He throws the top of his scrubs off while keeping his back toward me. “I went for a drive.”
“Where?” I ask, leaning into an upright position. I realize where this conversation is going. I tried to prepare myself for it, but now that it’s here, I don’t want it to start.
“Does it matter?” he snaps.
“What’s with the attitude?”
He spins around to face me. “You’re seriously asking that?”
“Yeah,” I mumble.
He runs a hand through his hair. “It’s as if that conversation we had went right out the window?”
I sigh. “I told you I didn’t invite him.”
“You really want me to believe that your mom invited him and that his petty act of thanking Brooke wasn’t really you?” he shoots back, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger.
I’m in disbelief that he thinks tonight was all an act. “Seriously, Liam?”
His jaw clenches as he looks at me. “How come he showed up?”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my frustration. “I had nothing to do with him being invited. I was putting boundaries between us because of what you said. If you can’t believe me, then that’s your problem.”
He leans against the dresser, crossing his arms defensively. “Then maybe you need to have a talk with your family.”
A mix of anger and sadness surges within me. “What do you want me to do, Liam? Call my mom and tell her to stop inviting Kai just to make you feel better? That’s not how this works. I can’t control how my family interacts with him, especially when they don’t see a problem.”
“It doesn’t matter what they see. It’s about us and what’s best for us. Your family should understand that.”
“I didn’t invite him! You’re turning this into something bigger than it should be. I can’t erase the past. Kai is my daughter’s father. He’s going to be in my life.” My hands tremble at my sides.
“Then you need to reevaluate who you want more in your life. You can’t act like nothing’s wrong when you’re still that close to your ex.”
“I don’t understand where all this is coming from?”
He exhales sharply. “I feel like I’m losing you, and it scares me. You may not see it, but every time I watch you interact with him, I feel like I’m losing a part of you.”
My heart softens, but the frustration remains. “I need you to trust me, Liam. I didn’t invite him.”
He meets my gaze, the anger slowly fading into hurt. “I only want to be sure you’re with me and not caught up in the past. Is that too much to ask?”
I sigh. “No, it’s not.”
He looks at me one last time, drops his head, and walks out of the bedroom.
Confusion envelops me. A few months ago, my life felt normal. Or at least I thought it did. Now, there is so much tension between Liam and Kai, two people I care about deeply, and I find myself stuck in the middle. I can’t help but wonder how everything unraveled so quickly. I’m unsure which way to turn, and it’s making my heart ache.
Blakely
My room is silent—except for the faint hum of the fan in the corner. The house is almost as silent, making it feel eerie. Sunshine filters through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the bed. Liam never came to bed last night. I was up all night, tossing and turning, until I got out of bed to see where he was. I found him sound asleep on the couch. Sleeping like none of this is actually bothering him. It made me even more upset that he’s the one who caused me to not get a good night's sleep, yet there he was, sleeping peacefully. I was so exhausted after dropping Amari off at school that I came straight back to bed.
I shift under the covers, my mind still turning and my emotions all tangled. These past few weeks have made tension linger in my body, making it hard to relax. I just want a release and to escape everything for a moment.
I let my hand drift down my body, hesitating for a moment, realizing it’s been a while since I’ve pleasured myself. It’s been a while since I’ve had any kind of attention. There’s been a disconnect with Liam. I want to feel something other than the thoughts that keep running through my head.
My thoughts wander as my fingers gently trace over my skin. I close my eyes and let all the stress fade and drift into the sensation.
Slowly, everything fades, replaced by the gentle touch of my finger. Memories flicker in the back of my mind. Memories I haven’t had in such a long time. I can almost feel him now. The way his soft lips would press against my skin, trailing gentle kisses up my body. The warmth of his breath against my neck, causing a shiver to ripple down my spine. My heart beats faster as I picture him above me.
