Marked Heart (Marked Heart #3)

by M. Sembera

  L: Why?

  B: I can feel you thinking about me.

  That wasn't possible. Was it?

  L: No.

  B: Invite me in.

  L: No.

  Her breathing picked up along with her heart rate as she waited for his next text.

  B: I have the key. I could come in anyway.

  Refraining from making a joke about him kidnapping her, Liv held strong.

  L: Go home.

  B: No.

  This was exciting her way more than it should have.

  L: No?

  B: I'm counting to 3.

  L: So.

  B: 1

  L: GO HOME!

  B: 2

  Liv's stomach lurched in anticipation.

  L: Braden.

  B: Liv.

  L: Stop.

  B: I can't.

  L: Please.

  B: 1

  Standing there staring at her door knob with her heart beating in her ears, she waited to see if he would really do it.

  The door remained closed and locked. Disappointment set in. Liv started to open the door herself, then decided against it. She had called things off between them and it was the right thing to do. This was a test to see how strong her will was. They were bad for each other and if she opened the door, she would just continue to enable him.

  Blowing out a loud breath, she turned around to get back to her game of solitary.

  "I was at the back door."

  Braden was there, in her house without permission. Liv had no idea what to say as he made his way towards her.

  "You gonna get Jimmy to kick my ass outta here too?"

  All she could do was lean her shoulders back against the door as her body called for him to come closer.

  His hand molded to the shape of her hip as he rested his other on the side of her neck, whispering, "You don't have to pretend with me."

  "We're not good for each other," she insisted, trying to let reason outweigh feeling.

  Braden's lips drug across her jaw to her mouth as he suggested, "Let's be bad then."

  Shaking her head, she replied, "That's not..."

  "Don't argue Liv. This is what it is. It can be fast or slow but its real and I'm not letting go."

  That was the last thing he said to her before she caved; before she broke down and gave herself away.

  M26H

  Yesterday, when Liv refused to answer his texts, Braden called Seth hoping he had better advice than Charlotte and Auggie. He advised him to do something unexpected. He did, and it worked. Braden woke up in Liv's bed feeling her lips against his skin. It wasn't a melancholy experience like at the cabin. She was smiling and it was genuine.

  She was a morning adventurer, exploring and staking her claim on him in the sexiest ways possible. A deep throaty laugh would spill from her lips every so often, one he had never heard from her before. He gripped the sheets, held onto her hair and even cursed out loud once at what she was doing to him.

  Sliding up, she kissed the center of his chest and then his lips.

  "You've been holding out on me."

  Rolling onto her back, she questioned, "You don't remember? Highlighted on my kindle?"

  "You know when my fifth grade teacher told me, 'reading is fundamental,' I really thought she was full of shit."

  With a satisfied expression, she laughed.

  Taking advantage of her good mood, he placed his arm around her waist and suggested, "So... Fairmont's?"

  "No," she replied, but with a smirk on her face.

  Braden wanted to question her answer but pulled her to him for a kiss instead.

  As he wrapped his leg around hers, holding her to him, she offered, "You can pick me up at eight for The Dog House."

  "Did you just ask me out on a date?" he questioned with a wide smile.

  "No."

  "No?"

  "We're just going together."

  "Like steady?"

  Liv let out a laugh before giving him a kiss.

  ~

  Sipping a beer in Charlotte's office at The Dog House, Liv kicked her feet up on the chair next to her.

  "Are y'all going to move in together?"

  "I haven't thought about it." Liv replied, before sharing, "Kieran and I did."

  "Did you tell him about his tattoo?"

  "I haven't thought about that either."

  "Really?" Charlotte questioned with surprise.

  "Okay, I've thought about it. But not telling him."

  "Why not?"

  Shrugging she informed, "I don't want him thinking its fate or something like that."

  With a light smile Charlotte asked, "Did you ever think maybe it is?"

  "That would mean everything that's happened between us is based on a lie."

  Nodding, Charlotte replied, "I get what you're saying. Isn't it going to be hard on you, though? Keeping something like that from him. Don't you think he has the right to know?"

  Liv gave a heavy sigh, saying, "It's only ink."

  "Seriously? You know that's not true." Charlotte snapped as her office door swung open.

  ~

  Braden's stomach felt tight and his head was already starting to hurt as he looked at Liv sitting there in the chair. When Pat called him, he thought it was going to be to tell him to come back to work. It wasn't.

  He stepped in leaving the door open.

  "Charlotte, can you give us a minute?"

  She didn't appear happy about it but she got up and walked out, closing the door behind herself.

  Standing up Liv questioned, "You got a problem?"

  Trying to figure out how to tell her, he had the awful feeling that it wasn't going to end well. What was he supposed to do though? Pat said he was on his way to tell her. Not only that, he was going to tell her that Braden had known all along.

  Swallowing hard, he started to confess, "The night Kieran died..."

  Her face instantly fell into an unhappy expression.

  "His phone was recovered."

  Liv appeared confused as she shook her head. Obviously, not understanding why that was an issue.

  "We went to the station and picked it up, so you wouldn't see it."

  He could sense, she was starting to get the picture as she questioned, "Why is that?"

  Shifting his eyes to the floor, Braden couldn't look at her.

  Shoving him back against the door, she shouted, "Look at me! Look at me when you tell me!"

  "He was seeing someone."

  She stood there staring at him, her eyes lit up with anger.

  "Who's we?"

  "Liv, I..."

  Her voice was slow and slightly frightening as she demanded, "Who is we?"

  "Me, Auggie, Seth and Jacks."

  With a short nod, she pushed him to the side, pulled the door open and stormed out.

  ~

  Fury mixed with hurt in an almost blinding rage as Liv pushed through the swinging door into the main area of the bar.

  Swiftly walking behind the bar, she gave Auggie a slight shove as she shouted, "Why?"

  Charlotte turned looking past Liv at Braden as she questioned, "What's going on?"

  "Yeah, what the hell?" Auggie questioned, looking down at Liv.

  "I had to tell her."

  Auggie's eyes narrowed as he scowled at his brother.

  Before Charlotte could question what was going on again, Liv was in Auggie's face, "You knew Kieran was cheating on me!"

  Liv heard Charlotte snap, "What?"

  Focusing on Auggie's scowl, Liv shouted, "How long? Huh? Was there always someone else? How long did your lyin' ass cover for him?"

  Running his hand down the front of his beard Auggie shook his head swearing, "I found out the night he died, like everyone else."

  "Not everyone." Liv spit out at him before hearing Charlotte scold, "Augustus."

  She had to get out of there and away from everyone.

  Making her way out of the bar, she saw Penny and Seth walking in.

/>   "Where are you going?" Penny asked with a curious expression.

  Unable to look at Seth, Liv replied, "Sorry, beautiful, but your family has a real problem with the truth," as she continued out of the doors.

  She was done and over this stupid town. She should have never come back.

  "Liv, wait!" Braden called behind her.

  Whipping around, his betrayal was the most hurtful.

  "Why didn't you tell me?"

  His voice was pleading as he replied, "I wanted to."

  "But you didn't. You let me cry over him knowing. You knew."

  He started to speak but she wouldn't allow it.

  "I never should have come back here."

  Reaching for her, he raised his voice fussing, "Don't say that."

  She started to back away from him.

  Grabbing hold of her, he swore, "I'm in love with you."

  Shaking her head at him, that was what was hurting her the most.

  Liv jerked out of his hold.

  "Sorry about that, cause I'm not in love with you."

  She was trying to hurt him. Hoping her words cut right through his heart.

  "You're a liar."

  Scoffing at him, she snapped, "I'm a liar because I won't tell you what you want to hear?"

  "No, you're a liar because that's not the truth and we both know it."

  "Wanting something to be true doesn't make it the truth."

  "Denying the truth doesn't make it any less true, Liv."

  "The only thing that's true about you and I is that the sex was hot."

  "That's not all it was to you."

  Braden was right. She was a liar. That didn't stop her though.

  "The truth is, I wanted to get off and you were the only one here. You would have known that from the beginning had you asked why I wanted you."

  She had to make him feel what she was feeling. Needing him to feel betrayed and hate the love he felt for her.

  Without waiting for his response, she turned away from him. Pat happened to be walking towards her, giving Liv a sense of relief that she could get a ride home.

  "Can you take me home?" she asked without stopping.

  Instantly moving in the same direction as Liv, he assured, "I'll take you anywhere you want go," as he placed his arm around her shoulders.

  M27H

  Standing outside The Dog House, Braden's breaths grew heavy. He had to wonder if she was telling the truth. It wouldn't be the first time he misjudged a woman's feelings for him. He wanted it to be a lie. But if it was, she never would have walked off with Pat.

  Braden walked back into the bar. There were too many people in there. Wading through the crowd was making him sick. He could feel himself starting to hyperventilate. He pushed through the swinging door into the back.

  There was no levity in the back as he heard Auggie say, "We thought we were doing the right thing."

  "Well you thought wrong didn't you." Charlotte confirmed as Penny spoke up, admonishing her own husband. "I expect this stupidity from my brother. You know better."

  Braden hung his head. Everyone was feeling the fallout of what they had done.

  He was about to walk out of the back door when he heard his brother say, "We were wrong."

  Angry with him, Braden stepped into the back office.

  Heated, he shoved his brother as soon as he walked in.

  "We were wrong? It was your idea."

  Auggie shoved him back griping, "No one forced you."

  "Like I had a choice." Braden spouted, turning to walk out.

  Grabbing him by the front of his shirt before he could, Auggie barked, "You did, but you have to have a mind of your own to make one."

  "Get off me!" Braden snapped, pushing his brother off of him.

  "Why'd you tell her now? After all this time? She never would have found out."

  Anger swelled in Braden's chest as he shouted, "Pat was gonna tell her!"

  Before he could move, Auggie grabbed hold of him again.

  He could hear everyone else in the room shifting around as his brother pushed him into the wall, holding him against it.

  "That's why you told her?" Auggie growled. "You hurt her instead of standing up to Pat's stupid ass?"

  "We hurt her." Braden defended, trying to push his brother off of him.

  Pulling him off of the wall, just to shove him back into it, Auggie barked, "No! We screwed up trying not to hurt her. You hurt her tonight. This is on you."

  His brother's words rang through his head causing wretched pain in the pit of his stomach.

  "Hit me or get the hell off me!"

  Auggie appeared tempted for a moment, then slowly let go.

  With his family staring at him, blaming him for something that he wasn't the only one guilty of. He couldn't take it. Braden thought 'to hell with them' he needed to make things right with Liv.

  ~

  The farmhouse was dark and silent when he arrived. Liv's car was there, but she wasn't. He tried her cell, but his calls when straight to voicemail. She left with Pat and it was clear, he was more than just a ride to her. Braden had lost.

  Sitting on her couch, he thought about what she said outside the bar. Comparing it to what he woke up believing that morning, his cell phone rang. He didn't recognize the number as he let it ring. When it stopped then called again, he thought her phone may have died and she was trying to reach him.

  He answered, "Hello?"

  A woman's voice that sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place, replied, "Braden? Can you hear me?"

  "Yes?"

  She sounded relieved saying, "Thank goodness. Braden this is Mrs. Strouse."

  It was Brooks' mom.

  "Ma'am."

  "Mr. Strouse and I are in the middle of the Caribbean. The ship captain just notified us that Brooks was in a car accident. Can you please go check on him for us."

  "Mrs. Strouse, I..." he started to politely decline before she pleaded, "I know you two had a falling out, but please. There is no one else for us to call."

  "Yes ma'am," he agreed, unable to say no to the people he used to consider his second family.

  Braden and Brooks had been friends since the seventh grade, up until a few years ago. They were like brothers. That was before though, before Brooks cheated on Penny with Lily. Braden was actually a pretty forgiving guy but when it came to his sister being hurt, there was no such thing. And the fact that it was with Lily, just added insult to injury where both he and Penny were concerned.

  All Braden intended to do was go in and make sure Brooks was still alive. When he saw him, lying in the hospital bed, cut up, bruised and with his shoulder in a sling, he was pissed. Not only because he had not seen him since the night their friendship ended, but because Brooks could have died and they weren't friends anymore.

  Appearing surprised to see him, Brooks winced as he tried to sit up.

  "How'd you know I was here?"

  Keeping his tone short, Braden replied, "Your mom called."

  "Guess she forgot we weren't friends." Brooks said with a hopeful smile.

  "She didn't forget, she said there was no one else to call," he replied hoping it stung.

  With slight frown Brooks nodded. "Lily does have that effect."

  "Why the hell did you sleep with her?" Braden surprised his own self with his outburst.

  "What can I say, she talks a good game."

  Shaking his head at his former friend in disgust, he turned to walk out.

  "I really don't know what I was thinkin' getting with her. Penny was so awesome."

  Making his way back to Brooks' bedside, Braden assured, "She still is."

  "It didn't last long, ya know. Lily and me."

  Full of contempt, Braden blurted, "Shocker."

  The room was silent for a moment.

  "Thanks for comin'. I guess."

  Braden started to walk out again then stopped, "Are they keeping you overnight or what?"

  "Yeah, for observation."

&
nbsp; Nodding, he replied, "I'll be sure to tell your mom."

  Making sure he knew it wasn't because he cared, although a small part of him did.

  In the hospital parking lot, Braden paused, when he saw the brunette that had caused most of the trouble in his life heading towards him. He clenched his fists at the sight of her, thinking, 'of course'.

  Lily's expression was sweet as always, in a conniving way, as she greeted, "This is a surprise."

  "An unpleasant one," he assured, letting her know there was nothing good about seeing her.

  "Oh don't be mean, from what I hear, you're... fine."

  He couldn't help wondering what could have been if it weren't for her.

  "No thanks to you."

  Flipping her hair off of her shoulder, she laughed.

  "I'm glad you think destroying my life is funny."

  There was absolutely nothing redeemable about her.

  "I didn't destroy your life. Those were the choices you made."

  "You lied to me," he stated, finding it hard to believe that she was being serious.

  Shrugging a shoulder at him, she gave a light smile. "People sometimes lie."

  "You swore you loved me."

  The smile vanished from her face as she replied, "I did love you."

  Braden couldn't help feeling a hint of joy at her irritated expression.

  "You know you can buy into blaming me and all that your family spews about what a terrible person I am. All the horrible things I did to their precious little Braden, but you and I both know, I wasn't the only one at fault."

  "You were screwing Keven," he reminded, almost finding it humorous that she had bought into her own lies.

  "That's right and every night you were off making love to your music."

  It was nice of her to bring that up. Another reminder of what she'd done to him.

  "I missed out on a great opportunity because of you."

  "You can tell that lie all day long, but if you had wanted it, you would have gone no matter what I said."

  As always, she did talk a good game. He knew better than anyone, he had bought into it for years.

  Braden stood there wondering why he was wasting his breath on her. He had already given her a large portion of his life.

  "Anyways, I thought you should know. You can have your house back."

  "How generous of you."

  "It was generous. We were never late on the mortgage. Not even once."

  Shaking his head at her, she really was something.