"Eat your food. Not play with it." Liam said causing me to look up from my plate and gawked at him. It was the first time Liam and I had a proper meal together at home with just the two of us in his big dining room. Few maids were standing along the side of the table, making sure they tend to everything we'd ever needed to make our dining experience extra pleasant.
But little did they know, the only way I could fully enjoy having dinner with Liam was that I had to not be there.
"I am not hungry." I couldn't force myself to eat as every time I held up a spoonful of food to my mouth, I wanted to vomit.
A vomit reminded me of morning sickness and then, morning sickness technically represented pregnancy. Everything I did, every air I breathed in, I only thought back to the conversation I had with his parents and him earlier today.
"Still. That's not an excuse for you to play with your food." He muttered, "There are children on the other side of the world dying from hunger."
"Since, when did my mother marry you and make you my second father?" I spat at him and from the corner of my eyes, I could see quite a few maids were trying their hardest not to laugh.
Score one for me.
"Don't be disrespectful." Liam said irritatingly.
"Then don't be annoying." I taunted him back.
Whatever that was Liam about to yell at me, he seemed to realize he shouldn't and carefully swallowed it back down his throat. I looked at him, a bit confused at first but didn't want to think much of it as it was for my own good.
"I am taking a day off tomorrow. What do you want to do?" He asked and I didn't know for how long I just sat there, gaping at him stupidly.
"You're being weird." I finally came up with something appropriate to say.
"The word you're looking for is nice." He corrected me, wiping his mouth with a clean napkin before dropped it onto his dirty plate, "I am being nice because you did well today."
I slightly nodded. Weird but I would take it. That was probably the best apology I could get from someone with a pride and ego as high as Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai.
"Anyways, I will be free tonight too. Why don't we do something together?" He asked casually.
I gave him a weird look.
"I mean like watch a movie together...or I don't know, you can ask me those stupid questions like how you did the other night." He suggested and immediately, I frowned.
Did he just call my question stupid?
I annoyingly sighed, "If you really want to do me a favor in return of my good action, there is no need for you to take it that far." I noted distinctively, "Just go to work as you normally would tomorrow. There is nothing else you and I could possibly do together. Well, except you want to spend two hours straight arguing."
I didn't know if it was my mean words or the food he had earlier wasn't his favorite but he appeared to be very displeased...and I wasn't sure that emotion was there but I guessed I saw sadness in his eyes.
Or was that his way to make me feel awful about my own insults. Because if that so, it was seriously working.
"If you need anything, I will be in my office." He told me, coldly before he got up from his chair and headed out the dinning room.
Wait, did I just hurt his feeling?
_____________
Dressed in my matching set of pajamas, I stepped out of my bathroom and my eyes caught with Pyper's. She lightly smiled at me and we changed a friendly 'hi' while she walked past me to the bathroom. Probably to take care of my dirty laundry as usual.
I walked to my bed and pulled down the covers which I was that close to slide myself underneath it when Pyper reappeared.
"Heading to bed already, Miss?" She asked and I lightly nodded my head, "That's too bad then."
I looked at her as I sat down on my bed, "What?"
"Well, Master Liam is looking a bit lonely by himself in the living room." My heart felt slightly heavier at Pyper's words but why would she think I care if he was lonely or not.
I hated the man.
"Poor guy. But that's his problem." I mumbled mockingly, "I bet he wasn't even that lonely. Probably just wait for one of his lady friends to join him. It's Friday night. She probably stuck in the traffic or something."
"Oh, Miss. Don't be jealous." Pyper chuckled.
Jealous?
He whistled, they'd come running. I wasn't jealous. I pitied them. Both of them.
"I am not jealous." I hummed.
"Alright, Miss." Pyper said, picking up a hamper filled with my dirty clothes and headed toward the door.
I, at the same time quickly got out of bed and went to get the door for her. She thanked me and as I was about to head back to my bedroom, my eyes got caught on something.
I bit my tongue, trying to get rid of the guilt that was slowly building up within me. But God, he looked so lonely. Too lonely than anyone should ever be. It was like one of those moments when your father finally came home from work but you already had gone off to bed. He wanted to say hi, gave you a hug but at the same time, didn't want to wake you up.
I tried to keep my emotional butt under control but failed miserably at the thought of him and I when we were younger.
Liam was a nice boy. He would always protect me and Giovanna from those stupid kids in our neighborhood and he would always cover up for me with my parents. He had become a part of my family even without knowing it. A brother figure which he represented made me look at him no different than how I saw Aden, Romeo and Cairo.
On the bright side, Liam never force me to do anything I wasn't comfortable. Maybe, I had been judging him far too fast and too harsh.
And if that was Aden, Romeo or Cairo on the couch, would I have joined him? It shouldn't hurt— just to watch one movie with a brother, right?
I closed the door quietly behind me and went back inside my bedroom. First, I had to make sure I dressed properly so I threw on a night robe. I wasn't wearing any bras underneath my pajamas and the last thing I wanted to happen was giving Liam a wrong idea about us. I brushed my hair through my fingers, just enough so that it wouldn't look too crazy before I made my way outside.
The sound of reporters speaking on the T.V. filled my ears and I crossed my arms loosely above my chest as I entered into the living room. I stood at the doorway and waited for him to notice me.
But he didn't. He just looked at one for two seconds and his attention return to the T.V.
He probably thought I was there for something else.
"Does the offer still stand?" I mumbled, feeling so stupid but better than standing there and not said a word.
Liam removed his eyes slowly from the screen and warm friendly smile plastered on his face as he nodded.
"It does." He chuckled before scooting over and pat the empty spot beside him.
I chewed on my bottom lip nervously as I joined him on the large couch.
"Keep your hands to yourself or we're having Liam stew tomorrow for dinner." I noted seriously but he laughed.
Like a real laugh. A genuine you're so funny kind of laugh with smiling eyes and all. I didn't know what was happening with me but then a wave of heat struck my face and I had to quickly look the other away. Afraid that he was going to notice the blush on my cheeks.
Blushing, seriously? Right now?
"Who says we're having dinner together tomorrow?" He continued to tease me and I swore I want to beat that smug grin of his face so badly if he wasn't looking so cut—
I mean, nice. Just nice.
"Are you ninety-five?" I muttered annoyingly, "Who watches news before bed and calls it movie night."
"I have no idea you're this funny." He snickered, glancing over at me. An even bigger grin showed on his face and his eyes shone with happiness. Wow. Someone was getting somewhere here.
"I wasn't being funny. I was being sarcastic." I huffed.
"What's even the difference?" He asked and finally, I brought myself to look over at him.
"Funny is meant to be entertaining but in this case, I was insulting you." I clarified and he pretended to nod along, "There is nothing entertaining about that."
"Well, whatever that you call it, keep it up." He laughed as his eyes returned to the screen, "Rarely, anyone managed to get a laugh out of me nowadays. You're quite talented."
There was something very sad but true about his statement which I was sure he meant for it to be funny. But hearing him said so made my heart ached a little. Pyper was right. He must feel lonely. I could see it in his eyes while I was staring into them earlier.
"So, what're we watching here?" I asked, reaching for the remote control on the coffee table.
"Whatever you want." He said with a small shrug.
"Okay..." I mumbled as I leaned back, trying to get comfortable in my spot.
For three hours, we chatted and ended up watching a bunch of random T.V. shows that came up. We shared a good laugh and as many questions as I wanted to ask him, he let me. Not to mention, he answered it honestly and genuinely this time.
At that point, I was not even sure if it was really Liam whom I was seating beside. He laughed and smiled far too much for a man who had always been taken by people as this tough, heartless, intimidating guy. I bet nobody knew he had this side to him because if they did, they would know it was just the matter of breaking through his hard shell on the outside.
We were halfway through the third episode of a very famous T.V. show, Friends when I was starting to feel a little sleepy. I glanced over at Liam and he was still pretty much wide awake.
"I think I should head to bed." I said and slowly, Liam turned to look at me. His expression sadden.
"Oh, okay..." He nodded, a little lost. But then he tried to hide it with a thin smile before his eyes returned to the screen, "Goodnight, Lo."
His faint voice mumbling under his breath and my heart skipped a beat. For years, I had known Liam since we were little but never once in my life, he called me by my nickname.
"Liam?" I called and for a minute there, we both just looked into each other's eyes.
At one point, I wished I had the ability to read one's mind and I was thoroughly convinced Liam was hoping for the same thing. I cleared my throat awkwardly before said, "I'm sorry I yelled at you today."
He smirked mischievously, "Just today?" Was his exact answer and my eyes narrowed.
"Yes. The other time, you kind of deserve it." I snarked and he laughed, throwing his head back.
"Is this one of those things where you apologize insincerely and then ask me for a favor?"
"Who even does that?!" I chuckled and lightly hit him on the shoulder.
Liam shrugged, "My sister."
"And you bought it?" I said surprisingly.
"Well, what can I say? She's my only sister." He sighed and the corner of my mouth twisted into a small grin.
"And as your wife." I joked and Liam already was shooting me a cautious look, "I guess it's only right if I get to ask you for one favor alongside with my sincere apology."
He shook his head but smiling, "Shoot."
"Tomorrow, Giovanna and I are supposed to go furniture shopping for her new apartment." I began.
"I am not paying for anything."
"Wait, hear me out first." I groaned and Liam heavily sighed but he sat back and listened to me even more carefully, "According to out plan at first, Luke was supposed to give me and Gi a ride. But now...since you do not feel comfortable with me going anywhere near Luke—"
"I can take you." Liam said ever so quickly and even faster than a blink.
"And, Giovanna too." I added and he rolled his eyes playfully.
"Fine. Giovanna can come too." He said, "But you tell her, I am not paying for anything."
I laughed, "I will. I will."
After we concluded the deal of tomorrow, I made up my mind to spend a little more time with Liam. A little more turned into another hour. Since when did time go by this quickly when I was around him.
"Liam..." I suddenly broke the comfort silence in between us and Liam turned to look at me.
And when I said he was sharp, I meant that sharp. Two seconds he needed to observe my expression and he knew something was wrong.
"What's the matter?" He asked worriedly.
I sighed, "What are we going to do?"
He gave a low chuckle, "Do what?"
"Your parents." I said, "And, the contract..."
This time it was his turn to sigh. Liam grabbed the remote and switched off the T.V.
Now, that was real silence.
"I'm working on it." His answer was hardly promising. By working on it, what did he mean exactly. It had been three weeks as his father had said earlier today and we had not yet seen any progresses. If anything, things were getting worst.
"How exactly?" I asked him, trying not to sound too impatient.
He sharply exhaled, "I met this girl." He revealed, "...lady, actually."
"You did?" I gasped in shock. Since when did he have the time to find a girl. He barely had times to come home to me.
Wait...what?
"But it's going to take a while. We have just started to get to know each other." He told, "And she doesn't seem like she trusts me yet."
I smirked at him, "So, you're being real serious with this one? Huh?"
"Of course, I have to be." He replied, "I can't just have a baby with someone I don't know, London."
"You're right." I nodded and out of curiosity mixed with slight boredom, I asked, "Hm. Is she nice?"
"She's lovely." He said confidently and for some reasons, that made me smile. Even though, he wasn't even speaking about me, "Sweet. Kind. Suitable. But she cares far too much about other people and care less for herself— and sometimes, me too."
"That sucks." I mumbled but as horrible as it was to think so much of others, in exchange of having a man like Liam by her side. She could count herself lucky. "You must really like her, do you?"
"I am not sure yet but I wouldn't have it any other way with her..." He said and my heart literally melted. Like an ice cream on sunny day, "But I am taking it slow. You don't want to rush something you want to last a long time, if you get what I mean."
"I understand." I nodded, "But remember, you and I are not getting any younger and your parents couldn't be any more impatient."
A deep throaty laugh escaped his mouth and I looked at him, scowling, "London, you're eighteen. If there is anybody here who should be concerned about their age now is me."
"Well, you found someone." I sneered, "And while you're at it, remember I still need the time to find mine."
"You will find yours." He said and I rose my eyebrows suggestively.
"Oh, hardly think so if I am still married to you." I snickered and we laughed, "Just make her fall in love with you fast, Liam. No offended as it is an honor to be your wife but I really miss being single."
"There's no need to rush, Lo." Liam said seriously. A smile slowly faded from my face as I looked deeply into his eyes. I was being crazy but he was speaking directly to me when he said, "I am working on it."