***Blurb Why on the earth, I had to fall for my brother’s best friend, once again?My brother had just forgiven me for sleeping with one of his best friends and now I was falling for his other best friend.Steven was supposed to make me comfortable in this new place, but I didn’t realize when he made his way to my bedroom and started comforting my body. In so many ways.I knew better. There was no excuse. I got too close and once he got his hands on me, there was no stopping what happened next.When I moved to the apartment close to Steven’s, he got a chance to fulfill his dirtiest desires, which he had been hiding for years. Steven had always had a crush on me, but I couldn’t see it as I was madly in love with Nelson.Luke, my brother, Nelson, and Steven were best friends. But they broke apart because of me. After many years, Luke forgave me. But… before I could feel the joy of being with my brother, I put myself into bigger trouble.Every time I was with Steven, his intoxicating pe
LilyOne month later, and we're back in Paris. We are staying at the penthouse where it all started. The place where our relationship was taken to the next level and changed everything between us. It's been a wonderful week here thus far. This time spent has given a glimpse of what forever holds for us, and our child.His eyes are on mine, intense and hooded, as he says, “I’ve got your Christmas present upstairs. Come with me.”Upstairs, huh? I nod and follow, watching him flip the lights as we pass them. Liam keeps holding my hand as we walk to our room and I can't contain my excitement. He glances at me with adoration, and I smile back at him.“Sit, my love.” He says after a second, before ducking into his closet.I take a seat on the edge of the bed, tucking my hands between my thighs as he roots around and brings out two boxes. They're wrapped in metallic paper, all nice and neat just like his ironing. He holds out the smallest one first, stopping to kneel directly in front of me
“I forgive you too.”I mutter.He raises a questioning brow, but nods nonetheless.“Thanks Lily. Someone’s here to see you too.”“Who?” I ask curiously.You’ll find out soon enough.” He mutters.My eyes widen. My mom squeezes my hand tighter and smiles encouragingly at me.“Okay,” I respond nervously. “Where are they?”“You’re gonna need to move around a bit. Can you?” Dean asks, while ignoring my question.“Of course. I took a walk earlier this morning.”“Alright then. Let me help you up.” He walks me out of the room, and down the hallway to a small corridor.“You’re gonna need to go on in on your own, Lily,” Dean says when we get to the entrance to one of the conference rooms in the hospital.I cock a brow at him but nod in response, pushing the door open. He helps me into the room and turns around, shutting the door behind him.As I enter the main room, it's completely empty, except for Liam standing with wide eyes. He’s surrounded by countless petite candles.I'm so shocked and com
“It’s not too late to make it right.” I say, beaming and feeling the warmth of the moment.“Of course.” She sniffles, wiping her nose with her shirt cuff. I laugh, feeling a lot lighter than I’ve felt in forever.Dean walks in on us with two paper bags in hand, and I notice him glance between my mom and I with concern etched on his face.“Everything alright?” He asks tentatively, setting down the bag he brought next to me. He reaches across and pats my arm softly. His fingertips brush the IV needle taped to the crook of my elbow and I wince a bit.“Yeah. we’re good. Better than ever.”His gaze shifts to my mom and she nods with a smile. I can practically see the wheels turning in his head. The gears are obviously working overtime, trying to figure out what’s happening.“I finally have my mom back.” I say softly, smiling up at her and reaching out to squeeze her hand. She beams at me and hugs me tightly, burying her face in my hair. Dean joins in the embrace and I chuckle a bit, wrappi
LilyI crack my eyes open, tangled in a web of hazy sensations. The throbbing in my head settles into an annoying background hum, in sync with the beeping of the heart rate monitor beside my bed. Sounds trickle in, distant and hushed. My limbs protest any movement, heavy and unresponsive. The air hangs thick with an unspoken weight, and I struggle to piece together the fragments of consciousness, like trying to catch whispers in the wind.“Lily?” A female voice calls out from beyond the blur, “She’s awake. Call the doctor!”I squint, and finally see someone standing over me. My vision is still hazy, and it takes several minutes for everything to make sense. I stare at the woman hovering over me. She looks familiar. But the throbbing in my head drowns every thought into oblivion. I blink again, trying desperately to focus, and she takes another step forward. Her face comes into sharp focus as her blonde hair glints in the morning sun pouring through the window beside me. She smiles and
There it is. The tears begin falling uncontrollably as I recall every single moment we had spent together in Paris and back here in New York.“Please Lily, you've got to make it out of this for me. I'm never gonna be able to forgive myself if anything happens to you or this baby.” I sob quietly. I grab her hand, squeezing it lightly as I run my thumb across her knuckles and squeeze it once more, hoping it'll somehow convey all of my love and support towards her.“Please, keep fighting. Please. For us..for me. Please.” I mumble through the lump forming in my throat as I stare up at her with tear filled eyes, pleading for her to stay alive and well, despite how scared and desperate I feel right now. I bring her limp hand to my lips and kiss it gently.I try my hardest to memorize every little feature of her face. Her hair, those lovely curls cascading down her face and hiding her peaceful expression. Her eyelashes fluttering occasionally, her rosy cheeks that always seem to light up any
LiamGoddamnit!My nightmarish week just went from bad to hellish. I sit in the waiting room of the hospital, head in hands as I wait for the doctor to return and give us a report on Lily’s condition. She was knocked out cold by Dean’s shove earlier and bleeding from a wound in the back of her head. I’m out here fearing the worst and hoping for the best. Hoping neither her or the child is seriously harmed. From my little knowledge of medicine from movies and a few books, this looks as bad as it can get.Dean continues to pace around while he waits, looking anxious and tense. His furious groans can be heard as he approaches the receptionist desk with his usual scowl.“Why are they taking forever in there?” He asks angrily, voice filled with anger and frustration.“You’re gonna need to be patient sir. The doctor should be right out any moment now,” the lady at the front desk says calmly, despite the obvious tension that permeates the air. I see her force a smile to her lips to try to ca
“Neither do I. But we had an agreement. You had three days to get your shit together and guess what?” He glances at his watch and scoffs, “It’s been three days already.”I stand up and walk over to him. “Dean, let me talk to Liam alone. Give us a little privacy, please.” I plead, reaching out and grasping his wrist.Dean pulls his arm free and glares at Liam. “There’s no need for that. He looks like he’s got his mind made up already and nothing you say or do is gonna change that. So let’s hear it, Liam. What’s it gonna be?”“Dean!” I shriek. “Please.”Dean ignores me completely, his gaze still locked firmly on Liam. “No. I’m sorry, Lily. But I’m not leaving until I get an answer from him.”Liam stays mute and his silence angers Dean even more. From the look on Dean’s face, he just might snap any second. And having witnessed Dean’s anger firsthand many times, it terrifies me.“Say something, Liam. Don’t play dumb with me!” Dean yells, slamming his fist into the table.“Let me handle th
LilyAll of the confidence I had gathered on my way here dissipates as I stand in front of Liam’s office. My hand fumbles with the doorknob as a million and one possible outcomes swirl through my mind. It’s near impossible for my world to crumble any further should he choose to reject me and this baby, which looks like the most likely outcome. If he had changed his mind, he would have reached out already. The dead-end silence between us is more than enough proof of his continued rejection. It can’t get any worse, can it?If there’s a slim chance, even a one in ten thousand chance, that Liam feels for me what I feel for him—which until the pregnancy felt like a certainty—then I’d take it. I’d give it one last try. One last chance to try and talk some sense into him. Blowing a breath through my teeth, I push open the door and step inside.I find him standing behind his desk looking out the window at the city streets below. I stand quietly for a moment watching him as he watches the traf