N

since being cooped up in the suite,

o call him-hadn't been back to the suite for over a day. No snarky comments, no smug smirks, no rele

fury. The power had flickered a few times but held steady, giving me no excuse to avoid drowning myself in meaningless distraction

mber

n't shake. Every year, this day came like an unwelcom

down. Don't think about it, I told myself. But th

grabbed my coat and decided to leave the suite. I didn't have a d

rm-stranded guests nursing their own drinks. I slid onto a stool and orde

was welcome. I sipped slowly at first, but as the minutes pa

thoughts began to blur. The heaviness in my chest

lightly, but I didn't care. I was warm and numb, and for

It took three tries before the lock finally beeped,

," a familiar

l hung low on his hips, accentuating the sharp lines of his v-cut. His dark brown h

, blinking.

. "Clearly. And you'

bling further into the room. "Non

ine with an infuriating mix of amu

y coat aside, nearly losing my balance in the

s smirk softening. "W

than I intended. But instead of snapping back, he si

id finally, stepping b

e storm raging outside, or the heavy significance of the d

iversary," I

g back to me. "An

tight. "My parents. They...

His gaze softened, and he nodded slowly, a

he said, hi

it off. "It's fine. I just..

it

rea

swimming from the drinks and my confession. Liam moved closer,

alone," he said final

it held no humor. "What a

urprisingly gentle. "Just

For a moment, the sharp edges of his arrogance seemed to soft

ckling in the air. His gaze lingered on mine, and for

cl

t the sound of his name

es

st. His eyes searched mine, and the world see

e to look like

startled.

ing vaguely at him. "All wet and s

but his voice was low when he r

it came out more breat

never leaving mine. "And

I felt the heat of him, the pull of whatever invisible th

s myself, I closed the gap

ht off guard. Then his warm, commanding

ough this time it wasn't the alcohol. His lips w

each one sending a shock through my body. A moan slipped from my lips as he sucked gently a

breath shaky as I felt a

s tightening around me as he continued,

over my head in one swift motion, leaving me only in my black bra. He kissed me again, harder this time, as if he c