“Thanks.”
“Remember the meeting next week.”
Fuck. I almost forgot. “Yeah, I’ll see you then.”
Ending the call, my fingers wrap in a crushing hold around the device.
You can run, Finn. You can fucking hide, but come hell or high water, I’ll find you.
“Liam!” Kiara suddenly screams, panic and fear making the sound hoarse.
My body reacts before it even registers in my mind, and I’m out the door. My eyes search for the threat but only find Kiara asleep on the couch.
Am I fucking losing my mind?
Suddenly her body jerks. She makes a terrifying sound, almost like a wounded animal, then whimpers, “Liam.”
Nightmare.
Crouching beside her, I frame her face with my hands. “Kiara, wake up.” My thumb gently brushes over her bruised cheek. “Wake up, baby.”
Her eyes snap open, and it takes a couple of seconds before she focuses on me. Her lips part, and she starts to suck in desperate breaths, then she shoots forward, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck.
Feeling her breaths exploding over my skin and how she’s trembling, the most intense emotion I’ve ever experienced floods my entire being.
Love?
No, this is more than a simple emotion.
It’s obsession.
Moving her up, I lie down beside her, my body pinning hers to the couch. With my arms locked around her, I’m half leaning over her, making the trembling in her subside.
She pulls her arms away from my neck, only to wrap them around my lower back. I feel her fingers twisting in the fabric of my shirt as she grips fistfuls.
“Feeling nauseous?” I whisper, deciding to check her concussion while she’s awake.
“No.” The word sounds small and beaten down.
Not thinking it through, I turn my head until my cheek presses against hers. “Headache?”
She nods, her skin brushing against mine. “But not bad.”
My hand moves to the back of her head, and I softly start to massage her scalp, her hair feeling like silk.
Still clinging to me, she asks, “Can we remove the blanket? It’s getting hot.”
“I can move,” I say, even though I’m already pulling the blanket from between us and tossing it over the back of the couch.
Kiara tightens her hold on me, shaking her head, her breaths fanning over my jaw from the movement. “No. Please stay.”
I press a kiss to her cheek, then get comfortable. “Sleep. I’ll watch over you.”
We lie in silence, but it feels as if she’s screaming for me to never let go. Every couple of minutes, she starts to tremble, and once I whisper I’m here and not going anywhere, it subsides again.
She needs me.
My own emotions rocket between rage, knowing I won’t find a moment's rest until I’ve killed Finn, and being totally absorbed by Kiara. The way her body fits against mine, it’s as if she’s a piece of me that was missing. She’s the emotion I was unable to feel. She’s the touch I missed my entire life.
In the early morning hours, I realize that I’ll raise heaven and hell for this woman. Within a matter of hours, I’ve gone from being attracted to her to being absolutely devoted.
With Kiara sleeping in my arms, I make peace with the fact that she owns me.
Give her time, Liam. She’s been through hell. The last thing you want to do is scare her off.
Patience.
Chapter 22
Kiara
I wake up to Liam growling under his breath, “Wipe that smirk off your face.”
“Looks cozy,” Will whispers, amusement in his voice. “Here’s her bag.”
Even though they’re murmuring, so they won’t wake me, Liam’s voice is void of the gentle tone he uses whenever he talks to me. “How are things at the warehouse?”
“Under control. Collin’s back at work. I also checked on Jimmy. His contact found out who’s behind the Sicilians returning to Chicago.”
“I already know it’s Finn.” My tone is brutal and enraged. “Viktor is tracking the fucker.”
“Never thought the idiot would have enough balls to come after us.”
“Idiot being the keyword.” Liam’s fingers brush over my hair. It feels like he’s doing it absentmindedly, and knowing I can’t pretend to be asleep without him noticing, I stir against him. His hand moves down my back in a comforting caress, and it makes me wish I could just lie here forever.
“Hey,” he murmurs, his tone gentle again. “You awake?”
I nod, but instead of getting off of him, I burrow closer.
“Need anything?” Will asks.
“Not at the moment.”
I listen as Will walks away. When we’re alone, Liam doesn’t move to get up. He just keeps brushing a hand up and down my back.
It’s only then all the memories from yesterday flood back. The dull headache sharpens for a moment before it becomes bearable again.
I breathe in Liam’s natural scent, all man.
“How do you feel?”
How do I feel?
Safe. Besides the headache and tender cheek, I’m comfortable.
Tentatively my thoughts turn to yesterday. It fills me with intense repulsion whenever I think of Finn and what he did to me.