Free Liam by Madison Stevens

in shock as she rolled up her window and drove away.
     
    She had done it. She’d told him she loved him. Meg groaned. She told him in the lamest way possible.
    Meg punched the gas in her car and enjoyed the feel of it jerking forward. She’d had enough of this crap. Liam thought he could use her like a yo-yo. It just wasn’t fair, and there was no way in hell she was going to put up with this again. How many times was she going to let him hurt her?
    When she walked into her parents’ house, she was surprised to find them still awake in the living room. Harley sat patiently by her mother’s feet in hopes of something yummy.
    “How was dinner?” her mother asked.
    Meg plastered on a happy face. “It was fine.”
    She paused to swipe some popcorn out of the bowl. Her mother watched her carefully.
    “I’m going to go back to my place,” she said.
    “Is it safe?” her mother asked.
    Meg nodded. “It should be. Whoever it was knows I’m home now.”
    Her mother looked to her father.
    “Oh, poor Harley will miss out on the date with his girlfriends,” she said and looked sadly down at the dog.
    Meg glanced at her father, who was trying not to roll his eyes.
    “Well how about he stays one more night, and I’ll come get him tomorrow,” Meg said.
    Her mother smiled at her and patted the sweet dog on the head. “He just loves seeing all the girls,” her mother said.
    Meg snorted. She could bet he did.
    Her mother shot her an irritated look. Meg hurried to her room to pack her bag. She was tired of living out of a suitcase, and she was even more tired of having to follow someone else’s rules. It would be nice to sleep in her own bed. If someone tried to come in, she had no problem letting them look down the barrel of her gun.
     
    * * *
     
    Liam drove to Finn’s house in silence, feeling equal parts irritated and happy. Knowing she hadn’t been with either of the men in London was such a relief. As much as he tried to fight it, there was something between them. Liam frowned. He just couldn’t understand why she needed to figure it all out right now. Couldn’t they just see where things went? What was the point in saying that she loved him?
    His heart twisted at her words. She had seemed so defeated. Liam didn’t want to be that for her. He wanted to be so much more than that.
    He sighed. Of course, that wouldn’t really work if either of them decided to live somewhere else. But if things were going well between them, he couldn’t think of any reason why he would want to move. Why couldn’t she see that?
    When the car came to a stop outside Finn’s house, he grunted in irritation.
    His phone startled him from his thoughts. Without looking at the name, he answered the phone.
    “What?” he said gruffly into the line.
    “Is that any way to speak to your mother?” his mother spoke sharply.
    “Oh, Mom.” He sighed in frustration. “I didn’t realize it was you.”
    “Is that how you speak to your friends?” she snapped at him.
    She wouldn’t understand. He really had no friends. Sure, he liked the Allens, but most of them were busy with family affairs, and he didn’t spend a lot of time with anyone outside of work. He figured it was a good thing he worked as much as he did.
    “No, Mom,” he said and scrubbed his face. “I’m just tired.”
    “Oh, Liam,” she soothed him. “Are you not taking care of yourself?”
    He chuckled. She was always the worrier.
    “I’m fine, Mom,” Liam said and smiled.
    “Not that I would know,” she huffed to him. “You haven’t been to see me in over a month.”
    He counted in his head and found she was right.
    “Sorrym Mom.” He felt bad that he hadn’t been to see her recently. “Things have just been busy.”
    Silence came over the line. “I know what busy means for you. It means danger. Do you really have to keep up this work?”
    Liam sighed. It was the same argument they had every time he talked, and he remembered why he hadn’t been to see her