Apartment 2B (11 page)

“So you were just going to fucking leave without telling me?” I screech as I slam
the refrigerator door shut.

“Sid, please, let me explain,” he stutters in response.

I don’t want his halfhearted explanations. Between the wine and this newfound revelation,
I want to vomit. Since the apartment is set up exactly like mine, I hurry toward the
bathroom, feeling like I might be sick. I’ve just made it to the door and have my
hand on the knob when his thunderous voice behinds me halts me.

“Don’t fucking go in there. Get out of my fucking apartment now!” he roars. The sudden
change of mood startles me.

Flipping him off, I rush past him toward his front door and leave his moody ass in
my dust. It isn’t until I’m safely back in my apartment with the window open, gasping
for air, that I realize that he truly is leaving me. He’s also hiding something from
me. I’ve always felt it underneath every spoken word from him.

For the first time in days, my skin breaks out in the burning itch that can only be
quelled by an icy-cold shower. My tears completely blur my vision, but I somehow manage
to make it to the bathroom. I strip out of my dress and turn on the shower. Once I
step into the chilly water, my body quiets but my mind does not. How could he leave
without telling me? Why would he get close to me when he knew he wouldn’t be staying?
I am beyond hurt. I am devastated.

When my toes started to go numb, I shut off the shower and grab my towel to dry off.
When I go to hang it back on the hook, he enters the bathroom. His large frame takes
up the doorway, effectively trapping me in the bathroom. I can’t help the shiver that
courses through my body as his eyes peruse every curve of my naked flesh.

Sad eyes make their way back up to mine, and I’m angry with him.

“Get out of my apartment,” I order coldly. Attempting to push past him, I halt my
efforts when I realize that he doesn’t plan on moving and I will have to physically
move him, which I won’t do.

He crosses his arms and pins me with his stare. “No, I will not leave.”

“Too late,” I spit at him. He’s practically all packed up and ready to go as it is.

“Sid, you’re being unreasonable. Please, let’s enjoy our last night together. Please,”
he begs sadly. My heart is pounding so furiously in my chest that I fear it might
explode.

A sob escapes me. “Our last night?” I choke out. “Why, Liam? How could you do this
to me? You know I am not mentally stable. I told you everything. How could you not
tell me our time would be cut short? Were you planning on leaving without saying goodbye?”

I’m crying uncontrollably now at the thought of losing the person I’m closest to.
The only person I’ve ever been this close with.

“Sidney, I’m sorry. I promise I didn’t mean for it to go down this way. Please, let’s
just spend our last night together enjoying each other’s presence. I know you don’t
understand, but I need this.”

“Huh,” I huff out. “So, because you need this, I should just put it behind me that
you are leaving me so we can hang out?”

“You don’t understand. I have to leave. It’s not my choice.”

My mind reverts back to his bathroom. Drugs?

“Are you going to rehab? Were you hiding drugs in your bathroom? Liam, it will be
okay. We can work past this. I can wait for you while you help yourself.”

He grins at me, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. Stepping toward me, he tugs a strand
of wet hair. His close proximity to my naked body sends a thrill down my spine. When
he dips down to blow on the flesh of my neck just below my ear, my lower body begins
the familiar throbbing. For him.

“You’re so beautiful, and I am going to miss the hell out of you. I’ll never stop
thinking about you. Ever.”

My body responds to his voice with a shudder. His chuckle warms me to my core.

“Sidney, go lie down on the bed. I want to see your face when you orgasm one last
time. It’s a beautiful sight to see. A sight I want to commit to memory.”

He steps away and exits the bathroom. I take a moment to catch my breath and hurry
to my bedroom. Sprawled out on the bed, looking sexy as hell in his body-hugging jeans
and tight black shirt, he nods to my side of the bed. Shakily, I make my way over
to it and stretch out on top of the sheets.

“You don’t need me, Sid. You’ve grown so strong since I’ve known you. Your past doesn’t
have to always define you. I see a bright, happy future for you,” he whispers sadly
as he rolls over on his side to look at me.

“But I’m happy now. I don’t want you to leave me,” I barely choke out.

“I know, but I have to go. I’m becoming toxic to you. You’ve come so far. You don’t
need me holding you back from growing into the person you were born to be.”

“No, Liam. You’re wrong. I’m alive when I’m with you.” A sob escapes me, and I cry
for a few moments while he watches me, appearing to memorize every feature of my face.

“I enable you, Sid. We’ve never left this building. Tina enables you too for that
matter. You need to get out and experience the world. It won’t happen as long as I’m
around. My leaving will be the best thing for you.”

I’m shaking my head no, but I can see the finality of his words written all over his
face. So it’s my turn to memorize his face. His chocolate-brown eyes are sad but convinced.

“But I’ll miss you so much,” I squeak out.

He grins down at me and tugs a strand of my hair. “I’ll miss you too, Sid. So fucking
much. You’ll be all I’ll ever think about.”

His words confuse me. If he’ll miss me so much, why will he leave me? Before I can
obsess any more over the inevitable loss that will surely break me, he blows a cold
breath on my nipple. My body instantly reacts, and I feel my lower region come to
life.

“Sweet girl, are you going to touch yourself?” he croons as he continues his insanely
sexy blowing across my belly.

I gasp but nod as my hand slips down between my legs.

“That’s it, beautiful. Put your finger on your clit. Pretend it’s my tongue.”

My finger grazes across my hot button and I jerk in pleasure. I continue to massage
it softly, waiting for his next instructions.

“Your breathing has sped up. Does it feel good?”

Again, I just nod and bite my lip.

“It would feel more like my tongue if your finger was wet. Are you wet inside for
me, Sid?”

Silently, I move the finger down and slip it inside. I’m definitely wet for him. Driving
it in a couple of times, I pull it back out and stroke my clit again. A moan escapes
me. Closing my eyes, I imagine his beautiful face between my legs. His perfect brown
eyes looking up at me as he kisses my most sensitive body part with his tongue. The
thought alone is almost my undoing. Cold breath blows across my neck, and I shiver
as I get closer to my orgasm. My body is starting to tense up in preparation.

“Continue stroking your clit, baby. But now I want you to take your other hand and
use it to help you come. Can you put a finger inside of yourself with your other hand?”

I do as I’m told and groan at the sensation.

“That’s it. Slip another one in.”

Slipping another one inside, I moan as my body stretches to fit two fingers.

“Does that feel good?” he asks, whispering into my neck. All of the sensations are
too much, and I’m close to having my orgasm.

“Yes, it feels so good. I wish it were you, Liam,” I admit sadly.

“Shhh, I know. We’re pretending though. Curl your fingers that are inside of you.
Do you feel it? Your g-spot? You might have to reach to find it.” His instructions
are spot on, because my longer finger grazes something that sends delicious fire throughout
my body.

“Oh,” I moan out as I look for it again. A couple more swipes and I’m shuddering as
I come. My pussy clenches around my two fingers. I can’t keep up the massaging of
my clit, so I just ride out the rest of my orgasm with my fingers inside me. When
the aftershocks finally stop, I pull my fingers out and open my eyes.

He’s staring at me with a mixture of many emotions passing over his face. In this
moment, I am overcome by the lonely look on his face. It is times like these that
I wish I could just grab ahold of him and never let go.

“I love you,” he says softly. His gaze falls to my lips.

“I love you too,” I answer back and lick my lips. Right now, I want to kiss him but
am afraid.

When he leans forward, I flutter my eyes closed and brace for something I’m both hopeful
for and afraid of.

With the softest pressure, I feel his cool lips graze across my own. My heart beats
wildly as I relish in this moment. For some reason, I feared that it would be awful,
but it feels quite perfect. He pulls away, and I immediately open my eyes to gaze
at him. The expression in his eyes now is one of resignation. It makes my heart ache
so badly.

The wine is catching up with me, and I fight to keep my eyes open. When Liam’s hand
reaches up and strokes my hair, I lose all control and drift off to sleep.

I wake up to the heartwarming memory of Liam’s lips brushing against mine. It was
wonderful and my heart skips happily until I open my eyes. Flipping over, I realize
that he’s not in my bed.
No.

I burst from my bed and yank a dirty dress from the floor over my head. Not bothering
with shoes, I run to the front door and fling it open. The hallway is empty, so I
hurry over to Liam’s door and pound on it.

“Liam, let me in!” I shout through the door. Stopping for a moment, I listen for movement.
When I don’t hear a sound, I sob and bang the door once more in frustration. “Why
did you leave me?” I cry out to him, knowing that he’s already left.

My body collapses and I land hard on my bottom. I’m not sure how long I sit on the
floor staring at his door and crying, but when the hallway starts to grow dark, I
know it’s been most of the day. A grumble in my stomach curses me for not having eaten
all day. Defeated, I drag myself to my feet and stumble back to my apartment.

Skipping the kitchen, I walk back to my bed and heave myself into it. My cries echo
loudly through the room as I deal with losing my Liam. I can still smell his woodsy,
minty scent on my pillow. Pulling it to me, I inhale it as I picture his perfect brown
eyes. I already miss him so much. It just doesn’t make sense. Drifting off, I conjure
up memories of the night before and our simple goodbye kiss. I want to freeze that
moment and live in it forever.

“Sidney?” a sweet voice pulls me from my slumber. I blink my eyes open to see Tina
standing beside my bed with a very worried look painted on her face.

I close my eyes again and drag the pillow back over my face. When it is jerked from
me, I sit up angrily.

“What are you doing here, Tina? Go away,” I spit at her. She just rolls her eyes and
walks over to the window, opening the blinds. The sun has me reaching for another
pillow to cover my face with.

“Oh no you don’t,” she says, snatching away that pillow as well. My patience with
her is wearing thin.

“Tina, what is your problem? Why are you even here on a Sunday morning?”

She stares at me, openmouthed. I can see the counselor in her take over, squashing
my friend.

“Sweetie, it’s Monday and four in the afternoon. Donna called me when you didn’t show
up to work. We figured you might be having an episode or something, so I told her
I would check on you this afternoon. What’s going on?” The concern in her voice releases
the grief I have been trying to sleep away, and a loud wail leaves my body.

“He left,” I somehow manage to choke out between sobs.

“Oh, Sid. For how long? Where did he go?” She may not have met him, but she knows
how much he meant to me.

“I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me. I caught him packing up his apartment. I’m not
sure he was ever planning on telling me.” My voice is but a whisper.

“I’m so sorry.”

“We kissed last night. It was perfect. Now he’s gone. I can’t handle this, Tina. I’m
not strong enough for this.”