“Is he out of his fucking mind?” He heard Cale yell on his way out.
“Pretty much,” Balen replied. “Max should have left Olivia alone. Hell’s wrath won’t be as bad as what’s coming for him now.”
“Let me guess, The Wrath?” Balen asked as he climbed into the car.
“Yep.”
The thirty minute drive to Clearwater did nothing to temper his violent mood. He could feel a darkness pulling at him, courting his rage, tempting him to walk into The Wrath and smite the entire establishment.
The loud hum of bass could be felt from inside the car as they pulled into the parking lot. “You really think this is a good idea? The two of us against a bar full of demons aren’t the best odds.”
“We’ve fought against worse,” he replied, unfazed by his best friend’s doubts.
A smile touched Balen’s face. “This is true, my friend. They may just give him up, not wanting the trouble.”
“I hope not,” he growled darkly, climbing out of the car.
“You know Michael would send a legion, if we asked for it.”
“I know. But this isn’t their fight—it’s mine.”
“It’s ours,” Balen corrected him.
Smoke and sulfur assaulted them as they stepped into the dark, poorly lit bar. “This is pleasant,” Balen said dryly, bringing his forearm up to his nose in a futile attempt to block the stench. “How can they even stand themselves?” he asked in disgust. “So do you have a plan? Or are we just going to start smashin’ heads?”
Liam scanned the room. It was packed with bodies, all milling around like cattle ready to be sent to the slaughter. “I don’t see him.”
Balen searched the crowd with him. “Well, he shouldn’t be too difficult to spot. These guys are hideous. He’s not going to blend in well.”
“There he is!” Liam interrupted, pointing to the end of the bar about twenty feet from the neon exit sign hanging above the back door.
As if the bastard heard him, he looked up from the bar and locked eyes with Liam. A look of surprise and fear briefly flittered across his face a second before he bolted toward the exit. Liam lunged into the crowd of demons, attempting to make his way to the back before Max reached the exit. Balen ran outside to flank the back of the building.
The crowd was thick and made no attempt to get out of his way. “Move!” he commanded, throwing an elbow into the chest of a demon that stood in front of him. It grunted and he stumbled back a few steps, trying to regain its balance. He bumped into several others nearby, eliciting a cacophony of growls as the offended heathens started swinging at each other. He’d nearly made it through the crowd when he was abruptly halted by a fist smashing against the side of his jaw.
“Son of a bitch!” he snarled, turning to face whoever just hit him. He was torn between returning the blow or pursuing Max, who was ten steps from blasting through the back exit. The demon flashed him a sadistic smile, dark inky blood smeared across his teeth. His lip was torn open from getting caught in the brawl raging behind them. Liam resisted the urge to dive into the mix and turned abruptly, breaking through the last few of the crowd. He ran for the exit, seeing the glow of outside lights filter in through the crack in the door as Max burst through the back exit.
The door slammed open, banging against the wall as he ran out, just as Balen rounded the back of the building. The Harley roared, and gravel flew in the air, pelting everything within ten feet as Max gunned the throttle. The back wheel of the bike fishtailed out of the parking. The red glowing brake light flashed a taunting farewell.
“Dammit!” If he’d only been five seconds sooner.
“Don’t worry. We’ll find him. He had his bike parked by the back door, probably wanted to make sure he could get away easily. He’s scared, and now he knows you’re coming for him. Let’s go get your car,” Balen suggested. “I’d rather not leave Ashley alone after everything that’s happened today.”
He gave Balen a questioning glance. “You’re getting pretty close to her. The guardian life suits you?”
“She suits me,” Balen said simply.
“Careful, my friend, it may be too late for me, but it’s not for you.”
“I think it is,” Balen said softly.
“What?” He grabbed his friend’s arm and jerked him around to face him. “You touched her, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t touch her,” Balen denied, pulling his arm out of his grip. “She touched me.” He said the words so softly Liam barely heard him.
“You let her touch you!” he clarified. “You’re angelic, Balen. We don’t get touched unless we choose to be. Dammit! If you fall, they’ll blame me. You know that, right? They’ll claim I corrupted you or some shit.”
“Listen to yourself! They are not the enemy here, Liam. There are rules that need to be followed. You had a choice to make and you made it, so live with it. And just because you may be able to be with Olivia now doesn’t mean you should be. The world cannot be inhabited with Nephilim again. It will not be allowed, and that would only bring heartache to the both of you. So I appreciate your concern for me and all, but friend, your plate is full enough of your own problems, so please don’t concern yourself with mine. I know where I stand with Ashley, and there are lines I refuse to cross. Can you say the same for yourself?”
Liam stood there in the parking lot watching his friend walk away. Thankfully, he didn’t have to answer him, because he wasn’t certain either one of them would have liked the answer.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The cool night air blasted against Max’s face as he tore down Highway 61. He’d known the warrior would come, he just hadn’t expected him so soon. He needed a plan. It wasn’t in his nature to run from a fight, but until he could shift the odds in his favor, he’d lie low. Olivia had gotten lucky Liam had shown up when he did. By the look of Liam’s eyes tonight, her life had come at a high cost to him. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
Olivia’s life would have been a sweet coup, and he felt bitterly robbed from the pleasure. His rank and the respect of his superiors dwindled the longer she continued to live. Max pulled into his driveway and parked the bike in the garage.
“What happened to you?” he asked, stepping into the kitchen. Cale’s throat was covered in bruises, and he suddenly realized how the warrior had found him so quickly.
“Liam happened,” Cale scowled. “Oh yeah, and he’s looking for you.”
“Looks like he found you instead,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, thanks for that,” Cale growled. “Asshole. I should have been suspicious when you said I could crash here.”
“So what did you tell him?”
“Nothing. You really pissed him off, Max. I’d watch my back if I were you.”
“Thanks for your concern,” he sneered sarcastically. “But if you really cared so much, you shouldn’t have told him where I was tonight.”
“What was I supposed to do? Let him kill me? He would have too, you know. His eyes…they’re different.”
“What’d you do, hand over your balls too? You’re whining like a little bitch.” He slid out of his leather coat and tossed it onto the chair next to Cale.
“We’ll see who the bitch is when he gets a hold of you. You don’t know him like I do, Max. You underestimate him.”
“You underestimate me! Whose fucking side are you on, anyway?”
“Whichever side doesn’t get me killed!”
“Well, it’s a little late to switch now, don’t ya think? Maybe you should have thought about that before you fell from grace. If you ask me, you’re pretty much fucked either way. You don’t think Liam’s going to figure out the part you played in what happened today? Sooner or later, he’s bound to wonder what happened to her guardians.”
“You’re such a dick,” Cale growled, pushing himself up from the kitchen table and knocking the chair over behind him. He stomped into the living room and marched up the stairs.
“I ain’t dyin’ for you, Max! S
o you better figure this shit out.”
***
“I’m sorry I was harsh,” Balen said as they drove toward Byers Lake. “I understand your concern. I’m concerned. I’m drawn closer to her with each passing minute. I tell myself it’s okay because this only weakens Max’s tie to her, but I wonder if remaining as her guardian will require a sacrifice I’m unwilling to make.”
“It’s a decision that only you can make. I guess I feel responsible, because I know you never wanted this. I pushed you into it and for that, I am sorry.”
“It was His will, or I would have refused. You can let yourself off the hook.” Balen replied.
It was past ten when they pulled into the parking lot of Byers Lake. From the still night air to the calm waters, one would never suspect the violence that occurred here today. “Are you going back to Olivia’s?” Balen asked, breaking into his thoughts.
Liam nodded.
“Call me tomorrow. I’m sure the girls will want to see Nate, if they can.”
“Sounds good.” He shut the passenger door and watched the yellow Mustang pull out of the parking lot, leaving him alone in total darkness. The gentle sound of waves lapping the shoreline called to him, and he walked over to the water’s edge and stepped out onto the dock. He needed a few moments of silence, to be alone with his thoughts and digest the last eight hours. The knowledge of how close he’d come to losing Olivia still left him rattled. His hands shook as he lifted them to his face and scrubbed, as if that could somehow erase the horror of dragging her lifeless body from the lake.
He thought about how different things were going to be now—how different he was going to be now, weary of the ramifications brought on by impossible choices. Living a life of limitations would take some getting used to.
It was nearly midnight when he pulled into Olivia’s driveway. The house was dark, and a faint light shone through her bedroom window. He didn’t want to wake her family, nor did he want to spend another second away from her. He silently climbed in through her bedroom window, wondering if she’d left it open for him intentionally. The screen still hadn’t been replaced since he’d pushed Max through it.
Olivia slept peacefully as he crept silently toward her. A floorboard creaked under his foot, and her eyes flew open. She smiled up at him, and it was in that instant he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he’d made the right decision—the only decision. This female was his life, and without her, he’d rather not exist.
“Hey,” she said, her voice still sounding scratchy and raw. She scooted over and patted a place beside her on the bed.
He sat down, and the springs squeaked in protest to the added weight.
“What took you so long?” She reached out and lightly traced her fingers down his arm.
Her touch sent a current of heat straight up his arm. “I just had some things to take care of before I got my car picked up. What about you? How are you feeling?” he asked, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He let his fingers linger against her petal soft skin.
“Better, especially now that you’re here.” She scooted closer to him and rested her cheek on his thigh.
A soft groan escaped his lips. Having her so close was nothing short of pure torture.
“Stay with me?”
“Always.”
Olivia smiled and closed her eyes, falling asleep in his lap.
***
Olivia opened her eyes the next morning to find herself using Liam’s lap for a pillow. She watched him as he stared out the bedroom window, looking deep in thought as his fingers rhythmically trailed through her long black hair. How long would it take before he talked to her about court? There was something different about him—a sadness—an emptiness that made her heart ache for him. She lifted her head, trying to see the color of his eyes. They often told her more than he was willing to.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “For whatever is happening to you, I’m sorry.”
Liam looked down at her and smiled sadly. His eyes were deep amber, with traces of brown and remnants of deep violet mixed in them. They were beautiful as ever, but she had no idea what this color meant.
“It’s not your fault. You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said, bending down to gently brush a kiss against her lips.
“I love you,” she whispered against his mouth, and wrapped her arms around his neck to draw him closer to her.
Liam gracefully extended his long powerful body over hers, hovering above her just enough to keep his weight from crushing her into the mattress. He deepened their kiss as he wound his hands into her hair, holding her against him.
Olivia’s pulse raced with desire, her breath came quickly against his. She reached down to his waist and slowly ran her hands under his shirt. Her fingertips danced along the hard muscled contours of his low back. She pulled him closer, pressing his chest against hers. She could feel the wild pounding of his heartbeat through her thin nightshirt as she ran her hands up his back and over his shoulder blades. They both instantly froze.
“Liam?” His lips had been against her neck and now there was—nothing. “Liam, where are your wings?” She struggled to keep the dread out of her voice, fearing she already knew the horrible answer. His muscles jumped beneath her hands. He didn’t answer her.
“Liam, where are your wings?” she asked again, wiggling out from under him.
He rolled to the side and lifted one of his arms to let her up. He kept his back to her, refusing to meet her questioning eyes. She climbed onto her knees and yanked up the back of his shirt and gasped.
“They’re gone!” Two long diagonal, indented scars traced his broad muscular back. She dropped his shirt and leaned forward, moving to the side as she took his face in her hands, forcing him to meet her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she demanded. “They can’t do this! You can’t do this!”
“It’s done.” His emotionless answer broke her heart.
“Well, undo it! I won’t let you give up your wings for me, Liam. I’ll not see you damned because of me!” she cried, scrambling off the bed. She stood in front of him, tears streaming down her face. Her nightshirt clung to her curves, ending just below the top of her thighs.
He reached out and slowly ran his hand down the bare flesh of her thigh. “I’m not damned, Olivia. I just can’t go home. I’m not like Max. My allegiance hasn’t changed. You can’t blame yourself,” he said, looking up at her. “I’m exactly where I want to be,” he whispered, slowly sliding his hand back up her thigh, stopping at her hip several inches under her nightgown.
“I’m yours, Olivia. I’ve been yours since the day you were born.”
Her heart raced, the erratic pounding starting to make her dizzy. She wasn’t sure if it was the words coming from his mouth or his hand on her hip, but she was positive she’d never felt more loved than she did at that very moment.
“I don’t deserve you,” she whispered, reaching up to wipe away a tear that slid down her cheek.
“Of course you do,” he whispered. “Now, where were we?” he teased, pulling her down to nuzzle the side of her neck.
“Umm, I think I was welcoming you home,” she whispered. “I missed you.” She pulled off his shirt and dropped it on the floor beside her bed. And, oh, his beauty verily took her breath away. His wide shoulders and hard chest were perfectly sculpted, his abs rippled and lean. He had two twin ropes of corded muscle that ran down his sides, disappearing below his low-riding jeans. A few small scars and one large one at his side marked his otherwise perfect body.
She reached out, gently tracing the scars on his chest with the tips of her fingers. Her eyes trailed to the button of his pants as she touched the long scar on his side that dipped below his waist band. Her eyes slowly drew back up the length of him to meet his deep blue gaze. “You’re so beautiful,” she whispered. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss against one of the scars on his chest, eliciting a whistle of inhaled breath through clenched teeth.
He desce
nded on her so fast she let out a startled yelp. He usually kept his movements more…human-like. She was shocked to find herself standing next to him one minute, and being crushed under the full weight of his half-naked body the next.
His mouth claimed hers in a branding kiss that left her mind reeling. Her inhibitions crumble as she returned his kiss with a fevered pitch to match his own. She lifted her bare leg and slowly slid her foot down the length of his thigh. Her hand grazed the tight muscles of his stomach, resting at the waist of his jeans. Her fingers slid past his waistband as she unfastened the top button.
Liam gasped against her mouth and reached down to grab her hand, lifting her arm above her head. He slowly drew her other hand up and held them both gently, yet firmly, against her pillow. He placed a kiss against the soft skin of her wrist and trailed kisses down her arm to her shoulder.
“If you touch me anymore, I’ll not be able to stop myself,” he whispered huskily against her ear.
“I don’t want you to,” she sighed, turning her head to reach his lips. Her kiss absorbed his soft groan. One hand held hers in place above her head, while the other trailed down her arm, slowly sliding the spaghetti strap of her nightgown off her shoulder exposing the top swell of her breast. He kissed her throat and the curve of her collar bone. Moving lower.
A soft knock sounded against her door. “Olivia?”
A cool rush of air brushed against her, and she opened her eyes to find Liam gone. If she hadn’t known better, she would have sworn she’d just woken from the most amazing dream ever. The door slowly creaked open, and her mother poked her head inside her room.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, walking over to the side of her bed.
“Good.”
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right? Honey, you’re flushed…” Her mother’s hand pressed against her forehead.
“I feel fine.”
A minute later, her father came in and handed her a hot cup of coffee. “Thanks, Dad.” She smiled gratefully and took a sip. He always made it exactly how she liked it—white chocolate and lots of cream.
The Redemption Series Page 28