Liam shifts and grunts in pain, and I immediately perk up, caressing his face to let him know he’s not alone—I’ll never let him be alone. Liam’s eyes flutter open, and a little half-smile that makes my heart sing lights up his face.
“Hi,” I whisper gently.
“Hi,” he replies, grunting in pain. “Are you okay, baby?”
“Me? You’re asking me if I’m okay? I’m only worried about you, Liam. You scared me. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared.”
“I’m okay, I’ll pull through. I’ll pull through,” he says with gentle conviction.
“I love you, Liam. I love you so much.” I look into his eyes.
“I love you too, baby. I’m going to rest a little more.” He closes his exhausted eyes, and I lace my fingers in his hair, softly massaging his scalp until his breathing gets heavier.
Then his eyes fly open, as if reality crashes back in. “Is Joe alive, or did I die and come back?”
“He’s alive,” I say flatly because the shock and betrayal have barely dissipated.
He reaches for a strand of my hair, and the vulnerability in his eyes almost breaks me. “What does this mean for us?” The question is valid…what does this mean for us?
I want to tell him it doesn’t change anything, but there’s no manual on how to handle your dead “ex” coming back to life, let alone his twin brother who’s your current boyfriend, a man I love, but everything is still so new, and my love for Joe hasn’t vanished.
I’m fucked. That’s what I am.
When he sees the pause in my answer, his teeth clench… I hate myself.
“Can we talk about this when you feel better?” I ask, my fingers slowly tracing his jaw, and I kiss him so gently that his hand finds the back of my head. He hisses from the pain and presses me harder to him, his kiss deepening, my heart dropping a few skyscrapers. This feeling is irreplaceable.
“Ahem, ahem” Joe clears his throat and our faces part as if we’re being caught… and I guess we were, in some ways. Talk about a déja-vu.
Joe stares at us with something I can’t read, then his expression shifts to a quick, almost unnatural, inviting smile.“Hey brother! You’re up. Great! — Anyone hungry?” he asks, crossing his arms, leaning in the doorway. “Other than… that.” He waves at us, and my cheeks burn like a fire pit.
Liam stares at him with anger, resentment, questions… so many questions, but he doesn’t answer. I guess he doesn’t have it in him, and I don’t want him to be stressed while he heals.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” I say coldly, and Joe nods and walks away. Whatever reasons he had to disappear must be good ones. I put my focus back on Liam, lean to kiss him again and play with his hair like a lullaby until his eyes close to as much peace as one can muster.
When I reach the kitchen, Joe is unpacking groceries. “You’re the one who left a baguette the other day?” I ask.
Joe stops mid-movement, his back to me, then turns around, his hands gripping the island. “Yes, a little touch to haunt you in a ‘I miss you kind of way’. He chuckles, opens a bottle of water and chugs some of it. I just stare at him, bewildered.
“Is this not serious to you?”
“It’s very fucking serious, Sara. I… I fucked up. Okay?” He braces his arms on the kitchen island, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looks drained and pained.
“Were you the one stalking me?” Since we’re on a potential truth-bomb marathon, let’s get into it.
His eyes snap up to mine, “Stalking you? I was protecting you.”
“From what, Joe? From whom? What the actual fuck!” I can’t contain the rage bubbling inside.
“I wasn’t the only one watching you, Sara, but I was the only one protecting you.” The light in the kitchen draws heavy lines across Joe’s jaw as he digs his teeth into his lip, avoiding my eyes.
“By pretending to die?” I shout, trying to stay calm is harder than I thought.
Joe pounces in front of me, and I stumble back. “I did it for you. Everything I fucking do, is for you. For you.” He grits his teeth.
“I think you put yourself and all of us into a dire situation with the wrong people, and you didn’t know what to do. Why, Joe? Why didn’t you talk to Liam?” I pause, studying his beautiful face, softer than Liam’s but breathtaking. “Why did you abandon me?” I hit his chest, and he grabs my wrist, closing his eyes, breathing through his nose.
“I didn’twantto abandon you. I didn't... Damn, that was the last thing I ever wanted to do.” His hand reaches my cheek, and I move away from his touch.
