Dirty Bad Boys Box Set: Forbidden Romance Collection

“So, Liam, are you Milana’s boyfriend?”

“Yes,” Liam answers, placing his arm around my chair, the same time I say, “No.”

Liam diverts his attention to me.

Shit, I don’t know what overcame me. The panic. Blame the panic.

“Well, which one is it?” Wesley questions, leaning back and watching the two of us.

“We dated back home. Liam surprised me today. It seems it’s a day of surprises.”

“You guys have been together forever, you’re practically married,” Flynn blurts out, again, oblivious to the sound of Wesley’s teeth practically grinding from rage. “So, Liam, you moving out here?”

“Not my kinda place.”

“So, what is your kinda place? Hay, barn, cows greeting you in the morning while you milk them?” Wesley mocks, much to Liam’s and my annoyance.

“Just don’t like this plastic lifestyle. Money-hungry creeps.”

“Money-hungry creeps?” Wesley laughs, arrogantly. “Driven, smart people making a living.”

Liam throws his napkin onto the table. “Yeah, that and dumbass actors.”

“Okay, stop, the both of you. Who wants fortune cookies?” I wave Mrs. Ling over with desperation. She carries over a tray of cookies, and the moment the tray is in front of me, my grabby hands crack one open hoping for a miracle.

Choose wisely. Your happiness depends on it.

I look over at Mrs. Ling. She purposely turns away, dusting a shelf and ignoring the fact that she slipped that into mine. You don’t tamper with fortune, Mrs. Ling! I yell, internally.

“Let’s get outta here. Where you staying, man?” Flynn asks Liam.

“This place… not far from here.”

“Why don’t you just crash at our place?”

“Sure. Is that okay, Milly?”

This is getting worse by the second. There is rock, a pile of shit, then me.

Why is Flynn suggesting that in front of Wesley? How can my brother be that stupid?

“Um… I guess it’s fine. I mean, yes. Don’t waste money staying somewhere. I need to get some fresh air. Are we done?” I don’t even wait for a response—throwing some cash onto the table which Wesley hands back to me as his Amex card makes an appearance—exiting the restaurant, desperate to breathe and release my tight chest. I begin walking, my name’s being called, but everything is a blur while I walk as if on auto-pilot.

“Milly.” A tight grip holds me back. Liam is forcefully holding on, determined to get an answer. “Who is he?”

“What?” I answer, distracted by a homeless man lying on the pavement.

“Wesley,” he says in a harsh tone, gritting his teeth. “Did you sleep with him?”

“No,” I defend myself, trying to explain without hurting him. “Liam, it’s not like that.”

“Fuck, Milly!” he yells, letting me go, his hands tucked into his jeans pockets, and with anger fueled by jealousy, he paces back and forth with a heavy stomp. “I’m not fucking stupid. You barely call me anymore, and when we talk, you’re distant. You’ve changed.”

“Of course, I’m distant. It’s difficult for me to be here.”

“You’ve been here barely a month! It isn’t difficult. You’re managing to make friends, even male ones. Just tell me, are we over?”

“Liam, we agreed when I came out here that our relationship would just see where it took us. No commitments.”