43. Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Three

Liam

" S mile ."

I glance over at Sage and her smile is the only reason I obey. "Good, now keep that smile intact."

I let out a sigh, and the second she turns, my face drops.

"Liam Leslie." She warns.

"Jesus Christ." I smile for her and she shakes with a silent laugh before knocking on Sire's door. The night of her show we all went to her after-party but Sage said it was awkward and she wants me to bond with her brothers so here we are… to bond.

"Hey, babe." Vidia pulls Sage in for a hug after complimenting her dress. After spending the night with them all in Italy, I realized this was Sire's girlfriend. I vaguely remember her from the few times she was at our baseball games in college.

"Me? Look at you!" Sage pulls away and gives her dress a once over. "Sire was right, blue is so your color, V."

"Thank you!"

Sage moves aside, and Vidia's eyes land on me. "Hello again." She gives me a small smile, and I feel Sage watching me, so I return it. I look around their apartment as she lets us in, and their huge floor-to-ceiling windows catch my attention first.

When I glance over at the couch August is sitting there with a girl in his lap. Her blonde fro covers her face, but I immediately recognize that it's his girlfriend, Hazel, I think her name was.

The door closes and August glances up at us with his usual bright smile. "Sup, Walker."

I give him a single nod. "Hale."

Hazel looks up at me and barely spares me a glance before turning to Sage. "You look hot." She nods in approval of Sage's dress before looking back down at whatever they're watching and I think I like her the most. She isn't as nice as everyone else and clearly isn't going to pretend to like me or bother me at all.

"Hello, cutie!"

I turn at the sound of Sage's voice, and she bends over to pet a huge dog. I walk over to her and pull her dress down when it rises too much.

"You said this dress was fine when you bend over?"

Sage pulls her dress down more and looks over her shoulder at me like she's in trouble. She gives me an innocent smile and I shake my head at her.

"Maybe it's a little short, but it's cute!"

"True."

She laughs softly, but the dog starts growling, and I quickly pull her closer. I take a step back before pushing Sage behind me, and the dog keeps its eyes on me.

"What's wrong with her?" Sage voices as she tries to get closer to the dog, but I keep her behind me.

"Maybe she doesn't like him."

I look up at Sire and he only leans against his kitchen counter with his arms crossed. Vidia walks over and shoves Sire before looking at her dog.

"Athena, heel." The dog stops growling and sits but keeps her eyes on me like she's ready to attack. "Sire, what did you tell her?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, beautiful." Fucking liar.

I keep my mouth shut, and Vidia crosses her arms before squinting her eyes at Sire, who returns the look.

"You said you'd be nice." Vidia reminds him.

"I said I'll try." Sire points out.

"Try harder and leave my dog out of it. I'm not cooking all this food for you guys to be fighting."

He lets out a sigh and turns back to the dog. "Athena," The dog turns to him on command. "Go ahead." She runs off after being released and grabs a toy before taking it to August.

When I look back at Sire he still has his eyes on me. I don't say anything, and Sage walks over to him first. "Nice to see you too." She clearly doesn't sound happy, and the only reason I don't punch her brother for making her feel bad is because I promised Sage I would be on my best behavior.

"You know I'm happy you're here, Sage." He pulls her in for a hug before kissing the top of her head.

"I'd prefer if you'd also be happy about who I brought with me." When they pull away she keeps her eyes on him as he turns to look at me. He doesn't say anything, but Vidia clears her throat from the stove, and he rolls his eyes before looking back at me.

"Glad you could make it." You'd think he had a gun to his head, but with the way his girl watches him, he may as well. Whipped bitch.

I don't reply and glance over at the dinner table instead.

"Excuse me, mister?"

I let out a sigh and look over at Sage. She crosses her arms, and I keep my eyes on her. "Thanks for the invite." I force out before glancing over at Sire and he has a smug smile on his face.

"You are so welcome."

Asshole.

I try not to show how annoyed he made me in less than five minutes since I'm sure he'd find it satisfying. Instead, I look over at Sage and her smile makes me feel better. She hugs Sire before walking over to me and grabbing my hand to guide us into the living room, where we flop onto the couch with her twin.

I hear someone walking behind us, and just as I turn, Lisette shoves Sage's head so damn hard, she almost falls over.

"Ouch?!" Sage fixes her hair as she turns to look at her sister.

My eyes land on Sire as he takes a few long strides and shoves Lisette into the couch way harder than what she did to Sage. "Stop hitting her," He warns.

"You see!" Lisette points at Sire, but he walks off. "You baby her! If I hit August like that, you would've laughed."

"Don't be so rough with her, Lisette. I'm seriously not going to tell you again."

Lisette mocks Sire, and I bite my cheek before turning back around. She's my favorite out of Sage's siblings for sure.

She flops next to Sage before laying her head on her lap. "I can't put into words how happy I am that you're dating someone Sire hates. This truly brings me joy, I wish I would've thought of this." She shakes her head like she's in pain.

Sage shakes with a laugh as we look down at her sister, and she tells her, once again, that we're not dating purely to piss Sire off.

"Maybe I should date someone he hates, too." Lisette glances over at me now, her head still on her sister's lap. "Do you have any brothers?"

"No."

"Cousins?"

"None you want nor does Sire know of."

"Hmm…"

Her brother joins us on the couch, and I make sure to keep my gaze off of him, and Lisette continues to fuck with him. "My dear brother."

"Leave me alone."

I bite back a smile, and I'm so glad Lisette doesn't leave him alone.

"Would you rather I sleep with someone you hate or one of your close friends?"

"I would rather you sew your lips together."

"Close friend it is; who are your best friends?"

"August."

Lisette is quiet for a second, and when I look down at her, she's staring at Sire like he's speaking a foreign language. "Besides him– ew!"

Sire breaks into a laugh, and I glance over at August for his reaction, but he's rubbing his girlfriend's feet and staring at her with a smile as she scrolls through her phone mindlessly.

Sage voices that she wants water and I pull her back onto the couch before kissing her cheek and getting up to get it for her.

I walk into the kitchen but stop short as I walk past Vidia. "Can I grab a water bottle for Sage?"

"Yeah, go ahead." She shuts the oven, and I turn for the fridge. When I grab a bottle, I turn and stop in my tracks as I watch Sage's smile. She sits next to Hazel now, and when Hazel turns her phone off, August smiles as his girlfriend entertains whatever Sage goes on about.

"You two are cute."

I glance over at Vidia, and she's watching me with a small smile. "You can't take your eyes off of her. It's cute." She shrugs before heading to the table with a few plates, but I decide to follow after her.

"How come you're being so nice?" I grab some of the plates from her stack and mindlessly help her make the table because my mom's voice is ringing in my head, and I feel like a shitty guest for not doing something.

Vidia didn't talk to me much in Italy and was glued to Hazel or Sire's side, but now she's telling Sire to be nice to me, and I'm confused as to why she cares.

"Well, you're a guest in my home. It'll be rude to treat you like shit."

"Your boyfriend should take notes."

She laughs softly, and when she looks into the living room, I think her eyes sparkle when she looks at Sire. "Sage was so stressed about her brothers hating you." She shrugs. "I know what it's like having the people you love hate your person. It gets exhausting, and I don't want that for her, so if she wants to be with you, I'll keep Sire in line."

I study her for a beat, and I have no clue who didn't want her to be with Sire since everyone is obsessed with them. Paparazzi and fans have been constantly sneaking pictures of them ever since they were spotted at some lantern festival, and I don't follow either of them on social media, but I still seem to scroll across a picture of them.

"Thanks."

She laughs, and out of the corner of my eye, I notice Sire turning to look at her from across the room.

"I did it for Sage, not you."

"Yeah… thanks."

Before she can respond, her boyfriend is by her side. He kisses her temple before wrapping an arm around her waist and taking a step away from me. "I said I can make the table."

"It's fine, Liam already helped." She brushes him off like it really was no big deal since it wasn't but Sire sends me a glare. "Oh my God, do you want to remake the table, mi amor? I'm sure you could do it better than him."

Sire smiles down at her before squinting his eyes. "Smart ass."

She laughs softly and rushes off with Sire on her tail.

When I hear Sage's voice, I look over to find her leaning over to pet the dog again. I shake my head at how much her dress rises, and you can't see anything, but either way, I walk over and pull it down.

She leans back up with a smile, and I pull her in for a hug. I already feel my energy draining, and we haven't even been here that long, but there are just too many of them. I have no idea how I'm going to last the whole night talking to everyone.

"You okay?" Sage looks up at me and I give her a nod before giving her a quick kiss.

"Can we leave after we eat?" When her shoulders slouch, I kiss her cheek and tell her to forget it. "We can stay however long you want."

"We were going to play a game after dinner."

That sounds like torture. "Fun." I give her a smile, but her knowing look genuinely makes me laugh. "What game?"

She shrugs before telling me August chose, and now I'm certain it'll be torture, but Vidia calls us over to the dinner table before I can respond. Lisette sits at the head of the table after Sire voices he wants to sit there, and she's officially my favorite out of Sage's siblings.

August and Sire end up sitting next to each other with their girls across from them. Sage sits next to Vidia, and the only options left are across from her, next to Sire, or next to her at the head of the table, so naturally, I chose the ladder.

They talk about the upcoming holidays, and I eat in silence or watch Sage whenever she comments on something. She didn't serve a lot of food on her plate, but she laughs, and eats like she isn't going to have a hard time with this meal, so I don't comment on it, especially since she had such a good breakfast.

The topic of holidays lands on New Year's, and I eat in silence as they go on about throwing a big party since this is the first New Year that Sire and Vidia are together, and I don't know what they're talking about since I could've sworn they've been together since college, but I don't question it.

"What do you think, Lee?"

"Hmm?" I glance up at Sage, and she nods towards the table.

"The color theme for this year's New Year's. I said green, white, and gold."

I tell her that will be cute, but a crease grows in her brows as she turns her head to the side.

"It doesn't seem like you agree." She laughs softly, but I only shrug in response.

"Do you not like New Year's or something?"

I know Sire is just trying to get under my skin, so I don't reply, but Sage keeps her eyes on me, so I give her my response. "I don't celebrate New Year, but I think the colors you chose would be great."

"Why don't you celebrate New Year?" Sire voices, and he severely needs to stop talking to me.

"I just don't."

"Why?" He pushes.

"I don't see the point in counting down and screaming for a new year. We get a new one every twelve months without fail, no need to celebrate it."

"I disagree." Sage smiles at me but is clearly confused. "It's a day to celebrate our year's worth of achievements and welcome a new chapter."

"I disagree," I mumble, but, of course, her brother hears.

"What do you think it represents?"

"Nothing."

"Well, it's a holiday." Lisette sort of laughs as if I'm wrong.

"It isn't for me."

"Why?" Sire digs once again.

I drop my fork and pull in a deep breath. When my eyes meet Sire's, it's obvious he can tell he got under my skin, and I almost get up to walk away, but Sage puts her hand over mine, so I turn to look at her instead.

"It's the anniversary of my sister's passing. I don't celebrate it."

Her face drops, and I think every person stops chewing because the room becomes eerily quiet. I knew that would get them to leave me alone, so I don't care about how bad they all suddenly look for bugging me.

Sage gives my hand a soft squeeze, and I turn back to my plate.

"I'm sorry for your loss." August voices first, and I only nod in response as I finish eating, and I'm glad they don't talk to me anymore. I should've led with that . I know it's bad to pull the dead sister card, but Sire was being annoying, and Shanti would've found it funny. She always laughed in awkward situations… her humor as just a toddler always amazed me.

Sage and I offer to help clean once we finish eating, but Sire and Vidia tell us they got it, and it's really just Sire who cleans everything for his girl.

I get up to go to the bathroom, and when I hear Sage's heels clicking after me, I slow down for her. She walks into the bathroom with me, and a smirk grows on my face as I turn to her.

"Your brother will be pissed if we have sex in here." I take a step forward. "Are you going to let me have that satisfaction?"

A smirk grows on her face as she shakes her head at me. As I reach for her, she pushes my hand away. "You know that's not going to happen."

"I had to try." I shrug before leaning against the sink, and I see the sympathy in her eyes as her smile fades. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, lost in thought before closing the distance between us and wrapping her arms around my neck. "I'm sorry about your sister."

I don't say anything and simply wrap my arms around her waist and bury my face in her neck.

"How old was she?"

I let my eyes fall shut and hold her a bit closer. "Three." I feel her go still, but I give her a squeeze, and she holds me tighter.

"I'm so sorry, Liam."

"Stop saying that." I kiss her neck before pulling away, and the sad look in her eyes is the reason I didn't want to tell her about my sister. "Don't cry. Your makeup took way too long to ruin so soon."

She laughs softly before blinking up to the ceiling and I kiss her cheek softly. My phone starts buzzing and I let out a breath at the ringtone. I ignore every call besides Capri and Sage, so I gave them separate ringtones and as my phone keeps ringing, I'm only a bit happy about the possibility of needing to leave.

"Are you gonna get that?" Sage pulls away, and I grab my phone. It's a Facetime call, which is weird, but I answer, and Capri's face appears on the screen.

"In case you also have Alzheimer's and forgot what tomorrow means, it's the day after today."

I briefly close my eyes as I realize my mistake. "Shit, my bad, Pri. I swear I forgot I even told you I'd be there today. I needed to come to this dinner for my girlfriend and–"

"This is why I told you to add it to your calendar."

"I don't have one."

"Which is why I told you to make one. Do you listen to anything I say?"

I almost tell her no, I, in fact, do not, but then there's a high shriek, and the phone is snatched out of her hand.

"Liam!" My mom looks beyond ecstatic to see me, and I feel ten times worse than I was for not going to see her for today's family night. After my month in Italy, I saw her as soon as I could and spent the day with her, but she keeps calling and saying she misses me, which is weird because she never cares to call me.

"How are you, my sweet boy?"

I glance up at Sage when she laughs quietly, and I roll my eyes at her.

"Oh, are you with someone?" My mom tries to look around as if that would change her perspective through the phone .

"No, I just–"

"Please tell me Sage is with you!"

A smile pulls at my lips, and I genuinely can't grasp how she constantly remembers her.

"She is but–"

"Let me see her!"

I don't know why she's yelling, but I don't turn the phone to Sage. "Mom, she's busy–"

"Liam." She gives me a pointed look, and I glance up at Sage, who's smiling shyly.

"You told your mom about me?" She whispers and I feel my face heat. Her jaw slightly drops and I give her my back. "You just blushed!" She pokes my back before turning to get in front of me but I turn again.

"I just had the best idea!" Mom shouts again. "Bring her over. I can cook, and she can meet everyone. We're playing music and I'm going to perform soon, hurry!"

It's a talent show over there, and by performing, I'm sure she means she's just going to play the piano, but she smiles at me like she's about to go on a Broadway show, so I tell her I'll be there.

She lets me end the call, and when I look over at Sage, she has a beautiful smile on her face. "When you'd tell her about me?" She clearly bites back a smile, and I shake my head at her with a smile of my own.

"Officially, when I was trying to figure out how to ask you to be my girlfriend. But she had an idea of you when I brought the cats to see her." It was my annoying friends who saw Sage's post about the girlfriend proposal, but I naturally asked my mom what she thought, and she had the idea to give her peonies. "Do you want to come with me to see her?"

Her eyes light up, and I think I have my answer. "Are you sure?"

I'm not, but my mom is having a good day, which may not last long, and I want Sage to meet her eventually, so I give her a nod and grab her hand.

Just as she opens the door, Sire walks out of the room across from us. He looks between us before walking over.

"My bad about earlier. I should've just left you alone after you said you didn't celebrate New Year's."

His apology throws me off, but when I glance over his shoulder, I see that his girlfriend is watching us.

"You'd jump out of a window if she said so, huh?"

He glances over his shoulder and Vidia gives him a bright smile as she turns her head to the side and I'd be a liar if I said she wasn't beautiful.

"Possibly… Yes." He keeps his eyes on her, and Sage stifles a laugh from beside us, and every last one of my cells reacts to the sight of Sage's smile.

"I really am sorry for your loss, Walker."

I look back over at him, and his sincerity is hard to believe, but I do. "It's fine, thanks for the invite." I force out before walking past him with Sage who is smiling too big for such a small gesture but I know she desperately wants us to get along.

I thank Vidia for the food before we say goodbye to the rest of Sage's family. I'm glad this dinner went well because it was important to Sage.