“To you finally showing some damn passion!” he exclaims. “I was starting to think you’re a freaking metal can with holes everywhere.”
Blinking like a fool, I stare after him as he limps into the house. The fuck.
“Oh, and by the way, we’re going to my welcome home, get well fucking soon bash tomorrow! All of us!”
“Where’s this party?”
“At Jared’s. Can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees my new girlfriend.”
I swear to God, if he keeps saying that…
“By the way, I heard what Casey did to Mia. Control your girl.”
Huh?
“Heard from who?” I question, following after him.
“This is Palos Verdes, J, drama spreads just as fast as STIs down here.” He shrugs. “Thought you weren’t with Casey.”
“She’s not my girl.”
“Well, you’re shit out of luck with that one, because she’s telling anyone who’ll listen that she’s going to be the next Mrs. Julian Martin Mason Fitzgerald,” Liam taunts, with a chuckle and a look on his face I haven’t heard in a while.
He really is in a good mood.
“Stop full naming me, and second, I don’t give a damn what she tells people. She’s not mine.”
I never claimed her. Never told her useless words of affection that Liam and Cole use to soothe the hurt on the girls they break. I’m straightforward and don’t have any illusions about myself or what I want.
But a certain dark haired, Little Minx on the other hand has me vexed, wound up so tight and angry as fuck.
“You’re a heartless bastard.” Liam laughs behind me as we go.
“Got it from the very best in that particular league.”
“Please, your cold, black heart is in its own fucking league.”
“A league that you’re familiar with, huh, Little Liam? I mean, you’ve been in that dark space before, maybe three years ago?” I mock and he growls. “Old wounds never heal, do they?”
“Shut up!” He throws something at the back of my head, then groans in pain a few seconds later.
“Don’t hurt yourself, lover boy.” I chuckle, relief blooming in my chest.
He’s alive, that’s all that matters. He’s still here with me.
“I’ll hurt you as soon as I’m healed,” he growls, making me laugh all the way down the hall, grumbling curses about my dick all the way to the kitchen. When we get there, we stop short.
John stands there with an almost hysterical looking Nicky behind him. They’re both staring daggers at…
“Mom?” Liam starts with a frown.
Mom turns around to look at us with a cutting smile on her face. She looks too relaxed as she stands there but I can see the gears shifting as she traces our entrance. Dread soaks my bones as soon as I meet her cold, calculated eyes.
Shit.
“Mom?” Liam starts, then glances at me as if to blame me for not telling him that she’s still here. I narrow my eyes at him. This is news for me too.
“Oh, my baby,” she gushes, walking over to where we stand frozen, a glint in her eyes as she moves. Taking in the carnage in the room, I notice Dad’s breathing hard and fast, his jaw locked, and his soon-to-be-wife, Nicky standing right behind him, a terrified look on her face. And Mom, well, she’s smiling.
“I’m so glad that you’re out of that damn hospital,” she starts, going in to hug Liam who stands there like a deer in headlights.
“What are you doing here?” he says, with a frown. “I thought you went back to New York?”
“Oh, I realized that I was needed here far more than I was back home,” she says, patting my cheek with faux fondness that unsettles me for some reason. My mother’s turned into a hard woman in the last three years. It happened over-time of course but the woman standing before me makes alarms blare up in my system. Something’s up.
“What happened to your trip?” I murmur and she smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
“You know, I decided to postpone it.” She claps her hands like she’s still the lady of the manor. “I needed time.”
“Time to do what?” Liam chimes in.
“Liam,” Dad starts, walking over to us. “You must be exhausted. I think we should all let you get some rest.”
“No, John, you’re not going to block me from seeing my sons.”
“Yeah, because that’s why you came?” he scoffs.
“Well of course,” she counters. “I have no other choice but to butt in and be proactive in my own children’s lives.”