I mean it Liam. Get out of my head now.
We need to talk.
I don't want to talk to you.
You and I both know that's not true.
Liam please, I am begging you. Stop. There is nothing that we need to discuss at this point. You made your choice months ago.
And I'm making another one now. You are going to talk to me whether you like it or not and trust me...you can't avoid me forever.
Instead of giving in to my urge to ball up in a corner and cry, I went to my classes. It was the worst thing I could possibly do to distract myself from what was going on but it was what needed to be done. I needed to show Adrian that I was okay, I couldn't let Liam come here and ruin everything for me. I wouldn't let all my hard work be in vain. I had to fight back.
Three days later I found myself sitting in front of the fireplace of the cabin. I smiled as I remembered the last time I was here. Adrian and I had gotten close to going all the way...
In that moment I couldn't think about anyone else and I knew I didn't want to be anywhere else. But with Liam's reappearance, all those repressed feelings had resurfaced. Now all I saw was his face. All I could think about was how much I truly loved him. Liam had been my best friend and in the last few days before he left he was my lover. Our connection was deep, and I would be stupid if I thought breaking that connection would ever be possible.
But maybe I didn't need to break that connection. If I could muster enough courage to talk to Liam face to face, maybe he'll see reason and let me go. I mean could he really expect me to take him back when he broke my heart the way he did? Then again, he never said he wanted me back. Maybe he just wanted to get closure.
"Deianira?" I spun around and spotted Adrian near the entrance of the room. He unzipped his leather jacket and placed it on the back of the chair without breaking eye contact with me.
"Yes, Adrian." I answered.
"How have you been feeling?" He asked before gesturing towards the other empty chair.
"Uh, okay I guess." I admitted. Adrian sits down and cracks his knuckles. He must have been nervous.
"I know you've been having a tough time with all of this. I heard you've been doing well in your classes too. I'm glad that you aren't letting your condition stop you from moving up in the competition."
"I hope my efforts aren't in vain..." I look down at my hands as Adrian sighs.
"I hope they aren't either. That depends entirely on you."
"Why?" I asked, intrigued by what he was suggesting.
"Before I give you that choice I need you to tell me the truth and the whole truth. Who is your mate? Why didn't he claim or reject you? Where is he now?"
My muscles tense, and my heart began to beat rapidly. I knew the answers to all of those questions, well at least most of them.
"Adrian I-I can't." I rub the back of my neck nervously, and looked down at the floor.
"What are you so afraid of? Has the guy sworn you to secrecy?" He asked.
"No, well yes. Sort of," I shrugged.
"Why?" He asked.
"Because he said that people knowing about us could put me in danger. He didn't really go into detail but, when he told me I understood," I explained.
"Well you can tell me now. I'll make sure you have all the protection you need. My father has friends in high places, we can keep you safe."
I couldn't bring myself to look at Adrian. I was too afraid of what might do or say once he found out about Liam.
Deianira.
I stiffened, at the sound of Liam's voice in my mind once more.
Damn you Liam! This is the worst possible time for you-
Before you tell Adrian about us, we need to talk - in person.
Adrian was now squinting his eyes the way he did when he was suspicious of something. " Deianira?"
How do you even know that we're talking about "us"?
Because I'm right outside.
Well that's not creepy.
Shut up.
No you shut up! You're lucky I'm even responding to you.
You wouldn't be able to give me the silent treatment even if you super glued your mouth shut.
That's not the point.
Isn't it?
Damn you! I don't have time for this.
He laughed, making me smile just the slightest.
"Deianira!" I snapped out of my wierd daze and looked at Adrian who was clearly agitated.
"Sorry I was...nevermind." Before Adrian could insist on me answering his questions the door bell rang.
Adrian cursed under his breath before leaving to answer the door. "Liam, what are you doing here?"
I froze and tried to calm myself before I went into a full out panic mode.
"Uh, I'm staying here you silly goose!" I rolled my eyes at how ridiculous Liam sounded talking like some uppity rich boy from the 50s.
"I thought you were staying at the Manor?" Adrian said as he reentered the room followed by Liam.
"I asked Uncle if I could stay out here instead. The Big House is a little too crowded for me right now, you know with all the family cramped in and all." Liam's eyes landed on me, and for a moment I could see a flicker of mischief in his eyes.
What was he about to do?
"Did I interrupt something?" He asked, very stupidly if I might add.
"Actually, you did. Liam this is-"
"Deianira, I know. There's no need for introductions. Long time no see Nira." He walks over to me with his arms open and a wide grin plastered across his face. I couldn't step back and reject his hug, because it would raise suspicion and he knew that. He also knew that the physical contact would make it even harder for me to think clearly.
You're an asshole.
You know. You should really take it easy with all this animosity.
His arms wrapped around me, and my body reacted in a way that I was ashamed of. I practically melted in his arms. I could hear his heart beating rapidly in his chest, and I felt mine racing to match it.
In a matter of seconds it seemed like everything had been set back into place. Like the universe had realigning itself and I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
"And you two know each other how?"
"She's the closest friend I had while I was undercover." Liam explains with a knowing smirk.
Adrian looked for confirmation and I found myself at a loss for words. Good thing my nods were good enough.
Adrian's phone buzzed in his pocket and he frowned as he read the text. "I have to go my father needs me. Liam will you make sure she gets back to the Resort by curfew?"
"You mean I have to drive all the way back into the mainland?" Liam groaned. I rolled my eyes knowing good and we'll that Liam didn't mind. But it made me slightly uncomfortable seeing how well Liam could act.
"Don't be such a dick. She can't be late for curfew Liam, I mean it." Adrian pointed his finger, and had a quick staring contest with Liam until he "conceded"
"Fine. As you wish your Highness."
"Thank you peasant." Adrian smirked and gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. Liam stiffened, and I noticed him I'm clenching his fist
Was he angry or jealous? Or was he just in pain? "I'll see you later okay. I need some answers from you Nira."
I nod and watch Adrian's retreating back. I didn't want him to leave me, especially with the one person who could have me suffering from a nervous breakdown within the next fifteen mimutes.
I looked out the window and watched as Adrian pulled out of the driveway. It was then, that I truly wished I could have had Franco or Harvard here but now I was in Liam's hands.
Literally.
I hadn't realized during my reverie Liam had snaked his arms around me, and held me close from behind. It felt so sweet...so natural but I couldn't lead him on.
I pushed his hands away and turned to face Liam. This was the moment of truth.
And I'm not sure I was ready to face it.
"Nira, baby."
"Quit it Liam."
He frowned and took a step forward trying to close the distance between us, but I quickly took a step away from him. "Deianira please. Stop running from this."
"I'm not running anymore. I'm here and we're going to finally get some things straight. I need the closure."
Liam laughed, making me feel like I was just a joke to him. Was he really not taking me seriously?
"Oh baby. I'm not here to give you closure. I'm here to claim you."
My stomach dropped and I nearly lost my balance. "You can't."
"Oh, but I can babe and I will. But first we need to take care of a few...obstacles first. You know with cousin being in love with you, not that I blame him, and you being in this Selection."
"Damn it Liam! Don't you get it? We are not getting back together. You gave up any right to claim when you dumped me months ago!"
He growled before grabbing me and pinning me to the wall in a speed that made me feel slightly lightheaded. "I never gave up my claim on you. I just, I had to make sure that you would be okay if something happened to me. I was trying to protect you and do what I thought was best for you at the moment."
"You are such a fucking idiot. There were other ways to "protect me" but you decided that breaking my heart and forcing me to move on with someone else would be the best option. That was your mistake."
"Yes, it was and I'm about to make right." His eyes softened and I didn't realize what he was doing until his lips were on mine.
My mind was clouded like some pothead had hotboxed in it for hours. I couldn't think, all I could do was drown in the sheer ecstacy that Liam was giving me with that one kiss.
My body was on automatic as I had relinquished all control over it. Our kiss deepened and I could feel our connection deepening. It was like he was anchoring me to him, making sure that I wouldn't be able to escape his hold.
His mouth explored the sensitive areas in my neck as his hands were unbuttoning my shirt. A moan escaped my lips as his fingers found their way to the button of my jeans and deftly unfastened them.
It wasn't until it was almost too late that I finally got enough strength to push him away. "No."
Liam smiled and nibbled on my ear affectionately. "Stop fighting it. This is how it's supposed to be."
"This was what should've been, but instead you were stupid enough to break up with me."
"Nira-"
"No, I've moved on and you are such an asshole for thinking you can just come here and take away everything I've worked hard for. Yes, this feels natural because we are fucking mates. But contradictory to belief, that doesn't mean that we're soulmates, it just means that are genes and bodies are an ideal match and for successful reproduction-"
"Deianira stop." Liam growled, anger was quickly taking him but I wasn't afraid.
"No! You're in denial. You need to realize that we are not meant to be together."
"Fuck! I said stop!" His fist landed on the wall making all the pictures and wall decorations shake violently. "Damn it Deianira. I. Love. You. You have every right to be upset with me, but that doesn't mean you can just give up on us."
"You already gave up on us!" I yelled. I attempted to push him off of me and failed miserably. He was a brick wall that stood firm.
"No, I didn't! Why the fuck do you think I never formally rejected you?" He yells, his voice so strong and deep that it nearly rattled me to the core but I wasn't going to back down.
"I don't care. I'm not getting back with you. I thought you would be reasonable."
"Oh, so I'm the one being unreasonable?" He slammed his hand against his chest, making the sound echo.
"Yes! You are clearly delusional if you think you can just come here and whisk me away like nothing happened. You broke me! You shredded my heart into a million tiny pieces and left me alone when I needed you! I would have followed you anywhere! I would have done anything you asked! In fact, I did! You were the one who told me to move on! You were the one who wanted me to go through with the fucking Selection! So come down from the fucking clouds and face reality! I am no longer yours!" At this point my body was shaking, my lungs burned, and I was so hot I probably could've burned someone with brief contact.
"You will always be mine!" He yelled. He grabbed me by my chin, rather roughly and used his other hand to wrap around my waist. "You can fight me on this but you will not win Deianira. You. Are. Mine."
I struggled against his grip but it was no use, he was way to strong. "I'm not."
He chuckled in a way that almost sounded evil. "I know what this is about. You've developed a little crush on my cousin. How fucking cute. It's amazing how much you've managed to changed in such a short time. You're weak."
I growled and tried to kick him in his balls but he blocked me effectively. "I get it, baby I really do. I mean you're desperate to get away from your family. You needed an out, and you're looking for someone to fill my shoes. Naturally Adrian, would start to look like your best bet. So of course you busted your ass to compete for his love. But what I'm trying to figure out is why the fuck you want to continue to compete for someone when you now have the option to be with the person who knows you in and out, the one person on this earth that was meant for you."
I let my body go slack for a moment, contemplating his words. "I need to be getting back to the Resort."
"I'm not done with you just yet."
I smiled and stroked the side of his cheek. His brown eyes softened for a moment before they became stone hard once more. "I wonder what Adrian will think once I tell him everything. I wonder if he'll take kindly to you holding me here against my will and disobeying his orders."
"I don't take orders from Adrian. So you can tell him what you want, because he will not want to deal with the political consequences of crossing me." He grabbed my hand and held it tightly.
My smile didn't waiver, because I knew he was bluffing and he was clearly forgetting that he had barely come into power, he needed Adrian and his family. He couldn't afford to cross him. And even if he did, he didn't realize just how far Adrian was willing to go to make sure I was his at the end. But I needed to make one thing clear, I wouldn't submit to him. And he was going to have to go through one hell of a fight to get me to be "his" once more.
I leaned in so close, our lips brushed against each others. My eyes looked directly in his and I opened my mouth to make my final jab.
"Oh, but you said it yourself, Adrian is in love with me. And if anything, baby, you should know that you should never underestimate what someone would do for love."