I somewhat manage to put what I found on my phone to the back of my mind so I can focus on Liam. I don’t need him knowing anything’s wrong until I figure out a way to deal with the situation. With him. I know that if I mention it, he’s going to want to get involved, but this is my issue, not his or any of the people here who’ve now rescued me more than once. If I’m really going to move on with my life, I need to put an end to everything I left behind.

Waking up in Liam’s arms this morning was the best feeling, and one I think I could get used to very quickly. His smile when he looked down and found me staring back at him totally melted my heart.

“Are they nearly ready?” he asks, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder.

“Yes.” When I announced I wanted waffles, Liam practically dragged me out of bed and together we set about making breakfast. I knew Liam could cook; I’d already experienced his handiwork. He told me when I was here before that his dad’s a chef, but I’m still shocked by how easily he works his way around the kitchen.

The doorbell sounds out around the house, but neither of us make a move to answer it. We’re too content where we are.

“I’ll go, then,” BJ calls out from the living room.

“It’s about time he did something useful,” Liam mutters in my ear, making me laugh.

Liam’s lips land on the sensitive skin of my neck and I forget all about us having potential guests.

“Liv, you have a visitor,” BJ announces after clearing his throat.

Turning in Liam’s arms, I look over his shoulder to find the confused face of none other than my sister, Abbi, and her husband, Jax.

“Oh my god,” I squeal excitedly, detaching myself from Liam and going over to hug her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“Because that would have involved you actually telling me you’d moved! I had to find out from Ryan and Molly, who found out through Susan. Was a phone call to your big sister really too much effort?”

I extend our hug longer than would usually be appropriate just so I don’t have to see the look of disapproval I know is going to be all over her face.

It doesn’t help, because when I do eventually let her go, that look is right there staring back at me.

“We’re going to need coffee,” she says, looking up to Liam like they’re old friends before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the living room.

Glancing back over my shoulder, I see Liam jump into action while Jax stands there, looking totally lost. I was jealous as hell when I first met Jax. The way he looks at my sister… I wanted that. I wanted a guy to look at me with total awe. David certainly never had that look. Liam, though…I see it. The exact same look. Butterflies erupt in my belly at just the thought. That look in his eyes is nothing compared to how his touch affects me.

“Liv?” Abbi asks, dragging me from my Liam haze.

“Huh?”

“I was asking what the hell happened. The last thing I knew, you were happy in Cardiff, shacked up with David.” Of course, that’s what she thought. That’s what I made everyone believe to avoid dragging them into my nightmare.

“Things hadn’t been good between us for a long time, Abs. I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.”

“I can’t really say I’m surprised. He was boring as fuck. Him...on the other hand,” she says, lowering her voice and flicking a look to where Liam’s still working in the kitchen. “He looks like he knows what he’s doing.” She wiggles her eyebrows and my cheeks flame. A smug smile spreads across her face as she nods knowingly.

“Did you two want waffles?” Liam asks, interrupting my sister’s perusal of his body.

“And he cooks? Sis, seriously, where did you find this one?”

I can’t help but laugh as she eagerly agrees to waffles. After a few minutes, plates full of sugary goodness are dropped onto our laps while Liam and Jax make themselves comfortable on the chairs opposite us.

“So,” Abbi mumbles around a mouthful, “care to explain how you ended up here?”

“Some shit went down in Cardiff.” I feel Liam’s eyes burn into me. I know he’s desperate to know the details of that night, but I don’t want to do it to him. It’s going to affect him. I already know he cares about me, and hearing the details is going to make him angry—very angry. “I decided enough was enough, and Nicole had offered me a place to stay a few times, so here was as good as any place to start over.”

Abbi narrows her eyes at me, clearly having a hard time accepting my very vague story. “So you just upped and left one day?”

“Pretty much. I lost my job and had nothing left to stay there for, so…”

“So you came here and shacked up with Liam?”

I cringe at how it sounds. “No…uh…we…”

“I’m not judging, Liv. It just doesn’t sound like you. Why didn’t you go to Mum and Dad’s?”

“Really? If something happened between you and Jax, would our parents’ be the first place you’d run to?” I raise my eyebrow as she considers it, and I can’t help but laugh when her face screws up in disgust.

“Okay, yeah, good point. You could have come to me though, Liv.” I can see the hurt in her eyes, and I do regret not telling her before now but I got swept away with this place and the people here. Mainly the one staring directly at me over the top of his mug, soaking up answers to questions he’s yet to ask.

“I just needed a break, and here seemed perfect. Things had been intense. I just needed peace.”

She nods. I’m fairly certain she’s not buying any of it, but she keeps her mouth shut—for now, at least.

“Does he fuck as well as he cooks?” Abbi whispers to me after Liam takes our empty plates. “You don’t need to answer that; your face says it all.” She shoulder bumps as she whispers, “I’m happy for you, sis. You deserve someone who’s going to treat you properly.”

“I thought you liked David?” The question’s out of my mouth before I realise it.

“Yeah, he was a nice enough guy, but something was missing. Liam, though, he’s got it in spades.”

It turns out that Abbi and Jax are planning on spending the weekend here. I’m partly glad because it’s been a long time since we spent any quality time together. The last time I saw her and our parents was at Molly and Ryan’s wedding, and there wasn’t really much time for catching up with everything going on.

“So what did you want to do?” I ask once Liam reappears. I expect him to already have plans, so I’m shocked when he sits down and waits to hear what we’re doing.

“Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“The surf’s good today, if you guys fancy hitting the beach?” Liam asks. Jax’s face immediately lights up before they fall into an easy conversation about surfing.

Abbi rolls her eyes at them before turning back to me. “Perfect. They can surf and we can talk.”

“Great.” I force a smile out. Talking is the last thing I want to be doing. I’ve got things I need to figure out, not relive the past.

“He did what?” Abbi squeaks, her face white as a sheet after I relay the very basic details of what actually happened in Cardiff.

“Shush, the whole beach doesn’t need to know.”

“Sorry, but what the fuck? Why the hell did you stay so long, and why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“I thought I was doing what was best. I was trying to protect David and his parents.”

“Fuck that, Liv. They should have been the ones protecting you. That was not your job.”

“It felt like it was.” And it still does, to a point. I ran and left them to deal with the consequences, knowing what Griff’s capable of.

A shudder runs through me as the image sitting on my phone haunts me once again.

“We’re lucky bitches. You know that, right?” Abbi’s random question drags me back to the here and now and I see exactly what she’s talking about when I follow her gaze down to the sea.

Standing waist-high in seawater, Liam and Jax are stood chatting, totally unaware of every pair of female eyes on the beach on them. Jax’s colourful tattoos seem to almost shine in the sunlight, whereas it highlights every line and muscle on Liam’s naked skin.

My mouth waters and, as if he can sense my stare, Liam turns my way. His dark eyes bore into mine. My stomach knots with desire, my temperature spiking under his stare.

“Holy shit, Liv. That boy’s got it bad for you. I’m guessing you two haven’t just met, right?”

“No, we met when I came down here before Molly’s hen do.”

“Oh yeah?” she says, elbowing me in the ribs and pulling my attention from Liam.

“Nothing happened. I was with David, and he respected that.”

“I know I should be saying that was the right thing to do, but shit, no one could have blamed you if you went for it. The way he looks at you…”

“Maybe.”

“I think he’s the one, Liv. When are you going to introduce him to Mum and Dad?”

“Never?” I ask with a wince.

“Oh, come on. Mum’s totally lightened up after Molly and Jax were forced on her. Plus, you know she’ll just love him. He hasn’t got a bad reputation—that she knows of—and he’s not covered in tattoos.”

“I guess.”

“You’re going to have to tell them soon. They’ll be seriously pissed if they find out you’ve been here months, all shacked up, and they have no idea.”

“I know, I know. I’ll phone them soon,” I say, but it’s more to keep her off my case than anything else. I love my parents, I really do, but Mum in particular is totally overbearing and opinionated. I want to do this my way and not have her in my ear questioning my every decision. Plus, I know how much she loved David. He was kind and dependable—or boring, as Abbi described him—but that’s what she thinks we need. Men who will earn money, put roofs over our heads and give us children. Did I mention she’s totally old fashioned?

We stay on the beach until the sun starts setting and, after agreeing to reconvene for dinner in a few hours, we all head back to get showered.

“Ugh, I’ve got sand in places there should never be sand,” I complain as I walk in my en suite.

“Sounds like you need a hand,” Liam growls behind me before the door clicks shut.

Desire sits heavy in my lower stomach. Lying on the beach with my sister while watching him do his thing has me primed and ready. The way his body cut through the water, the way his muscles flexed every time he ran his hand through his shaggy hair to get it out of his face…

“That’s my favourite look on you.”

“What, sand?”

“No, lust.” His heat surrounds me, his body only an inch from mine. “Your eyes sparkle like they’re full of glitter, your cheeks redden, your mouth parts…” His thumb traces over my bottom lip, and I can’t help but bite down on it, making Liam groan.

When I release it, he continues tracing a trail down my neck. He tugs at the tie holding my top up and it falls away from my breasts. Cool air has my nipples pebbling, but in seconds Liam’s hands are on them, squeezing and massaging with the perfect amount of pressure.

“You’re right. Covered in sand. We’d better clean them.”

Forcing me back until we’re stood under the shower, I prepare for what’s about to come, but it doesn’t stop me from screaming when the ice-cold water pours down over us.

He makes the most of my shock, his lips landing on mine before his tongue starts exploring every inch of my mouth.

“I missed you today,” he admits as he kisses along my jaw and down my neck.

“How? I was right there.”

“You weren’t right here, though.” His hand wraps around my waist and he pulls me tight against him, his arousal pressing into my stomach.

Kissing down the valley of my breasts, he drops to his knees in front of me. My thighs clench in excitement as his fingers make light work of the ties at my hips. In seconds, the tiny bit of fabric hits the floor with a splash.

Liam pushes my legs apart before looking up at me. His eyes darken and a little wicked smile twitches at the corner of his lips before he moves forward and I feel the heat of his mouth against me.

He sucks before his fingers part me and he flicks my clit with his tongue. The sensation has my feet almost leaving the floor. His hands wrap around my hips, his fingers digging in, and he presses harder against me. His licks, bites and sucks continue, spiralling me to a high that’s going to have me flying.

When his moans start vibrating through me, I lose control and my release slams into me. He doesn’t stop and somehow manages to hold me up at the same time.

When he pulls back, he has the most incredible smile on his face, but I only get a second or two to enjoy it because he’s back on his feet and his lips are back on mine. Being able to taste myself on him only kickstarts my body for another release. Like he can read my thoughts, Liam pushes me back, and I gasp when my skin connects with the cold tiles. Lifting my leg around his waist, he wastes no time in pressing into me. My head falls back and the sensation of him filling me wipes away all of my thoughts. Everything I’ve been worrying about disappears when we’re connected like this. It’s like nothing outside of us exists, and that’s a very good feeling after constantly looking over my shoulder for so long.

Meeting Liv’s sister made me feel like I knew her that much better. She’s kept so much of herself under wraps that it felt good to find out little things about their childhoods up north and the close relationship they seem to have—aside from Abbi having no idea about Liv being here, of course.

Liv’s still hiding so much, it taunts me every time I look into her eyes. The longer it goes on, the more I’m fighting to keep my demands to know everything to myself. I have every confidence that she’ll tell me when she’s ready, but not knowing the details of what that motherfucker did to her is fucking killing me.

With every day that goes by, she seems to be closing down that little bit more and, no matter what I do, I can’t seem to reach her. I originally thought it was regret after we first slept together, but I’m realising that whatever’s going on with her has nothing to do with me and everything to do with what she left behind. I just wish she’d share it with me, help me take some of the weight she’s carrying about.

Turning my alarm off, I place my phone back down on the bedside table and turn towards her. She’s still fast asleep and I hate leaving without saying goodbye.

“Hey,” she grumbles sleepily as I stand up from the bed.

“Morning, baby.” A smile twitches at her lips but she doesn’t open her eyes. I don’t really blame her, if it wasn’t for my job, I wouldn’t be up this early, either. “You still meeting me after my show?”

“Yes, I’ll be there.”

“Can’t wait. Go back to sleep,” I say, as I drop a kiss to her forehead.

I swear she’s snoring before I even get to the door.

“Hey, lover boy,” is called down the hallway, and I almost jump out of my skin. No one else is ever up this early.

When I turn the corner, I find BJ with his arm around a blonde’s shoulders, heading towards his bedroom.

“Mornin’.”

“Nah, we’re still partying.” The woman’s eyes drop from my face in favour of my underwear-clad body. It’s never really bothered me before but, knowing the only eyes I want on my body now are Liv’s, I suddenly feel very uncomfortable.

“So I see. Enjoy.” Turning towards my own room, I make a quick escape, thankful that I’m not going to have to listen to what’s about to happen in the room next to mine.

BJ’s been kind of quiet with the ladies the past few weeks, but something seems to have sparked his womanising ways again. I wonder briefly if Liv’s appearance and us getting together has anything to do with it, but I push the thought away as quickly as it came.

Knowing I’ve got something planned for her means my morning drags. My four hours on the radio usually flies, but every time I look at the clock, only minutes have passed.

I may have told a little white lie about Liv meeting me here so we could spend the day together. In reality, I’ve got someone else meeting her before I do. I probably should have told her so she could have prepared, but I wanted it to be a surprise.

As the clock ticks around towards the end of my show, my nerves increase. I know she’s going to be on her way, totally oblivious of what’s about to happen.

I finish up my show before going to get a coffee. I sit myself by the door so I’ll be able to see her the second she appears. Hopefully, I’ll be able to read her expression before she sees me and know if I’m in the shit or not.

I’m in luck, because when she does appear around the corner, she’s with my boss. He says something to her as they come to a stop by the entrance to the café, and he sticks his hand out for her to shake. Her returning smile is wide but it doesn’t quite meet her eyes, and my heart sinks. Have I done the wrong thing?

“Oh my god!” she squeals when she sees me watching and my boss has walked off down the corridor. “You could have bloody warned me.” Walking over to where I’m now stood, she makes a show of playfully slapping my shoulder. Her smile is much more genuine now, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

When I heard through the grapevine that one of the journalists found out she was seven months pregnant, I immediately went to my boss and threw Liv’s name in the hat. He’d already met her and was impressed when she came to interview for a junior position earlier in the summer, but he felt she would be lowering herself to offer her the job. I’m not sure she felt the same at the time, because it was her attempt at getting out of Cardiff. But she’s here now, and this job has her name written all over it.

“Yeah, I probably should. But I remember how nervous you were last time, so… Anyway, what did he say?”

“That it’s mine!”

Grabbing her arms, I pull her to me. “Congratulations,” I say before kissing her so deeply that it earns a couple of wolf whistles from the others in the café.

“I need coffee,” she admits when I release her.

As I stand and wait to pay for her cappuccino, I watch her. Gone is the joy from a few minutes ago; instead, she looks much like she did when she first arrived here, with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“Sir?” the girl behind the till shouts, dragging me from the thoughts about what could be going on.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you,” she says, plastering a bright smile on her face.

“Let’s get out of here.”

“Sure.”

Sliding my hand into hers, I pull her with me to where my car’s parked. She talks about what my boss said in her interview, but her voice doesn’t have the excitement I would have expected.

Pulling up in an almost deserted car park at the top of a cliff, I kill the engine and turn towards her.

“Are you mad at me for not telling you?”

“What? No, of course not. Thank you so much for organising it,” she says as an afterthought.

“What’s going on, Liv? It’s like you’re not really here.”

“Nothing. Everything’s fine.” Her fake smile makes a reappearance, and all it does is piss me off.

“No, it’s not,” I snap, a little more harshly than I intended. Her eyes widen and her chin drops. “Sorry, but something’s happened, I know it has. Tell me. Let me help.”

I can see she’s torn. Her brows crease and her eyes darken before she tears them away from mine and focuses out to the sea beyond. The waves crash into the rocks and I can’t help but feel like it’s a sign for what’s to come.