Taken (16 page)

             
I look up and gaze at the millions of stars twinkling over head. Oh yes, this is a place people dream of growing old in. There are no neighbors for miles and the silence is peaceful, calming.

             
It wasn't until we pulled up outside the gated property that Liam told me where we were. The Florida Keys. A place I have always wanted to go and until now, had never been. Looks like I can scratch number twenty three off my bucket list. If Liam keeps this up I will have done everything I've ever wanted to do in the matter of six months. He has already crossed off a quarter of my list without even knowing it.

             
I turn my gaze from the sky back to Liam, who is grilling steaks to my right. He senses my eyes on him and looks up, giving me a sweet smile before turning his attention back to the meat.

             
It feels so natural, so normal, to be here with him like this. He seems so carefree and happy and that alone is enough to send me into an elated state where for just once, life feels perfect. Tucked away in our little bubble, just him and I. It's like our own little private heaven.

****

             
Two hours later we sit hand in hand on the beach. It's well after midnight and the tide is now coming in to cover half of the white sanded beach, the water lapping at our feet before being sucked back into the ocean.

             
“Tell me about this place.” I say, my voice breaking the silence that has stretched between us for the past few minutes. It's been an peaceful silence, one where no words are really needed. Just the two of us enjoying one and another's company. He tilts his head to the side, his eyes meeting mine.

             
My stomach flurries with butterflies when he releases my hand to wrap one of the blankets we had brought with us around my shoulders, his hand lingering a second longer than it needs to on the back of my neck causing an involuntary shiver to run down my spine. He puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me to him. I nuzzle into his neck, breathing in his scent that now mixes with the smell of the sea. It's an intoxicating combination and one that has my body craving to have his hands on me.

             
“I had to have been around five. It was the last summer I spent with my parents before moving to Italy. My mom didn't bring the nanny like she normally would and I remember feeling like we were a normal family for the first time. My dad took me out sailing one day and even though I was too little to really help, he let me try. Mom laid on the beach during the day and then at night we all three would sit out here and watch the waves, look at the stars. Looking back now I think it was because they knew I would be leaving. I think they had known that me going to live with my grandparents was a long time coming. I don't know what made them do it. What made them want to give me one perfect week with the family I so desperately craved  just before giving me away like I meant nothing.” His eyes stay on the ocean but I can tell that he's lost to the memory. His voice fades out and stretches into silence.

             
“Whatever their reasoning.” He continues after a few long seconds. “I'm grateful that they at least gave me that. I just wish they could have seen that they didn't have to be perfect all the time. That I loved them and even a little attention from time to time would have been enough for me. I guess I wasn't worth the effort.” He says, turning his face to find my eyes. My heart sinks at the sorrow written all over his beautiful face. I can't imagine what it must feel like to know that the two people who are supposed to love you more than anything else in the world would just give you away. It breaks my heart for him.

             
“Have you ever thought about reaching out to them? Time changes people. I'm not saying that you would be one big happy family but maybe it's not too late for you to know them. For them to be a part of your life.” As I say the words, I see his mask slip into place. His eyes darken and he's no longer looking at me but past me.

             
“That's not possible.” He says, letting his arm drop from my shoulder. He picks up a handful of sand in front of him and then opens his fingers, watching it fall piece by piece back to the earth.

             
“Have you tried?” I ask.

             
“There's no point Addison.” His voice is clipped. “Some things just can't be fixed. I can't change the past, no matter how much I wish I could. I lost any chance of having a real family the moment.....” He trails off, not finishing his sentence.

             
“The moment what?” The question rolls off my lips before I can take it back. I can tell by the look in his eyes, the way he's avoiding my gaze, that there's no chance in hell I am going to get an answer to that question.

             
“It doesn't matter now.” He breathes out, finally finding my eyes again. “All I can do now is look to the future. There's no point in living in the past.”

             
“And what do you see, when you look to the future. Where do you see yourself ending up in five years, ten years down the road?” I ask because I really want to know. I want to know everything about this man, everything.

             
“I see you.” His words come out low and are almost lost in the breeze but I catch them. His eyes burn dark, closing in on mine. I can't move, can't breathe. He brushes his lips across mine as gentle as a whisper.

             
“I love you.” The words roll off my tongue before I can stop them. I am so lost in the moment, in our paradise. Everything feels so right and while I had no intention of telling him, it's something I have known for weeks.

             
He lets out a long breath, like he's been holding it for extremely too long and then I can feel the smile on his lips. “Say it again.” He whispers against my mouth.

             
“I love you.” I say again, my eyes not losing his. His lips crash down on mine in a heat of passion that has my entire body a pool of desire in two seconds flat.

             
Liam lays me back on the blanket we're sitting on, his lips never leaving mine. His kisses are demanding but gentler than usual. He takes his time, caressing my entire mouth, running his tongue across my lower lip, nipping at the flesh along my jaw.

             
Every inch of my skin is on fire, despite the cool breeze coming in off the water. I arch into Liam's touch, wanting to feel every inch of his body pressed against mine.

             
Within minutes, we are a tangled mess of naked bodies, water and sand. Liam moves in and out of my body at a tortuously slow pace, slowly climbing both of us up in a sensual dance that has my entire body shaking beneath him.

             
He hovers over me, his eyes burning into mine to the point that I feel like he can see into my soul. The feeling both excites and scares me. I have never felt so vulnerable before. All my thoughts, fears and dreams on display. This man owns me. He owns my body, he owns my heart. He has taken me to places I never even knew I wanted to go. Showed my body things I never knew existed. And in this moment, he is showing me just how passionate and tender love making can be.

             
I've never felt anything like it. His slow thrusts keep me dangling on the edge. I build and build until I feel like I'm going to break apart and then he will stop, take my mouth in his and shower my face in kisses before his movements begin again and the climb starts all over.

             
I want to scream in frustration. My body begging for release but I stay quiet. For as much as my body craves the release, my mind and my heart are perfectly content staying just like this forever.

             
The minutes blend together and I have no sense of how much time passes. It isn't until we are both shaking and drawn so tight that I feel like my skin is going to split open, that Liam finally pushes us over the edge. Both of us climaxing together. Our moans of release carried away by the wind and the waves.

             
He rests his body on top of mine. I can feel the twitching of his muscles, his heart beating rapidly against my chest. He pulls his face up to look at me.

             
“I love you.” He whispers across my lips. The way he says it, the way he's looking at me, the sight of him like this, literally takes my breath away. Right here, in this moment, I feel like the most adored woman in the world. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life making him feel the way he's making me feel right now. I want to love him for the rest of our lives. I want to give him a family of his own, one that is full of love and laughter. I want to give him everything, all of me, all I have to give. He is my forever, any doubts I had about that fact have been washed away with the water that is now lapping around us.

Chapter Twenty-Six

             
Monday drags on and on with no end in sight. Liam dropped me off at my apartment just after eleven last night. As much as I wanted to stay with him, I insisted he take me home. I worry that I am getting too lost in him to see anything else and I don't want to lose myself the way I have in the past.

             
Of course Kristina kept me up half the night insisting that I tell her every single detail of our weekend away. And Dana took me to lunch where I had to retell the story again. Every time I talk about it, it seems more and more like some magical dream. I mean, things like this don't happen to average people like me, they just can't. And yet it is happening and everyday I wake up wondering if I'm living in a dream world.

             
By the end of the day I'm exhausted but instead of going home, I head to
Bella Vita
. I need to see Liam so badly. Like there is a void of blackness in his absence and I just can't quite stomach it.

             
There's a middle aged man that I don't recognize at the front desk but he doesn't hesitate to tell me that Liam is still in the office when I approach him. Hoping he's not in the middle of something important, I head for the executive offices. I have a smile on my face as I step off the elevator. I have been on  permanent cloud nine since Friday night and nothing, not even Michelle's death glares, could sour my mood.

             
The reception desk that was empty the last time I was here, is now manned by a woman who looks like she could be the cover girl on a beauty magazine. Her long dark hair is braided to the side and she's dressed in a dark blue halter dress that really accents her dark eyes. When she opens her mouth to speak, I think I die a little on the inside. This girl is beyond beautiful. I try to ignore the green monster tapping on my shoulder and remind myself that Liam doesn't get involved with his employees. Though given how damn beautiful they all are, I am starting to wonder why.

             
As soon as I tell her who I am, her smile becomes brighter. “Addison, it's so nice to finally meet you. Maggie has told me all about you.” She says, standing to take my hand. She's about my height but has a body I have only ever dreamed of having. Once again, I try to push the jealousy aside.

             
“Mr. Mason is just finishing up a call. If you want, you can let Maggie know you're here and she will let you know as soon as he's finished.” She says, pointing towards the large wooden door to my right.

             
I thank her and make my way through the door and down the hall. I spot Maggie immediately, typing away on her laptop like a lunatic. Her eyes light up when she sees me. “Addison! It's so good to see you again.” She sings, standing to her feet to wrap me in a hug.

             
The moment is awkward and I'm a little taken aback that she feels like we are on hugging terms but I try not to think too much of it. I'm glad that Liam's assistant likes me, considering I plan on being around for a very long time.

             
“He's just finished so you can go on in.” She says, releasing me and stepping back behind her desk. I thank her and push my way into Liam's office. The curtains are drawn and the space is dark. The only light in the room provided by the wall of televisions to my right.

             
I spot Liam immediately. He's sitting behind his desk, his head in his hands. He doesn't look up at me until I am standing directly in front of his desk and when he does my stomach sinks. His eyes are dark and he looks upset, though I obviously have no idea why.

             
“Sorry to bother you.” I say, feeling like an intruder at this moment. “Um, are you okay?” I ask.

             
“Fine.” He clips, not giving me any other explanation. He runs his hand through his hair and lets out a loud sigh.

             
“I didn't mean to disturb you.” My words sound forced and out of place but honestly that's how I feel. “I thought maybe you would like to join me for dinner.”

             
He fidgets with a piece of paper on his desk, his eyes not meeting mine. “I can't. I have some things to take care of.” He says, still not looking at me.

             
“Um, okay. No problem.” I try to keep my voice light, though I feel like I've just been punched in the stomach. This is not the Liam I just spent an amazing weekend with. He's withdrawn and dark. An involuntary shiver runs through me though there is no chill in the air.

             
“Will I see you tomorrow?” I ask, my hands twisting the bottom of my silk top. I don't know what's going on but the fact that he is so clearly shutting me out feels like a knife to my heart.

             
“I don't know. I have a lot of work to do.” He says, his voice once again clipped. His answer causes my insides to seize up. Did I do something wrong? Did I misread all the signs? Is he tiring of me?

             
“Liam.” I say finding my courage. “You can talk to me you know? If something is bothering you.”

             
“It's nothing Addison. Go home. I'm sure you have better things you could be doing tonight.” His words are cold and a chill runs through my blood.

             
“Liam. Look at me.” I demand, pressing my palms against the back of his desk and leaning forward. He hesitates but then finally his eyes meet mine. His mask is firmly in place and I know without a doubt that I am getting no where with him right now but I say my peace anyways.

             
“I don't know what has happened or why you are treating me like this but know this. When you love someone, when someone loves you the way that I do, that means you can tell them anything. I won't push you but if you want to talk, you know where to find me.” With that, I spin around and quickly exit his office.

             
I speed past Maggie without a word and all but sprint to the elevator. I can't get out of here fast enough. I can feel the tears welling in  my eyes but I force them back down. He's just having a bad day, I tell myself, though I don't believe my own words.

             
Liam has never spoken to me like that. He's never looked at me like that either. Something is very wrong and it takes every bit of will power I can muster not to panic. I make it to my car before the tears start to fall. I don't know what happened. Last night when he dropped me off everything was perfect. Today, it was like we were complete strangers.

             
I feel like I'm suffering from a severe case of whip lash and my mind can't quite keep up. I peel out of the parking lot and speed the whole way home, tears clouding my vision. I don't take the time to calm myself before going inside like I normally would. Instead, I slam my car door and sprint into my apartment.

             
Kristina jumps off the couch the moment she catches sight of me. Horror and confusion written so clearly across her face. “Addison. Honey, what's wrong?” She asks, meeting me at the door and wrapping her arm around my shoulder. She leads me to the couch and takes a seat next to me.

             
“I fucking hate him.” I spew, even though we both know that's not the truth.

             
“What happened?” She asks again. Clearly caught off guard by the sight of me. I'm a complete mess. My face is tear stained, my eyes swollen. My make up is nearly gone and what's still in tact is streaking down my face.

             
I recount the entire thing to her. Only after I am done does my crying start to subside. Kristina grabs the ice cream from the freezer before rejoining me on the couch, only tonight I don't want it. The thought of eating makes me want to throw up.

             
It's not like anything super bad happened but I just can't shake the dread that has burrowed it's way deep into my bones. Something changed in the matter of one day and whatever it is, I'm scared. No, I'm terrified. I feel like this is the beginning of the end and for the life of me, I can't figure out why.