I hear Liam’s song coming to a close, so I turn to the stage, watching and listening as he murders the end of the song.
And when he’s finished, Cam, Eddie, and I all start cheering and clapping. I stand up on the edge of my stool and whistle loudly.
Liam gives his microphone to Lee, jumps down off the stage, and walks over to me.
“You were great!” I beam at him.
He slides his arm around my waist and presses a kiss to my temple. Then, he takes his seat beside me. “So, you told her then, you pair of bastards.”
“Of course we did.” Eddie smirks.
“I think what you did was really sweet.” I turn in my seat to face him. “Singing like that to try to win your girl back? No one has ever done anything like that for me.”
He slides his hands up my thighs, parting my legs, ensuring my skirt is still covering me, he tugs me closer, so I’m all but straddling him. “I’d sing for you, Boston.”
That puts a smile onto my face and sends a flutter in my chest. Then, Liam leans in and presses his lips to mine, and that flutter turns into a swarm of butterflies. His hands move around the outside of my thighs until they are on my ass, and he pulls me onto his lap, so I’m actually straddling him. Thank god my skirt is knee-length or everyone would be getting a good show right now.
His kiss deepens, setting my insides on fire. And for a moment, I forget where I am with all the people around us, and I just revel in the feel of his tongue in my mouth and his hands on my ass.
“Okay, enough of the PDA. I don’t have a lap-dancing license. And you’re making Eddie jealous.”
I break away from Liam’s mouth, panting, my cheeks instantly flushing.
Liam grins at me, touching the pink with his fingertips. “Everything I’ve already done to you, and making out in a bar embarrasses you.”
Smiling, I shake my head at him. Then, I disentangle myself from him, sitting back on my own stool. But he doesn’t let me go completely. He takes ahold of my hand, holding it against his thigh.
“So, do I get that beer or not?” Liam lifts his chin at Cam.
“One beer coming up,” Cam says.
“I’ll have another beer,” Eddie tells Cam. “I’m just gonna go take a piss first.”
“Taylor, you want anything?” Cam asks me.
My beer is nearly finished. If I keep going this way, I’ll be marking off another thing on my list—getting wasted and puking.
I pick up my beer and finish the last of it off. “Yeah, I’ll take another beer,” I tell Cam.
Cam gets three bottles out of the fridge. He pops the caps off and puts them down on the bar. Then, he seems to freeze. His eyes are fixed on something over the top of my head.
He darts a look at Liam and then says, “I didn’t know he was coming in tonight.”
Who came in?
Liam frowns and then turns to where Cam’s staring.
The look on Liam’s face…is one of pure anger. His whole expression darkens. His jaw clenches tightly. I can feel the tension pouring off him.
I follow his stare. There’s a blond guy, about six feet, standing there. I’d say he’s in his thirties, but it’s hard to see him properly from here.
The guy seems to hesitate. Then, he makes a decision and walks toward us.
“Jeremy.” Cam lifts his chin in greeting.
“I just came to pick up Nancy after her shift,” Jeremy says.
“I’ll let her know you’re here.” Cam casts a nervous glance at Liam, who is just staring at Jeremy like he wants to kill him.
Jeremy is looking at anything but Liam.
And I have never felt so uncomfortable in my life.
Cam reluctantly leaves to get Nancy.
There’s a horrible, tense silence. Then, Jeremy seems to pluck up some courage and turns his face our way. “How are you doing, Liam?”
“I was doing just fucking great until about thirty seconds ago,” Liam says, through clenched teeth.
“I won’t be here long. I’m just picking up Nancy.”
“I didn’t realize Nancy was your type, her being single and all. And I thought she had better taste but clearly not.”
I expect Jeremy to be angry, but he doesn’t look angry, just sad.
“Look, Liam…it’s been seven years. Don’t you think it’s time we bury the hatchet?”
“No. The only place I want to bury the hatchet is in your face.”
Oh Christ.
“Jesus, man, I’ve said I’m sorry a million fucking times. What do I have to do?”
“Nothing.” Liam slips off his stool and takes a menacing step toward him. “I don’t care if you’re sorry. Nothing you say will ever change what you did!” Liam roars.
A hush falls over the bar.
Jeremy’s nervous eyes flicker to me.
“Don’t look at her.” Liam steps in front of me. “Don’t ever fucking look at her. Don’t even breathe the same air as her. If you do—you remember the last time I hit you? Well, that will look like a fucking tickle compared to what I’ll do to you if you go anywhere near Taylor.”
Holy fuck. Angry Liam is Hot Liam. But he’s also scary as hell.
I need to defuse this situation. I’m just not sure how.
“Liam?” I touch his arm, but he doesn’t seem to feel me.
He’s just glaring at Jeremy, his chest pumping up and down. Then, I see Eddie coming back, and I nearly fall off my stool in relief.
I watch Eddie as he sees Jeremy. His eyes go to Liam, and his steps seem to falter.
Then, I see him mouth, Oh, fuck. And he’s speeding over to us.
He comes to a stop between Jeremy and Liam. “All okay here?” Eddie asks Liam.
“Everything’s just fucking great. Jeremy was just leaving, weren’t you, Jeremy?” The way Liam says his name is with total distaste.
Jeremy sighs and takes a step back.
Cam appears back behind the bar, a harried look on his face. “Nancy will be out in a few,” Cam tells Jeremy.
“Tell her I’m waiting outside.” Jeremy tips his head in the direction of the door as he takes another step back. His eyes go to Liam. “For what it’s worth, man, I am sorry. More than you’ll ever know.”
“Tell it to someone who gives a shit,” Liam says in a tone that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
Jeremy lifts his hands in defeat. Then, he turns and walks out the bar.
Jesus Christ, that was tense.
I hear Eddie blow out a breath that sounds an awful lot like relief, and I know exactly how he feels.
Angry Liam might be Hot Liam. But he’s also Scary Liam.
Liam turns to face Cam, his hands curling around the edge of the bar. “He’s seeing Nancy?” Liam says low.
“For a couple of months now,” Cam answers him carefully.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Liam’s tone is accusing.
Cam frowns. “Because I didn’t think it was newsworthy. And it’s not like I can ever mention Jeremy’s name in front of you without you turning into the Hulk.” He exhales a tired sound. “You used to be friends once.”
“And, now, we’re not.”
“Yeah, and none of us know why, except for you and Jeremy. And Jeremy won’t tell us a fucking thing because he’s protecting you.”
“Protecting me?” Liam gives a bitter-sounding laugh. “That’s fucking rich. He actually said that?”
“No, he didn’t say that. He never says anything, just like you. So, we have to jump to conclusions, and considering you were the one who punched him in the face at Kate’s funeral, I’d say he’s covering for you.”
“Because, of course, it would be something I did. Sounds about right.” Liam’s laugh is dry, but I can hear the hurt beneath it, and it cuts me. “Not perfect fucking Jeremy Bentley. He would never do anything wrong. But me, the bastard son of a stripper? Yeah, I’d definitely do something wrong.” He steps away from the bar.
He’s the bastard son of a
stripper? And who is Kate?
“I never said that. Jeremy isn’t perfect—far from it. None of us are. We’re all a bunch of fuckups, except for you. You’re the one who made something of himself. And I’m so fucking proud of everything you’ve achieved, man.” Cam tries to reason, but I can see Liam is already gone, not listening to anything he’s saying. “But if we just knew what went down between you and Jeremy, then maybe we could help.”
“You can’t help. No one ever could.” He stares hard at Cam before looking at me. “We’re leaving.” Liam grabs my arm and all but pulls me off the stool.
I have just enough time to grab my bag off the bar before I’m being dragged along.
I hear Cam and Eddie calling his name, asking him to come back, but he doesn’t stop. He just strides out of the bar, and I have to jog to keep up with him.
Thankfully, there’s no sign of Jeremy when we get outside.
Liam doesn’t stop walking. He continues on along the roadside, pulling me with him, and he lifts his hand for an approaching taxi.
“Will you just slow the hell down?” I yank my arm from his grip.
“No.” He grabs my arm again as the taxi pulls up beside us. He opens the door and manhandles me in. He barks his address at the driver. Then, he finally sits back in his seat.
I fold my arms over my chest. “I don’t appreciate being manhandled like that. And I didn’t even get to say good-bye to your friends. You were really rude to them, you know.”
“I’ll buy them a fucking card to apologize.”
“You’re acting like a total dick. You don’t like that Jeremy guy, fine. Doesn’t mean you get to act like a prick toward me.”
His eyes swing to mine. The look in them makes me want to shrink back in my seat. Possibly get out of the cab—while it’s still moving.
“I thought you liked it when I acted like a prick?” His voice is low and dark.
I don’t get a chance to respond because he grabs the back of my head and slams his mouth down on mine.
His kiss is hot and hard, angry and so fucking hot.
He’s devouring my mouth, his tongue sliding along mine. His hand grazes up my leg and pushes under my skirt, slipping between my thighs.
And I don’t even stop him.
He strokes his fingers over my panties. “The second I get you out of this taxi, I’m going to fuck you. Hard.”
Then, he’s kissing me again. The whole time, his fingers are rubbing my clit through my panties, driving me wild. And all I want is for my panties to disappear and for him to be touching me, skin to skin.
I don’t care that we’re in the back of a taxi and that the driver can probably see what Liam is doing to me.
I don’t care about anything but him.
I’m mindless, lost in Liam’s touch, his body…his kiss.
Almost as if reading my mind, he brushes his lips over my cheek and says into my ear, his words hot against my skin, “Does it turn you on that he might be watching what I’m doing to you?”
I turn my head, staring into his dark eyes. “Yes, it turns me on.”
“You make my dick so fucking hard.”
He pushes my panties to the side and slides a thick finger inside me.
I can’t help the moan that escapes. Liam swallows it with his kiss.
“I’ll never tire of fucking your hot, tight pussy,” he rumbles over my lips, curling his finger inward in a come-hither motion, pressing against my inner walls.
I’m squirming and bearing down on his hand, riding his finger.
“That’s it, babe. Fuck my finger. Just like I’m going to fuck you with my cock. God, I want to fuck you now—so bad. I want to bend you over this seat, lift your skirt, pull your knickers down, and slam my cock deep inside you. I want to fuck you right here, in the back of this taxi, while the driver watches, jealous because I’m the one inside you, fucking you.”
“Oh God,” I whisper.
If he tries to fuck me in this taxi, I don’t even know if I’ll stop him because I’m so turned on that I can’t even think straight.
He’s just that sexy and so fucking dominant.
He’s like a sexual force of nature that I wouldn’t know how to stop…and I don’t want him to stop—ever.
Liam’s fucking me with his finger, and I’m so ready for more. Then, he abruptly pulls his finger out of me, and I whimper at the loss.
I quickly realize that the taxi has stopped, and we’re outside Liam’s building.
Without a word, Liam pulls some bills from his wallet and throws them at the driver.
He opens the door and grabs ahold of my hand, pulling me out of the taxi. He starts speed-walking to his building, and I have to rush to keep up.
He doesn’t even stop to return the hello to the night watchman. He just marches straight for the elevator and jabs at the button. The door slides open, and he yanks me inside the elevator. He presses the button for his floor, inputting his number on the keypad.
Next thing I know, I’m being slammed up against the wall, and his mouth is on mine before the door even closes.
His kiss is deep and passionate, even more so than in the taxi. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before.
He’s like nothing I’ve ever known before. And I don’t ever want him to stop.
I slide my fingers into his thick hair and start sucking on his tongue.
He groans, his hands going to my skirt. He yanks it up over my hips, leaving me naked from the waist down—all but for my panties, which he proceeds to rip off with one snap of the elastic.
I don’t even care enough to be pissed that he just tore up my good panties because the moment is so intense and so incredibly hot.
I just want him. Now. No matter what, I just want him inside me.
Both of our hands go to his jeans. I undo the button. He pulls down the zipper and pushes them down his hips with his boxers, too, just so his cock is free.
Our mouths are still connected, desperate and hungry.
His hands go under my thighs, pushing me up the wall of the elevator.
His eyes are dark on mine.
He shoves a hand between us and starts rubbing his fingers over my clit. “Always so wet for me.” He gives my pussy a teasing slap, making me gasp. Leaving me, his hand goes to my ass along with his other one, too. “Gonna fuck this ass soon,” he says roughly, digging his fingers into my ass cheeks.
Then, he spreads me open for him and slams his cock up deep inside me.
My head falls back against the wall with a thud, my eyes closing at the feel of him filling me so fully. “Liam,” I moan.
He hasn’t moved, so I open my eyes.
He’s staring at me. His eyes are dark and filled with a need that I don’t understand.
“I have never wanted anything as badly as I want you right now,” he says, his voice low with meaning.
I curl my fingers into his hair. Leaning in, I brush my lips over his. “You have me. So, stop wasting time, and fuck me.”
My words seem to have an effect because his mouth slams down on mine, and he starts to fuck me hard against the wall.
When the elevator door opens, he carries me out of there, his cock still inside me.
He doesn’t bother going inside. He just presses me up against his front door and continues to screw me senseless there.
“Lift your top. I want to see your tits,” he rasps out.
Freeing a hand from his hair, I do as he asked, and I lift my top, taking my bra up, too, revealing my breasts to him.
“Fucking perfect,” he growls. Then, his mouth is on one. Licking and sucking on my nipple, he continues to fuck me against his door.
I catch sight of us in the reflection of the glass on the emergency exit door. Liam has his pants hanging around his thighs, and I have my skirt around my waist, my top pulled up and my breasts hanging out, while he fucks me with a desperation I’ve never known. It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, and it has me coming seconds later.
I’m screaming his name—my hands pulling his hair, my thighs locked around him—while he continues to pump in and out of me with desperate movements.
He slaps my ass. “You’re so fucking hot. So fucking hot…” he grunts. Then, he buries his face in my neck. “You make me come so hard.”
He starts fucking me with short, hard thrusts, his hand squeezing my ass. Then, I feel him start coming inside me, coating my insides with his cum.
We didn’t use a condom.
I’m not worried about getting pregnant. That’s not a possibility for me. The radiation treatment from my first tumor saw to that. Though I did have my eggs frozen. For all the good it will do me.
But sexually transmitted diseases…I could catch something.
Really, what does it matter?
I’m not going to be around long enough for it to matter if I get one. And it was worth it just to feel him bare and hot inside me.
Liam lifts his head from my neck, and his mouth seeks mine out. He trails those kisses across my cheek to my neck in a gentle way, so different and in stark contrast to the way he just fucked me.
Then, he frees a hand from underneath my thigh. I tighten my grip, so as not to drop to the floor.
He keys in the number on the keypad by his door. The lock clicks open. Liam pushes the handle down, opening the door. Then, his hand goes back under my thigh, and he carries me through, kicking the door shut with his foot.
He walks us through his darkened apartment, going straight to his bedroom, his cock still inside me. He lays me down on his bed, pulling out of me. I feel his cum slip out of me and onto my thighs.
I watch as he pulls his shirt off, kicks his shoes off, and removes his jeans.
Then, he reaches for my skirt. I lift my hips, letting him pull it down my legs. Then, he removes my top and bra.
He walks from the bedroom into his bathroom. I hear running water. He comes back with a cloth and cleans between my legs.
His tenderness makes my heart clutch.
“I didn’t use a condom,” he says softly as he cleans my thighs. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I touch a hand to his face. “I can’t get pregnant.”
“I’m clean,” he tells me. “My last checkup was four weeks ago. And you’re the only person I’ve slept with since then.”