“Yeah, I’m guessing it’s going to be decided for you anyway,” he responds with a shrug, and it occurs to me that Danny is right. I’m sure the date has already been agreed to by the powers that be. I grimace at the thought.
“I wonder what else they’ve decided on,” I ponder aloud. I’m surprised at how despondent my voice sounds. I probably even have a due date to get pregnant by.
Liam opens his mouth to say something but is cut off by Rowan O’Toole clanging his knife against his glass.
“Thank you all for coming this evening,” Rowan intones, sounding every bit as in charge as I’ve learned he in fact is. “It is a happy day, and I am delighted that you are all here to share it. Please. Raise your glasses. To Taryn and Liam. To a united Irish family. One clan. One Ireland. May it begin with us. Sláinte!”
“Sláinte!” is shouted around the room as glasses are raised in our direction. Liam, however, isn’t raising his in return. Instead, he’s watching me carefully, as though I’m about to break.
I don’t know how, but it’s as if Liam can sense the storm that’s coming. My thoughts have gone dark because I don’t want this to happen. It’s not fair. It’s not what I’ve worked for. What I’ve planned for. I want to throw my glass of champagne against the wall. I need to get out of here. “Liam, I—”
“Everything okay, Tare?” Raff cuts me off by putting his arm around my shoulder and pulling me into his side. “You’re doing great. Everything is going to be okay,” he whispers in my ear. A little pep talk just for me. Lovely. “You want to go chat with your girlfriends for a little while? You don’t have to be the dutiful fiancée all night.” My brother scowls at Liam before kissing the top of my head and releasing me.
Across the room, Gráinne and Elizabeth have their heads together in some deep conversation. Rowan saunters over to join them, and I close my eyes. Shake my head at Raff’s question. I don’t want to see my friends, who look so at ease here. Like they belong. Like all is right with the world. Like we aren’t surrounded by criminals. It’s all too much.
“I’ve had all that I can take,” I grumble to my brother. I mean that in the broadest sense possible. I am so fucking over it all. My internal meltdown is disrupted by my new fiancé banging a knife against his own glass. Where did he find a knife?
“Ladies and gentlemen.” Liam smiles wide, his booming voice is jovial. “Friends. Family. Taryn and I want to thank you for coming to celebrate with us this evening.” He pulls me away from my brother so that I’m now held firmly against his hard, muscular side. I’m surprised by his strength, by how well I fit against him. “However, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind for us, so we have decided that it’s time to retire for the night.”Retire for the night?“Thank you again for your support. It means the world to us both.”
Applause and cat calls follow us as Liam begins to push me toward the exit. It didn’t occur to me that I’d be leaving with him, but the sight of the doorway keeps me from arguing. I just want this night to end.
It isn’t until we are nearly to the front door that Liam slams me against the wall before pressing his mouth to mine. I’m too stunned to react. But, oh my God. His lips feel good. Just like I thought they would. Damn it. I shouldn’t like this. The way he holds my face in his big hand. The way his body locks mine in place. The growl he makes as his tongue sweeps against my lips. My entire body breaks out in goose bumps. My brain stops functioning. I kiss him back. God help me.I kiss him back.And it’s amazing. Oh wow. So good. If I’d known it would feel like this, I would’ve dropped my pride—and my panties—much sooner. Gotten the full “Liam McGuiness experience” out of my system years ago.
When he pulls away, I gasp at the heat burning in his eyes. But it’s not desire. It’s anger.
“What was that bullshit in there about how we’lltalk laterabout whether you want to be faithful to me?” He spits the words. He’s still too close. His warm breath is fanning over my face.
“What?” I can’t form coherent thoughts. My whole body is still on fire.
“I can’t get that fucked-up answer out of my head.” He shakes his head. “This isn’t the place to have this conversation,” he parrots. “As if this topic needs follow-up. You don’t want to fuck me for a ring, but what? You want to keep fucking Sam? Someone else? Who? Give me a name.”
My senses come back to me as I process what he’s saying. What he’s asking. I shove at him and it’s like hitting a brick wall. “I’ll see whomever I want.”
“The fuck you will.” He growls the words. “Let me be clear. That ring makes you mine. I have no goddamn idea how your people do things in New York, but where I come from, that diamond means something.”
“You were supposed to find a way out of this!” I shout at him, and he slaps a hand over my mouth.
“Lower your voice.”
I am shaking with anger. Was I seriously just kissing this guy? Was I really wishing I could sleep with him?
He pulls his hand away from my mouth and takes a step back. I can finally breathe again. Liam runs a shaky hand through his hair.
“My brother will be out front to drive you back to campus. Or to your parents’ place. Whichever you prefer.”
I nod slowly at this, waiting for the other shoe to drop. For him to add some insult or some explanation of his outburst. Instead, Liam clenches his jaw. He gives me a terse nod. “I’ll see you on campus on Monday.”
He walks out the door without a backward glance.
TARYN
I sit through my first class in a daze. This is my last semester at St. A’s and I can’t focus on school at all. Various parts of this weekend keep cycling through my mind. Liam and I haven’t spoken since he stormed out of the O’Toole estate on Saturday night. I refused to reach out to him. And no matter how many times I checked my phone, a text from him didn’t magically appear.
I can’t get that kiss out of my mind. His aggression. My unexpected response to it. He wanted a list of names of the guys I plan on seeing? What the hell was that about? Where was the happy guy who raised a glass in that ballroom? I’m beginning to think Liam has some sort of personality disorder.
I sigh. I honestly have no idea what my professor is even talking about at this point. I look around and see folks writing things down, and I know I’m going to have to ask someone for notes. I’ll look like an idiot since I’ve been sitting here the entire time. I rub my forehead.
It occurs to me as I wander around campus that afternoon, barely noticing as the cold bites at my exposed skin, that I should be glad that Liam didn’t reach out to me. It’s not like I care what he thinks about me. And did I really think he was going to help me find a way to break our engagement? I spent Sunday checking my investment account balance. I even shot Sam a text to ask how soon the funds could be cashed out. It’s a stretch to think I would actually take the money and run, but I should be fully informed about my options. That’s just smart, right?
