Chapter 26

JUNE 10 – SATURDAY 7:55 PM

T heo

Grabbing the bag of takeout food and the expensive bottle of scotch, I got out of my car and walked up the stairs to Liam's house. I tried the door, but it was locked. Fuck, I hated it when Liam did this to me. Setting the food down, I pulled out my phone.

T: Are you still angry with me?

It was taking forever for him to respond, and I was just about to send another message when little bubbles appeared.

L: Who said I'm angry?

T: Well, you haven't spoken to me or seen me since I got back. Let's just call it my powers of deduction.

L: I've been busy.

T: Who are you trying to fool?

L: Fine. I'm annoyed. But I'm not angry.

T: If you're not angry, get off your ass and open the door for me.

When no more bubbles appeared, I shoved the phone in my pocket and picked up the food, feeling like the disciplined lover shunned and shut out. I didn't like to beg for anything, well…anything but one thing. Liam seemed obsessed with making me beg for his attention and his cock. The more I begged, the happier he was, and the hotter it made me, but…even I had a limit to what was hot and what was annoying as fuck.

I heard the bolt in the door, and my stomach tightened. Liam always affected me this way, and the fluttering of my pulse only shot higher as he opened the door. He was standing there in black sweatpants, with no shirt, his boxing hand wraps on, and coated in a sheen of sweat. My eyes were locked on his abs and the low-slung pants that I was sure he pulled down further just for me. Licking my lips, I forced myself to look up into his eyes and held up the food.

"I brought this as a peace offering," I said, trying to sound calm. But there was nothing calm in my mind. Liam looked at the food and the scotch. His face never changed from the perfect mask of indifference, but he did step back and let me in.

"I'll go shower," he said, closing and locking the door.

"Do you want me to join?"

Liam didn't even glance my way. "Nope." I watched him jog up the stairs and disappear while my shoulders sagged. Fuck.

Neither Liam nor Ren had been in touch, and I'd been trying to be patient and let them have their space. I figured that they would reach out after a day or two, but no dice. Talk about feeling like the cast-off. Walking through the home that I knew as well as my own, I headed to the game room that was only ever used by Liam.

Setting the food down, I looked around. The bag that Liam had been using was no longer swaying, but his water bottle and towel were tossed on the ground, and the music was still playing. Needing something to do, I grabbed the bottle of sanitizer spray and proceeded to clean everything, even though I didn't know what he used.

"What are you doing," Liam asked as I was finishing up.

"Needed something to do." I tossed the towel in the hamper and put the water bottle on the small counter to be cleaned.

I could feel his eyes watching me as I washed my hands. I dared to glance back and wished I hadn't. He was leaning against the door frame, undeniably sexy in his brooding way. He'd changed into a simple black t-shirt and ripped black jeans, and he wore the silver chain with the skull pendant that I got him around his neck. Liam was obsessed with skulls. It didn't matter if they were crystal, metal, painted, hangable, or wearable. He had them all.

Wiping my hands off, I walked toward him and drank in the casual pose that somehow still ordered obedience. His dark caramel eyes locked with mine, but I wasn't going to fall at his feet for forgiveness. When it came to girls, we'd always had an open-door policy, and I wasn't sorry about what happened between me and Ren.

As I reached him, his eyes traveled up and down my body, and I fought off the reaction that I always had to his domineering side. I cocked a brow at him, questioning why he wasn't moving out of the way. Finally, Liam stepped back, and I followed him over to the couch and the bag of food. The silence between us was as heavy as the weights. I had no idea what he was going to say about this. I genuinely hadn't expected him to ghost me the way he did.

"I got you the ravioli you like from Dolce Vita," I said, tearing open the side of the bag and handing him the container and utensils. I wasn't a scotch fan, nor was I a smoker, but Liam had been enjoying both since we were fourteen. Emmett didn't seem to care, and if it weren't for Nash, Liam would be more than just a casual smoker. The hours he sat at the underground poker tables with everyone else smoking would do that to you.

I walked over to the bar and grabbed two glasses before returning and pouring us each a drink.

Pulling out my meal, I stared at the lid but couldn't sit in silence like this. "Why are you so pissed off with me?" I held up my hand to stop the denial that I was sure was on the tip of his tongue. "Please don't lie to me. You've never been cold like this. Not with me, so what gives?"

"Like I said, I'm not angry. I'm annoyed." Liam popped a ravioli whole into his mouth.

"You're splitting hairs."

"And you're not seeing the whole picture but chose to drag me into the mess without speaking to me."

I regarded his face and hated how he never gave anything away about what he was thinking or feeling. I'd learned to read him pretty well, but on days like today, when he was purposely keeping me on my toes, I had no clue.

Sighing with frustration, I sat back and stared at him. "Fine, enlighten me."

Liam casually ate a few more pieces of his pasta before grabbing his glass of scotch and knocking it back in a single shot. He was building up for a good rant. I could see it coming.

"Fine. I don't care that you slept with a girl. I care about who you slept with," he said and sat back, his eyes locked on me.

"So, you're ‘ annoyed' because it's Ren?" He nodded. "Tell me why?"

"This should be obvious," he said, and the muscle in my jaw twitched.

"Apparently not to some of us, so please share," I said cooly.

Liam polished off his meal, then sat back and crossed his arms. "Theo, we have always done the one-night thing. Either together or separately, girls have always been hit ‘em and quit ‘em. No strings, no emotions, no long-lasting relationships. It was to scratch an itch and sometimes even scratch it together." Shit, I knew where this was going now, but I wasn't going to admit what he was insinuating unless forced.

"And?"

"And?" Liam lost some of his cool and jumped up to pace the room. "And?" It was an asshole move, but I loved that I could make him like this. It was wholly satisfying to watch him turn himself inside out as he became annoyed and lost for words. I may have pushed him to this point once or twice just so that we could have incredible makeup sex afterward.

"Theo, she is in our inner circle. We have protected her and killed for her. Ren isn't going anywhere anytime soon. She owns Myles and Blake completely. Not to mention that I can see Nash fighting the same spell she is casting. She is no one and done."

"And this is a problem?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Tell me why?"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "This could all blow the fuck up. It could destroy everything we have worked so hard for and what we have fought to protect. Not just between us but all of us. Trust me, I've run the odds, and this ending well is not something I'd place a winning bet on."

"I didn't plan to sleep with her. I told you what happened," I said.

"Sure, but you also left out how you feel about her, and don't bother trying to deny it. I saw it in your eyes. You've only given me that look, so I know it well."

I smirked as my blood heated. The possessiveness that I knew was in him started to emerge.

"I still give you that look. I'm giving it to you right now and would've all week if you hadn't been ignoring me," I said, and he practically snarled at me. Fuck yes.

"Again, not the point. Fine, you want me to spell it out for you. You like Ren, maybe don't love her yet, but you fucking like her, and you want her, which is exactly what Blake saw."

I stood and walked around the back of the couch, where he'd stopped pacing. I crossed my arms and leaned my hip on the leather before saying anything. He was seething underneath the mostly calm fa?ade, and I wanted it all.

"Yes, I like her. I didn't think that I would, and I certainly didn't plan for it, but you're right, I do."

He tossed his hands in the air and then stomped toward me. "Do you not care that this could tear all of us apart? Myles and Blake fucking her was bad enough."

"Technically, they weren't fucking her, which was part of the problem, and why someone needed to step in," I said, and his lip pulled up in a snarl. I managed to keep my face lax, but my insides were rapidly turning to mush. I was pushing my luck, but I loved sitting on this edge with him.

"And technically, you're mine," Liam growled, and that was it, my cock might as well be a steel beam. Fucking hell, he was hot.

"I'm confused. Are you upset that this could ruin all of our friendships or that I have feelings for Ren?"

Liam stomped toward me, and my heart leaped into my throat with every step he took. I didn't resist as he wrapped his hand around the back of my neck and crushed his lips to mine. Fuck he smelled good. His lips were demanding and almost hurt as he backed me up across the room. With a hard thud, we hit the wall, and his body pressed into mine. I shuddered, wanting every single bit of punishment I knew he could dish out.

Liam growled, and I opened for him, a jolt racing down my spine as his tongue battled with mine. The taste of scotch and dark spice was on his lips, and by the time he let me up for air, my chest was heaving. He had his hands braced on the wall on either side of my head as he glared into my eyes.

"What did I fucking tell you when we got serious," he asked, and the rough gravel in his voice had sweat breaking out on the back of my neck, my hands itching to rip his shirt off.

"I know what you said, but what if I told you that I broached the idea of the two of us having her, and Ren seemed…interested."

"I'd say it was fucking wonderful…if you didn't have feelings for her." He slammed his fist beside my head, but I knew he wouldn't hit me. This was him. This was what was hidden under the quiet and calculating exterior, and when it came to us, he made Nash look like a sweet, cuddly kitten.

Taking a chance, I grabbed his hips and pulled him into me. "Nothing has changed between us."

"Everything has changed. The entire hierarchy is changing right before our eyes. You never should've stuck your dick in her."

"Maybe, maybe not, but I'm willing to bet you would've done the same. I know your looks, and I've seen the way you glance at her ever since your snow escapades." He didn't dispute me, and I knew he wouldn't either. "You're curious to know what she tastes like. You want to know if she'll obey you and if you can make her scream." I rubbed against him, and the muscles in his jaw twitched as he held himself back.

"I know I can make her scream. It's everyone else involved that's the problem."

I shook my head. "Myles will do whatever she wants, and my brother is the same."

"Your face says otherwise," Liam said.

"Blake is madder at himself than he is at me." Liam pushed away, and I watched him march across the room and back again, his eyes focused on whatever he was calculating in his mind. "Don't you want to know what she'll look like with both of us taking her at the same time?"

His eyes darted up to mine. "You really think Ren would go for that?"

I shrugged. "Ren's exploring herself, her body, her likes and dislikes." Stepping away from the wall, I stalked him, craving his touch, but I had to play it cool. Being with Liam was like dancing a waltz. You had to know all the steps to keep things exciting. "And I have to give her credit. She's not afraid to go for what she wants."

"Your feelings are strong enough to risk everything, including us?"

Picking up my glass of scotch, I took a sip and tossed my glasses on the table. Liam's eyes flared with desire as I drank down the scotch like he had and undid the top buttons on my dress shirt.

"What I know is that there is nothing in this life worth gaining without taking a risk. I'm pretty sure it was you who taught me that." Pulling my shirt out, I finished undoing the buttons and let the material open to show off my hard abs, and his eyes were instantly drawn to the gap. "I took a risk for you. I'd take another for you both."

"The odds are not in our favor," he said, placing a hand on the back of the couch and jumping over so he could sit in front of me.

"Don't you always say the longest shots reap the greatest rewards?" I shrugged the shirt off and tossed it aside. Liam's tongue traced his bottom lip, and I knew he was in. He just needed to say that he would push his chips to the center of the table.

"You know I play for keeps," Liam said, undoing the button on his jeans. I nodded. "Fine, get on your knees and show me how much you want this to happen." With a quick tug, his zipper slid down, and I could see his cock through the narrow opening.

I'd just won the jackpot.