Free Until Darkness Comes by Melynda Price Page A

passenger window lowered, and Olivia bent over to get a look at the creep inside.
A fountain of anger rose up inside her as she gave Liam a serious glare. Olivia stood up straight, her back ridged as a board. She looked straight ahead, pretending he wasn’t there, and kept on walking.
“Olivia?” he called to her.
“Leave me alone, Liam,” she snapped, marching down the sidewalk like a soldier.
“Can I talk to you? Please…”
She resisted the sudden urge to stop and give him a piece of her mind. Instead, she chose not to reply and kept on walking. What would be the point of talking to him anyway? Guys like that only understood one thing— violence. The car continued to idle slowly, following beside her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him bent forward, watching her out the side window as he drove along.
“Maybe I could give you a ride home?”
Boy—this guy doesn’t know when to quit, does he? She suddenly stopped and spun toward him. “No, I don’t think so. But maybe you could stop beating up my boyfriend? I’d appreciate that!” she snapped sarcastically. Surprise crossed his handsome face. He certainly didn’t look like the same guy who was choking the life out of her boyfriend just a few short hours ago. “So, did you really hurt him this time or what? Is that why he didn’t come back to class?”
“Trust me, he’s not hurt.”
Liam definitely sounded disappointed, guess this was the same guy after all. “Oh, well, that’s too bad. Maybe you’ll get lucky and break something next time.”
“It’s not like that, Olivia.”
“Oh really? Then how is it? Go on, enlighten me.” She’d had just about enough of him.
“I’m sorry that I’ve upset you again. That was never my intention.”
“What is your intention, exactly? And why do you care what I think anyway? You don’t even know me.”
“I do care—”
Olivia leaned forward, pinning him with an “I mean business” glare. “I think it would be best if you didn’t. I have a boyfriend .” She said the last word slowly, just in case he was a little slow on the uptake.
Liam’s breath audibly caught in his throat. His eyes no longer held hers. Olivia looked down, following the direction of his dark violet gaze. Her black hair hung loosely over her shoulders, brushing against a generous view of cleavage.
Olivia gasped indignantly and cleared her throat, sending him a seething glare. Nothing could prepare her for what she saw when he met her eyes again. His deep violet eyes were now predominately dark blue. Impossible. He looked nervous, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
His unexpected vulnerability surprised her, ebbing her anger. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings…” she said a little begrudgingly.
The intensity in his beautiful eyes caught her off-guard. Her heart beat a little faster, her hands suddenly grew clammy. “You don’t have to apologize, Olivia. You didn’t hurt my feelings. I’m not that fragile.” His flirtatious smile disarmed her.
She stood there a moment studying his strong, proud jaw, his aquiline nose, and those full, almost too perfect lips. He truly was stunning. “Beautiful” kept coming to mind, but she quickly dismissed it. That word was too feminine, and there was definitely nothing feminine about him—wide muscular shoulders, strong thick neck, and amazing eyes that could change from soft and alluring to hard and menacing in less than a second.
A pang of guilt stabbed her heart for standing here carrying on a conversation with Max’s assailant. “I have to go,” she said, willing her feet to keep moving. It was difficult to break his penetrating gaze. The depth and color of his eyes mesmerized her.
“You sure I can’t bring you home?”
“No, I’m sure. It wouldn’t be right.”
Liam leaned over the passenger seat and opened the glove compartment box. He pulled out a pen and piece of paper, wrote his name and number on it, and handed it to her.
“Take it, in case you ever need