"Tell me it isn't true," he pleaded, his voice wavering with a vulnerability I'd never heard from him before.
"Grant... it's complicated," I whispered, my heart hammering in my chest as I tried to find the right words. He searched my face, and I could see the moment he decided to take that statement as confirmation.
"Complicated, huh?" The devastation in his voice cut through me like a knife, but it was quickly replaced by simmering anger.
"Well, tell me how it's complicated then!"
"Let me explain," I insisted, reaching out to touch his arm. But as soon as my fingers grazed his skin, he jerked away from me, his jaw clenched.
"Save it, Erica," he spat, his blue eyes like ice as they bore into me. I knew he wanted nothing more than to confront Liam, but instead, he stormed out of the room, leaving me feeling utterly exposed and vulnerable. I flinched as the apartment door slammed shut, and the sound echoed through the empty space.
My hands shook at my sides, and I couldn't quiet the chaos inside me. How had everything become so twisted and tangled?. It was as though I were watching my entire world crumble around me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. As I turned to face Liam, I fought to regain control over my emotions. It felt like an impossible task, but I needed to find a way to navigate the mess that my life had become.
"Look what you've done, Liam!" I shouted at him, the anger boiling over inside me. "You promised not to tell anyone about our fated mate thing, and now you've broken that promise! How can I ever trust you?" His dark brown eyes flashed with fury as he retorted,
"I did promise to keep it quiet, but I'll be damned if I let my fated mate go fucking anyone else like a pack whore. I warned you I'd kill anyone who touched you, and Grant got off easy." My hand moved instinctively, slapping him hard across his face. The sound echoed in the empty room, leaving a stinging sensation in my palm.
"Nobody calls me a whore, Liam. Get out!" The Alpha heir growled, his muscular arms grabbing me roughly and slamming me against the wall. My breath caught in my throat as I stared into his enraged eyes.
"Don't hit me," he snarled, his grip tightening on my wrists. I tried to pull away from him, but his strength was too much for me to overcome. Feeling trapped and desperate, I attempted to hit him again. But Liam caught my hand effortlessly, pinning both my wrists above my head with just one hand.
"Fight all you want, baby," he whispered, his face inches from mine, "but in the end, you're mine." I struggled against his iron grip, feeling the heat of his body pressed against mine.
As Liam nuzzled into my neck, his teeth grazed my marking spot, sending shivers down my spine. I couldn't deny the arousal that pooled between my legs, even as my mind screamed for me to push him away.
"Maybe I should just claim you right now, complete the bond," he murmured against my skin, his hot breath making my heart race.
"Get off me, Liam!" I yelled, my body betraying me as it yearned for his touch. The intensity of my emotions was overwhelming, anger, fear, desire, and confusion all swirling together, threatening to drown me in their chaotic depths.
"Get off me!" I screamed, my body squirming in a futile attempt to escape his iron grip. But Liam's hold on me only tightened as his other hand slipped down between us, finding its way beneath my panties.
"Already so wet for me," he muttered, smirking against my neck as his fingers began to stroke and tease my clit. My body betrayed me, sending waves of pleasure coursing through me as I tried to fight the rising climax within myself.
"You can't deny how much you want this, Erica."
"Stop... please," I gasped, every ounce of my strength focused on not begging him to finish what he'd started. But even as the words left my lips, part of me craved his touch more than anything.
With a growl, Liam suddenly scooped me up and tossed me onto my bed. His weight pressed down upon me as he climbed between my legs, the hard, throbbing length of his cock straining against the fabric of his sweatpants. He captured my lips in a searing, passionate kiss, his hips bucking against mine with a desperate urgency that set my nerves aflame. The friction between our clothed bodies only intensified the pleasure coursing through me, pushing me closer and closer to the edge. And when it finally came, my orgasm tore through me like a wildfire, making me cry out into Liam's mouth as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over me.
"Only I can make you feel like this," he whispered huskily into my ear, his breath hot against my skin. "You need to realise that you belong to me, Erica. I'm the one for you." Without another word, Liam climbed off me and strode out of the room, leaving me panting and trembling in the aftermath of my climax.
The sound of the apartment door slamming shut reverberated through the empty space, leaving me utterly alone.
"Fuck!" I screamed into my pillow, overcome with frustration and a sense of helplessness. I was falling hard for Liam, despite every fibre of my being telling me it was wrong, and I hated myself for it.
"Get a grip, Erica," I muttered, my voice muffled by the fabric. "You can't let him control you like this." But even as I tried to convince myself, loyalty, trust, desire, they all swirled together inside me, creating a storm of emotion I couldn't hope to contain.
"God, what the fuck am I going to do?" I whispered, tears stinging the corners of my eyes as I stared up at the ceiling, desperate for answers that refused to come.
Chapter 28
Erica
Themorningsunlightfilteredthrough the curtains, casting a warm glow on the kitchen table as I sat down with Gen and Frankie. We were all nursing our hangovers with steaming cups of coffee and plates full of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.
"Can't believe what happened last night," Frankie said, shaking her head. "Heidi had no right to attack you like that, Erica. I'm just glad she's locked up now."
"Me too," Gen chimed in, her expression concerned.
