Liam lets out another pained noise, lifting a weak hand. “AndIthought I told you I like to live dangerously.”
No surprise there.
Lilia snorts, nudging Bea. “I give that fall a solid eight out of ten.”
Liam groans louder, throwing an arm over his face. “Ihateall of you.”
Lilia sprints toward us, full speed, zero hesitation, cutting straight through the middle and throwing her arms around both Kym and me.
“I knew you’d come!” she grins, her head tilting slightly between us, practically buzzing with energy. “You guys came at theperfectmoment.”
I side-glance at Kym, who unsurprisingly remains completely stiff under her hold. Absolutely unmoving. And if looks could kill, Lilia would be a snow angel.
Behind her, Liam finally starts the slow, painful process of peeling himself off the ground. He rocks forward slightly, then flops back down with a defeated groan before trying again. Once he’s upright—though still slightly hunched—he squintsand looks around, one hand gripping his head like he’s assessing whether he still has a functioning brain.
A part of me is slightly concerned that he has a concussion or something.
“We made a plan,” he says, his voice still hoarse. Will, standing nearby, leans in just enough to make sure he sees him, but far enough away that Liam can’t actually reach him. “We?”
Bea lets out an exaggerated sigh, crossing her arms. “Yeah, I don’t recall you being of any use.”
Liam doesn’t argue. He doesn’t even look at her. He simply stares ahead, slow-blinking and completely out of it.
Then, after a beat, he rubs his eyes, finally seeming to recognize the rest of us. His gaze lands on Kym, and his face lights up.
“Oh,Kymmy,you’re here too!”
Kymmy?
I turn to Kym, raising an eyebrow, because I didn’t think they were very close.
She doesn’t speak or move. Just stares at Liam, her expression unreadable, except for the fact that her eyes have gonedangerouslysharp.
She’s glaring at him, and there’s so much emotion behind it all of a sudden that I’m almost shocked. And confused. Because this is the opposite of what she’s usually like.
The opposite of what she’s like with anyone else.
It’s a glare that would naturally scare anyone. Could make any living being break into nervous laughter or fumble for a quick apology.
Liam, though?
He smiles.
Not a smirk, not a teasing grin. A full, wide,genuinesmile, like he’s actually just happy she’s here. Like he enjoys her presence even if it’s one sided.
Kym’s nostrils flare just slightly.
I brace myself for impact, but before she can unleash what I’m sure would be a verbally scalding response (because those seem to come out around Liam) another voice cuts through the cold air.
“Have you moved out yet?”
Not Kym.
Kai.
His tone is casual, but his gaze is anything but. And he’s watching me—with the kind of intensity that could pin someone to a wall. It would’ve unsettled me before—even a few weeks ago—but not now. Now, I’m used to it.
That’s almost worse.
