11. Liam/ Pierce

LIAM

I woke up to a sight I never thought I"d see—a gorgeous and hot shifter beside me, breathing softly in slumber.

It took me a moment to register Shane's handsome profile, his muscled arm and leg draped possessively over my body.

The events of last night flooded back into my mind, and I couldn"t help but smile. When Shane asked me out, I had expected the usual: dinner, maybe a movie.

Instead, he surprised me with something so thoughtful, so perfectly tailored to my interests.

He took me to a book fair, knowing how much I loved to immerse myself in the pages of a good story.

It touched me in a way I couldn"t quite put into words.

Sure, the appearance of Tom Pierce had briefly dampened the mood. The paparazzi always seemed to find a way to intrude on moments like these.

However, Shane handled it with ease. I didn't know what he said to Pierce, but it worked.

Pierce was gone a moment later and we had peace and quiet for the rest of the evening.

As I lay there, watching Shane sleep peacefully beside me, a whirlwind of emotions swept over me.

Last night had been the best date I"d ever experienced. Scratch that. The best sex I ever had. Despite everything, some of my initial doubts surfaced.

I knew I shouldn"t be questioning Shane's intentions. After all, he was still my bodyguard, bound by duty to protect me.

I stared at the gorgeous shifter beside me, unable to shake the nagging suspicion that last night meant more to me than it did to him.

Perhaps it was silly of me to expect anything more. I could just be a convenient distraction to him. Then again, I was just making excuses.

Excuses born out of fear, out of the knowledge that I didn"t trust easily.

And yet, despite my best efforts to keep my guard up, Shane had made a home in my heart, leaving me vulnerable and exposed.

I let out a frustrated sigh. There was undeniable chemistry from the moment we met. But could I trust it? Could I really trust him?

I shifted slightly, the bed creaking softly beneath me, and Shane stirred, his eyes fluttering open.

He smiled sleepily, reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair from my face.

In that moment, any lingering doubts melted away, replaced by a rush of affection and longing.

Perhaps I was just overthinking and making things overcomplicated.

Maybe, just maybe, I needed to have a little faith—in him, in us. With a soft sigh, I nestled closer to Shane.

With a gentle touch, Shane cupped my cheek, his fingers tracing the line of my jaw with a feather-light caress.

I felt my heart flutter in response, a rush of warmth flooding my senses as his lips brushed against mine in a tender kiss.

His rock-hard erection pressed against my own, making me aware I was still a little delightfully sore from last night.

Shane gently pulled away from our embrace, his eyes alight with affection. Momentary disappointment hit me.

I wanted to linger in bed a little longer, but it looked like Shane had other plans. "I"ll make us breakfast," he said.

My stomach growled, and that made both of us laugh. I relaxed and decided that Shane cooking breakfast for me sounded perfect right now.

"I can eat," I admitted.

We dressed and headed to the kitchen. Shane automatically reached for my hand, and undeniable warmth filled me.

"What can I do?" I asked when he started bringing out pots and pans, as well as ingredients from the fridge.

"You can help me set the plates and cutlery. Leave the rest to me," he said.

"Aye, aye, captain," I replied.

With that simple task done, I watched him move across the room, his movements fluid and confident.

The sound of sizzling bacon and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, wrapping me in a cocoon of comfort and contentment.

Moments later, Shane emerged from the kitchen, holding steaming plates of food balanced carefully in his hands.

He set them down on the dining table, grinning when I automatically reached for a strip of bacon and popped it in my mouth.

"Breakfast is served," Shane said.

I couldn"t help but laugh at his goofiness. A rush of warmth flooded my chest.

It was a simple gesture, him making me breakfast, but in that moment, he made me feel special.

After a satisfying breakfast, Shane and I tidied up the kitchen. Then, we gravitated towards the porch.

There was something about the crisp morning air and the gentle rustle of leaves that beckoned us outside, drawing us towards the special nook Shane had created for me.

At that moment, it dawned on me that I was looking forward to slow and quiet mornings like these.

Questioning our relationship earlier seemed foolish now that I thought of it.

Surrounded by potted plants and bookshelves, we settled into our armchairs, and I let out a contented sigh.

I made a mental note to fill the bookshelves with the books I purchased the night before.

Then, I started picturing the porch overflowing with more shelves and books and couldn't help but smile.

"Something on your mind?" Shane"s voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present moment.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether I should voice the thoughts that had been swirling in my mind earlier that morning.

"About last night..." I began, my words trailing off as uncertainty crept into my voice.

Maybe I shouldn"t have brought it up in the first place.

"Yeah, was it as amazing for you as it was for me?" Shane asked.

I couldn"t help but admire his confidence. Shane was never one to shy away from expressing himself, and sometimes I envied that about him.

"Yeah," I admitted, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks. "The dates I"ve been on lately, before the whole fiasco with grandfather, always ended badly. But you made last night special, unforgettable."

I cursed inwardly as the words tumbled out of my mouth, feeling like I was babbling. But Shane"s response was nothing short of reassuring.

"It was special for me too," he said softly, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Yeah?" I asked, unable to hide the hopefulness in my voice.

Shane nodded. "Especially the last bit."

A surge of warmth flooded my chest at his words, and I couldn"t suppress the smile that spread across my face.

In that moment, everything felt right—like the universe had aligned to bring us together, against all odds.

"Thank you for breakfast," I murmured, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us.

"It was my pleasure," he replied.

PIERCE

Pierce stared at his laptop, his fingers hovering over the keyboard as he looked at the multitude of photos spread out before him.

Liam McGowan stared back at him from the screen, his features frozen in a myriad of poses and expressions.

He thought he could eliminate Liam in that alleyway, but he hadn"t accounted for the fox shifter entering into the equation.

Who would have thought that the proud McGowan family would find themselves in such dire straits?

And to seek assistance from the Fox Haven Pack of all places—it was a move that Pierce never expected.

He should have. The McGowans had proven themselves to be resourceful when they were cornered.

His gaze lingered on a particular photo of Liam and his shifter, Shane, captured at the book fair.

The two of them looked so at ease with each other, it was as if they'd known each other for years and not mere days.

It was a sight that both intrigued and unsettled him.

Pierce recalled the possessive glint in the shifter's eyes when Shane had confronted him in that alleyway, the underlying threat simmering beneath the surface.

Initially, Pierce had dismissed him as nothing more than an assigned bodyguard—a mere obstacle in his path. But now, he couldn"t help but reassess his opinion.

There was something about the way Shane had looked at Liam, a fierce protectiveness that spoke volumes about the depth of their relationship.

Were they mates then, or soon-to-be mates? They certainly weren't just employer and protector.

Whenever their mates were threatened, shifters could turn violent at the drop of a hat.

With a sigh, Pierce pushed aside his doubts and refocused his attention on the task at hand.

He couldn"t afford to let emotions cloud his judgment, not when his reputation as a hired killer was at stake.

He resumed his surveillance of Liam McGowan. Pierce was in the driver"s seat of his car, parked discreetly across the street from Shane"s house.

He closed the lid of his laptop and picked up his camera.

Through the tinted windows, and the lens of his camera, he observed Liam and Shane on the porch.

His employer had hired him to eliminate Fergus McGowan and his promising young mage. So far, he hadn't done a stellar job, but that would change.

Pierce emptied two pills from the bottle on his dashboard and took them without water.

Fergus McGowan was harder to get to, so he'd focus on Liam McGowan first. So far, what Liam had shown him did not leave him impressed.

Liam was supposed to be a powerful mage, but he'd shown himself to be a coward incapable of protecting himself.

Then again, Pierce hadn't gotten anywhere either, especially with that fox shifter around.

He needed to change things up. Pierce was determined to see his mission through no matter what.