Through The Dark

by Jae

  “Do you want him to kiss you?” He whispers. “Do you want him to take you to his bed, Daisy?”

  I let out a scoff as I grip his hand that’s still on my thigh and pry his fingers off of me. “Let me down!” I huff, moving my hands up to press on his chest.

  I slip off of the hood when Liam steps back. An annoyed expression grows on my face when he looks down at me. I shove him against the the car, anger boiling in the pit of my stomach.

  “What the hell is wrong with you, Liam? Why are you acting like this?” I ask him, annoyance clear in my voice. “God, you’re completely overreacting! Nothing even happened with Scott! We were just talking!”

  I roll my eyes as I pick up my purse, slinging it across my body before stomping away from Liam to my Jeep. As soon as I hear the trunk of his car open and then slam shut, I pick up my speed and run cross the street. In a matter of seconds I’m standing beside my Jeep, pressing the unlock button on my remote. I jump when I hear Liam’s door slam shut and his engine rev a second later. I quickly climb into my Jeep, throwing my purse into the passenger side seat. Before I even get the chance to put my key into the ignition, Liam’s car whips around the corner and speeds down the block to the deserted parking lot I’m in. I roll down my window when Liam pulls up beside me and fix him with my harshest glare.

  “Get out of your car.” Liam snaps, the dark in his eyes never fading.

  “Just go home, Liam.” I respond, bucking my seatbelt.

  “I’m not going to tell you again.” Liam slightly raises his voice.

  “Me either.” I agree before shifting my gear stick into drive.

  “God damn it, Daisy!” I hear Liam shout as I pull out of the parking lot and roll up my window.

  I try my best not to pay attention to Liam following behind me. The last thing I need is to be distracted and get into a car accident. I take the long way home, hoping the extra time will help Liam cool down and come to his senses. I send up a silent prayer that my parents are home when I turn onto my block, but am left disappointed when I don’t see their cars as I pull into my driveway. I waste no time getting out of my Jeep and walking into my house, knowing Liam is not far behind me. Just before I reach the kitchen doorway, Liam’s fingers wrap around my wrist and I can feel his smirk as he pulls my body firmly to his. I hear a sigh come from his lips when his chest completely presses against my back. I don’t know why, but this makes me even more annoyed and the anger in my stomach begins to build all over again. I squirm in his grasp when he dips his head down to my ear.

  “He would never be able to make you feel the way I do.” He whispers before his lips make contact with the skin just below my ear.

  I know he loves pleasing me and making me feel good. And I know even more that he loves the reactions he gets out of me when he does these things. But that’s just too damn bad for him because I’m not going to give him what he wants. I feel his lips trail down and nip at the skin on my neck, but I stay stationary and completely refuse to give in to him. Unfortunately, he quickly catches on and lets out an amused chuckle.

  “Let’s see how long you can last then.” He challenges quietly.

  Liam’s tongue licks a hot stripe up my neck before his arm knocks my legs out from under me. My eyes grow wide as I look at Liam in shock. I quickly look away when I meet his eyes though, not being able to stare into the black that’s taken over normally bright emerald green. His arms hold me to his chest while he walks through the kitchen and then down to the basement. I inwardly curse at myself for thinking that giving him time to cool down was a good idea. If anything, all it did was give him more time to create more ridiculous ideas about Scott and I. He sets me down on the dark leather of the couch and I instantly shuffle to the far end, trying to put space between us. Liam chuckles as he grips my ankles, tugging and then pinning my body completely flat on the cushions. I turn my head to see him reaching to the ground beside us until he grabs a throw pillow that had fallen off. My body tenses when he leans over me and gently lifts my head before placing the soft object underneath it.

  “I want you to watch.” He whispers and I mentally prepare myself for what is about to come.

  What Liam does at first isn’t all that bad and it’s easy for me to stand my ground, my defiance not faltering for a second. The only sucky thing is that I know he hasn’t even really started yet. He pushes my legs up so they bend, allowing him to rest between them.

  “I know you like this.” Liam says before he starts to kiss down my neck, taking his time to gently suck every now and then on all the right spots.

  I squeeze my eyes shut at his actions, telling myself to stay strong over and over again.

  “I bet he would never know that you have a sweet spot right here.” He whispers before nibbling on the small area where my neck meets my jaw.

  My eyes snap open when he pulls away from me and I see he has a smug smile on his face. I make myself seem uninterested, trying my best to hold eye contact with him even though I feel like I’m about to explode. My eyes widen slightly when he brings my hand up to his mouth and presses a kiss to my palm. He fiddles with my fingers for a few moments before sliding them into his hair. Somehow I know that he knows that if I make any attempt to play with his soft hair, he wins. I also know that he knows that I’ve been dying to slide his messy curls between my fingers all day, but I remain stubborn.

  “I’ll make you forget about him, baby.” Liam mumbles.

  I watch him nudge my t-shirt up, uncovering my tan skin. His head dips and his lips barely touch over the expanse of my stomach. He then presses delicate kisses to me, but the only response I give him is a slight increase in my breathing. I feel Liam smile as I subtly flinch and my fingers lightly twitch in his hair when he grazes his nose just above my belly button, the ring pierced in my skin moving slightly. He raises his head and smirks at me, but I force my face to remain emotionless. My hand slips to the back of his neck when he moves forward and leans over me. Liam places his weight on one arm to the side of my head while his free hand hovers over my chest before his index finger hooks in the neck of my t-shirt and he pulls the material down, revealing more of my skin. I watch his tongue stick out and wet his lips while he stares down at me. As if thinking better of it, Liam releases the neck of my t-shirt and then slightly leans back, pulling me up with him.

  “Put your arms up.” He demands softly as he grips the hem of my t-shirt that still bunched up at my waist. I do as he says, stubbornly taking my time which clearly irritates him, and then he pulls my t-shirt over my head and tosses it on the ground beside us. Gently, he lays me back down and takes in my completely exposed skin and black bra. My fingers itch to pull his shirt off and press his skin against mine, but I stay frozen in my spot and stare up at him.

  “Mmm… You smell good.” Liam sighs as he dips his head again. His tongue darts out, leaving wet spots all over my chest, which isn’t all that bad until he blows over the spots, cooling them. My arms move as if they have a mind of their own and my fingers slide into his hair, tightly fisting it between my fingers as I let out a gasp that fills the entire room.

  He won.

  I know Liam’s smiling when he nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck. He playfully growls, lightly biting my skin. My body flinches when his hand skims down my front. I tighten my hold on his hair when he attempts to pop the button of my jean shorts.

  “Liam.” I breathe, but he doesn’t stop until I tug his head up to mine. “We were talking about you. I was just asking Scott about you.”

  Liam stares at me for a second, taking time to absorb and process my words, the black clearing from his eyes. His mouth opens to say something but closes a moment later, remaining speechless.

  “I don’t want him.” I continue. “It’s you and me, always. Remember?”

  I know he’s surprised by my words, but I don’t care as I pull his face closer to mine by his hair.

  “It’s only you.” I whisper.

  Liam smiles, his eyes emerald
green and sparkling again as he rests his forehead against mine. Our lips brush against each other, but we don’t actually kiss. Despite the amount of women Liam has been with, I know my words are something he’s never heard before. His fingers intertwine with my free hand, squeezing gently. When our lips do finally meet in a kiss, I can feel Liam’s heart thumping heavily in his chest.

  I don’t want anyone else. I only want Liam.

  Chapter Seventeen

  After work on Wednesday, I go over to Liam’s since I haven’t seen him since Monday. I’m surprised when I pull into what I am now going to official declare my parking spot and see Liam’s Rover isn’t in the space next to it. Confused, I get out of my Jeep and make my way inside his apartment building. When I walk into his apartment, I kick off my black flip flops and set down my purse at the end of the mini hallway that leads into the living room. I move into the kitchen and smile when I find a jug of my favorite lemonade in the fridge. I pour myself a glass and then sit at the table and flip through the pictures from the first night we hung out at my house, the wedding, and random days in between that I brought with me for Liam. I had gone to Picture This after work yesterday to pick them up since they were closed by the time I made it back to my car after finding Liam on Monday.

  “Daisy?” I hear Liam call after the front door opens and closes.

  “In here!” I respond before I walk over to the sink to rise out my now empty cup.

  “Hey, you.”

  I turn around to see the curly haired boy I’ve been missing leaning against the kitchen doorframe, a dimpled smile on his face. Liam looks like he’s just got done from some type of a workout because there are dark sweat stains on his grey t-shirt and his gym bag is slung over his shoulder.

  “Hey!” I smile. “Did you have a training session after basketball today?”

  “Yeah.” Liam nods his head. “I wasn’t expecting to see you today though.”

  “Well, surprise!” I exclaim, making him chuckle. “I was just bringing some pictures that I got developed on Monday over.”

  Liam nods his head again, following my finger with his eyes when I point over to the table where the pictures are sitting in a neat stack.

  “I’m going to go shower really quick.” He says before disappearing down the hallway.

  After drying off the glass in my hands and putting it away, I stroll down the hallway to Liam’s room and walk in. I move over to the bedside table that holds three picture frames I remember from the first time I was here. I stare at the beautiful women in the pictures and feel some strange connection to them. These women we’re such a huge part of Liam’s life for such a long time. Will I ever get to meet them? I hope so. I really do. I would love to meet these two women that I know deep down Liam still loves with all his heart and wants nothing more than to make proud. I wonder if they really would like me like Liam said. They’re both so beautiful; I can easily see why Liam is so handsome himself. I always wonder what Liam was like as a child and I hope that if I ever get to meet his Mom and Grandma, they would tell me all sorts of stories. Letting out a sigh, I get up and walk into the living room and stare out the large window that has a beautiful view of Southern California; it’s absolutely breathtaking.

  “What are you doing, Little Miss Daisy?” I hear Liam question, pulling me out of my thoughts.

  “I’m just looking outside.” I respond, turning to face him.

  I smile when I see he’s shirtless and barefoot; only wearing a pair of white basketball shorts that are hanging a little low on his hips and show a hint of his black Calvin Klein boxer briefs. I watch his lean, muscular body move around the couch before sitting on it and then motioning for me to come over to him.

  “I’m glad you’re here.” Liam tells me after pulling me down onto his lap.

  “Me too.” I agree, poking his rock hard stomach with my finger.

  “What are you doing now, silly?” He asks with an amused chuckle.

  “I’m like the Pillsbury Dough Boy compared to you.” I respond, lifting up my shirt a little past my belly button and poking my stomach to prove my point.

  “No you’re not.” Liam grins. “You have abs.”

  “Yeah, but they’re not rock hard like yours.” I tell him while poking both of our stomachs at the same time.

  “That’s okay.” Liam says as he tickles both of my sides.

  “Okay! Okay!” I shout. “I give up! I give up!”

  “Can I have a kiss now?” Liam asks when he finally stops tickling me.

  I nod my head and lean up closer to him. I wrap my hand around the back of his neck and push our lips together. I hear Liam let out a happy sigh when we pull away from each other.

  “Liam,” I begin, playing with his fingers so I don’t have to look at his eyes. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Of course.”

  “You have to promise you won’t get mad first.” I add.

  “What is it, Daisy?” Liam questions, his voice beginning to harden.

  “You have to promise.” I press.

  “Okay, fine.” He sighs, this one not sounding very happy. “I promise.”

  “I think you should try to reconnect with your Mom and Grandma.” I tell him after a few silent moments of me building up my courage.

  “Daisy.” Liam closes his eyes and rests his head against the back of the couch.

  “You should talk to them more than a few times a year, Liam.” I continue. “I’m sure they would love to hear from you.”

  Liam lets out another sigh, this one more frustrated than the rest, before he slides me onto the space of empty couch beside him and then gets up. I turn my head and watch as he storms out of the living room and down the hallway. I squeeze my eyes closed, one part of me wishing I would’ve never said anything and another part of me trying to build up some more courage to go after him. My eyes fly open when I hear a loud crash and I instantly rush to the kitchen. I stop in the doorway when I see broken glass plates and cups on the sparkling tiled floor. My gaze drifts up to Liam who is tightly holding onto the sink, his head hanging low. I tip-toe around the sharp shards littering the floor to Liam and gently press my hands against his back.

  “You promised.” I whisper.

  “I know.” He responds in a sharp tone.

  I take a step back when Liam abruptly turns around, his face holding an expression of anger as his darkening eyes lock on me. I watch his jaw tighten and the thick vein in the side of his neck that I normally find sexy become very prominent.

  “You don’t know if they would want to hear from me.” He continues harshly.

  My eyes fall to the daisy tattooed on his chest as it heavily rises and falls, then slowly trail down to see the muscles in his stomach and arms tensing.

  “Neither do you.” I retaliate after a moment, bringing my eyes back to his. “But I can’t imagine a world where they wouldn’t.”

  I gasp when Liam swiftly closes the gap between us and effortlessly lifts me up onto the counter next to the fridge. I watch his features gradually begin to relax from our physical contact. When Liam tries to turn away from me, I reach out and grab his hand.

  “Liam, stop.”

  I slowly tug him closer to me and wrap my legs around his hips. I sit up completely straight and wrap my arms around his neck as he buries his head into my shoulder.

  “Please, just try. That’s all I’m asking.”

  We stay in this position for a little while, Liam’s breathing gradually slowing down. I pull back and press a soft kiss to his lips before resting my forehead against his.

  “They’re still you’re family.” I whisper. “They will always love you no matter what.”

  I pull my face back and give him a small, reassuring smile. While I let him process my words, I drop my arms from around his neck and trace the daisy tattoo on his chest before pressing my hand over it; I can feel the steady thumping of his heart speed up when I do this.

  “You’re the only person who’s ever made my heart
do that.” He tells me softly.

  Liam’s words make me smile as I drop my hand from his chest and then reach to pick his up. I place it over the left side of my chest and watch his eyes grow when he feels the speeding thump of my heart. My favorite dimpled smile spreads across his face when he looks up at me. Never moving his hand, Liam leans closer to me and nudges my head to the side before pressing kisses to my neck. I let out a gasp when he begins to nibble and suck on my now tingling skin. I smile when he lets out a chuckle at the feeling of my heart beginning to race even more from his actions. After a few more seconds, he draws back with a smile still on his perfect lips.

  “I’m really happy that I make you feel this way too.”

  I feel a blush creep up my neck and into my cheeks from his words. When Liam looks at me, I look down, feeling embarrassed for blushing. Liam’s hand moves from my chest and travels up to my chin, tilting it up to him. I feel his thumb gently graze over my bottom lip before he presses his lips to mine in a loving kiss.

  “Will you just think about it?” I ask when we pull apart.

  “Only for you.” Liam confirms with a small nod.

  I smile and try to attempt to get down from the counter, but Liam’s large frame prevents me from doing so as he cups the bottom of my thighs and easily raises my body back onto the counter.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” He questions.

  “To clean up the lovely mess you made.” I tell him, motioning towards all of the glass on the floor.

  “No, you stay right here.” Liam instructs. “I’ll do it.”

  “I can help though.”

  “I don’t want you to get hurt, Daisy.” He says firmly. “Just stay right here.”

  I let out a huff as he turns around and bends down to start cleaning up the broken pieces. How protective he can be is so annoying and irritating sometimes. Being the pain in the ass I know I am, I slide off the counter and carefully walk over to grab the trash can; being sure to avoid any sharp pieces. Then I crouch down across from Liam and help him by picking up the larger pieces.