by Jae
“Oh, that really sucks!” I exclaim.
“Maybe you could show me around sometime?”
“Yeah, sure.” I nod my head, exchanging my phone with his to put each other’s numbers. Looking beyond Kayden after we hand each other’s phones back, my eyes catch a large black vehicle that I quickly recognize to be Liam’s.
“I’m going to go check on Kayla.” Kayden says, momentarily holding my attention again. “Make sure she filled everything out right.”
“Okay.” I nod my head with a smile. “If anyone asks, tell them I’ll be right back.”
Once the door to Red shuts behind Kayden, I jog down the street to Liam’s Range Rover. I hear it unlock when I get close. Opening the passenger side door, I instantly notice the hard look on Liam’s face while he stares out the windshield and the white knuckle grip he has on the steering wheel.
What’s up with him?
“Hey, what are you doing here?” I ask lightly, climbing into the Rover all the way and shutting the door behind me.
“Who was that?” Liam asks with an edge to his voice.
“‘Hey, Daisy! How was work? Did you have a good day, babe?’” I reply sarcastically, doing my best impression of Liam’s voice and then rolling my eyes after I kiss his cheek. “Both were really great, thanks for asking!”
I stare at Liam for a few moments, brushing my fingers over the small hickey on his neck.
“Who was that guy?” Liam asks again, his tone not changing.
I let out a sigh and withdraw my hand from him. Leaning back against the door, I raise my knees up to my chest and start to pick at my nails.
“His name is Kayden.”
“And?”
“And he brought his sister by Red to fill out an application. I was talking to him while she finished up.”
“Why did you swap phones?”
“They’re new to town and Kayden got a job right when they moved here so he hasn’t got to see much. He asked for my number so I could show him around sometime.” I shrug my shoulders, not once bothering to look up from my nails.
“You’re not doing anything with him.” Liam snaps.
I look up when he says this to see he’s staring at me now. What is his problem? I haven’t done anything wrong. I was just trying to be nice.
Letting out another sigh, I look back down at my nails.
“Did you tell him you have a boyfriend?”
I can tell Liam is trying to calm himself down by the suddenly softer tone in his voice. My face is brought back up by his fingers gripping my chin. I fight the urge to bite his thumb as he brushes it over my lips.
“No.” I respond honestly. “It didn’t come up.”
Liam’s hand instantly drops from me and he turns his head to stare out the windshield again.
“We only talked for maybe five minutes, Liam. He seems really nice though.” I try to convince him. “Please don’t be mad at me, okay?”
I watch him squeeze his eyes shut for a moment before turning to look at me again. I take this moment to take in his appearance. He’s wearing a white t-shirt with a light gray t-shirt over it, black jeans, and a pair of black Aloha C&L Era 59 Vans shoes. The front of his hair is pushed back messily off his forehead and I know it’s because he’s been constantly running his fingers through it. Why does he have to look so sexy right now, especially when he’s mad at me? My eyebrows scrunch up in confusion when he opens his door.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to go talk to Kayden.” Liam responds.
“What? No. Liam, stop!” I exclaim as I move to reach for him, but he’s already shut the door. When my door won’t budge when I try to open it, I climb into Liam’s seat and try his; it won’t open either. I let out a frustrated huff when I quickly realize he’s locked me in.
“Liam, stop it!” I yell, hitting my hand against the windshield. “Let me out!”
As to be expected, he either can’t hear me or is ignoring me. I watch on as he approaches Kayden who I now realize has Kayla with him. When Liam gets closer, Kayden whispers something to Kayla before she walks the few more feet to their car and gets in. I can’t see Liam’s face; which really pisses me off. I can only see the confused look on Kayden’s face while Liam and he talk.
Just like with Logan, Liam is completely overreacting. There was nothing happening between Kayden and me. I was just trying to be nice because of Kayla. But because Liam is Liam, Kayden might as well have had his tongue down my throat. God, the way he blows things out of proportion and gets so protective is really annoying sometimes. I’m a big girl – I can make my own decisions and take care of myself!
I’m still sitting in Liam’s spot when he comes back. I watch him click the button on his key remote to unlock the car. As soon as I hear the sound of my freedom, I push the door open and get out. I don’t hesitate for a second to slam the door behind me, knowing it’ll irk Liam just the tiniest bit. Refusing to look at him, I storm off towards the front doors of Red.
“Daisy?” He asks. “Where the hell are you going?”
I feel his hand clasp around my wrist, halting my exit. Before I know it, he’s pulling me back to him, pushing me up against the brick wall next to us. I try to push him away, angry tears stinging the back of my eyes, but he’s too strong for me; which only pisses me off more.
“Stop it, Daisy.” Liam practically growls in a low, chilling voice.
I instantly stop my attempts at pushing him off of me. My heart is pumping fast in my chest when Liam pins my arms to either side of my body. I dare to look into his eyes, instantly regretting it when I see their dark color. I glance over at Kayden, surprised to see him still standing there watching Liam and me with wide eyes. I’m used to Liam acting this way, but I’m sure to anyone else it doesn’t look as harmless as it really is. I immediately turn back to look at Liam when I feel his grip slightly tighten.
“You’re mine.”
His words momentarily transport me back to the text he sent me the night we first met and this implied phrase that went along with it; my how things have changed since then. I’m pulled back to reality when Liam turns his head, the smirk I hate playing on his lips as he looks at Kayden. I’m surprised when he pushes his lips on mine and forces his tongue into my mouth. I choose to halfheartedly play along, knowing it’ll only make it worse if I try to fight against him. Unfortunately Liam catches onto my plan too quickly, releasing my hands to let them roam up to his hair. My intention is to tug his hair hard enough to make him release me, but I’m quickly reminded by the moan he lets out that he likes it when girls are rough with him. Suddenly Liam reaches under my thighs and lifts me up, my legs reflexively wrapping around his waist while he pins me to the wall again. I hold back the moan that wants to escape from my lips when his lips suck on the weak spot on my neck.
“You’re mine.” Liam says again, softer this time. “Say it.”
I refuse to answer as he continues to kiss down my neck, my fingers still wound tight in his hair.
“Say it, Daisy.” Liam demands.
I quickly realize he’s beginning to grow annoyed and impatient when I feel him bite down on the crook of my neck, causing me to let out a yelp.
“Okay, okay!” I whine, trying to pull his head away. “I’m yours, Liam. I’m only yours.”
Liam pulls his head away after pressing a gentle kiss to the spot where his teeth just were.
“Let me down.” I demand, dropping my hands away from him.
No more than a second later my feet are touching the cement ground again. I move over to Liam’s Rover, looking in the review mirror to see a bite mark imprinted in my skin and a hickey in the spot where my jaw and neck meet. God damn it, Liam! I quickly pull my hair back in place, coving up the possessive marks on my skin. Happy to see Kayden is no longer standing by the entrance of Red anymore, I make my way over there.
“Daisy!” Liam pleads. “Daisy, wait!”
“What, Liam?” I snap, whipping back around to
face him.
“Come to dinner with me.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and let out a sigh at his words. Leave it to Liam to act like there was nothing wrong with what he just did. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth when I hear Liam’s feet begin to approach me.
“Please, Daisy.”
I jump when I feel Liam’s hand grab mine, raising it to his mouth and planting a sweet kiss to it.
“Why did you do that?” I question, opening my eyes and letting them lock with his.
“He has to know that he can’t have you.” Liam answers coldly. “No one can.”
What is wrong with him? Haven’t I already told him I don’t want anyone else but him? Why would he think I would ever want anyone else? I love him. I only love him.
“Don’t you trust me not to leave you?” I ask; the hurt evident in my voice.
“Of course I do.” Liam responds quickly. “It’s everyone else I don’t trust.”
I don’t know what to say as I stare at him. His eyes have returned to the color I love – the color that doesn’t frighten me. I look down at our still entwined hands when I feel him squeeze.
“Will you come, Daisy?” Liam asks again.
I look back up at him, hearing the desperation clear in his voice. In this moment, I realize that no matter how hard I will ever try, I will never be able to stop loving this tall, curly haired guy with an unpredictable darkness inside of him. You would think that these feelings could never grow this strong at our age and in such a short amount of time, but I can feel it in the pit of my stomach. I am absolutely head over heels in love with Liam and there’s nothing I can do about it.
I nod my head, silently answering his question before resting my forehead against his shoulder and tightly wrapping my arms around his waist. A moment later Liam pulls my head back between his hands and presses his lips to mine. The kiss is so sweet and loving. How does he flip from being the person he was just minutes earlier to the guys he’s being now? I keep my eyes closed when he breaks the kiss and rubs our noses together. Liam then drops his hands from my face and wraps his arms around my body again. He presses a kiss to either of my cheeks before trailing down my neck. I’m hesitant at first, but relax when I feel his tongue swipe against the hickey he left before pressing a kiss to it; doing the same to the bite mark.
I huff when Liam pulls away from me, sticking his hand out for me to take. I look up to see fear and worry building in his eyes when I don’t take his hand right away. Not wanting to see that anymore, I grab his hand, causing him to smile. We walk back to Red so I can collect my things before we walk out to our cars and I follow Liam to the restaurant we’re going to eat at.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The next few days pass by in a blur. I’ve been trying to get everything for the surprise party together in the little amount of time I have when I’m not at work or with Liam. I know I’ve been coming off as sketchy to Liam, which doesn’t help matters between us after what happened with the whole Kayden thing, but I don’t know what else to do.
“Daisy!” Drew yells Thursday night when I walk into Ouch after I get off work.
“Hey!” I smile, leaning against the counter when I reach it. “Is Logan here too? I need to talk to both of you.”
Drew nods his head before disappearing down the long hallway full of doors that lead to different rooms, returning a few moments later with Logan in tow.
“Hey, Daisy!” Logan smiles while giving me a quick hug. “What’s up?”
“You both know Liam’s birthday is Saturday, right?”
“The big two-one!” Drew cheers, Logan nodding his head along in agreement.
“Okay, good! So I came up with a plan to throw Liam a surprise party at Lucky Lanes on Saturday; I rented out the bowling alley and bar. I’ve been trying to get over here to tell you guys, but between work and Liam, it has not been an easy task.” I quickly explain, making both of them laugh. “Anyway, I was wondering if you guys could help me out a little bit by spreading the word around here, the gym, and to anyone else you think Liam would want there.”
“Yeah, we can do that.” Logan says, Drew nodding his head in agreement.
I’m just about to repeatedly tell them thank you when my phone suddenly starts ringing in my purse. I let out a groan once I dig it out and see Liam’s name on the screen.
“Just don’t answer it.” Drew suggests, shrugging his shoulders.
“Dude, this is Liam.” Logan chuckles. “He’ll probably send out a search team if she doesn’t answer.”
I roll my eyes at them, knowing the comment is more than probably true. Holding my hand up to silence their growing conversation, I accept the call; putting it on speaker when Drew motions for me to do so.
“Hey, Liam.”
“Jesus, took you long enough.” He grumbles into the phone, the faint sound of a car door slamming echoing in the background. “What are you doing?”
“I’m… Uhh…Driving!” My eyes widen in panic. Why don’t I ever think this part of the conversation through? And the fact that he clearly isn’t in the best of moods isn’t helping either. “Yeah, I’m driving.”
My rushed answer causes Drew and Logan to double over in silent laughter.
“Driving?” Liam asks skeptically. “Where to? You’ve been off work for well over an hour now.”
“Umm…” I hesitate trying to think of somewhere that sounds reasonable, but everything I come up with I would easily already be at by now. “Nowhere in particular.”
This response sends Drew and Logan into what I’m sure would be complete hysterics if they were making any noise. I throw random objects on the counter at them when they fall to the ground, rolling around while clutching their stomachs.
“Are you with that Kayden guy?” Liam asks after a few second of silence on his end of the phone.
Logan stops his ridiculous actions at Liam’s words, looking at me as if to be asking who Kayden is.
“No, Liam,” I sigh, rolling my eyes and throwing a pen that hits Logan square on his forehead. “I’m not with Kayden.”
“Then what are you really doing?” He groans; frustration evident in his voice.
“I’m not doing anything, Liam!” I exclaim, taking the phone call off speaker while quickly rushing into Logan’s tattoo room when a group of people walk into the shop.
“Are you going to come over tonight, then?
Sitting back in the large chair I sat on not that long ago when I received my first tattoo, I can picture Liam running his hands through his hair and making the messy curls stick out in all sorts of directions.
“Sure.” I smile when I hear him let out a sigh of relief. “I can’t stay though.”
“Why not?” He whines like a small child.
“My parents miss me and I have work in the morning.” I tell him, lifting my finger up to my lips when Logan walks into the room and quietly shuts the door behind him.
“You haven’t stayed at mine since Sunday.”
“And I was nearly late for work because of it.” I grin. “I’m staying tomorrow and probably Saturday too, so stop your whining.”
“Fine.” Liam grumbles.
“I’ll be over in a bit, okay?”
“Okay.” Liam says through a yawn. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” I respond, a huge smile growing on my face. I nearly melt every time he says those words to me. “I’ll see you soon.”
I end the phone call after that and then talk over the party in more detail with Logan. At some point I explain who Kayden is and how Liam completely over reacted over nothing; leaving out the part about Liam pinning me to the wall and everything that happened after that of course. Before leaving, I write down the time, date, and address of the party on a piece of scrap paper for Logan just in case he forgets.
I arrive at Liam’s apartment in record time and let myself in when he doesn’t answer the door after I’ve knocked a few times. I move into the kitchen, calling Liam’s name a coupl
e times before setting my stuff down on the table and then moving into his room. As soon as I walk in, I’m met with a gust of warm air pouring out of the halfway open bathroom door. No wonder why he didn’t answer, he’s in the shower. I flop down on his bed, turning my head to look at the photos on Liam’s bedside table. One of them still holds the picture of Liam, him mom, and his grandma from his graduation, but the other two now hold pictures of us. One of them is the picture I tried to sneakily take when Liam and I actually kissed for the first time on the lawn chair by my pool and the other is the picture my mom took of us while we were sleeping together on the couch the day my parents went to practice with Liam and me.
I walk out of Liam’s room when I hear him turn the shower off and walk into his living room. The first time I came here, the only pictures in Liam’s house were the ones in his room. Now he has pictures of us and some with our friends and my parents scattered around his apartment. My favorite one is the one sitting on the right side of the entertainment center that’s from a random day we were lounging on the couch in the living room at my house, watching TV with my parents. The adorable picture consists of a close up of Liam leaning over the back of the couch, his forearms resting on either side of my head that’s tiled back, and our lips locked in a sweet kiss. Another one of my favorites is on the other side of the entertainment center, which consists of Liam’s arms being tightly wrapped around my waist and my arms loosely wrapped around his neck as he slightly crouches down and presses his lips to my cheek, both of our eyes closed with small smiles on our faces.
I move back into the kitchen and smile at the picture I drew for Liam hanging up on his fridge before pouring myself a glass of lemonade, and then sit at the table to flip through the pictures from the Fourth of July that I brought with me for Liam. The first picture is of Liam and I kissing next to the kitchen sink, the next few are of Liam and Aria coloring, some are group pictures of us with our friends, and last is of Liam and me kissing with fireworks bursting high in sky behind us.