Second (Betrothed 6)

I stared at him for a few seconds before I flicked on the lights.

He didn’t move.

I slowly walked toward him, seeing the dead look in his eyes. His hands were together in his lap, and his large mass was completely relaxed. I stopped at the head of the table and stared at him.

He finally lifted his gaze and looked at me. “Sit.” He didn’t need to raise his voice to issue a command. There was a silent authority to his presence, innate leadership in his voice.

The only reason I obeyed was because this conversation was necessary. I sat in the chair across from him and crossed my arms over my chest. I’d had a day to cool off and I was much calmer than I was before, but sitting here where we’d screamed at each other reminded me why I was so mad in the first place.

He continued to stare at me. “Where were you last night?”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Not a strong way to start an apology.”

“Why won’t you answer the question?”

My anger deepened. “Where were you last night?”

“Here.” His tone was clipped. “Alone.”

I started to wonder if he knew something I didn’t. “I stayed at the Tuscan Rose.”

He must have wondered if I went somewhere else, because that answer made him calm a bit.

“Doubting my fidelity is not the best route to take, Liam. You’re the cheater. Not me.”

He inhaled a deep breath, and his eyes turned hostile.

“I could have cheated, and I didn’t. And I’ve had many, many opportunities.” Damien was in my hotel room last night, and we had the perfect chance to screw all night long. Instead, we talked and watched a movie. I loved Damien, but I resisted the urge to take off my clothes and bounce on his dick. Wasn’t that hard, so I didn’t know why Liam faltered in the first place.

The guilt flushed into his gaze, and his anger faded. “I’m sorry.” His sincerity was obvious in his tone. “I know I fucked up. And I guess I’m afraid I’m gonna push you…and then you’re gonna run off to him.” He dropped his gaze. “Just the idea of you being with someone else kills me inside.” His hand moved to his chest, right over his heart, and made a fist. “Even when we weren’t married, it cut me to the bone.” He dropped his hand. “I knew exactly how you felt when I betrayed you…and it fucking hurts.”

Liam’s speech went straight to my heart, made me remember why I loved him. “When I married you, I promised to love you, to be committed to you, until death parts us. I’m in this for the long haul. Sometimes I think you don’t feel the same way…”

“Of course, I do,” he whispered.

“Then why would you try to go back to death fighting?”

“My desire to fight has nothing to do with my love for you.”

“But it hurts me…and if you love me, you shouldn’t want to hurt me.”

“I don’t want to, Anna. I just…want both.”

“Not gonna happen. You have to choose.”

He shook his head slightly. “You know I’ll always choose you. I just wish you would—”

“No.” I held my ground. “There’s nothing you could ever say to change my mind. I will never allow my husband to risk his life for money. You either accept my decision or walk away. Because this is a condition for this marriage.”

He stared at me for a long time, clearly disappointed but not combative. “Alright.”

I released the air in my lungs when I got the answer I wanted. “We should spend our time working on this marriage, Liam. It’s still too delicate for you to make rash decisions like that.”

“I know…”

I rested my case and turned quiet. I got what I wanted and finally found peace.

“You’re the most important thing in my life, Anna. I’m sorry I made you doubt that. But my desire to fight is completely unrelated to my feelings for you. I just want you to know that…in case that wasn’t clear.”

I gave a slight nod.

“Because I love you…more than life itself.” Emotion was in his eyes, his heart and soul shining through in complete transparency.

And it touched my heart, body, and soul. “I know. I love you too.”

He took a deep breath at my words. “I’m sorry about…what happened.” He couldn’t look me in the eye, as if he was too ashamed to meet my gaze. “It won’t happen again.”

“I know.” Perhaps I forgave him too quickly, but it was hard to stay angry when he seemed so apologetic.

“I guess I’m so afraid to lose you again that…I can’t think clearly.”

I could see the way Liam loved me, even if his desire to return to the ring contradicted it. I could feel it when he looked at me, see it when I looked into his eyes. Our old relationship used to be so passionate and deep, and those memories still influenced us now…even though things were totally different.