Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Her eyes flicker with disappointment.
“Hey–” I tip her chin to me and smirk, “I need to do this for me. I want you with every fiber of me–but I need you to know that I’m not going anywhere–I don’t want to rush this. You’re mine. You’re the glue that holds my broken heart together. You’ve always been mine, you understand?”
She nods.
"I love you." I lap at her hot entrance, sucking on her swollen lips until she’s writhing against my beard. "So damn much."
"Liam," she moans, "Oh my God, I love you too."
I growl against her warmth. Damn, she always catches me off guard. Staring into those deep, soulful eyes of hers, I feel it in my bones. She is stronger than I ever was. She possesses a hidden strength that she doesn't even realize, but I can see it clearly reflected in her eyes.
She is my everything.
Her body pulses against my tongue as waves of pleasure crash through her. Swallowing hard, I study her beautiful skin. Leaning over, I run my fingers through her long hair and grip it tightly. Pressing my lips to hers in a fiery kiss. “I want to take this slow, baby, so I’m not going to make you mine tonight. Not yet. But soon.” I hum through a kiss on her soft lips. “I can promise you it’s taking everything in me to control myself with you like this though.”
She nods, chest heaving with aroused breaths. I gather her in my arms, carrying her off down the hallway to my bedroom. Our bedroom. I tuck her into the blankets, loving the way she curls against me, eyes fluttering closed as she falls into a deep sleep.
Later that night, I lie awake, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing as she sleeps beside me. The storm outside has passed, leaving a peaceful stillness in its wake. But inside, my thoughts churn like a raging river.
I’ve spent so long keeping people at arm’s length, convinced I wasn’t worth the effort. But Callie—she’s changed something in me. She’s made me want more. More than just surviving, more than just getting through each day. She’s made me want a future, one that’s brighter, fuller, and undeniably hers.
And for the first time, I think I might just be brave enough to fight for it.
Chapter Nine
Callie
The afternoon sun filters through the windows of Liam’s shop, casting golden rays on the worn wooden floors. The rhythmic clang of his hammer against metal fills the space, a comforting backdrop to the storm swirling inside my head. I lean against the workbench, pretending to study a box of nails, but my nerves are as frayed as the hem of my shirt.
The last note was shoved under the windshield wiper of Liam’s truck this morning, the message scrawled in a shaky, almost manic script: She doesn’t belong here. Neither do you.
I don’t tell Liam immediately. I’ve seen what his anger looks like when it simmers just below the surface, his jaw tightening, his fists clenching. But this feels different. Darker. And as much as I want to handle it on my own, I know I can’t.
Liam glances up from his work, his sharp eyes narrowing when he catches my expression. “You’re quiet. Too quiet.”
I attempt a smile, but it falters. “Just thinking.”
“About?”
The weight of his stare is almost too much. I bite my lip and look down at the note crumpled in my hand.
“This,” I say, holding it out.
Liam’s face hardens the moment he reads the words. His hammer clatters to the floor, forgotten.
“When did you get this?” His voice is low, a dangerous growl that sends shivers down my spine—not from fear, but from the sheer intensity of him.
“This morning,” I admit. “It was on your truck.”
“You didn’t tell me?” His tone sharpens, but there’s more concern than anger in his eyes.
“I didn’t want to make it worse,” I whisper. “You’ve already done so much.”
He steps closer, his presence overwhelming in the best way. “Callie, look at me.”
I do, and the heat in his gaze steals my breath.
“You don’t keep something like this to yourself,” he says, his voice softer now but no less commanding. “Not when it’s about your safety.”
“I didn’t want to worry you,” I confess, my voice breaking. “But I felt... followed in town today. I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it or—”
“I’m sure you weren’t imagining it,” he cuts me off, his jaw ticking. “If someone’s threatening you, they’re threatening us. I won’t let anything happen to you. Do you understand me?”
The fire in his words ignites something in me. I nod, unable to trust my voice.
“Good,” he says, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “From now on, you don’t go anywhere alone. You need something, you tell me, and I’ll take care of it.”
“Liam, I—”
“No arguments, Callie.” His tone leaves no room for debate. “This isn’t up for discussion.”