to take time. Dealing with the O’Learys has made me more aware of my surroundings, and I learned a valuable lesson. I won’t be trusting anyone I don’t already know anytime soon.

  After Maddie left for class this morning, I crawled back under the covers. I’ve been tired lately, and the doctors have told me to rest so I can fully recover. The fatigue comes and goes, but I’m eager to start working again and doing everyday tasks. The wound was deep, but it’s healing nicely.

  Rubbing my hands over my face, I grab my phone from the side table and go to the kitchen where there’s still a half a pot of coffee from this morning and pour a cup. It’s cold, so I place it in the microwave and warm it up while I check my texts. A smile touches my lips when I see messages from Maddie.

  Maddie: My last dance class was canceled today, so I’ll be home early!

  I check the time and see she sent the message an hour ago. Before I can even return her text, the front door opens and closes. I walk to the doorway and see her drop her backpack on the floor, then walk toward me with a smile. Moments later, her arms are wrapped around my neck, and her mouth is gliding across mine.

  “I need you,” she admits as I grab a handful of her ass. “I’m dying. It’s been too long.”

  I smile against her eager lips and groan. “Weeks. Too damn long.”

  Before the fight, Tyler implemented a no-sex rule, and I begrudgingly followed it. Afterward, I was in the hospital for a few days, where Maddie refused to leave my side before being released. The last couple of weeks have seemed like a blur while being in recovery mode, but the pain meds had a lot to do with that. Maddie has been sweet while taking care of me and extremely patient with my mood swings, but right now, she’s looking at me with lust in her eyes. There’s no way I can make her wait any longer.

  Taking her hand, I guide her down the hallway into the bedroom. No words are exchanged, just pure emotion swirls between us. Our bodies say everything our mouths don’t as I move my fingers to the hem of her sweater and peel it off. Gently, I lay her across the bed, where she smiles and giggles as I unbutton and unzip her jeans. Maddie wiggles out of them until she’s in nothing more than her bra and panties. I take a minute to study every inch of her beauty, taking her all in, memorizing each and every curve. I’ve missed her so goddamn much, my restraint from holding in was dangling by a thread.

  “You’re so damn beautiful,” I whisper, carefully removing her panties as she slips off her bra. Crawling onto the bed, I lay beside her, capturing one nipple ring in my mouth as I cup the other. She writhes beneath me, and our lips crash together. I feather kisses down her body until my face is tucked between her legs. Letting out a cute squeal, Maddie completely gives herself to me with her eyes closed, enjoying every second as I widen her thighs and dive in. I devour her pussy, taking my time and teasing her clit just enough to push her to the edge without spilling over.

  Her breaths become more desperate and ragged, and when her back arches, I know she’s close.

  “Come on my tongue, baby. I wanna taste you.” I slip my hands under her ass as she grinds against my face, the stubble from my beard scratching against her thighs. Soon, I’m tasting her sweetness as she unravels, moaning my name between pants. “Goddamn, woman. I’ve missed that.”

  “Holy shit,” she pants out, her body limp as she looks at me with hooded eyes. “That was…intense.”

  I chuckle as I stand and remove my clothes. I’ve never needed Maddie more than I do right now.

  “I feel like a reborn virgin,” Maddie chuckles as I hover above her, teasing her entrance with my cock. Adjusting herself, she opens wide, giving me permission as I guide myself inside her. My cock is slick with her arousal. Our eyes remain locked as we move in rhythm together, my emotions bubbling over. We’ve been through so much together, and I love her so fucking much that nothing I do or say will ever feel like enough to properly explain it.

  Digging her heels into my ass, Maddie encourages me to increase my pace as we both chase our releases. I love how frantic she gets, giving me access to suck on her neck. She’s wild and untamed, the same Maddie I’ve fallen for long ago, and being intimate with her always feels like the first time.

  “Liam,” she hisses, scratching her nails down my shoulder blades before digging them into my arms. Pleasure mixes with pain as I slide my lips across hers, plunging my tongue inside as we make love.

  “You’re my everything, Maddie,” I tell her, brushing her hair from her face.

  “And you’re mine.” Her body tenses, and she bites down on her lower lip before adding, “Oh God. Keep. Going.”

  Her eyes roll back, and she comes so hard, my dick is nearly broken in half as she squeezes tight. I pound deeper and harder until I see stars, and my balls tighten.

  “Fuck,” I groan, rolling off her as I’m nearly catapulted to outer space. It’s never felt like that before.

  “Wow,” she says as we both stare up at the ceiling, trying to catch our breaths. After Maddie lets out a satisfied sigh, we clean up, then crawl under the sheets and snuggle.

  It’s been a week since Maddie and I broke our no-sex rule, and we haven’t been able to keep our hands off each other. Most days, we fuck more than we eat, but I have no complaints. After waiting so long, it feels like we’re a couple of teenagers unable to get enough. She’s just as insatiable as I am, which means we use every spare minute to get naked together.

  The morning sunlight peeks through the curtains, and I roll over and wrap my arm around Maddie’s body. She grinds her ass against me in response. “Morning, baby,” I whisper in her ear, then flatten my tongue against her neck.

  “I wanna skip school today,” she whines, rolling over until our fronts are flesh together. “And stay in bed with you and sleep.”

  I nuzzle against her neck. “You know damn well we wouldn’t be doing much sleeping.” I chuckle, then add, “and it’s my first day back to work.”

  “Boo, you whore!” She groans, causing me to laugh at her Mean Girls reference. Another movie she’s made me watch.

  Maddie pulls the blanket over her head just as her alarm buzzes. It’s one of the most annoying sounds ever. She pops up, reaches over me, and turns it off, but before she can leave, I pull her to me and kiss her mouth. Morning breath and all. But I wouldn’t have her any other way. I love that we can’t get enough of each ot
her. She smiles against my lips, and in a snap, she has my boxers down and like a cowgirl, rides me hard and fast. It doesn’t take long before we’re both breathing hard and finding our release, trying to stay as quiet as possible, though we’re not very good at it. Something our roommates have become accustomed to now.

  Quickies with Maddie are better than a breakfast buffet. Knowing she wants me as much as I want her has me wishing I could stay home from work today. I’m half-tempted to roll in the sheets with her all morning, but her second alarm goes off, bringing us back to reality.

  She lets out a huff before standing and grabbing her phone for the second time. “I guess I’ll go to class.”

  I stand and pull her into my arms, grinning at her pouty face. “Only four more months until graduation and summer,” I remind her.

  “It can’t get here fast enough. Look how pale I am!” Maddie shows off her arms, and I grab her wrist and kiss it.

  “You’re starting to look like a vampire,” I tease. “Do you feel like sucking…”

  She playfully swats at me. “You’re terrible.”

  “You created a monster,” I counter.

  “You were already a monster,” she says with a laugh, walking to the closet and pulling out an oversized hoodie and jeans. I get dressed as well, actually excited to be on a job, searching for a fugitive and feeling normal again. It’s been too long, and while I’m rusty, I’m sure once I’m in the swing of things again, working will be like second nature. Honestly, I’ve missed my life. I’ve missed how easygoing things were before I met the O’Learys and got caught up in a horrible situation. I’d much rather have the adrenaline rush from stakeouts than playing poker. That part of me is dead for good.

  Maddie and I walk hand in hand into the kitchen where there’s a box of a dozen donuts sitting on the counter with a note from Mason.

  Sophie made me get you two lovebirds donuts. Apparently, I owe you one for breaking the shower. Don’t ask. The plumber is coming later today.