Liam (16 page)

His arms tightened around her.

“Okay,” he said. “We just leave it up to nature.”

Meg stared up at him, surprised that he’d given in so completely.

“God, Meg.” He captured her mouth with a searing kiss. “I just can’t stop thinking of life with you. Every waking moment, I’m left thinking of nothing but you and what we could have.”

She kissed him back hard. Whatever came their way, they would deal.

When his hands found her thighs, her heart skipped a beat. He lifted her up and wrapped her around his middle. His hard length was pinned between them. She groaned when her slick lips glided over him as he rocked against her.

“Liam,” she moaned.

He pulled her hair back and made a rough trail down her neck. She wiggled her hips over his and huffed in frustration.

His calloused hands gripped her hips and pulled back. Meg held her breath until she felt the blunt head of his cock.

“I need you,” she moaned and tried to squeezed him to her.

They both moaned as Liam sank into her. His cock buried deep inside her.

“Fuck,” he hissed, and she had to agree. She’d never gone without a condom. The feeling of him hot inside made her yearn for more.

“Fuck me,” she whispered in his ear. That was all he needed.

Liam pushed her hard against the wall and thrust quickly inside her. Meg raked her nails down his back, eventually landing on his well-sculpted ass.

“More,” she groaned.

Something broke in him. He was fucking her so hard that each time he pushed in, he rubbed her cervix.

“I’m close,” she whispered in his ear. “Come with me, Liam.”

He panted as he thrust hard inside her. She could feel he was close as he swelled inside. The pressure was just what she needed to push her over the edge. Within seconds of her own orgasm, his hot seed emptied deep inside.

The looked at one another. That was it. The road to their happiness.

The phone chimed, and he froze.

“Five minutes, forty seconds,” he said.

She groaned when he pulled out of her and shut the water off.

Liam yanked back the curtain and stepped out. He was back to all business.

“Get dressed,” he said, handing her a towel. “It’s time.”

Chapter Seventeen

Liam paced outside the bathroom door as she got ready. He glanced at his clock for about the millionth time. One minute. She was going to be cutting it close. Hell, he was going to be cutting it close.

“Done,” she said.

Meg stepped out wearing her usual black mission clothes. He was glad to see she had taken this as serious as it should be.

“You stay here,” he said. “He’s going to try and come in. I’ll go out to the woods, so he gets the chance, and I’ll change into black clothes. He’s going to ‘capture’ you. Then, all you have to do is wait for me to show up.”

A click came from down the hall, and they both turned to face the gun that was now pointed at him

“Too bad I saw you install the alarm earlier today.” A familiar large man with a shaved head grinned at them both while motioning with his gun.

“Dale?” Liam didn’t bother to hide the shock in his voice.

His cousin shouldn’t have even had a chance. Dale had been sentenced for the attempted murder of Alyssa, Finn’s woman. The piece of shit was supposed to rot in prison.

“Surprise.” Dale grinned.

He shifted a bit. There was bloodstains on his shirt near his left shoulder, and he was letting his left arm hang somewhat. Liam guessed Meg must have clipped him there.

Liam put himself in front of Meg.

“Who’d you roll on?” Liam spat.

“That’s not the way they is going to go,” Dale said and waved his gun at them. “I’m the one with the gun. Living room.”

Liam reached around behind him and laced his fingers with Meg’s. Things weren’t supposed to go down this way. He was supposed to come and trap the son of a bitch.

They walked slowly into the living room and sat on the couch. Liam watched as Meg sat where a gun was wedged in the couch. All she needed was a chance to get to it.

“Now,” Dale said, sitting down across from Liam,“you know I was very angry with you for shooting me like that. Your cousin even.”

Liam gritted his teeth as Dale tutted him.

“So I figure you owe me,” he said. “Now, there are three ways this could go. One, you give me what I want, and I’m on my way. Two,” he held up two fingers, “you don’t, I shoot you and your girl. Three,” Dale came to stand next to Meg, “I take out what you owe me from her.”

His fingers skimmed the skin on her neck, and she shied away from him.

“I don’t know what you want, you son of a bitch,” Liam bit out.

Dale narrowed his eyes. “You stupid bastard. You really don’t know, do you? You always were a stupid cocksucker. Well then, what should it be one, two, or three?”

“Four,” said a voice from the kitchen. Finn stepped out from the kitchen. “You quit assuming you’re such big shit before I shoot your ass.”

Liam turned to see Finn raise his two guns as Dale.

“Hey, little bro, how you doing?” Finn smiled broadly at him. “Bet you didn’t think I’d come through.”

Liam opened his mouth to talk but closed it. That was exactly what he was thinking.

Finn winked at him. “Good thing I never trust plan A or plan B.”

Liam turned back to Dale, his face pale. “You should have ran when you had the chance,” he said.

“Shut up.” Dale glared at him. “I’ll take you all out.” He pointed his gun back at Finn. “You’re nothing like your father.”

Finn smiled broadly. “Thanks.”

“Neither of you were good enough to take his place,” he said. “I was his go-to guy. I did everything for him. I even took a bullet for him. What they hell have you done for the family?”

Finn laughed loudly. Dale turned red.

“My father really was something else,” Finn said and smiled coldly. “You know what he told me? Pick a man that’s your go-to guy. Someone mildly smart, loyal and willing to believe anything you tell him. Because one day, you might need someone to take a bullet for you. I can see that clearly working for you.”

“Shut up,” Dale screamed, shaking. “Don’t you fucking talk about him like that!”

He fired around the room blindly. Bullets whizzed by Liam.

Liam thought only of Meg. He tossed himself over the couch toward Meg.

Dale’s gun clicked a few times before he realized it. Not wasting any time, he dashed for the door. He threw it open and ran out only to be bounced back by a large body.

“Number five,” Finn said. “Have a backup plan for your backups.”

A scarred giant stepped in, towering over Dale.

“Take him to the car, Noel.” Finn nodded to the door. He lowered his guns and snickered.

Noel reached down and dragged Dale to his feet. “Stand, or I’m going to break your nose, Dickless.”

Dale stood and walked with Noel out of the cabin.

“What are you going to do with him?” Meg asked.

Liam winced. It was something he had been wondering but didn’t know if he truly wanted to know.

Finn stared back at her for a moment, and Liam wondered if he would even answer.

“Dale will answer some questions,” Finn said. “After that, I haven’t really decided. It depends on how he answers.”

Meg stared at him for a moment and then nodded.

“Understood,” she said.

The two stared at her in shock. Meg really couldn’t say why that would be. Finn wasn’t some ruthless killer. He did what he needed to do. She could understand that.

Meg turned to Liam.

“So what do we do now?”

A weight had been lifted off of her. It was amazing what being hunted by a man with a gun could do.

He stared at her for a second, and she saw the flash of regret. It wasn’t her first time seeing it with him.

“I’ll take you home,” he said and raced out of the room and down to the car.

Meg stood in shock. She promised herself that she wouldn’t let him do this to her again. Especially now, after everything they had been through.

“Don’t let him push you away,” Finn said and placed a hand on her shoulder. “He’s confused and wants to keep you safe. Everything he planned failed except me. And that’s the worst thing in his book.”

Meg nodded, too choked up to even try to speak.

She gathered her purse and made her way to the car. For the first time she could remember, Meg was too drained to even try to talk.

* * *

When they pulled up outside her house, she sighed. At least she could go home now.

“Meg,” he said. Emotions were raw in them both as she turned to him. “I don’t think…”

He stopped when she held up a hand.

“I’m not giving up this time,” she said quietly. “You can run scared if you want to, but no matter how far you run, I’ll always be there.”

Meg leaned across the seat. “Good night, Liam,” she said and gave him a small peck.

She made her way to the door, fighting the urge to turn around. She wanted him, but she wanted him on her terms, not his.

She went inside her quiet house and leaned back against the door. Never had the quiet felt so loud or the house so empty. Meg dragged herself away from the door and did the only thing that made any sense. Sleep.

Chapter Eighteen

Three weeks! Three damn weeks and Liam was still avoiding her. Meg thought for sure when she went back to work the Monday after Dale was caught that she would see him there and remind him of what he was missing. She certainly hadn’t worn the skimpy black number to impress her brothers. But in the end, it hadn’t really mattered. His desk was clear, as well as his locker. Liam had gone to work for Finn.

Not that she was all that surprised. Having Finn come out and save the day had meant something. He hadn’t just saved their lives. He was someone that Liam could count on. It was what he had been missing all along.

Meg sighed as she finished up her waffle.

Her mother walked by and patted her arm. Meg noticed she had been doing that more over the last few weeks. She realized she must really be a wreck if her mom was feeling bad for her. It wasn’t that she didn’t care, but her mother wasn’t one to feel sorry for someone who was already doing a fine job of feeling sorry for themselves.

Meg followed her mother’s movements. Harley waited patiently by his bowl. She frowned when her mother tossed him another piece of bacon.

“Mom, you can’t do that,” Meg scolded. “The vet said we need to keep him at a healthy weight, so it’s not harder for him to walk.”

Harley thumped his tail on the floor as her mother stooped to his face. Meg was still getting used to him having only three legs, but he barely seemed to notice.

“I just can’t help it,” her mother said. “He’s just the best boy ever for saving my baby.”

Meg couldn’t but smile. Harley was the new hero in the family. His sacrifice had cemented him as the best dog ever in her family’s book, and she couldn’t really disagree.

“I’ll take him for a walk later,” her father said from the other side of his paper. He put it down and winked at her. “Besides, we’ve got to make sure Healy’s boxer isn’t moving in on his territory.”

“Oh, you think you’re so funny,” her mother said from the sink and tossed a towel at him.

Meg laughed at their antics. It was so nice to see the love was still there after all these years.

She had been a little surprised when her father didn’t have much to say about Liam, but it had never really been in his nature to butt in. The fact that he said anything to begin with was almost strange.

He placed the paper on the table and looked to his wife.

“Any word from Mason?” he asked her.

Meg frowned. She had been so busy with all the crazy in her life, she hadn’t even thought to ask about her cousin.

“How is he?” she asked and bit into her waffle.

The look her parents exchanged said it wasn’t good.

“Sarah left,” her mother said.

Anger coursed through her.

“Where did she go?” Meg asked.

“L.A.,” her father said. “Said she got a good chance out there.”

“But what about Tommy and Lucy? Did she just forget she had children?” The metal of her fork bit into her fingers as she clenched it in her hand. “And how is Mason supposed to take care of them on his salary?”

Meg shook her head. This was a bad situation.

If the rattle of the dishes in the sink were any indication, her mother felt much the same way.

“She said she’d send a check when she got paid,” her father said and sighed. “I think he’s going to have to get a lawyer to get any money out of her.”

Her mother huffed.

“He wouldn’t have to if she just took care of business,” she said.

Meg froze.

“What did you say?” Meg said to her mother.

Her mother turned to her, face red with anger. She dripped soapy water around the floor in front of her.

“Paying for your children is just part of life,” she said and turned back to the dishes.

Meg jumped up from the table. Her plate clattered as she banged her leg.

“That’s it!” she said excitedly.

Meg ran over to her mother and hugged her hard.

“You are amazing,” she said to her bewildered mother. “I’ve got to go.” She dashed over to the hook to grab her purse.

“What the hell has gotten into you?” her mother asked. She watched as Meg slipped on her shoes.

“I’m really sorry about Mason,” she said. “But I’ve got a hunch.”

She grinned at them both before heading out the door.

“I’ll call later,” she shouted as she ran to her car.

Once in her vehicle, Meg pulled out her phone. She scrolled along until she found the number she needed and hit dial.

“Meg,” Alyssa answered. “I’m so glad to hear from you.”

“You too!” Meg said excitedly. “Listen, I hate to do this, but I need Finn to do me a favor.”

Alyssa laughed. “You know he’s not much a favor kind of guy.”

Meg grinned. “He’ll want to this time. Can I talk to him?”

Meg listened as Alyssa spoke to Finn.

“This had better be good,” Finn said to her over the phone.