Prologue
“Merida?”
I call for her again. Where the fuck is she? She was here when I went out and she should have stayed here until I got back. But the motel room is empty. She’s not here.
“Fuck!” I scream, realising that Merida has left. And I also know why. It’s because of him. Her brute. She loves him. Not that I can blame her because all I can think about is my own brute, but that’s beside the point here. Merida has left and I won’t be able to find her. My eyes catch something on the bed, and I know what it is before I even pick it up. It’s a goodbye note. From Merida.
’Holly, I’m so sorry, but I must go. You know I do. You know why. I can’t stay here. I can’t live without them; without him. I can’t breathe without him. And I would forever regret it if I didn’t give it a try. You’ll be safer without me.
I love you. Stay safe. /M.’
She better not be dead because I want to kill her myself! How dare she leave me behind again? Haven’t we had this conversation before in a similar situation? She’s supposed to take me with her! Not fucking leave me behind! I want to scream my voice hoarse while I toss every piece of our belongings into the bags and leave the motel behind. The rented car is still in the parking lot, so Merida hasn’t left in it. She must have been picked up. By who? One of them? How would she have contacted them? Phone call? Or some other way? I know they’re watching us. They have someone watching us at all times; it’s part of the agreement to keep Merida safe with her being that gangster’s daughter and all, but without Merida here, I’m not sure if anyone is still watching me. Because why would they? I’m not the daughter of anyone important. My parents are nobodies, my sister a fucking bitch of a nobody. So, no one, especially not HADES would have any reason to watch over me or keep me safe from anything. Now, where do I go now? There’s no reason for me to stay at the motel – not when Merida isn’t there anymore. I can go home. Well, home might be an exaggeration. It’s not a home, but it’s the closest thing I’ve gotten to something that resembles it my whole life. Home isn’t the town I grew up in where my parents and sister still live. Home isn’t that god-awful place where I left my birthname and childhood and youth-mistakes behind seven years ago. Home is where Merida is. Where…
Oh God, the next thought scares the shit out of me. Home is where Liam is. How fucked am I? I’ve known the guy for twenty-four hours and I’m already calling him my home? This is a guy who has kidnapped and raped my best friend. Him and his friends are the most dangerous and evil men I’ve ever met; my ex and those fuckers from his gang look like freaking boy scouts in comparison. They’re even worse than any villain I’ve seen in any movie. I mean, Thanos, go home. Shit. What am I doing? Where am I going? The evening is clear and starlit, and I park the car off the side of the road, because I have no idea as to where I can go. I leave the engine running and lean against the hood of the rental car. There is absolutely zero chance of me going back to my family. I don’t want to go back to the apartment. I don’t want to go back to Alaric. He seems like a fucking child compared to Liam. Fuck. Liam. I’m never going to see him again, am I? When Merida broke down because she wouldn’t see any of her bad boy trio ever again, I kept it cool because one of us had to stay level-headed. But now? No one to stay cool for now. The first tears burn in my eyes. And I’m not the crying type, believe me. I hate crying. I hate chicks who cry all the time. Not Merida. Of course, not her. But anyone else…
A car pulls up behind me and I almost expect it to be the police or someone telling me I can’t park in the shoulder. Running a hand across my cheeks, I turn around to face the officers. It’s dark around me and I can’t see them properly because their lights are still on, which illuminates the man coming towards me from behind. Geez, the man is huge. He’s tall and broad, walking with confidence and he kinda reminds me of…
“Liam?”
The hope in my voice is completely new to me and I barely dare breathe in fear of shattering the small hope I feel. The man comes closer, and my heart is beating so fast right now. Partially out of hope, but also fear. What if it’s not Liam? What if it’s an associate of his coming to fucking take me? Like they took Merida?
“Holly.”
I force my eyes not to get wet at the sound of his voice. I want to jump into his arms, but stay right where I am.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as casually as I can. Liam comes nearer still, not stopping his strife or slowing down. He walks right up to me and a second later I am scooped up into his arm. He hugs me tightly while his mouth lowers on mine. Mother-Sweet-Jesus-Hallelujah-Baby-Yoda-Save-Me. That kiss… That fucking al-consuming kiss. I was right earlier. My home is Liam. This is the only proof I need. We kiss for a moment, before Liam walks back towards the cars and place me on the hood of his own car. The hood is warm because the engine is still warm but it’s not like I register it right now. I’m all about Liam and he is all about me. All over me too. I don’t mind, Hell, I’m all over him too.
“You sure you want this, honey?” he groans against my neck, seemingly not convinced by my body’s reactions or the movements of my greedy hands and lips. I nod wildly.
“Of course I’m sure,” I mumble back, forcing his head up so I can kiss him again. Home. This kiss is my home. “I’ve never been so fucking sure of anything in my entire life.”
That’s all the incentive he needs apparently. Liam stops asking and I stop talking. He fucks me standing up against the hood of the car. It could have been a wild, hard fuck but somehow Liam has the ability to make it half love-making, half fucking. It’s all I want. I want it all. I want to stay with Liam; I want to go with him to wherever he wants to go. Partially because I know that’s where Merida will be, but also just because of it being where he is. My home. Both of them. I know Merida loves me. That’s why she keeps leaving me behind. To protect me. But I don’t need her protection. I’m a big girl; I can protect myself. And Liam… He wants me, right? That’s why he came for me just now; why he just fucked me where we were because he couldn’t wait until we found a bed somewhere. So, if I go with him, I get to be with my best friend and my best fuck. How lucky am I?
