Liam

Late into Monday afternoon, I sit behind my desk in the corner office, gazing out at the bustling downtown core through my window. The longer I’ve sat here today, the more my muscles twitch with the need to run and fetch Aria. It’s been twenty-four hours since I last pressed my lips to hers, and those hours have been long and brutal.

Before this weekend, I’d been convinced that not fulfilling the lust I endured with her had been torture. I was wrong. When I walked away from her yesterday at the park, it had been the hardest thing I’ve ever done as a man, and quite possibly will ever have to do.

For three days, my life had meaning. Her.

Now without her, I’m spiraling out of control, drowning in the darkness, unable to fully get air into my lungs. It’s hard to remember what it felt like to not touch her. Everything seemed so natural, so easy. I want that. I want her.

For what has felt like hours, I’ve been stuck, staring at the high-rise housing Keller LLC, where Aria is working this morning. I’ve recounted all the reasons I shouldn’t go to her, and then I’ve reminded myself of them again. Repeatedly. On one hand, my arms ache to possessively take her in close declaring that she’s mine. On the other hand, I know that I cannot make this decision for her. This isn’t a game. This isn’t about winning. I want her to choose to be mine.

I suppose that’s why I can’t seem to move, sitting here wishing my reality was different. She hasn’t come to me. She’s picked Jackson. And now the red-hot anger blistering my blood toward Jackson isn’t about his betrayal with Sophia. It’s about the way he’s poisoned Aria’s mind against me and the power he has over her. Power that shouldn’t belong to him. Power that I want to shift to me.

“Today is a very good day.”

At the low gravelly voice filling my office, I turn in my swivel chair to face the doorway, finding Thomas Henry, Maxwell LLC’s COO, and my right-hand man, entering the room. He’s a strong man, both in looks and in character. He’s thick around the middle, salt and pepper on top, and his dark blue eyes shine with the wisdom of the killer negotiator and savvy businessman that he is. “You’ve come with good news on the Bakker deal, I take it?”

“Excellent news, indeed.” Thomas smiles, his teeth stained from coffee and cigars. He opens his suit jacket and sits in the brown leather chair in front of my desk. “Bakker’s team, including Bakker himself, is coming in within the hour to negotiate some of the terms, but from what I hear it’s nitpicky stuff that shouldn’t give us too much of a problem.”

The little stuff went hand in hand with negotiations, and I’m not concerned. “Good. Norcross will be pleased.” And pleasing the clients pleased me, but I wasn’t alone in handling this deal. I lean back in my seat, stretching out my legs. “I appreciate you taking over control of this while I was gone this weekend.”

“Ha! What did I do?” Thomas quips, crossing an ankle over his knee, arms draped on the armrests. “You’re the magic behind this deal, Liam. And from what I hear, Bakker took your offer over the Pioneer Group’s solely based on the fact that we focused on the employees of the company. That was all you. I had no part in that.”

“It was a fifty-fifty shot,” I admit, knowing how risky the move had been.

Thomas agrees with a nod. “And yet it worked. Another game won.”

That’s the part of corporate law I enjoy. The high. Even now, I sense the adrenaline pulsing through my veins, knowing that Norcross is likely celebrating their win. This deal puts Maxwell LLC into the forefront of corporate lawyers, and I’m proud of that.

Though the heaviness in my chest is overshadowing the high. I scan the law books behind Thomas, so much history, so much knowledge. I win. I don’t lose. And if I do, I go down fighting hard. Even with all that I know, all that I am, I can’t figure out how to make Aria choose me over Jackson. Yesterday, I was sure being honest with her would force her to see Jackson for the shithead he is. I’d never hated being wrong this much before.

Refusing to allow my mood to ruin Thomas’s excitement, I bring my thoughts back to task, asking Thomas, “Have you called in Norcross to attend the meeting as well?”

He cocks his head, eyes inquisitive. “Do you think that’s necessary?”

I nod without pause. “Considering how important the personal touch seems to be to Bakker, yes, I think it’s not only important but necessary.” For me, no deal is done until the signatures are dry on the paper. “Bakker can still change his mind,” I remind Thomas. “Let’s not give him a reason to.” I draw in a long breath and consider the next steps before adding, “Perhaps ask Eric”—the CEO of Norcross—“to bring his children, too. They don’t need to come into the meeting but having them in the office will only feed Bakker’s love of family.”

Thomas rises from his chair. “Consider it done.”

I nod and smile in thanks then turn in my chair again. My gaze falls to the high-rise once more, my thoughts returning to Aria just that easily. I understand people, it’s why I’m good at what I do. But Aria, she’s the one person I can’t read. I like that. She’s a challenge. I also hate it, and I feel like I’m staring at a solid brick wall that I can’t break through.

“Has there been any word from Keller?”

I jerk my head to the doorway, surprised that Thomas hadn’t left yet. “No, why would there be?” Jackson is the last person I want to hear from.

Thomas shoves his hands into his pockets and studies me intently before he shakes off his obvious shock. “Ah, I’m sorry, I thought you heard. Keller represented the Pioneer Group.”

The Pioneer Group, a powerful and wealthy company, had been the leading contender on this deal—until I snuck in and stole it out from under them, of course. “What do you mean Jackson represented them?” As far as I knew, they were represented by the lawyers of Clark and Sacks.

“From what I heard this afternoon, I guess a few days ago, Pioneer decided Clark wasn’t doing a good enough job and canned him. Keller took over the deal, choosing not to tell any of us he represented the clients until this morning. Perhaps that was Jackson’s strategy.”

I snort. “If we thought we were up against some small-time firm we’d go easier on the deal.” Sounds like something smart and dirty Jackson would do. “It’s not a bad strategy.”

“Perhaps not.” Thomas grins. “Lucky for us it didn’t work.”

I nod in agreement but I’m lost in my thoughts, unable to speak. I absorb what Thomas has told me, the world slowing around me.

Jackson was on the other side of this deal. Aria had to know that. Sure, I could focus on the fact that she never told me when I mentioned the deal to her. I also don’t give two fucks about that.

However, there is something I do care about.

Over breakfast on Saturday with Aria, I had unknowingly given Aria the information she needed to close the Bakker deal for Jackson. She knew what we were going in with. She could have used that to her advantage to get Jackson the deal. “A quick thing before you go,” I say to Thomas, hands pressed flat against my desk. “Do you know the stipulations of Keller’s offer?”

“A cash deal,” Thomas reports. “Half a million more than our deal.”

“Nothing about employees?”

Thomas shakes his head. “Not that I’m aware of. That was your secret arsenal and damn, didn’t it work nicely.”

It did but I’m not thinking about Bakker right now in all this. Or Jackson. Aria, she’s all I’m thinking about.

Thomas slaps the doorframe. “I’ll get on the phone with Norcross now and get them in for the meeting.”

“Excellent. Thank you, Thomas.”

I watch him stride down the hallway through the glass walls, and glance at Mallory’s desk. She’s got her head down, focused on whatever task she’s doing. While I’ve never discussed Aria with Mallory, I almost wish I did now. She knows Aria better than anyone, and I don’t want to overstep. I don’t want to force her like Jackson had poisoned her. But I don’t want to put Mallory in that position either. She’s already being quiet with me today, telling me that Aria filled Mallory in on all that transpired this weekend. Perhaps Aria even shared her feelings, though I suspect she kept what Jackson had done a secret. Aria’s too loyal to share something so private about someone else.

Conflicted about what to do next, I rise from my seat and move to the bank of windows, staring off in the distance at the mountains. When I returned from Santa Monica, the world seemed different, changed now that I’d experienced what life with Aria would be like.

I didn’t want to choose for her.

I wanted her to come to me.

The thing is, I’m done waiting.

Aria

Later that evening, after quite possibly the longest day of work that I’ve ever had to endure, I’m doing what any normal woman does when life is in the crapper. I’ve got mindless television on and a large bowl of potato chips in my hands. I haven’t even made a dent into the mound of deliciousness when my doorbell rings. I’m off my couch in an instant, whisking the front door open not a second later, still holding my bowl of chips, expecting to find Jackson.

That’s not who I find.

Dressed in his fine black tailored suit with a dark red tie, Liam’s gaze roams my face, a frown marring his. “You’ve been crying.”

It’s a statement, not a question, and Liam is obviously not happy about my tears.

My head hurts too much to take the road of gentleness. “Why are you here?” I ask bluntly.

Liam’s eyes widen, seemingly I’m surprising him. Soon enough calmness and confidence replaces the shock. “Your loyalty has shifted to me.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “Did you honestly think I wouldn’t come for you when I heard Jackson represented the Pioneer Group?”

“Of course, I knew you’d come,” I whisper, emotion clawing at my throat. Because maybe I want that. Maybe I don’t want to be alone anymore. “But just because I made that choice doesn’t mean I have to feel good about it. And I don’t.”

Liam’s brows draw together, expression thoughtful, while he keeps a careful distance, studying me intently. “So, is that what’s upsetting you? You feel guilty?”

I know he wants to understand. Hell, even I want to understand everything that happened today but my mind is spinning, the world unsteady beneath my feet. “If only it was that simple,” I say to the both of us.

Liam exhales a heavy breath, softening his expression. “Aria, do not go through all this alone. You don’t have to. I’m here. Tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll do whatever I can to help fix it.”

I don’t know if it’s what he said, the strength and meaning behind his words, or how he looks at me, like he’d run through flames for me, that hits me straight in the heart, but that’s exactly what happens. He’s what I need. I draw in a deep breath then suddenly everything I’ve been holding in all day comes out in a blubbering mess. “Everything is all fucked up.”

I’m standing there alone and then I’m not, wrapped in his powerful arms, the woodsy scent of his cologne a comforting aroma, his arms the perfect strength I need. “Tell me what’s happened,” he says, gently soothing his hand across my back.

I press my face against his dress shirt, warm tears flooding my cheeks. “Jackson is really pissed off.”

Liam keeps an arm around me, shutting the door then moving us to the couch. We lower together against the cushion. My head on his shoulder, he wraps an arm around me. “Now what’s this about Jackson? Did you talk to him and he got upset?”

I get the feeling that if Jackson had been angry with me, Liam would handle him. “No, in fact, it was the exact opposite,” I correct, grabbing a tissue off the coffee table and wiping my nose. “Jackson showed up at work this morning, found out we lost the merger to you then left, without saying a single word to me. And he wouldn’t answer any of my calls or texts.”

“That doesn’t sound like Jackson,” Liam says, his finger slowly trailing over my shoulder, brows drawn. “He’s not the type of man who runs from anything.”

I agree with a nod. “It doesn’t make sense,” I say. “We’d come to an understanding about the weekend date before I left, and he seemed to accept it.” I pause, trying again to think this through, like I’d been trying to since the second I realized he walked out the door without speaking to me. “The only thing I can think of is that he knows that you told me about Sophia and maybe he doesn’t want to face that truth, but how would he know that?”

One eyebrow arches. “Believe me, he knows that I would tell you at some point this weekend. Jackson is not stupid. I can only imagine he’s aware that once I had you, I would refuse to let you go, including telling you about the real guy he is.”

I sigh, believing that to be the truth. “God, what is he thinking now?” My heart clenches, throat tightens. “He must believe I think the very worst of him.”

Liam’s brows arch higher. “You don’t?”

He’s not upset, I can tell. He is curious, however, so I set to explaining. “What Jackson did to you was wrong. So wrong.” I pause and add gently, “But he did that to you, Liam, not to me. And it happened a really long time ago.” I draw in a long breath collecting my thoughts before continuing. “I’ve made quite a few mistakes in my life. I can’t judge him for making a mistake, no matter how terrible it was. Jackson has been nothing but supportive, loving, and kind to me. The thought that he’s alone somewhere, hurting, thinking that I hate him breaks me.”

Liam stays silent, obviously assessing me. He eventually asks, “You really care about him, don’t you?”

I nod, tears on my face. “I love him.”

Liam’s gaze flicks up to the coffered ceiling a moment, his jaw muscles clenching and unclenching before he gives the longest sigh I’ve ever heard. “We’ll make this work,” he says, returning that potent stare on me.

I blink. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that I will make peace with Jackson,” he states. “I will do whatever I can to ensure that Jackson is not angry at you, and I will forgive him, putting the matter to bed once and for all.”

My eyes go wide. I can’t help it. “You. Will. Forgive. Him?” I’m not sure I ever could.

“For you, yes.” He tucks a finger under my chin, commanding all my attention. “Though don’t forget, I will do this only for you because as much as I want you to be with me, I also want you to be happy.”

I want to believe him. God, do I want to, but life isn’t that easy. “While that paints a pretty picture, how will that work? If I go out for dinner with Jackson sometimes, will you honestly be okay with that?”

“Yes.”

I snort and shake my head softly. “I don’t believe you. I know you want to believe that, but the hatred you two feel is nothing I’ve ever seen in anyone before. You can’t simply get over that from one weekend.”

Something crosses his expression then. Something intense. Liam shifts on the couch facing me, his hands slide possessively across my face. “I want you, Aria. That’s the endgame here. I refuse to spend another goddamn hour without you. If that means I have to tolerate Jackson and deal with you spending time with him without me, then I will deal with that. That’s on me, my shit to deal with. And I will deal with that.”

“Really?” I ask, my heart hoping that’s true.

“Really.” He leans forward, his mouth moving closer to mine. “Tell me what I need to hear, Aria.”

There are things I know he wants to hear. But I have things of my own to tell him first. “Do you want to know what makes you so unforgettable, Liam?” I ask, slowly dragging my lips across his.

“Yes,” he says gruffly.

“It’s the way you see me.” I flick my tongue across his bottom lip. “I’ve never had anyone look at me the way you look at me.”

His eyes darken, rich lust in their depths. “That’s because you’re the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen.”

I press a soft kiss to his mouth. “I’ve never had anyone want me like you want me. Crave me like you do.”

He nips my bottom lip, the side of his mouth arching. “You drive me crazy.” He tucks his thumb under my chin. “Tell me what I want to hear, Aria.”

“I love you.”

Intensity flashes in his eyes, his hands tight on my face. “I love you, too.” His lips drop to mine then and his kiss is strong but his affection holds a different edge, a softer edge that’s all mine. When he leans away, he whispers against my mouth, “Feels good finally saying that, doesn’t it?”

I laugh softly against his mouth. “It does.”

He wipes the tears from my cheeks. “No more tears, all right? We’ll figure this out.”

That’s when I know I’m staring into my future. I have him. He has me. And somehow, no matter what happens, that means things are going to be okay.

“So, what now?” I ask.

Liam tucks my hair behind my ear and smiles gently. “We’ll talk to Jackson together tomorrow morning and get this matter put to bed.” He grins then, a little devilishly with heat rising into his eyes. “For now, can I take you somewhere I’ve always wanted to take you?”

I grin back. “Where’s that?”

“To my bed.”