Mrs.

Obsessed with TRR TRH and King Liam.

[ao719]

Best Kept Secrets

Best Kept Secrets - Maybe We’ll Get It Right (Chapter 18)

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Summary: An unforeseen encounter with the past proves that even the best-kept secrets eventually make their way into the light. 

Title inspiration: Hold On Tight - Forest Blakk

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x F!OC

A/N: Thank you to @burnsoslow for prereading most of this. Please excuse any errors. 

Rating: M • Warning: This series will contain NSFW material. If you read, you acknowledge you are 18+

Catch up here

Standing in her bedroom inside the north wing, Amara stared at her reflection in the floor-length mirror. She scanned over her outfit before meeting her own anxious gaze; she took in a deep breath and slowly let it out, trying to settle her nerves. 

Today would be Amara’s and Liam’s first public outing with Sophia since the statement had been given. It would be the first time the press would not only catch a glimpse of the heir but see the three of them together … as a family. She knew that the purpose behind the outing was to show the public that their King had moved beyond her betrayal and that they were putting the past behind them for the sake of their child. It was all in hopes of shifting the negative attention she was receiving and showing her in a more favorable light. 

Amara was nervous, however. One would think she would find this to be fairly simple; working the press to change public perception was literally her job, but it was much different being the one whose image you’re trying to change their perception of. She wouldn’t be working her PR magic behind the scenes because she was the one under the microscope. She knew her every move was going to be picked apart, questioned, and, at times, manipulated to fit whatever narrative they were attempting to paint of her. Whatever they felt was going to sell a story was what they were going to try and sell, truth or not. 

Despite knowing this was something they needed to try, Amara had second-guessed the decision since Daniel suggested it; they’d given themselves an extra week behind the palace walls to prepare, but she felt anything but because she couldn’t get out of her own head. She didn’t want her presence during these planned outings to make things even more difficult for Liam than she’d already made them. 

However, when Amara subtly brought up the concern, Liam didn’t seem all too phased. They planned to spend the day on the private beach, and he reminded her that while, yes, the press was sure to be camped out nearby, they would still be far enough away so they’d be able to enjoy their day together with Sophia and that he was looking forward to spending the day out … with both of them. He seemed to be treating it as both a casual and normal outing and not one that was planned with a purpose.

Amara wasn’t reading too much into what he’d said, however, seeing his words for exactly what they were. She knew it was nothing more than his way of trying to make her feel more relaxed because he could sense that she was on edge about it. To think he meant anything beyond that was pointless. Despite her feelings for him, she’d forced herself to face reality over the last month and a half, a reality where she knew that any chance she might have had at continuing to rekindle things between them was long gone. After what she’d done, he’d never give her a second chance, and she didn’t deserve one. Her feelings for him didn’t matter and didn’t mean anything to anyone but her, so she shoved them into a box and pushed any notion of them being anything more than co-parents as far down as she could. It hurt, of course, but it was the consequences of her actions. And she’d suffer in silence because she wasn’t going to let those feelings get in the way of his and Sophia’s relationship. 

A knock on the door pulled Amara’s attention, and she gave herself one last glance in the mirror before turning and exiting her bedroom. When she opened the door, she smiled at Sophia, who was giving her signature toothy grin.

“Mama!”

“Hi, baby,” Amara chuckled as she took her from Liam’s arms when she leaned over to her. She kissed her cheek as she ran her hand over her head of blonde hair. 

“Morning,” Liam said. 

Amara offered him a tentative smile. “Morning.” She stepped aside to let him in, closing the door behind her. “I have her stuff ready. I’ll just go get her changed real quick.” 

Liam nodded and watched the two of them disappear down the hall, listening to Sophia babble and Amara laugh, smiling as he sat down in the living area to wait. He drummed his fingers against his thighs, wondering what the day was going to bring.

They would be spending the day at the private beach, and while he knew it would be accessible to the press, it would keep them far enough away so they wouldn’t be too overbearing. They couldn’t go out in public and make it obvious that they were putting on a show for the cameras. 

Truthfully … it wasn’t about the cameras for Liam nor was it a show. Yes, he was doing this as a way to hopefully shift the narrative surrounding Amara, and he was looking forward to finally taking Sophia beyond the palace walls, but it was more than that for him. He wanted to spend the day out with Amara, too. 

Over the last month and a half since everything had happened, one of the things he struggled with most was his feelings for Amara. At first, those feelings were suffocated by anger and resentment, but once he forced himself to let go of those emotions for the sake of moving forward, they came back tenfold. Now that he’d been spending every day with her the past two weeks, practically playing house inside the palace with her and Sophia … the three of them, together, as a family … everything he felt before seemed amplified. His feelings began to consume him, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be able to continue to shove them aside. And maybe he shouldn’t. He’d been trying to do what was best for Sophia, but perhaps what was best for her was the very thing he’d been trying to ignore. 

Liam had a couple of reservations, however, and they seemed to be the one thing holding him back. 

The first reservation was trust. No matter which way Liam looked at the situation, he’d been betrayed. Did he now understand the place in which Amara was coming from? A little. He’d allowed himself to see things from her perspective, and he understood her headspace at the time. It didn’t change the fact that he was still lied to and kept in the dark about something as important as the existence of his child. Were there other secrets she was keeping? He didn’t know. And he didn’t know if he could trust her to not keep more in the future. 

The second reservation was fear. Twice now Liam had tried to make things work between them, and he was left broken both times. They say the third time’s the charm, but this was something that now went beyond just him. If they tried again and they failed a third time, not only would it affect him but Sophia as well. He and Amara had a knack for being unable to get their stars to align. Could he really risk Sophia being collateral damage in a game he wasn’t sure he would ever win?

“Dada!” 

Sophia’s squeal pulled Liam from his thoughts. He glanced over and a laugh bubbled out of him at the sight of her toddling towards him in a white cover-up that concealed her bright pink bathing suit, tiny aviators, and a floppy white sun hat. “Look at you looking like a little beachy princess,” he chuckled as he scooped her into his arms. “Are you ready for our day at the beach?” Sophia nodded with a clap of her hands. “Is mommy ready?”

They both looked at Amara at the same time, and she forced a smile. “I’m ready.”

****

When Bastien pulled into the private parking lot of the beach, Amara turned her face away from the window, shielding her eyes from the flashes of the cameras. The press had been camped outside of the gate when they left the palace and had followed them. Having spent so much time tracking the royal family’s movements, it didn’t take them long to realize where they were headed; they raced ahead so they were there waiting when they arrived. 

When Liam exited the vehicle, the press, who were contained behind another gate where two more guards stood to ensure they didn’t cross, began shouting his name. He turned and tossed his hand up in a wave as they snapped photos before turning back toward the vehicle. 

Liam met Amara’s gaze as she finished unbuckling Sophia from her car seat. “Here we go …” 

Liam lifted Sophia from her seat and into the safety of his arms, and when he pulled her from the vehicle, the frenzy ensued. The press shouted louder as the shutters from their cameras went off. Sophia turned her head toward the clamor as her grip on his shirt tightened. “It’s ok, little love,” he whispered. 

Occupied by their first glimpses of the princess, the press almost missed the moment Amara came into view. Almost. The moment they noticed her, more shouts ensued as their cameras continued to snap photos. 

“Why is she with you, King Liam?”

“Anything to say about your betrayal to the King, Ms. Onasis?”

“Will she be leaving Cordonia soon?”

“Will the Princess be staying?”

Amara turned so her back was toward them and inhaled a deep breath. She felt Liam’s hand on her shoulder a moment later and looked up at him; he gestured toward the path that led to the beach and she nodded before starting toward it. 

Once down on the beach, Amara set the bag she’d packed beside one of the chairs that were set up beneath an umbrella. She glanced around, taking in the silence, feeling a little more at ease, but only for a moment before she saw the press hurrying toward the edge of the barrier. The guards were already in place, ensuring they stayed on the other side, and they were far enough away where they wouldn’t be a bother, but just knowing they were there at all had her right back on edge. 

“Did you hear me?”

Amara snapped her gaze to Liam. “No. I’m sorry … what did you say?”

“Sunscreen?” Liam pointed to Sophia.

“Yeah.” Amara shook her head and crouched down next to the bag, pulling out the sunscreen she’d packed for her.

Liam set Sophia down on the chair, and Amara removed her tiny cover-up before smothering her in sunscreen. Once she was finished, she stood and turned to see a now shirtless Liam setting up the toys he’d brought on the massive beach blanket that was laid out for them; he’d slipped inside the tent just behind their chairs to change. She turned away from him and closed her eyes; between the press and him, her mind was jumbled.

“Ready?” Liam’s voice sounded from behind her, and she turned, but he was speaking to Sophia. He scooped her up and set her on the edge of the blanket so she could reach the sand before laying on his side next to her. 

Amara stood and stared at the two of them as they played. Then her gaze flickered to the edge of the beach where the press remained, continuing to snap photos. She couldn’t help but wonder what story they were going to try and spin from this. 

“Are you going to join us?” Liam asked.

Amara looked back at him. “Uh … yeah.” She kicked off her flip-flops before reaching down and grabbing the hem of her cover-up to remove it but froze as her eyes lifted to the press again. She casually brushed her hand against the fabric of the cover-up as she moved toward the blanket and sat down on the other side of Sophia. 

Liam looked up at her, squinting against the bright sun. “Did you not bring a suit?” he asked, gesturing to her cover-up that was still on. 

“I’m … I’m fine right now,” Amara lied as she looked out at the water. She wasn’t fine. 

Under the heat of the Mediterranean sun and the watchful eyes of the press, Amara was hot and flustered … but she didn’t want to take off the cover-up, afraid of what story the press would spin from it. Would they say she was trying to seduce him into forgiveness by flouncing around in a bikini? Would they criticize her for said bikini because she was the mother of the heir and not setting the example they thought she should? Hell, she was afraid to even look at Liam for a second too long, knowing what type of story one photo of that could paint. 

Liam stared at Amara as she gazed out at the water. He knew something was bothering her and he didn’t have to ask what it was. She’d been on edge the past week since they planned this first outing, and when he saw her this morning, he knew she hadn’t eased up. It was easy for him to ignore the presence of the press because he’d grown up with it and learned to drown them out a long time ago. Amara, however, wasn’t used to being on this side of things. On top of that, she was consumed by how her presence would rub off on him and Sophia and worried what stories would be in the papers the next morning. Because of that, she was being careful. Too careful, considering she wouldn’t even remove her cover-up. 

“Amara,” Liam said, and she glanced at him. “Relax.”

“I am relaxed.”

Liam snorted. “No, you’re not.” She dropped his gaze and bit her lip self-consciously. “Hey, look at me,” he whispered, but she shook her head. “Look at me.” She hesitated another moment before glancing up. “Don’t pay them any mind. It’s just you and me here, ok? Just us.”

Amara held his gaze. He knew exactly what was running through her mind without her having to say a word. And she felt the sincerity behind his words from the way he looked at her. But she needed to defuse the situation before her stupid heart took any of it to mean something more than it really did. “And Soph,” she quipped. 

“Yes,” Liam shook his head with a small smile. “But you know what I meant.” With Sophia occupied with filling her bucket full of sand one small scoop at a time, he laid on his back, tucking his arms under his head as he closed his eyes. “Take off the damn cover-up and enjoy yourself.” 

Liam heard her let out a quiet chuckle, and after another beat of silence, he could hear the quiet shift of the fabric against her skin. He opened one eye and inconspicuously slid it in her direction; his chest tightened at the sight of her body in the navy blue bikini before he quickly snapped the eye shut. 

****

That night, Liam and Amara put Sophia to bed inside her room in the north wing. They’d spent the entire day at the beach, playing in the water and lounging on the shore. Once they returned to the palace, she’d taken a bath, and barely made it through dinner before she passed out in Liam’s arms. 

The press had watched them the entire day, but Amara took Liam’s advice and ignored them as best as she could. She knew she had to come to terms with the fact that they were going to write what they wanted and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it except suck it up and deal with it. 

They quietly shut Sophia’s door behind them before creeping down the hall, stopping in front of the living area. “She racked out,” Liam quietly chuckled. 

Amara smiled as she leaned against the entryway, crossing her arms and tucking her hands beneath them. “She had fun today.”

“Minus the evil wave,” Liam quietly laughed. 

Amara jutted her lip out in a pout before bowing her head and covering her mouth with her hand to contain her laugh at the memory of the wave that washed away the sandcastle they’d helped Sophia build. She was not happy, and her extreme meltdown over the loss was when they knew it was probably time to pack it up and leave. 

“I thought she was going to try and kick that wave’s ass,” Liam chuckled. 

Amara snorted against her palm before looking back up at him, and when she did, a strand of her hair caught on her eyelashes. Instinctively, Liam reached up to brush it away. 

The air suddenly felt very thick as they stared at each other and both their smiles slowly faded. 

Snapping from his momentary daze, Liam quickly dropped his hand. “Uh … sorry. You had — your hair, I mean … it was …” He trailed off and blew out a breath. 

Amara continued to stare at him, feeling a bit bemused as her heart and mind argued over what just happened and what it meant. Nothing, she told herself. It was nothing. “Yeah … uh, thanks.”

“Well … I should probably …” Liam gestured over his shoulder to the door. “I have sand in places where there shouldn’t be sand and need to shower,” he chuckled, earning a laugh from her. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I’ll let you know when she’s up so we can meet for breakfast.” 

“Sounds good.” 

Liam leaned down and kissed her cheek, letting it linger a heartbeat longer than normal before he drew back; he met her gaze for a split second before he turned and opened the door, quickly disappearing into the hall.

*******

Sitting inside his study, Liam read over an article from Trend magazine, detailing his and Amara’s outing over the past weekend in Applewood; he was needed there to go over a proposal to expand the orchids and invited Amara to bring Sophia. The article had several photos printed beside it, each one from a distance; a few of him and Sophia as they walked through the orchids, some of just her, and a few of the three of them together.

It had been nearly a month since that first outing at the beach, and the many they had after seemed to be doing the job they were intended to do. Most of the press — Trend being one — had done exactly what Daniel had said and followed his lead, looking beyond the past and focusing on the here and now. A few remained skeptical, however, questioning Amara’s motives for remaining in Cordonia and her intentions going forward. They didn’t know that she’d already decided to stay because he had yet to make a public statement. He knew he would need to make one soon, though; he’d spoken to Daniel, who told him the next step would be for the people to hear directly from him since they hadn’t at all since Sophia’s existence had been made public nearly two months ago. 

Liam was happy to know that things with the press were starting to settle down. What wasn’t settling down were his feelings for Amara. Each night after they would put Sophia to bed, the length of time they lingered behind got longer. They went from a few moments of simple conversation to now talking over drinks or a late-night snack about their day and making plans for the next. They had gotten closer and had fallen back into a place where things didn’t feel so tense. 

It was comfortable. 

It was familiar. 

Every day they spent together chipped away at those reservations Liam had and drew out his feelings even more. And every day he came closer and closer to throwing caution to the wind and taking that leap. 

Hearing a knock on his study door, Liam called for them to enter; when it opened, he lifted his gaze from the magazine article just as Amara stepped inside with Sophia. 

“Dada!” 

“Hi, little love,” Liam grinned as he stood and walked around his desk; he crouched down as she toddled toward him and he scooped her into his arms, smothering a mix of playful kisses and raspberries against her cheeks as she giggled.

“Hope we’re not interrupting anything,” Amara said.

Liam situated Sophia on his hip. “Not at all,” he replied before leaning forward to kiss her cheek; his hand brushed down the length of her arm as he drew back. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” 

“I wanted to come talk to you.”

“About?”

“I’m going to have to make a trip to New York.” 

Liam looked at her. “Oh?”

“My lease is up at the end of the month,” Amara explained. “I’ve been putting it off, hoping to have found a place beforehand, but that hasn’t happened yet.”

Despite the surprise her words gave him, Liam kept his expression impassive. “I hadn’t realized you’d been looking.” 

“Well, I haven’t … not really, I mean. I’ve perused some listings, but I’m still weighing my options between renting or buying and haven’t made a decision yet. But I can’t put off packing up my apartment any longer since I only have a couple of weeks. And I’ll have to clear out my office space as well.” 

Liam nodded. “Ok. Are you thinking this weekend, or …?”

“I wanted to check with you first,” Amara said. “I didn’t know if you had anything going on, and I figured you’d want Soph to stay here with you.” 

Liam thought for a moment as he glanced at Sophia; he scrunched his nose with a smile when she offered him one of her toothy grins. “How about we go together?” 

Amara’s brows rose in surprise. “You … you want to go?”

“Sure,” Liam shrugged as he looked back at her. “Let Imogen know, and we can leave Friday and take the weekend … get it all done in one shot so you don’t have to worry about going back for anything. There’s plenty of room on the jet to store whatever you need to bring back with you.”

Amara stared at him for a moment. “If you’re sure …” 

“I am,” Liam smiled. “I’ll have Bastien make arrangements.” 

*******

A few mornings later, the SUV pulled up on the tarmac, stopping alongside the waiting jet. Liam glanced out the window at the press that were huddled together on the other side of a barrier.

“How did they know we would be here?” Amara asked.

Liam sighed with a shrug. “They always manage to find things out one way or another.” He looked over to where she sat on the other side of Sophia’s car seat. “Get her on the jet. I’ll handle them.” 

Amara nodded and unbuckled Sophia’s straps before lifting her out of the seat. A guard opened the door and she and Imogen slid out; she ignored the volley of shouted questions from the press as she carried Sophia up the stairs and disappeared inside the jet. 

“Sir?” Bastien said from the driver’s seat.

Liam looked up, meeting his gaze in the rearview mirror as the other two guards took their luggage and Sophia’s car seat to the jet. “I’ll talk to them.” 

Bastien nodded before getting out and opening Liam’s door. When the King came into view, the press shouted at him; he was a picture of calm as he buttoned his suit jacket and made his way toward the crowd. 

“King Liam, where are you headed?” Donnie Brine from the CBC asked as Liam neared. 

“I’ll be in New York for a few days,” Liam answered.

Another slew of shouted questions ensued, and they were all asking the same thing in various ways: is Amara leaving with Sophia? Thinking back on his several conversations with Daniel over the past couple of weeks, and knowing he could use this as an opportunity to put any more doubts about her intentions to rest, he decided to be transparent. 

Liam held up his hand to quiet them, and once he had their attention, he cleared his throat. “We’re headed to New York for the weekend to pack up Ms. Onasis’ belongings as she will be staying in Cordonia permanently so that I may continue to maintain a relationship with our daughter.”

More questions were immediately volleyed, but one in particular had caught his attention.

“Are you concerned she’ll try to leave again with the princess?”

Liam sighed, knowing they were referring to what was mentioned in Daniel’s statement. “The circumstances surrounding Ms. Onasis trying to leave in the past were entirely different.”

“Can you elaborate?” a reporter asked, holding their recorder out in front of him.

Transparency, he reminded himself. “Ms. Onasis had been spooked by the betrothal aspect of the alliance that Auvernal had been pushing for. When she learned of the blackmail threat, she became frightened of what that meant for our daughter, and in a moment of panic, yes, she tried to leave. But as a mother, she was trying to protect her child … and that’s not something I can or will fault her for. As for the move … she’s uprooting her entire life to ensure that the princess and I stay together, and I’m extremely grateful that she’s so willing to do that.” 

The reporters stared at Liam in a bout of awed silence, and a heartbeat later, they were shouting more questions.

“Will they be staying with you at the palace?”

“What’s the status of your relationship with Ms. Onasis?” 

“Are you rekindling your romance?” 

They’d changed their tune so fast, it gave Liam whiplash. He let out a breath, feeling a bit lighter, but decided he wasn’t answering any more questions. He didn’t really have the answers at the moment anyway. He threw his hand up in a wave before turning and heading towards the jet. 

****

After the long flight and traffic-jammed ride from the airport, Liam and Amara arrived at their hotel in New York that afternoon; they’d planned to arrive early enough to leave them time for Sophia to hopefully nap off the jet lag. 

Once Sophia was asleep in the guest room of the suite, Liam sent Imogen to her own room that was situated across the hall to rest. He plopped onto the sofa in the living area while Amara stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, taking in the view. 

“Have you missed it?” Liam asked. 

Amara shrugged. “Certain things, like pizza and breakfast bagels, yes,” she chuckled. “But other than that … not particularly, no.” 

Liam stood and came next to her. “Where’s your apartment from here?”

“About 15 minutes that way,” Amara pointed. “It’s in Tribeca.” They were at the Millennium in lower Manhattan. “And my office is only a block from there.” 

“Have you made any decisions regarding your company and what you plan to do?”

“Not yet,” Amara shook her head. “We’re on a bit of a pause at the moment until I figure things out. Daniel hasn’t decided whether he’s staying yet, but with both Riley and I now there and him not having anything tying him down here …” She shrugged. “But I could still run the company from there and set up an office … or I could sell it …”

“You’d really consider selling it?” 

“If that’s what needs to be done … yes,” Amara answered. And I know a couple of competitors that would probably be more than willing to take it off my hands.”

Liam leaned against the window frame as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. “You seem pretty content for someone giving up so much of themself on a whim.” 

Amara looked back out the window. “I wouldn’t say it’s on a whim.” 

Liam’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean …” Amara paused, taking in a breath and slowly letting it out. “I mean that all of this was stuff I’ve thought about from the moment I found out I was pregnant.” She tucked her hands beneath her arms as she fought against the urge to look at him. “I always thought about the what-ifs … and I planned out all these different scenarios in my head for the day I finally drummed up enough courage to … to tell you. And in all of those scenarios, the outcome was the same … I was leaving New York, and either running the company from where I was or selling it. Now that I think about it … it was never really a what-if, but more of a when.” 

Liam remained silent for a moment before speaking. “I just … I don’t want this move to be something you come to regret later on.” 

“It’s for you and Sophia.” Amara looked up at him again. “I would never regret it.” 

Liam stared at her, not having realized until that moment how close they’d shifted to one another, and he saw the moment she realized it, too. Her gaze was both hesitant and questioning, but then she looked away from him and took a step back. 

“Um … I think I’m going to nap while Sophia is.” 

“Yeah.” Liam cleared his throat as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I, uh … I’m actually not that tired, so I can listen for her if you want to go lay down in the master.” He’d already offered for her to take the bigger of the two rooms. 

“Ok,” Amara nodded.

Liam watched Amara turn and heard her let out a breath as she disappeared inside the room. 

*******

The following morning, Liam and Amara headed over to her apartment while Imogen stayed with Sophia at the hotel. Liam had arranged for a moving company to meet them there to take the boxes she would be bringing back and load them on the jet. From what she’d told him, most of it would consist of her and Sophia’s clothes. Anything she didn’t need, she planned to throw out or donate. 

When they pulled up outside of the tall brick building, Liam slid out before turning to help Amara out. They greeted the staff of the moving company that was already there waiting before heading inside. 

After riding the elevator up to the seventh floor, they stepped out, and Liam followed Amara down the hall. She paused in front of a door and unlocked it, and when she pushed it open and stepped inside, he followed. 

Liam glanced around as he moved further inside. He’d never seen her apartment, but it was exactly what he pictured her having. Casual with a touch of modern sophistication. “This is nice.”

Amara looked around fondly; she’d always loved her apartment. “Thanks.” 

“Where should we start, Miss?” a voice spoke from the doorway. 

Amara turned to the movers lingering in the hall. “Uh …” She glanced around. “Living room and kitchen.” She then looked at Liam. “We can get started on Sophia’s room and then mine.”

“Lead the way,” Liam gestured. 

****

Within a couple of hours, most of the apartment had been boxed up. While the movers carried boxes from the kitchen, living room, and Sophia’s room down to the truck, Liam and Amara finished up in her room. 

“I’m going to take this out,” Amara said when she finished taping the last box of her shoes shut. 

Liam nodded. “I’ll bring the nightstand out for you.”

“Thank you,” Amara replied before pushing the box out the door and down the hall.

Turning to the nightstand next to the bed, Liam reached down and hooked his fingers under the lip of the top. He lifted it, and when he realized it was heavier than he anticipated, he tilted it to adjust his hold; the movement caused the drawer to slide out of it and crash to the floor. 

“Shit.” 

Liam set the nightstand back down before kneeling to pick up the contents from the drawer now scattered on the floor. As he scooped up the items, something caught his eye, and he froze as he stared at it. A photo. He reached down and grabbed it, bringing it closer, only to notice another beneath it. And they weren’t just any photos, but ones of him and Amara. He remembered the night the one he held in his hand was taken. They were watching a movie in his quarters and were on the sofa; she was resting back against his chest with his arms wrapped tightly around her and his face was playfully nuzzling her neck with a grin as she smiled. He picked up the other from the floor. It was of them in the maze; she was on his back with her arms looped around his neck, both of them laughing. 

At that moment, at the sight of those photos, at the realization that she’d kept them all this time, Liam felt the last of the reservations he’d been holding onto crumble. He wanted to be the two people in those photos again. 

Two people who could make each other laugh and smile.

Two people who were better when they were together. 

Two people who were happy and in love.

“Liam?” Amara’s voice carried down the hall. 

Liam snapped from his daze and cleared his throat. “Coming.” He placed the rest of the items back in the drawer but slipped the photos into his back pocket before standing and carrying the nightstand out. 

****

That night, Amara stood out on the balcony of the hotel suite while Liam put Sophia into bed. She stared out at the view of the city she’d called home all her life, but she couldn’t say she’d miss it all that much. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Liam said behind her.

Amara glanced over her shoulder, and her eyes followed him as he came to stand beside her. “Nothing,” she said, “just … taking in the view. Did she go down ok?”

“Yeah,” Liam nodded as he leaned against the railing. “Out like a light.” He glanced out at the view, staying quiet for a moment before looking over at her. “Are you going to miss it?”

“No … not really,” Amara answered. “I think … I think I’m ready to start over somewhere else.” 

Liam stared at her for a moment before taking her answer for the opening it was. “Speaking of starting over …” He stood upright and reached back, pulling the two photos from his back pocket. “When we were packing … these fell out of your nightstand drawer.” 

Amara focused on the photos in his hand, fighting against looking at him as she blinked away the sting in her eyes. “Yeah …” 

“I didn’t realize you had them.” 

“I …” Amara let out a soft breath and cast her gaze to the ground.

Liam’s thumb slid under her chin and he lifted her eyes to his. “No more secrets.” 

Amara swallowed. “I would look at them … in hopes I could convince myself to reach out to you … to tell you about Sophia.” She fell quiet for a moment before speaking again, her next words coming out just above a whisper. “And on days when I missed you … which was all the time … I’d look at them to remind myself of what it felt like to be whole … because that’s what being with you made me feel. Whole and complete … and happy.”

Liam searched her eyes for a moment, and in the next, he leaned down, capturing her lips in his. Amara stiffened in surprise, needing to rest her hands against his chest to keep herself upright, but when his arm curled around her waist and pulled her closer, she went more than willingly. When her lips parted against his, she felt his tongue softly curl against hers, so slowly at first it was as if he were trying to savor the moment, but then he deepened the kiss, and she gripped his shirt to steady herself.

Forcing himself not to get too caught up, Liam drew back. It took her a moment to open her eyes, and they stared at each other in silence for a few heartbeats before she looked away from him. He could see the self-consciousness fill her expression and realized it was because she determined that he must have thought what just happened was a mistake … but she was wrong. 

“I want to go back to being the two people in these photos. I want this again.” Liam held up the pictures. When she looked at him again, he saw the surprise in her eyes, like she couldn’t believe what he was saying. “I want this … I want us. But I want to slow down because I want us to be sure when we go in, if not for our sakes, then for Sophia’s.” 

At his words, a tear trickled down Amara’s cheek, and he reached up, brushing it away with his thumb. “I didn’t think … after what I’d done—”

“When I told you I was leaving the past in the past, I meant it, Amara,” Liam interrupted. “I just need to know if you want the same … that you’re willing to try.”

Amara took in a shuddered breath as her tear-filled eyes searched his. And then she nodded. “I want the same,” she whispered. 

Liam dropped his hand from her face and curled his fingers around hers. “Then we take it day by day once we get back home … and we’ll see how things go.” 

***************************************

Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes @cocomaxley @emichelle @sweetest-marbear @indiacater @gibbles82 @the-soot-sprite @esmckenzie @dcbbw @burnsoslow @deb-1106 @bbrandy2002 @charlotteg234 @neotericthemis @foreverethereal123 @choiceskatie @sirbeepsalot @gnatbrain @openheart12 @sincerelyella @superharriet @queenrileyrose @aestheticartsx @kingliam2019 @indiana-jr @bascmve01 @rainbowsinthestorm @emkay512 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @forallthatitsworth @walker7519 @iaminlovewithtrr @amandablink @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @princessleac1 @21-wishes @appleone @tessa-liam @pixelatedpassion @malblk21 @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @forthebrokenheartedthings @nomadics-stuff @differenttyphoonwerewolf

[ao719]

What's Already Mine

A/N: This is a part of my Us Again series. Submission for @choicesflashfics using prompt #2. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.

Title Inspiration: Already Mine - Us The Duo

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x MC (Katherine)

Rating: G • Warnings: None.

Word count: 2500

Catch up here

Both my suit jacket and arm are draped over Katherine’s shoulders as we walk back towards the hotel from her old bar where I found her. 

We’ve walked in silence for a few blocks and it’s deafening despite the bustling city around us. We’ve seemed to have only a silent understanding of the situation; neither of us has said a word. 

My mind is too muddled to speak. I don’t know what to say because there’s so much to be said but nothing all at once. I don’t want to ask if she’s alright because obviously she isn’t. I don’t need to ask what’s wrong because I know. I know why she was there. I know why she broke down when she saw me. 

Despite knowing, I don’t know what to say … and I hate myself for it. 

I glance down at her when I hear a sniffle; she’s staring at the ground as she walks holding my jacket securely around herself. I watch her hand poke up from beneath the lapels to wipe a tear from her cheek and I feel my heart break a little more. 

I want to tell her it’s ok, that it’ll be ok, that we’ll be ok. I want her to tell me the same. But I know that neither of us can say that right now with certainty. 

So we continue to walk … in silence. 

****

Once back at the hotel, Katherine and I step inside our suite. I shut the door behind me and start to follow her as she walks into the bedroom; now that my arm isn’t around her, I notice that she’s a little wobbly on her feet thanks to her slightly tipsy state. She didn’t have much to drink, only a couple of glasses of wine at the gala, and based on the tab I paid at the bar before leading her out, I’d surmise no more than two drinks there, but I know she’s barely eaten anything today which is doing her no favors and she’s always been a bit of a lightweight as it is. 

When I enter the bedroom steps after Katherine, I see her draping my suit jacket on a chair. She then reaches back, attempting to grab the zipper of her gown, but she can’t quite reach it. When she becomes frustrated, evident by the small huffs of breath she keeps releasing, I step up behind her and gently cover my hand with hers. She goes completely still. After a moment, she glances over her shoulder; her eyes are rimmed red and still misty when she meets my gaze. I give a soft nod, and she slowly lowers her hand as she looks straight ahead again. 

As I lower the zipper of her gown, I let my thumb graze her spine, and I swallow thickly. When was the last time I touched my wife like this? The last time that my fingers brushed against her bare skin? I think back … it’s been a year. We were in Ramsford for the Beaumont Bash and we both had a lot to drink that night. I vaguely remember stumbling into our room, my hands tugging at the fabric of her dress and her arms wrapping around my neck as I kicked the door shut. Before that night, it had been months since we’d last been intimate, and before that, even more months. When we woke the next morning, we showered and dressed without a word, and when we arrived back at the palace, she went to the east wing while I headed to my study. It was awkward in a way and treated like it never happened. I think that’s when the deteriorating state of our marriage started to slowly consume my thoughts. 

Once her zipper is lowered enough, Katherine takes a step away and turns to face me, holding the front of her gown against her chest so it doesn’t fall. I slip my hands into my pockets to stop myself from reaching for her because I don’t know if that’s something I’m allowed to do anymore. We stare at one another, and my eyes are silently pleading with her. Talk to me. Please. Talk. To. Me. I can swear I see a similar plea in her own eyes. I open my mouth to speak but quickly snap it shut because I still have no idea what to say. 

“Thank you,” she whispers. 

“Of course,” I nod in reply. After staring at me almost expectantly, she lets out a soft breath and turns. “Katherine, I …” 

She stops and looks back at me; I see a flicker of something … of what I think is hope mixed with desperation and worry. “Yeah …?”

I hold my breath and her gaze for a moment before shaking my head. “Nothing …” 

Her breath subtly hitches in her throat as she drops my gaze and nods. When she disappears into the bathroom, I hang my head, squeezing my eyes shut in disappointment. 

Disappointment with myself, where we are, and my inability to grasp how to fix it. 

I begin to loosen my tie, but I freeze as my eyes shift to the bathroom door when I swear I hear a muffled cry from behind it. 

Where did it go? The love I once knew? It’s lost in the dark The light can’t shine through Where did we go? I can’t see it now I’m fighting the night To find you somehow…

*******

My fingers are steepled over my lips as I stare out the window of my study. My mind is in the same place as it has been for the past week since returning home: my marriage. Hell, my mind was here before our trip, but now, it’s all I can think about morning, noon, and night.

Katherine and I have yet to speak about what happened in New York. The morning after finding her in the bar, we sat through a silent breakfast followed by a few appearances that were scheduled before heading to the airport for our flight home. On the jet, I almost said something but decided against trying to have that conversation 35,000 feet in the air with no escape if we needed one. 

In hindsight … maybe that wouldn’t have been the worst idea. 

Since we’ve returned home, things have gone back to exactly how they’ve been. I work through the day and go to the east wing for our nighttime routine with the children. But instead of leaving the moment they go to sleep to go back to my study or the west wing … I’ve lingered. I think she believes I’m just waiting to be sure the children are asleep before slipping out, not realizing I’m there for her. I’m trying to give myself the courage to bring it up, but I find an excuse every damn time. It’s not good timing. It’s late. The kids are there. Whatever my mind can conjure up, it does. My fight or flight has turned to strictly flight; I flee every time. And either she’s having the same thoughts and coming up with the same excuses to not bring it up herself … or she’s completely given up, which after what happened in New York, it’s plausible. 

The bottom line is this: I know we’ve reached our limit. I know, one way or another, a very difficult conversation is eventually coming. 

At this point, it’s inevitable … and it fucking terrifies me. 

I’m so lost in thought that I don’t even register the knock on my study door. It’s not until I feel a shove against my arm and hear my name that I finally snap out of it and glance up to see Drake staring at me questioningly. 

“I’m sorry,” I say, shaking my head as I straighten in my chair. “I didn’t hear you come in.” 

“No shit,” Drake playfully scoffs. “I knocked a few times … called your name when I came inside, but you were zoned out.” 

I release a breath and nod, rubbing my eyes with the pads of my fingers. “Yeah … sorry. It’s been a long week.” I blink a few times to focus my vision and when I do, I see Drake now sitting across from me. His arms are folded across his chest and his brow is arched. “What?”

“Seriously, Li … what’s been going on with you?”

“What do you mean?”

“This isn’t the first time I’ve caught you like this over the last few months. You seem like you have a lot more than just the stress of running a kingdom on your mind.”

I look away, unable to hold his gaze. Neither Katherine nor I have ever mentioned anything to our friends pertaining to the state of our marriage. We’ve put on the same show in front of them that we have in front of everyone else. 

“Liam … talk to me.” 

I look at my best friend again, trying to rein in the sadness I feel. If I can’t talk to Katherine, maybe talking to someone will help. I clasp my hands together and lean forward against my desk as I let out a heavy sigh.

And I end up breaking down as I tell him everything. 

Drake listens without interruption, but he doesn’t hide the surprise in his expression. When I finish, I can see him still trying to process everything I’ve just told him. 

“I never would have guessed … any of that,” Drake finally says. 

“We’re good at hiding it,” I say. Too good. “It’s just … it’s become our norm. It’s like second nature now … putting on the front.” 

“Why haven’t you guys ever said anything?”

I can hear the hint of hurt in his tone. “I don’t … I don’t know,” I reply truthfully. “I can’t speak for her, but for me … I guess it’s … I feel like I’ve already let her down … and the kids. I didn’t want to let my friends down, too.” 

“Liam, you’re not letting any of us down.” 

“I’m supposed to maintain this image of my life. Acknowledging that my marriage had completely fallen apart to myself was hard enough. Saying it out loud to someone else …” I shake my head. 

“So what the hell are you going to do?” Drake asks. “I mean, you’re going to fix it, right?”

“I don’t know,” I scoff with a shrug. “I don’t know if it can be fixed.” 

Drake’s brow furrows. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that …” I trail off, chewing the inside of my cheek, not wanting to say my next words, but they come anyway. “I’m saying that perhaps this is the end of our story.”

“What the fuck, Li?” Drake barks as he abruptly stands from his chair. The reaction startles me, and I look at him, unable to hide my surprise. “How could you even say that?”

“Do you think that’s what I want?” I snap. “Because it’s not! But I can’t force us to get back to where we once were!”

“That’s bullshit and you know it,” Drake chides, and when I open my mouth to retort, he leans forward, getting right in my face. “It’s bullshit. And. You. Know. It.” He stands upright. “To just accept defeat is not only the easy, coward’s way out, it’s not you!”

“Drake—”

“No, I don’t want to hear it,” Drake interrupts. “What you and Katherine have … it’s the fucking dream, Li. And I’m not talking about the literal fairytale crap,” he says, waving his hands dismissively. “I’m talking about the real shit. I watched you two; I had a front-row fucking seat. I watched your story unfold. I watched you both fight like hell to be together. And here you are now, a decade later, and you’re ready to wave the white flag because you two hit a rough patch that you won’t acknowledge to each other? Fuck. That.”

As I stare up at him, I feel a tear slip down my cheek … because I know he’s right. I clear my throat and snap my gaze toward the window, trying to fight back my emotions.

“I know you both, Li, and neither of you would keep putting yourself through this if you truly wanted to walk away. That’s gotta stand for something.” 

My gaze shifts up to his again. “I don’t want to walk away,” I say through a cracked whisper.

“Then you fight.”

Where did it go? The passionate fire? We can’t find the flame And now we’re both tired What do we do When all we have left Is dying for life But on its last breath?

****

That evening, as I’m finishing up my work for the day and finalizing some plans I’ve set into motion, I hear a knock on my study door and call for them to enter. When I look up, Katherine steps inside. “Hi,” I greet her as I rise from my chair.

“Hello,” Katherine responds. She quietly closes the door behind her. “I’m sorry to bother—”

“You’re not bothering me,” I interrupt as I walk around my desk. 

Katherine swallows, holding my gaze as she subtly nods. “I, uh … I was just trying to get things in order with my schedule for next week, but it’s … did you have it cleared?”

“I did,” I answer, and my heart is pounding in my chest as I watch the confusion fill her expression while I try to keep mine impassive. 

“Why?”

“Because we’re going on a trip.”

Katherine’s brows raise. “We?”

“Yes,” I nod. “We … as in you and me.” 

“A trip for what?”

“That’s still to be determined,” I say cryptically. 

Katherine furrows her brow. “Is it a work-related thing?” 

Even though I expected her to think that, it still hurts when she asks. “No,” I shake my head. “It’s not.”

“I’m confused …” 

“About?”

“We … we haven’t gone on a trip that wasn’t duty-related in a long time,” Katherine says. “At least … not together.”

“I think it’s safe to say we’re a bit overdue,” I quip. 

“But what about—”

“Eleanor and Lucas are going to have some quality time with their Uncle Drake,” I interrupt again, knowing what she’s wondering. “I spoke with him and made all of the arrangements already.” 

Katherine lets out a sigh as she continues to stare at me. “I …” She trails off, shaking her head. “I don’t understand …”

My impassive wall drops and I sigh as I let the emotion I’ve been trying to conceal fill my features. “Katherine …” I speak just above a whisper. “You and I … we’re lost.” 

I see her eyes slightly widen as she lets out a breath before she drops my gaze, but not before I see the pain fill her expression. It’s as if hearing me finally acknowledge the truth we’ve both known but have remained silent about out loud has gravely wounded her. 

“We’re lost and we both know it. And we can’t keep running from it. We need to face it. We need to … to talk about it and figure out if we’re going to find ourselves again — find us again — or …” I trail off, struggling to say the next words out loud. “Or if we’re going to walk away from this … from each other … because we can’t keep living this way.” 

When Katherine looks back up at me, tears trickle down her cheeks. She parts her lips to speak but stops as she lifts a hand and rests it against her throat to where I assume the lump is that’s stolen her voice. More tears fall and more confusion crosses her expression as she continues to hold my gaze. 

“I cleared both of our schedules for the next two weeks,” I continue to explain, “and made arrangements for this trip … just for us.” 

Katherine’s breath hitches. “Where … where are we going?”

“To the private island …” 

I hear the soft breath of acknowledgment Katherine releases. 

We can’t run there; we can’t hide or avoid each other. And she knows it. We’ll be left with no other choice but to face this … to face one another. 

We stare at each other, and I’m certain the worry and fear of the unknown of what this trip will bring that I’m feeling is the same thing she’s feeling. 

We both know we’re going into this completely broken. And we both know that we’re either going to come out pieced back together and on the mend to being whole again … or we’re going to come out irreparably shattered.

I can’t control you Or what your heart will decide But I’ll never stop Trying to fall back in love with what’s already mine…

***************************************

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[ao719]

…Sometimes Not (Part 12)

It’s Always Been You

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt # 1.

Title inspo: It’s Always Been You - Phil Wickham

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.  

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: M • Warnings: mild nsfw … some lemon zest, if you will.

Word count: 2016

Catch up here

Reyna wasn’t supposed to arrive in Cordonia until later in the evening, but after days of poking and prodding from her aunt during their week-long trip to the mountains, wanting to know what was going on between her and Liam, she finally caved. She detailed Liam’s confession of how he felt, their last conversation and how she’d tried to tell him she felt the same but how he’d been so convinced she’d fallen out of love with him over the years that he wouldn’t let her say anything, and how she’d given him her journal that was filled with three years worth of letters to him expressing what he refused to let her say out loud.

Next thing Reyna knew, Aunt Elsie — who’d always been the biggest cheerleader when it came to the two of them being together — was on the phone with an old friend of hers, cashing in what she claimed was a long overdue favor to get her on an earlier flight, cutting their trip a bit short. 

When Reyna arrived in Cordonia that morning, she headed straight to the palace. The first person she ran into was Leo; he told her Liam wasn’t there, but that he was set to return that evening. She planned to wait for him, but Leo — who noticed his brother had been acting a bit oddly since his return from New York — knew Liam would probably enjoy the surprise, and insisted that she go to him; he pulled a guard aside and instructed him to take her to Valtoria. 

And now, here she was. 

Hovering in the doorway of the master suite inside the estate, Reyna stared at Liam; he was seated on the bed, hunched over with the palm of one hand pressed against his temple to prop his head up, shielding his face from her view. His other hand gripped the top of her journal to keep it open as he read what appeared to be the last page. 

Hearing his breath hitch, Reyna’s brows rounded in concern. “Liam?”

When he lifted his red-rimmed gaze and Reyna saw his tear-stained face, she felt her chest tighten as she took a tentative step over the threshold. His brows knit and more tears started to fall as he stared at her for a heartbeat, and in the next, he was standing and moving towards her. 

Liam’s arms wrapped tightly around Reyna and she instinctively returned the embrace; his wet cheek pressed against hers as he tightened his hold. His whole body was taut and his shoulders shook as he silently cried. 

“Liam …” 

“I’m sorry,” he choked out. “I should’ve listened. And I’m … I’m so sorry, Rey.” 

Reyna closed her eyes against the sting in them as he held her even tighter. She drew back just enough to look at him, needing to slightly arch because his hold on her wouldn’t loosen. Shifting her arms from around his neck, she cupped his face in her hands, gently brushing away the tears from his cheeks before they were replaced by more. She held his misty blue-eyed gaze for a moment as her own tears started to fall. “Now you understand,” she said, and his chin trembled as he nodded. “I never stopped loving you, Liam. Not for one single day.”

Hearing her words, Liam felt his heart — which was beating so hard in his chest he swore she could both hear and feel it — swell, and every heartachingly, longing-filled word he’d read in that journal filled his head again. All this time … the three years they were apart and even in the last year since they reunited … she had loved him through it all. 

With her hands still cupping his face, she tilted hers toward him. She brushed her thumb against his bottom lip before drawing him to her, closing the scant distance between them when she pressed her lips to his. He sighed into the kiss, tasting the salt from both their tears as an otherworldly force pulsed through him. 

It was like a long-missing piece had finally returned and locked itself into place right where it belonged. It felt like home — she felt like home. 

And for the first time in years, he felt whole. 

“I love you, Liam,” Reyna whispered against his lips; she barely got his name out before he kissed her again.

Hearing her say those three words again after so long awoke something inside Liam that he wasn’t sure he’d ever feel again. “I love you, too.” He kissed her again. “I’ve always loved you.” Another kiss. “And I always will.” 

Liam kissed her again, and when her lips parted against his, a rush of air escaped him and his body shuddered when his tongue met hers. Keeping his one arm wrapped tightly around her waist, his free hand came up, sliding across her cheek and into her hair until it curled around the nape of her neck as he deepened the kiss. It was all-consuming, stealing the very breath from his lungs. 

When Liam heard a whisper of a moan slip from her lips, something inside him snapped at the sound, his usual ability to keep himself controlled shredding at the seams. His hands dropped to the hem of her shirt and he was lifting it a heartbeat later, only breaking the kiss to pull it over her head, and as he did, she was tugging at his. He took the cue, reaching back with one hand to pull it off, and dropping it to the floor as his lips found hers again. 

Wrapping one arm around her, Liam spun her away from the door, swinging his other arm out and closing it before effortlessly lifting her; her legs wrapped around him as he carried her toward the bed.

There was a tangle of arms and hands as they stripped one another of their remaining clothing between passion-filled kisses and their hands exploring each newly exposed area of skin. 

With the rest of their clothes now strewn haphazardly on the floor, Liam finally drew back to take in her bare body beneath him. The years of painful longing — of wishing for just a single kiss, touch … even a mere word — came to a halt. He had no more reasons to wish, to yearn for her. She was there. They were together. And he knew it was going to be different because there was nothing standing in their way this time. 

It was going to last. 

It was going to be forever. 

Liam slowly skimmed a hand along the curve of her body, pausing on her thigh as his gaze shifted back up to hers. “Say it again,” he whispered. 

Reyna softly smiled. “I love you.” 

A breath fell from her lips as they parted when she felt Liam’s hand slip between them and a finger slide against her. When he felt how ready she was, an impatient groan escaped him; he had every intention of savoring every part of her later, but at that moment, he needed to feel all of her. 

In the next moment, Reyna gasped followed by a moan when she felt him filling her; Liam slowly pushed home inch by inch until he was buried to the hilt. He dropped his head to her shoulder as a moan rumbled from deep within his chest at the feeling of being wrapped around her again. 

Another moment later, Liam lifted his head when he felt her fingers lace with his, and his eyes searched hers as he began to move. “You’re mine,” he whispered with a thrust of his hips, the words spoken with a hint of question behind them. 

“I’m yours,” Reyna assured him. “I’ve always been yours, Liam.” 

Another moan escaped him, in part from her words, in part from the way she took him even deeper when her legs wrapped around him. He found her lips again with another thrust as her hands curled around his neck and into his hair. “I’ve only ever been yours,” he whispered. 

Liam drew out each stroke, prolonging the moment as long as he could until they were panting between impassioned kisses and moans, both on the edge of release. 

When he picked up his pace, Reyna clung to him, and Liam didn’t relent until her back arched off the bed and his name dripped from her lips in a mantra of breathy moans. He followed a moment later, a gravelly groan ripping from his throat and his entire body going taut as he dropped his head to the crook of her neck.

After several long moments, as they both still trembled and tried to catch their breath, Liam lifted his gaze to hers; Reyna brushed a few stray locks of his tousled hair away from his forehead before she lifted her head to press a soft kiss to it, then to the bridge of his nose, then to his lips. He returned the kiss, savoring the slow curl of her tongue against his. 

“I love you,” Liam whispered when they parted for a breath. “I love you so damn much, Rey.” 

A sated, heartwarming smile curled on Reyna’s lips. “I love you, too.” 

****

A while later, Liam and Reyna lay curled up in the bed; his arm was wrapped around her as he stroked his fingers idly along the length of her spine and their limbs were tangled beneath the sheets. Neither was in any rush to leave the other’s embrace. 

Liam’s gaze shifted down to where her head rested on his chest; her fingertip traced lazy shapes against his skin as she stared off, seemingly in deep thought. “What are you thinking about?”

“You,” Reyna answered with a sigh before tilting her head back to look at him. “You and this and … us.”

“What about it?” Liam asked as he gently swept a few wisps of hair off her cheek.

“How we’re going to make this work. Because I don’t …” Reyna dropped his gaze, biting her lip somewhat self-consciously. “I don’t want to be without you anymore, Liam. I want to be wherever you are.” 

Liam’s thumb scooped beneath her chin and tilted her gaze back to his. He searched her eyes for a moment before capturing her lips in his as he shifted, guiding her back against the mattress. He wanted that, too. After spending so long apart and knowing what he knew now after reading the letters inside that journal, he didn’t want to be without her. Not ever again. 

And he had but one thought at that moment. 

When he drew back, Liam’s thumb softly stroked her cheek, staring at her with nothing but unadulterated adoration. “Then marry me …” 

“What?” Reyna gasped as her eyes widened. “Liam, we … we just got back on track. Hell, we’ve only been on track for like … an hour.” 

“Rey … had the past gone differently, I have no doubts that I would have already taken that leap with you, but … things didn’t turn out that way. Yet, in all the time we were apart, nothing about our feelings — about the love we have for each other — changed. I don’t want to be without you either because we’ve spent long enough apart.” Liam was silent for a few moments as she took in his words. “You love me?”

“More than anything,” Reyna answered without hesitation.

“And I love you. That’s all that matters.” The pad of Liam’s thumb brushed over her lips. “I told you four years ago in Applewood that you were it for me, and those words are as true today as they were back then. It’s always been you and it will always be you. There is no one else I want to be with … to spend my life with … than you, Rey. And there never will be.” She took in a breath … and then smiled as she held his blue-eyed gaze. He smiled in return as he leaned down, grazing his lips against hers. “Say yes,” he whispered. “Say you’ll marry me …” 

***************************************

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[playchoicesconfessions]

Sent by anonymous

‘I have tried so many times to replay TRR series and romancing different options (Usually Drake or Hana) but it always makes me physically ill, Liam will always be my one true, only love’

POST/CONFESSIONS DO NOT REFLECT THE MOD’S PERSONAL OPINIONS!

[liaromancewriter]

I have never tried romancing anyone else on TRR and never will because as soon as Liam walks into that scene, it's game over. 😍

[ao719]

Best Kept Secrets

Best Kept Secrets - A Lot of Learning To Do (Chapter 17)

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Summary: An unforeseen encounter with the past proves that even the best-kept secrets eventually make their way into the light. 

Title inspiration: Perfect - Rachel AO

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x F!OC

A/N: Thank you to @burnsoslow for prereading most of this. Please excuse any errors. 

Rating: M • Warning: This series will contain NSFW material. If you read, you acknowledge you are 18+

Catch up here

Liam stared down at Amara, who was frozen in place as she held the door to the north wing open, looking up at him in stunned silence. Her complexion was slightly pale, her eyes were puffy and rimmed red, and her cheeks were blotchy and still glistened with the remnants of tears she’d attempted to wipe away only moments ago. 

Liam cleared his throat and finally broke the silence. “Hi,” he said quietly. 

“Hi …” Amara’s voice came out slightly cracked and just above a whisper. 

“May I come in?” Liam asked. 

Amara bit her lip to keep it from trembling as she slowly nodded and stepped aside. Once he was over the threshold, she softly shut the door; her palm rested against the wood as she closed her eyes, trying to rein in her emotions, but she was failing. 

Liam paused at the entryway into the living and kitchen area to wait for her; he glanced over to see her back still to him and her head slightly bowed. “Amara?” He watched her stiffen at the sound of her name from his lips before lifting her head; she raised a hand to her face, seemingly wiping more tears from her cheeks as she let out a breath.

Amara turned, not meeting his eyes as she gestured for him to go ahead. 

Liam walked to the sofa and lowered himself down as he studied her. When Amara sat, she left an ample amount of space between them; she tucked herself into the corner, pulling her knees to her chest. He could tell she was nervous. More than nervous. 

“Where is Sophia?” Amara asked quietly.

“She’s with Imogen in my quarters,” Liam answered. “I figured it would be easier for us to talk without her here.” She nodded her agreement, still not looking at him. “I, uh …” He cleared his throat; he was nervous too, although he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. “I wanted to come talk to you about Bradshaw and what happened …” She offered another silent nod. “I wanted to let you know that the situation with him has been dealt with and handled. He won’t be a problem again. For anyone, least of all us.”

“Thank you,” Amara said through a cracked whisper, and her brows knit as she continued to fight against the wave of emotions threatening to drown her. “For everything you did … to get Sophia out of that.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Liam replied. “But I think we need to talk about the statement that was made …” He watched her tense at his words. “Amara … why would you do that? Why would you willingly throw yourself under the bus like that?” 

Yes, Daniel had told him why, but Liam needed to hear it from her. 

“Because … because it was the right thing to do.” Amara shook her head; her brows creased as she tried to blink away the rising sting in her eyes. “I know it’s not what you wanted … but I couldn’t let them scrutinize you … and, in turn, Sophia … for what I had done.” 

“We could have figured out something else. You didn’t need to make yourself a damn martyr.” 

“There wasn’t another way …” 

Liam watched her, studied her; she stared straight ahead and he could see her jaw tick. And in the deafening silence that lay between them, he could hear her struggling not to let her breath stutter as she visibly fought back her tears, trying and failing not to let him glimpse that struggle. 

“Are you alright?” Liam asked. He knew it was a silly question, but his goal in coming there was not only to have a conversation with her about everything but to get her to open up. He’d been told by both Riley and Daniel how she’d completely shut down in the last month since everything happened. She still wouldn’t meet his gaze as she nodded in response to his question. “Amara, look at me.” At his words, she started to lose that battle to control her emotions; he watched her chin tremble as her eyes welled to the brim with tears. “Look at me,” he said more sternly. Her brows knit and her breath hitched; she hesitated before slowly turning her head, finally lifting her eyes to his. “Are you alright?” he asked again, his voice softer and laced with a touch of concern. 

That was all it took.

Amara shook her head in answer to his question as that thread of control she was barely clinging to snapped; a sob escaped her as she covered her face with her hands. When Liam instinctively shifted closer to her and she felt his arms wrap around her for comfort, she completely broke down. Everything she’d been trying to hold in over the last month — hell, the last two years — came pouring out all at once, causing what little composure she had left to crumble from beneath her. 

Liam had never seen her this way. Amara was a wall, even two years ago. She was an immovable wall of practiced impassiveness, honed from years of depending on nothing and no one but herself. He’d seen glimpses beyond that wall two years ago, more than she had ever allowed anyone before, and he’d been given those same glimpses again when she returned. At that moment, however, the wall had completely shattered. 

Despite everything that had happened, it broke Liam to witness it. He pulled her closer, curling one hand around the back of her head and his other rubbed her back in an attempt to try and calm her as she cried into his chest. 

Tucking his head, Liam brought his lips to her ear. “Amara, breathe,” he whispered. His words didn’t appear to be of much help; she cried harder, her breath hitching between sobs that she couldn’t seem to control. He drew back slightly, cupping her face in his hands and forcing her gaze to his. “Breathe.” 

Amara grasped his wrists, trying and failing to take a full breath as she squeezed her eyes shut. “I-I … I’m … sorry, Liam,” she choked out through another sob.

“I know you are.”

Liam pulled her back to him as she continued to whisper broken apologies through cries; her one hand was still clutching his wrist and he could feel it trembling. Daniel told him she’d been struggling with guilt, but he never expected this. 

It was consuming her, strangling her from the inside. 

“I know that you’re sorry,” Liam said softly. 

“You must … hate me,” Amara cried.

Liam felt an immediate lump swell in his throat at her words. “I do not hate you, Amara.” 

“I-I didn’t — I should’ve —” Amara’s words were choked off by another sob. “I-I’m so sorry.” 

“Shhh,” Liam pulled her tighter against him, resting his chin atop her head as he closed his eyes. “I know.” 

And he did know. 

There wasn’t a single part of him that doubted her remorse, doubted how horrible she felt, or doubted how badly she wished she could go back and do things differently. 

Liam wasn’t sure how much time passed as he sat and held Amara until she finally started to calm down some; her breath continued to hitch but her cries had quieted. 

Reaching over, Liam grabbed a couple of tissues from a box on the coffee table and he glanced down at her still tucked against his chest, offering them to her. She took them before she slowly sat back, wiping her eyes; she kept her gaze cast downward, fidgeting with the tissues now in her hands. He could both see and feel the guilt still seeping out of her, though. 

“Are you ok?” Liam asked.

Amara nodded, but her brows knit as her breath stuttered. “S-Sorry about …” She trailed off, gesturing to herself. 

“You don’t need to apologize.” 

“I do,” Amara said with a nod as her eyes filled with tears again. He knew she didn’t mean just about her breakdown; she was still referring to everything else. 

“Amara, please stop apologizing,” Liam said. “I know that you’re sorry. You don’t need to keep saying it.” He ran his fingers through his hair as he let out a breath. “Look …” He paused, searching his mind for the right words as she finally lifted her apprehensive gaze to his. “I know this past month has been hard on you … not only because Daniel and Riley both told me that you haven’t at all been yourself but because the times I saw you, I could see it myself. And I’m not going to lie and say that it’s been easy on me. It hasn’t. It’s been … overwhelming and difficult, among other things. But we need to move past all of this … not only for both of our sakes but Sophia’s as well.” When she subtly shook her head and looked down, he reached out, gently grasping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting her gaze back to his. “Talk to me.”

Amara’s breath hitched. “I don’t know how you can even look at me,” she choked out. “Let alone sit here … and be civil toward me after what I did.” 

“Because I don’t want to keep dwelling on what happened, Amara,” Liam answered. “As I said, I know that you’re sorry. I believe you. And I forgive you.” 

At those last three words, more tears fell. I forgive you. Hearing him say them flooded her with relief … but also more guilt. “I … I don’t deserve your forgiveness,” Amara cried, shaking her head. 

“You do. And you have it,” Liam replied. “Me forgiving you and you forgiving yourself is the only way we’re going to move forward. It’s in the past and it needs to stay there because nothing good is going to come from either of us living there. There’s nothing either of us can do to change what’s already been done.” 

The past month that Liam had to reflect on everything had shown him just that. Sure, he could remain angry and resentful toward her and the situation, but no good was going to come of it. And Amara could continue wallowing in her guilt, but nothing would come of that either except to destroy her.  

Sophia deserved better than what dwelling on the past would do to her parents. 

“I just want us to figure out a way to move forward together.” When she glanced up at him with surprise in her eyes, Liam realized how what he’d said may have sounded. “For Sophia, I mean …” 

Liam hadn’t thought about them, not in that sense anyway. It was clear from her reaction that Amara hadn’t expected him to either. 

Yes, he missed her and he missed where they were and what they started to rebuild before everything happened. Of course he did. He hadn’t just been dealing with the rollercoaster of emotions from discovering he had a child he knew nothing about over the past month; he’d also been dealing with the heartbreak over what felt like losing Amara for a second time. He couldn’t just shut off his feelings for her. He loved her. But those feelings were something he’d have to deal with at another time.

As far as where they stood and what the future held for them, if anything at all, Liam wasn’t sure. They needed to focus on one thing at a time, and right now, that was rebuilding a foundation from scratch and getting themselves back to a certain place for Sophia’s sake. 

“I know we have things we need to discuss and figure out,” Liam said. “I’m here … and your home is in New York, so—”

“I’ll stay here,” Amara interrupted.

Liam reared back and furrowed his brows. “What?”

“Now that her existence has been made public … I don’t think anyone here would approve of me taking her back to the States, including your council.” Amara took in a shuddered breath. “We both know that if it came down to it and they pushed you hard enough … you’d be able to keep her here …” 

Liam felt a tightening in his chest and his own wave of guilt crashed over him as his mind flashed back to the last conversation they had in his study a month ago and what he’d said to her. 

“By all technicality — because of who I am, who she is, and where you happen to be right now — I have every legal right to keep Sophia with me. I don’t want it to come to that, but if you try to leave with her, I will do what I need to do to not only ensure the safety of my child but that I maintain a relationship with her as well. Do not put me in a position where I have to show you how much power I truly wield, Amara, because you will never look at me the same again.” 

Liam had been so angry and emotional during that conversation that he hadn’t even realized the vehement threat his words truly were. And it was clear she hadn’t forgotten them, either. “You know I would never do that to you, right?” he asked, and she looked at him apprehensively. “I’d never keep her with me out of spite, Amara. What I said when we last spoke … I said out of anger … out of fear and uncertainty. But I need you to believe that I wouldn’t — I couldn’t do that to you or her.” 

“That aside … I don’t … I don’t want to take her away from you, Liam,” Amara shook her head. “I don’t want to take any more time away from you. I don’t want her to go weeks or months without seeing you. I don’t want to put either of you through that.” 

“But what about your life there? Your company?” 

“What’s best for her is to have access to you, so my life there doesn’t matter. As far as the company … I don’t know. I have to look into some things … but that’s not exactly at the top of my list of priorities at the moment.” 

To say Liam was surprised would be an understatement. Not that he was complaining; he wasn’t. Knowing that she was willing to stay there to allow him to see and be with Sophia any time he wanted … he was beyond grateful. But the way in which she was so willing to uproot her entire life without an ounce of hesitation left a heavy weight on his chest. 

Was Amara willing to do it because she wanted to or was this a choice she made out of guilt, a choice she’d come to regret in the future?

“We can talk about it, Amara. We don’t need to jump to any decisions right now.”

“I’m not … I’m not jumping to decisions. I’ve thought about it. This is what needs to be done … for both you and Sophia.” 

“And what about you?” Liam asked, and she looked at him questioningly. “I appreciate you being willing to do that. Truly, I do. And I’d be lying if I said I don’t want that because after this past month, the idea of not seeing her every day … It’s not easy to imagine. But I also don’t want you to give up your life because you feel like you have to.”

“Sophia is my life, Liam.” Amara’s breath stuttered again, and if he didn’t already know, the conviction in her tone would have made him believe it. “I don’t have much I’d be leaving behind in New York—”

“I think Daniel might take offense to that,” Liam cut in with a quip in hopes of lessening the tension in the air. He thought he saw the corner of her mouth begin to curl, but it was gone a heartbeat later. 

“I just mean … Sophia has more here than she does there. She has family here, more of a support system. And most importantly … you. And you being … you and who you are … you don’t have the luxury of making this kind of sacrifice. I do. I won’t be the reason you two miss out on time together … not again. So I will stay.” 

It was clear her mind had been made up and Liam wasn’t about to argue it. Truthfully, it was something that had been on his mind a lot over the past month, wondering what was going to happen and how things would work when she left — not if she left because he had every reason to believe she would. Now, it was like a weight had been lifted. He still wanted her to know that it was her choice, however. 

“If that’s what you want to do … and you’re sure …” 

Amara nodded. “It is. And I am.” She swiped the tissue against her stuffy nose. “I have things I’ll need to figure out … like finding a place … and I’ll have to make a trip or two to New York to tie up some loose ends and get our things, but …”

“Finding a place and getting your things is nothing you need to rush to figure out or do,” Liam said. “You’re more than welcome to stay right here for as long as you want and need. And when you need to go to New York, the jet will be at your disposal.” He heard her let out a subtle scoff, but it wasn’t subtle enough. “What?”

Amara shook her head and glanced away from him, chewing the inside of her lower lip to keep it from trembling as her emotions started to get the better of her again. “I don’t know why or how you’re being so nice to me,” she said through a cracked whisper. 

Liam mindlessly slipped his hand into hers. “Because I care about you,” he said, not an ounce of hesitation in his tone, and she looked at him again. “You’re the mother of my child, Amara … I’m not going to cast you away. As I said … I don’t want to dwell on the past. I want to focus on Sophia … on the here and now.” When she glanced down at their intertwined hands, he cleared his throat and gently pulled his hand away. “I know we have a lot more we need to talk about … but for now …” He was sure she still had questions and worries regarding the statement now being released, what exactly that meant, and the next steps. He had his own. But they could deal with those another time; he didn’t have all of the answers at the moment anyway. She nodded her understanding and agreement. “How about, if you’re feeling up to it … you join Sophia and me for dinner tonight.” 

Amara glanced at him again, seeing in his eyes the invitation for exactly what it was. An olive branch. A first step. “Ok.”

Liam nodded. “I have some things I need to do, so no need to rush. Take your time.” With that, he stood, looking down at her. “I’ll see you in a little while.” 

****

Standing beneath the spray of the shower, Amara let the hot water run over her, hoping to wash away her tension and exhaustion so she could appear somewhat put together at dinner. It had been a couple of hours since Liam had left and she’d still been struggling to get her emotions under control as she replayed their conversation over and over in her head. 

When Amara opened the door and saw Liam standing on the other side, she didn’t know exactly what to make of it after the month of silence between them. She assumed he’d be even more angry with her than he already was given the statement made that morning, half-expecting him to yell that it wasn’t what he had wanted and that she had no right to interfere. 

Instead, Liam had decided that he wanted to let bygones be bygones. In a surprising twist Amara didn’t see coming, he’d forgiven her. She was still trying to wrap her mind around it, to make sense of it. Yes, she understood his reasoning for wanting to leave everything in the past and saying that it was the only way they could move forward, but given what she had done … what she had kept from him … his forgiveness felt undeserving. She would need to try, however, to do what he asked … try to forgive herself, if not for him, for Sophia.

Amara tilted her head back, letting the water hit her face and wash away the tears that continued to fall. She turned so the spray hit her hair as she took in a breath and let it out slowly. 

****

After drying her hair and getting dressed, Amara stepped out of her bedroom inside the north wing and walked down the hall toward the living area; she didn’t know what time Liam wanted her to meet him. 

As she neared the entryway, Amara’s brows furrowed when she heard voices; when she stepped into the archway, she saw Liam sitting on the floor with Sophia as she played. 

Liam’s eyes flickered up to see her, and he smiled sheepishly. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

Sophia looked over her shoulder, and a toothy grin spread across her face as she turned and toddled toward her. “Mama!” she squealed with a clap of her hands.

Amara smiled, the first genuine smile Liam had seen from her in some time, as she bent down and scooped her into her arms. “Hi, baby girl.”

Sophia tucked her body into her mother as she rested her head on her shoulder. Liam smiled at the sight. “I hope you don’t mind the intrusion,” he said. “She was asking for you, so I figured I’d bring her down and just have the kitchen bring dinner here.”

“That’s fine,” Amara nodded. “And I don’t mind.” 

Sophia’s head popped up from her mother’s shoulder and she turned toward the sound of Liam’s voice; another toothy grin emerged as she looked back at Amara, pointing at him. “Dada.” 

“Yes,” Amara smiled, smoothing her hand over her hair as she kissed her cheek. 

Sophia wriggled from Amara’s embrace a moment later; she set her down and she headed to Liam, falling into his lap and pointing. “Mama,” she said as she looked up at him with her big blue eyes. 

“Uh-huh,” Liam chuckled with a nod. 

Sophia looked back at Amara and pressed a tiny, stubby finger to Liam’s chest. “Dada.” 

“Yes, baby,” Amara nodded, meeting his gaze. “That’s your daddy.” 

Sophia continued to glance between the two of them as her broad grin grew. She carried on with alternating her pointing and making introductions that she didn’t understand weren’t needed. 

Liam realized why she was doing it: it was the first time she had been with them in the same room together. It was as if some small part of her somehow knew and understood that this was how it was supposed to be. 

The two of them met gazes again as Sophia pushed herself off Liam’s lap and started back toward Amara, both knowing. 

****

After dinner, Amara sat on the sofa, watching Liam play with Sophia; he crawled around the floor chasing after her as she belly laughed. It was the first time she’d seen him in his role as a father, the first time she’d gotten to watch them interact together. And while it made her heart feel like it was going to burst at seeing how happy his presence made their daughter, it also brought a fresh wave of guilt from seeing what they both had missed out on because of her choices. 

It was hard to imagine being able to move forward from her guilt when new bits of it added themselves to the already heaping pile. She remembered what Liam said, however … how the only way for them to move forward was to leave the past in the past. 

Liam sat, chuckling when Sophia mimicked him and sat down, letting out a breath just as he did. A moment later, she yawned, and he glanced at his watch. “I suppose she should be getting ready for bed soon.” 

“Yeah,” Amara nodded, not having realized what time it was. 

“Can I still take her back to my quarters? Or do you want her to stay here?”

“She can go with you,” Amara replied. “She was supposed to stay with you tonight anyway.” 

Liam nodded and looked back at Sophia. “You ready to get your pajamas on?” Sophia answered with another yawn, and he chuckled. “Come on, little love.”

Amara smiled at the term of endearment, feeling her eyes prick as she watched him stand and scoop Sophia up. She blinked the tears away as she rose from the sofa; she walked over and Liam tilted Sophia down so she could kiss her cheek. “Goodnight, baby girl.” 

Liam headed for the door and Amara followed; when he stepped into the hall he turned to look at her. “You’re more than welcome to come join us for breakfast if you’d like.” 

Amara stared at him for a moment before nodding. “Ok.” 

“I’ll shoot you a text when she wakes up,” Liam smiled.

Amara nodded again, and he offered her one in return before he turned and headed down the corridor.

*******

“So … how have things been going?” Drake quietly asked Liam as they stood near the bar cart inside his quarters. 

Liam glanced over his shoulder to where Amara sat on the sofa between Riley and Daniel while Sophia played in front of them; he’d invited everyone for dinner so both he and Amara could have some adult interaction besides the ones they had with each other. “Good,” he nodded, turning his attention back to pouring his drink. “We’re just … doing as much together with Sophia as we can.” 

It had been a week since the statement and Liam and Amara’s talk. In hopes of letting some of the frenzy surrounding the news die down, he had taken that week to himself; it was more so to avoid having to leave the palace and deal with the press and the slew of questions he was sure they would throw his way. 

Truthfully, Liam wasn’t sure exactly how to handle it. As Amara had suspected, any reports about the situation had focused more on her and what was considered her betrayal to the King than anything else; they painted her as the villain in the story, crucifying her for not only keeping a father from his child but an heir from its kingdom. He wasn’t sure how to go about taking the negative attention off of her that she had so willingly placed on herself. 

Instead of worrying himself with a solution, Liam had spent the week working on rebuilding that foundation with Amara. They’d been together every day since their talk, spending time with Sophia within the confines of the palace. They alternated between his quarters and the north wing and Sophia staying with one or the other at night. 

It was the moments when it was just the two of them that threw Liam for a loop, however. That first day after their talk, they agreed to both be there to do things together with Sophia, like put her to bed. And it was in those quiet moments once she was asleep in one of her rooms in either his quarters or the north wing that he found himself struggling most with his feelings. They always lingered behind for a half hour or so once Sophia was asleep, talking quietly, neither seeming eager to rush out the moment those little eyes were no longer watching. And he found himself hating how they went their separate ways after spending each day together as a family. 

As much as Liam was enjoying that time with them all together, parting at the end of each day made it feel … not right in a sense. It felt like there was still something missing from the picture as a whole. He pushed those thoughts and feelings aside, however, knowing the importance of rebuilding that foundation before even thinking about venturing down that road. 

“Riley’s been worried about her, but she seems better,” Drake noted as he gestured toward Amara. 

“I told her we needed to leave the past in the past,” Liam replied. “She’s coming around.” 

Amara did seem to be better in the time since their talk, but Liam could still sense the guilt weighing on her some. Save for the one or two moments when he’d caught her emotions getting the better of her, she did her best to mask it, however. 

“And … things between you two?” Drake questioned.

“It hasn’t been brought up,” Liam responded. “We have other things to focus on at the moment.” 

Drake nodded, knowing the quick response meant that Liam wanted to drop the subject. The two of them rejoined the others in the living area, sitting in the two armchairs across from the sofa. 

While they talked over drinks and simultaneously played with Sophia, Riley couldn’t help that tendency — one no doubt drilled into her during her time working for Amara back in New York — to wonder what their next steps were as far as dealing with the aftermath of the statement. 

“So,” Riley said, looking from Amara to Liam. “Have you guys figured out how you’re going to handle the press?” 

Amara cast her gaze downward; she had no answer to give. They hadn’t talked about it at all and she wasn’t going to assume what Liam’s intentions were. She hadn’t even turned on the television or opened a newspaper since the statement was made, not wanting to see what was being said, but she had her guesses. Her first clue was the way Liam immediately turned off the television or made the newspapers vanish before she could catch a glimpse of the headlines each morning she’d met him and Sophia for breakfast; it was obvious he was trying to spare her feelings. 

Liam looked at Amara for a moment before glancing at Riley. “I … I don’t know, honestly.” They all knew he’d intended for the statement to go much differently. “I don’t know how to get them to shift their … focus and attention.”

Amara knew by focus and attention that he meant her.

Liam’s eyes shifted to Daniel, half curious, half expectant. Daniel cleared his throat and shifted on the sofa. “Well … that’s going to depend entirely on you and what you want them to see.”

Amara glanced over at him and then at Liam, meeting his gaze for a moment before he looked back at Daniel. “What do you mean?” 

“If you want them to focus on you raising your daughter as co-parents, you need to show them where your priorities are,” Daniel explained. “If you want the people and press to forgive her and move forward, then you need to show them that you’ve done the same.”

“By letting them see the three of us together,” Liam said in understanding.

Daniel nodded. “Wherever you go, the press is sure to follow to try and catch glimpses of you. And if you get tossed any questions, which we know is inevitable at this point once you step beyond the gilded gates of the palace, then you give them a brief account of the truth — that mistakes were made but you’re putting the past behind you because it’s what’s best for everyone involved, most importantly, Sophia. You can even toss in that you two are co-parenting amicably. And you leave it there and just focus on yourselves after that. They’ll have no choice but to follow suit eventually, especially when they’ll have no proof of the contrary. Plus, everyone loves a good comeback story … usually. So, hopefully doing that will draw in the attention that the press is looking for from the people.” 

Liam and Amara met gazes, a silent understanding passing between them as they both nodded.

***************************************

Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes @cocomaxley @emichelle @sweetest-marbear @indiacater @gibbles82 @the-soot-sprite @ladyangel70 @esmckenzie @dcbbw @burnsoslow @deb-1106 @bbrandy2002 @charlotteg234 @neotericthemis @foreverethereal123 @choiceskatie @sirbeepsalot @gnatbrain @openheart12 @sincerelyella @superharriet @queenrileyrose @aestheticartsx @kingliam2019 @indiana-jr @bascmve01 @rainbowsinthestorm @emkay512 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @forallthatitsworth @walker7519 @iaminlovewithtrr @amandablink @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @princessleac1 @21-wishes @appleone @tessa-liam @pixelatedpassion @malblk21 @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @forthebrokenheartedthings @nomadics-stuff @differenttyphoonwerewolf

[ao719]

…Sometimes Not (Part 11)

All I’ve Ever Known

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #1, and @choicesoctober prompt ‘best friend’.

Title inspo: Only You - Matthew Perryman Jones

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.  

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Word count: 2500

Catch up here

Sitting on the balcony of the estate in Valtoria, Liam sipped his morning coffee as his eyes skimmed over a newspaper. 

Valtoria hosted its annual Lantern Festival the previous day, and the King had been invited to be the first guest to stay overnight at the duchy’s estate since its recent updates and repairs had been completed. 

The estate had always been a wonder and one of the most elegant, but with its new design, it was almost otherworldly. They had done an incredible job bringing the place back to life since the King’s announcement months prior that he was hoping to instate a new ruler over the duchy since it had gone unclaimed for so long. 

Taking another sip of coffee, Liam’s eyes slid to where his overnight bag sat on the bed bench inside the master suite. Inside the bag was the worn leather-bound journal Reyna had given him to read. While he was packing for his trip to Valtoria, he grabbed it from his nightstand; it was where it had been since the day he arrived home from his trip to New York. 

And it had remained unopened. 

Yes, Liam promised Reyna he would read it, and he had every intention of doing so because he would never break a promise to her … but he’d been terrified of what he was going to find inside. “You think I simply fell out of love with you over the years … but hopefully reading this will make you understand. It will tell you everything you need to know.” He’d convinced himself that whatever was in that journal wasn’t anything good for him. 

Was it a detailed dissertation on all the reasons why she fell out of love with him? 

Was it everything she did to help herself let him go? 

Was it a compiled list of all the reasons why they never should have crossed that line to begin with and why they’d never work?

Reyna said she was hopeful that it would make him understand, but why would Liam want to understand that? Simply knowing was hard enough; he was content not being privy to all of the tragic details.

Liam had to read it, however, and fast … because Reyna would be arriving in Cordonia tomorrow evening. He was a fairly quick reader, but that journal was thick and he had no idea what or how much was inside; he hadn’t even fanned through the pages, afraid of possibly catching a glimpse of something he wasn’t yet prepared to see.

Liam sighed as he stood and walked inside; he dipped his hand into the bag and pulled out the journal. He flipped it over in his hands, studying it. For all the staring he’d done at it since it was given to him, he still hadn’t been able to place why it looked so familiar. 

Letting out a breath, Liam glanced out the double doors that led to the balcony, staring at the waterfall across the gorge in thought; he didn’t have much time left to fulfill his promise. 

Just get it over with, Liam told himself. 

Letting out another sigh, Liam exited the room, looking for the estate’s majordomo; once he found her, the King informed her that he’d be staying another night. He relieved her and the rest of the staff of their duties for the next two days so he could have the place to himself. 

When the estate had finally cleared out, Liam headed back to the master suite; he returned to his seat on the balcony with the book resting in front of him on the table. He let out a breath as he finally flipped it open to the first page.

Liam’s eyes first fell on the date written at the top … the day of his wedding. Then, he saw the first line.

“Dear Liam …”

Pausing on those first two words, Liam furrowed his brows. It’s a letter? Curious, he finally fanned through the book; every page started the same way: “Dear Liam …” 

The journal was filled with letters Reyna had written to him. 

It wasn’t what Liam had thought it would be … and now he truly had no idea what to expect from it. 

Letting out another nervous breath, Liam flipped back to the beginning. He scanned over the page, noticing spots where the ink had smeared and the paper was cockled … spots where her tears had fallen onto the pages. 

With a tightness growing in his chest, Liam finally started to read. 

“Dear Liam, I just watched you say your vows … and I feel like a piece of me just died …”

****

Hours had passed since Liam started reading. He couldn’t seem to stop. He’d been consumed by every word, and every time he flipped the page to a new letter, he found himself holding his breath, not knowing what was coming. 

Liam checked every date with each new letter; Reyna had written to him almost every single day. Some letters were long and deep and vulnerable while others were short, some a mere sentence or two. 

Reyna wrote to him about her days. 

 “Today without you was particularly hard …”

Reyna wrote to him about her accomplishments.

“I’m officially done with school. I’m not going to the ceremony, though. I told my parents I just didn’t feel like it, but the truth is much deeper than that. You’ve been to both my graduations before this: high school and undergrad. I can’t bear to go because I know I’ll look for you in that crowd … and you won’t be there …” 

Reyna wrote to him every time something reminded her of him. 

“I went to an apple festival upstate today. Obviously, you were heavy on my mind because you and apples go hand-in-hand. It made me think about all the times we spent together in Applewood. I really miss those days …”

Reyna wrote to reminisce, even adding photographs to some of the pages. 

“We had so much fun that night. Do you remember? I’ll never forget how much we laughed.” 

Reyna wrote to him when she and Luca became official. And she wrote to him when they got engaged. 

“I hate saying I’m happy because I don’t know if I can truly be happy without you. But he’s good, Liam. And he loves me. A part of me feels so guilty, though. Choosing anyone but you feels like … settling. I know that’s a horrible thing to say. He doesn’t deserve that … and I don’t deserve him …” 

Liam rubbed his hand over his mouth as he blinked away the sting in his eyes. Despite knowing where they ended up, it was still hard to read about how Reyna had almost moved on. She was fully prepared to have a future with someone else, and his stomach twisted in knots at the mere thought of it. 

Liam continued to read letter after letter. 

Each page detailed what Reyna’s day-to-day life was like without him. 

Liam was reliving their time apart through her eyes … and he went through every emotion with her as he read, adding some tears of his own to the pages alongside hers. 

*******

Wincing from the kink in his neck, Liam let out a low groan; pausing his reading only to eat, he’d eventually moved from the balcony to his bed when night started to fall. He’d fallen asleep reading and woke up, slouched uncomfortably against the headboard. 

When his eyes opened, Liam saw the journal sprawled across his chest. He’d made it about halfway through, and despite being unable to put the book down, the heaviness in his eyes from reading all day — and from his emotions getting the better of him at times — had him succumbing to sleep.

Liam shifted his position on the bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes before he glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. It was 7 a.m.; he had to leave there by noon. Shit. Letting out a breath, he lifted the journal, scanning over the page he’d left off on. It detailed Reyna’s first time viewing a venue for her wedding; she said nothing about it felt right.

Setting the book facedown to mark his page, Liam got up and headed out of the room. 

After making a fresh pot of coffee and plating some fruit for breakfast, Liam headed back to the room; when he stepped inside, he set the tray he carried everything up on down on the bed before sitting next to it. 

With only a few hours to finish before he’d have to leave to prepare for Reyna’s arrival, Liam lifted the journal, picking up where he’d left off. 

****

Within a couple of hours, Liam found himself three-quarters of the way through the journal. When he flipped another page, he checked the date at the top before his eyes slid down to the letter. 

It was from the day Reyna had called off her engagement. 

“I know I made the right decision, but I feel awful, Liam. I never should have let it drag on this long, but I’m only now realizing that I wasn’t truly happy. I was simply distracted from my sadness. It’s not fair to hold him to this impossible standard that he will never meet, though. The simplest way to put it … he wasn’t you …” 

Liam let out a shuddered breath, feeling his eyes sting as he read those words again. He wasn’t you. Clearing his throat and blinking away the tears, he continued to read.

****

The further Liam got into the journal, the more he expected Reyna’s words to start to shift and change … to tell him she was getting better, that she was starting to let him go. But with each page turned … those words never came.

Each letter only seemed to be more riddled with heartache and longing. 

“I’d give anything just to hear your voice right now.” 

“I’m not myself. I haven’t been for a long time. I walk around with a permanent missing piece … a void inside me that will never be filled. I wish you were here, Liam.”

“I miss you so much it fucking hurts.”

“I wish there wasn’t so much of you left behind inside me. Laughs. Smiles. Inside jokes. So much history. A decade’s worth of memories.”

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this, Liam … how much longer I can pretend that you not being in my life isn’t destroying me. I miss my best friend.” 

Liam found himself struggling to rein in his emotions. He had often wondered during those years apart if Reyna ever thought about him the way he thought about her. 

This journal proved that she had. 

When Liam finally found himself on the last page, he momentarily froze. He wiped his eyes and blew out a slow breath, trying to gather himself. 

With a slightly trembling hand, Liam flipped the page. When he checked the date, his brows furrowed before his gaze shifted to the letter.

Dear Liam,  It’s been three years, but I finally made it to the last page of this journal … and I think it’s going to be the most difficult letter yet.  I’m in Paris for a charity function on my mom’s behalf. I haven’t been here in years, but the first thing I thought of when I landed was you. After the event, I came right to the bridge where we put our lock. And get this: I actually found it. I’m sitting next to it right now, hoping it’ll somehow give me the strength I need to write these next words.  When I finish this letter, I’ll need to close the book … and not just this one … but our book as well. God, it hurts to even write those words because I don’t ever want to close the book of ‘us’, but I think it’s time I face the reality that we’ll never be anything more than two people with a past and some memories.  Maybe our fate was something decided long ago. And no matter how much we wanted it to be different — how much I wanted it to be different — we couldn’t escape a fate that had already been sealed. We can’t change what’s been written in the stars. No matter how much I might want to ignore it, I need to come to terms with the fact that this is how things were supposed to be … even if I don’t understand it.  I wish I knew the purpose of it all … the purpose of the universe letting me get to know and love you only for you to be taken away from me. There’s got to be a life lesson somewhere in all of this, right? I don’t know what it is yet … but I hope to figure it out someday.  I wish you were here with me right now. I’m looking at this lock … this piece of us that stood the test of time in a way that we couldn’t. And just like that word we etched into the metal … you and what we had will forever be etched inside me, no matter how much time goes by. It’s said that everyone has one great love in their life, and you are, without a doubt, mine.  Loving you and being loved by you was my greatest honor, and I could spend lifetimes trying to force myself to fall out of love with you, but I know that it would be futile to even try. My heart has been yours since I was 16, and even though I have to close our book, what I feel for you will never change. No matter where I am, what I feel, or who I become, it will always begin and end with you. You will forever have a piece of me that I will never get back. And I hope that wherever you are, you know that I will, unequivocally and with my entire heart and soul, always love you, Liam. Only you.  Always you. 

Tears streaked Liam’s cheeks as he finished reading the last letter; his breath hitched as his blurred vision skimmed over the words again and again and again. And as he did, he realized when this last letter was written: the night they had run into each other on the bridge in Paris a year ago. 

That’s why the journal looked familiar; it’s what had fallen out of her bag. Liam remembered seeing it as he crouched down to help her pick up her things, how he could have sworn he saw his name written on the pages but hadn’t gotten a good enough glance before she snatched it away. 

Reyna filled a thousand pages in that journal trying to express both her unwavering love for him and her heartbreak over what she lost. And she had written the last one on the same night they found each other again. 

A reunion written in the stars … a fate far from sealed. 

Liam finally understood what Reyna meant when she said that the journal would tell him everything he needed to know. 

All this time … she had loved him all this time. 

“Liam?”

Hearing the soft lilt of her voice, Liam lifted his tear-filled eyes to see Reyna standing in the doorway. 

***************************************

Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes @cocomaxley @emichelle @sweetest-marbear @indiacater @gibbles82 @the-soot-sprite @esmckenzie @dcbbw @burnsoslow @deb-1106 @bbrandy2002 @charlotteg234 @neotericthemis @foreverethereal123 @choiceskatie @sirbeepsalot @gnatbrain @openheart12 @sincerelyella @superharriet @queenrileyrose @aestheticartsx @kingliam2019 @indiana-jr @bascmve01 @rainbowsinthestorm @emkay512 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @forallthatitsworth @walker7519 @iaminlovewithtrr @amandablink @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @princessleac1 @21-wishes @appleone @tessa-liam @pixelatedpassion @malblk21 @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @forthebrokenheartedthings @nomadics-stuff @differenttyphoonwerewolf 

[ao719]

…Sometimes Not (Part 10)

Love is Ruthless

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #3, “Well … that was unexpected.”

Title inspo: Foolish - Forest Blakk

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.  

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Word count: 2500

Catch up here

Pushing open her apartment door, Reyna stepped inside with Liam following behind her. She slung her bag over the back of one of the stools at the counter before heading to the living area and flopping onto the sofa. 

“Tired?” Liam chuckled as he sat next to her.

“No,” Reyna smiled. “Just need to sit for a minute. We did a lot of walking today.” After walking around Battery Park earlier, the pair headed to Coney Island. “Are you hungry?”

Liam looked at her, mirroring her grin as they tried to read each other’s thoughts. “Pizza,” they said in unison. “Jinx.”

Reyna pulled her phone out of the pocket of her sweatshirt and brought up the website of the nearest establishment; after a few moments, she set her phone down beside her. “Should be here in about 25 minutes.” 

Liam nodded as he stood from the sofa; he walked to the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator before returning to the living area. “Here,” he said, handing her one as he sat.

“Thanks,” Reyna grinned. 

Reyna subtly glanced over at Liam. He’d been in the city for a week, and while she intended to finally talk to him during his visit, she hadn’t been able to. Every time they hung out, she’d build up the courage to bring it up, and then something would interrupt them.

The first day they met up, their time together was cut short when Liam got a phone call and had to go back to his hotel for an unplanned virtual meeting. They met up later that evening for dinner, but Reyna struggled to talk herself back into it after the moment had been ruined earlier.

The following evening, while at her apartment, just as Reyna talked herself into broaching the subject, Daniel showed up. He was a tad tipsy and had taken an Uber from the bar he’d been at to her place to tell her all about the terrible date he’d been on. After telling them his dramatic tale, he ended up passing out. Liam helped Reyna get him to the spare bedroom before he left to go back to his hotel.  

The next day, Reyna had been intent on bringing it up; she had the entire conversation planned out in her head. After Liam arrived at her apartment that afternoon with lunch, she was about to bring it up when Maxwell called to tell him that he’d just heard from Drake for the first time in nearly three years. That, of course, threw Liam for a loop and altered his mood entirely … along with her plans.

Reyna didn’t attempt to bring it up in the two days that followed; she wanted to make sure Liam was in the right headspace for the conversation. Tonight, however, was his last night in the city before he’d be heading home. It was a now-or-never situation. She had to tell him tonight.

As a silence settled between them, Liam shifted his gaze in her direction; he noticed that Reyna had been acting off all week. Whenever they were together, she seemed a little on edge with her thoughts seemingly occupied by something else most of the time. He couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with his confession. They’d talked via phone calls and video chats since then, but this was the first time they’d seen each other in person since that trip she made to Cordonia. He was worried that what he’d confessed in a moment of weakness when he was unable to keep quiet about his feelings any longer — something he regretted doing almost instantly — had now made things awkward and weird. 

The truth was that Liam was left feeling both guilty and humiliated by his confession. Not only was it something he sprung on her out of nowhere but something he didn’t put any thought into, which was why it had come out in a frustrated word vomit. He’d spent the time since working on coming to terms with the fact that she no longer felt the same. 

Glancing at her again, Liam took note of the way Reyna’s leg was bouncing nervously. His eyes flickered up and he knitted his brows when he saw the contemplative expression she wore as she stared straight ahead. “Are you alright?” he finally asked.

Reyna looked at him. “Fine. Why?” 

“That is a lie,” Liam chuckled. “You’re doing the anxious leg jiggle and you look like you’re trying to solve world peace.” She offered a smile that he noticed didn’t reach her eyes. “Seriously, Rey, what’s wrong?” 

Reyna let out a breath and shifted her body on the sofa to face him. Now or never. “I … I need to talk to you about something …” 

“Ok …?”

“It’s something I’ve been meaning to bring up all week, I just … I haven’t found the right time,” Reyna explained. He nodded as he stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue. “It’s about what you said when I was in Cordonia. Your … confession.” She watched him stiffen uncomfortably at her words, and she let out a breath. “Listen, I know you said not to say anything, but I need to tell you why I didn’t push harder to respond and—”

“Rey, don’t,” Liam interrupted. “Can we please not do this?” 

“I just need you to hear me out because—”

“Stop,” Liam pleaded as he shifted his position on the sofa. “Please … stop talking.” 

“Liam,” Reyna admonished.

“Reyna, you don’t have to do this. Really.” Liam sighed, running his hand through his hair. 

“Do what?”

“Give me an explanation out of pity,” Liam said as he threw his hands up in frustration. He didn’t want to sit there and watch her suffer through trying to explain herself. She didn’t owe him an explanation of any sort. “I get that three years went by … that your feelings changed and our chances slipped away. I just … I just want to move on from it and not think about it.”

Reyna stared at him, both puzzled and frustrated. She’d been hesitant enough about telling him, having to build up the courage just to do so because that fear she had still lingered. She’d chosen to do it, however, because she finally conceded that the risk was worth it … he was worth it … they were worth it. And now, here he was, begging her to stop talking when she was finally ready to pour her heart out and tell him everything … because he had come to the conclusion that she simply fell out of love with him over the years. 

What the hell am I supposed to do? Reyna thought as she closed her eyes and let out a breath. I have to tell him tonight. Then, an idea struck. She hadn’t known what exactly she was going to say or how she was going to say it, and clearly, she hadn’t started out well since the conversation seemed to be over before it began. But there was a way for her to tell him how she felt and show him how wrong he was without having to say anything at all. 

“Stay here,” Reyna said.

Liam watched her stand and disappear down the hall, leaving him flustered on the sofa. As he muddled through the thoughts filling his head, a knock came on the door. 

“I’ll get it,” Liam called out, assuming it was the pizza she’d ordered. He rose from the sofa and pulled his wallet from his back pocket, opening it up and fanning through the cash inside; he slipped his thumb between the bills to hold his place as he opened the door. 

Liam froze when he saw Luca standing on the other side … holding a bouquet of roses.

The two men stared at one another. They’d never met face-to-face, but they knew exactly who the other was, both in real life … and Reyna’s. 

Liam cleared his throat as he stood a little taller. “Luca, right?” he said, extending his hand for a shake in an attempt to be polite. 

“Right,” Luca nodded, shifting the bouquet of roses into one hand while he shook Liam’s with the other; he gripped it a little tighter than necessary as he held Liam’s stare. He certainly didn’t expect to see him there.  

“Luca?” Reyna questioned from behind Liam. Both men turned to look at her, meeting her surprised gaze as it flickered between them. “What … what are you doing here?”

Luca slid his eyes to Liam then back to her. “Can we talk?” 

“Uh … sure …” Reyna nodded. “I’ll be right back,” she said to Liam before she stepped into the hall to join Luca, closing the door behind her. 

Liam could feel his heart racing as he stared at the door. Are they …? He let out a breath. Perhaps this is what she wanted to tell him. Maybe … maybe they were getting back together … or already were, and that’s what she was trying to explain. His heart sank at the thought. Too curious and nosy for his own damn good, he took a step forward and quietly pressed his ear to the door.

In the hall, Reyna’s eyes dropped down to the bouquet in Luca’s hand, and his gaze followed. “I, uh … brought these for you,” he said as he handed them to her.

“They’re beautiful,” Reyna replied somberly; she had a guess as to why he was there. “What … what did you want to talk about?” 

“Us …” 

Inside the apartment, Liam drew back from the door. He’d heard enough. No, he didn’t know the whole context of their conversation and he wasn’t going to continue to listen in; it wasn’t his place. Regardless, the evening had taken a turn. 

Liam chugged the remainder of his water bottle before heading down the hall to use the restroom; he was biding his time. When he returned to the living area and Reyna still hadn’t come back inside, he thought it best to leave them be and go back to his hotel. He pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a quick message to Bastien that he’d be out front in a few minutes. 

Just as he slipped it back into his pocket, the door opened, and Reyna stepped inside, holding the roses. “Well … that was unexpected.” She noticed he was standing, lingering near the door. “I’m sorry about that.”

“You’ve nothing to apologize for,” Liam said. “I think I’m going to head out.”

“What?” Reyna said, feeling a slight panic at his words. “Why?” 

“I’ve still got to pack for my flight in the morning and you’re heading to the mountains with Aunt Elsie bright and early, so …” 

“Liam, I hope you don’t think … Luca stopping by, that wasn’t—”

“Rey, it’s fine,” Liam interrupted, knowing she was going to attempt to explain again. He moved, stopping in front of her, and resting his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t want anything to ruin this friendship we finally got back. I’d rather you be in my life as my friend than not have you at all. I can’t go through that again. So, it’s ok. Really. You don’t need to say anything else.” 

Reyna stared up at him, once again puzzled and frustrated; she sorted through all the jumbled words she both wanted and needed to say but was too bemused by what was happening to speak. 

“I’ll see you when you get to Cordonia. Have fun on your trip, and tell Aunt Elsie I said hello,” Liam halfheartedly smiled before leaning down and kissing her cheek. 

With that … Liam left the apartment, leaving Reyna standing in a still-stunned silence as she stared at the door he’d just walked out of. What the hell just happened? She let out a breath as she glanced down at the roses in her hand. Luca had come there intending to see if there was a chance they could work things out; why he had that thought after all this time she didn’t know. He said that once he saw Liam there, he knew there was no point. He apologized for dropping by unannounced and left. 

With a grumble, Reyna threw the roses onto the counter and headed to her room. She flopped down onto her bed, burying her face into her pillow as she let out a muffled frustrated scream. She sat up a moment later and her eyes landed on the item she had come to retrieve to give to Liam; she had tossed it on her bed in surprise when she heard Luca’s voice carry down the hall. 

As she stared at it, Reyna decided she wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet. She’d finally talked herself into doing this and she was going to be damned if she let it go without Liam knowing the truth.

*******

Early the following morning, the SUV pulled up to the jet on the tarmac at JFK. Liam slipped out of the backseat and followed behind Bastien, who had his bag. 

As Liam made his way up the stairs of the jet, a horn blaring startled him; he whirled around and furrowed his brows when he saw the familiar black Navigator belonging to the Aldridges screech to a halt alongside the jet. He slowly made his way back down the steps as Reyna came into view from around the vehicle. 

“Rey?” Liam said as she approached him. “What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving with Aunt Elsie this morning?”

“I am. I made a pit stop here on my way to pick her up.” 

“A pit stop for what?” Liam asked.

Reyna stared at him, forcing herself to not hesitate with this. “You think that you have me and my feelings all figured out—”

“Rey—”

“Shut up, Liam!” Reyna barked in exasperation, and his eyes widened in surprise. “You’ve said enough. It’s your turn to stop talking,” she said. “I will respect your wish to not say anything not just because you won’t listen to me but because neither of us has the time to stand here right now and hash all of this out. But I need you to read this …” She revealed a book he hadn’t noticed was tucked beneath her arm and held it out to him; it was what she went to grab from her room last night before they were interrupted.

Liam took it, furrowing his brows; it looked familiar, but he couldn’t place why at the moment. “What is it?”

“You think I simply fell out of love with you over the years … but hopefully reading this will make you understand. It will tell you everything you need to know. Promise me you’ll read it.”

“I …” Liam met her gaze again with both hesitance and confusion but nodded. “I’ll read it.” 

Reyna eyed the book for a moment; it held her entire heart … and now it was in his hands. She let out a breath as she glanced back up at him. “I’ll be off the grid while I’m with Aunt Elsie … but I’ll see you when I get to Cordonia in a week. You have until then to read it … and then we’ll talk.” 

Reyna perched up on her tiptoes, and Liam instinctively leaned down; she kissed his cheek before turning away, walking back toward her vehicle without a backward glance. He watched her disappear behind the SUV before it drove off the tarmac a moment later. 

Liam glanced down, realizing he was looking at the worn brown leather cover of a thick journal; he turned it over in his hands, examining it as he made his way onto the jet. 

***************************************

Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes @cocomaxley @emichelle @sweetest-marbear @indiacater @gibbles82 @the-soot-sprite @esmckenzie @dcbbw @burnsoslow @deb-1106 @bbrandy2002 @charlotteg234 @neotericthemis @foreverethereal123 @choiceskatie @sirbeepsalot @gnatbrain @openheart12 @sincerelyella @superharriet @queenrileyrose @aestheticartsx @kingliam2019 @indiana-jr @bascmve01 @rainbowsinthestorm @emkay512 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @forallthatitsworth @walker7519 @iaminlovewithtrr @amandablink @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @princessleac1 @21-wishes @appleone @tessa-liam @pixelatedpassion @malblk21 @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @forthebrokenheartedthings @nomadics-stuff @differenttyphoonwerewolf 

[ao719]

…Sometimes Not (Part 10)

Love is Ruthless

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #3, “Well … that was unexpected.”

Title inspo: Foolish - Forest Blakk

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.  

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Word count: 2500

Catch up here

Pushing open her apartment door, Reyna stepped inside with Liam following behind her. She slung her bag over the back of one of the stools at the counter before heading to the living area and flopping onto the sofa. 

“Tired?” Liam chuckled as he sat next to her.

“No,” Reyna smiled. “Just need to sit for a minute. We did a lot of walking today.” After walking around Battery Park earlier, the pair headed to Coney Island. “Are you hungry?”

Liam looked at her, mirroring her grin as they tried to read each other’s thoughts. “Pizza,” they said in unison. “Jinx.”

Reyna pulled her phone out of the pocket of her sweatshirt and brought up the website of the nearest establishment; after a few moments, she set her phone down beside her. “Should be here in about 25 minutes.” 

Liam nodded as he stood from the sofa; he walked to the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator before returning to the living area. “Here,” he said, handing her one as he sat.

“Thanks,” Reyna grinned. 

Reyna subtly glanced over at Liam. He’d been in the city for a week, and while she intended to finally talk to him during his visit, she hadn’t been able to. Every time they hung out, she’d build up the courage to bring it up, and then something would interrupt them.

The first day they met up, their time together was cut short when Liam got a phone call and had to go back to his hotel for an unplanned virtual meeting. They met up later that evening for dinner, but Reyna struggled to talk herself back into it after the moment had been ruined earlier.

The following evening, while at her apartment, just as Reyna talked herself into broaching the subject, Daniel showed up. He was a tad tipsy and had taken an Uber from the bar he’d been at to her place to tell her all about the terrible date he’d been on. After telling them his dramatic tale, he ended up passing out. Liam helped Reyna get him to the spare bedroom before he left to go back to his hotel.  

The next day, Reyna had been intent on bringing it up; she had the entire conversation planned out in her head. After Liam arrived at her apartment that afternoon with lunch, she was about to bring it up when Maxwell called to tell him that he’d just heard from Drake for the first time in nearly three years. That, of course, threw Liam for a loop and altered his mood entirely … along with her plans.

Reyna didn’t attempt to bring it up in the two days that followed; she wanted to make sure Liam was in the right headspace for the conversation. Tonight, however, was his last night in the city before he’d be heading home. It was a now-or-never situation. She had to tell him tonight.

As a silence settled between them, Liam shifted his gaze in her direction; he noticed that Reyna had been acting off all week. Whenever they were together, she seemed a little on edge with her thoughts seemingly occupied by something else most of the time. He couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with his confession. They’d talked via phone calls and video chats since then, but this was the first time they’d seen each other in person since that trip she made to Cordonia. He was worried that what he’d confessed in a moment of weakness when he was unable to keep quiet about his feelings any longer — something he regretted doing almost instantly — had now made things awkward and weird. 

The truth was that Liam was left feeling both guilty and humiliated by his confession. Not only was it something he sprung on her out of nowhere but something he didn’t put any thought into, which was why it had come out in a frustrated word vomit. He’d spent the time since working on coming to terms with the fact that she no longer felt the same. 

Glancing at her again, Liam took note of the way Reyna’s leg was bouncing nervously. His eyes flickered up and he knitted his brows when he saw the contemplative expression she wore as she stared straight ahead. “Are you alright?” he finally asked.

Reyna looked at him. “Fine. Why?” 

“That is a lie,” Liam chuckled. “You’re doing the anxious leg jiggle and you look like you’re trying to solve world peace.” She offered a smile that he noticed didn’t reach her eyes. “Seriously, Rey, what’s wrong?” 

Reyna let out a breath and shifted her body on the sofa to face him. Now or never. “I … I need to talk to you about something …” 

“Ok …?”

“It’s something I’ve been meaning to bring up all week, I just … I haven’t found the right time,” Reyna explained. He nodded as he stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue. “It’s about what you said when I was in Cordonia. Your … confession.” She watched him stiffen uncomfortably at her words, and she let out a breath. “Listen, I know you said not to say anything, but I need to tell you why I didn’t push harder to respond and—”

“Rey, don’t,” Liam interrupted. “Can we please not do this?” 

“I just need you to hear me out because—”

“Stop,” Liam pleaded as he shifted his position on the sofa. “Please … stop talking.” 

“Liam,” Reyna admonished.

“Reyna, you don’t have to do this. Really.” Liam sighed, running his hand through his hair. 

“Do what?”

“Give me an explanation out of pity,” Liam said as he threw his hands up in frustration. He didn’t want to sit there and watch her suffer through trying to explain herself. She didn’t owe him an explanation of any sort. “I get that three years went by … that your feelings changed and our chances slipped away. I just … I just want to move on from it and not think about it.”

Reyna stared at him, both puzzled and frustrated. She’d been hesitant enough about telling him, having to build up the courage just to do so because that fear she had still lingered. She’d chosen to do it, however, because she finally conceded that the risk was worth it … he was worth it … they were worth it. And now, here he was, begging her to stop talking when she was finally ready to pour her heart out and tell him everything … because he had come to the conclusion that she simply fell out of love with him over the years. 

What the hell am I supposed to do? Reyna thought as she closed her eyes and let out a breath. I have to tell him tonight. Then, an idea struck. She hadn’t known what exactly she was going to say or how she was going to say it, and clearly, she hadn’t started out well since the conversation seemed to be over before it began. But there was a way for her to tell him how she felt and show him how wrong he was without having to say anything at all. 

“Stay here,” Reyna said.

Liam watched her stand and disappear down the hall, leaving him flustered on the sofa. As he muddled through the thoughts filling his head, a knock came on the door. 

“I’ll get it,” Liam called out, assuming it was the pizza she’d ordered. He rose from the sofa and pulled his wallet from his back pocket, opening it up and fanning through the cash inside; he slipped his thumb between the bills to hold his place as he opened the door. 

Liam froze when he saw Luca standing on the other side … holding a bouquet of roses.

The two men stared at one another. They’d never met face-to-face, but they knew exactly who the other was, both in real life … and Reyna’s. 

Liam cleared his throat as he stood a little taller. “Luca, right?” he said, extending his hand for a shake in an attempt to be polite. 

“Right,” Luca nodded, shifting the bouquet of roses into one hand while he shook Liam’s with the other; he gripped it a little tighter than necessary as he held Liam’s stare. He certainly didn’t expect to see him there.  

“Luca?” Reyna questioned from behind Liam. Both men turned to look at her, meeting her surprised gaze as it flickered between them. “What … what are you doing here?”

Luca slid his eyes to Liam then back to her. “Can we talk?” 

“Uh … sure …” Reyna nodded. “I’ll be right back,” she said to Liam before she stepped into the hall to join Luca, closing the door behind her. 

Liam could feel his heart racing as he stared at the door. Are they …? He let out a breath. Perhaps this is what she wanted to tell him. Maybe … maybe they were getting back together … or already were, and that’s what she was trying to explain. His heart sank at the thought. Too curious and nosy for his own damn good, he took a step forward and quietly pressed his ear to the door.

In the hall, Reyna’s eyes dropped down to the bouquet in Luca’s hand, and his gaze followed. “I, uh … brought these for you,” he said as he handed them to her.

“They’re beautiful,” Reyna replied somberly; she had a guess as to why he was there. “What … what did you want to talk about?” 

“Us …” 

Inside the apartment, Liam drew back from the door. He’d heard enough. No, he didn’t know the whole context of their conversation and he wasn’t going to continue to listen in; it wasn’t his place. Regardless, the evening had taken a turn. 

Liam chugged the remainder of his water bottle before heading down the hall to use the restroom; he was biding his time. When he returned to the living area and Reyna still hadn’t come back inside, he thought it best to leave them be and go back to his hotel. He pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a quick message to Bastien that he’d be out front in a few minutes. 

Just as he slipped it back into his pocket, the door opened, and Reyna stepped inside, holding the roses. “Well … that was unexpected.” She noticed he was standing, lingering near the door. “I’m sorry about that.”

“You’ve nothing to apologize for,” Liam said. “I think I’m going to head out.”

“What?” Reyna said, feeling a slight panic at his words. “Why?” 

“I’ve still got to pack for my flight in the morning and you’re heading to the mountains with Aunt Elsie bright and early, so …” 

“Liam, I hope you don’t think … Luca stopping by, that wasn’t—”

“Rey, it’s fine,” Liam interrupted, knowing she was going to attempt to explain again. He moved, stopping in front of her, and resting his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t want anything to ruin this friendship we finally got back. I’d rather you be in my life as my friend than not have you at all. I can’t go through that again. So, it’s ok. Really. You don’t need to say anything else.” 

Reyna stared up at him, once again puzzled and frustrated; she sorted through all the jumbled words she both wanted and needed to say but was too bemused by what was happening to speak. 

“I’ll see you when you get to Cordonia. Have fun on your trip, and tell Aunt Elsie I said hello,” Liam halfheartedly smiled before leaning down and kissing her cheek. 

With that … Liam left the apartment, leaving Reyna standing in a still-stunned silence as she stared at the door he’d just walked out of. What the hell just happened? She let out a breath as she glanced down at the roses in her hand. Luca had come there intending to see if there was a chance they could work things out; why he had that thought after all this time she didn’t know. He said that once he saw Liam there, he knew there was no point. He apologized for dropping by unannounced and left. 

With a grumble, Reyna threw the roses onto the counter and headed to her room. She flopped down onto her bed, burying her face into her pillow as she let out a muffled frustrated scream. She sat up a moment later and her eyes landed on the item she had come to retrieve to give to Liam; she had tossed it on her bed in surprise when she heard Luca’s voice carry down the hall. 

As she stared at it, Reyna decided she wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet. She’d finally talked herself into doing this and she was going to be damned if she let it go without Liam knowing the truth.

*******

Early the following morning, the SUV pulled up to the jet on the tarmac at JFK. Liam slipped out of the backseat and followed behind Bastien, who had his bag. 

As Liam made his way up the stairs of the jet, a horn blaring startled him; he whirled around and furrowed his brows when he saw the familiar black Navigator belonging to the Aldridges screech to a halt alongside the jet. He slowly made his way back down the steps as Reyna came into view from around the vehicle. 

“Rey?” Liam said as she approached him. “What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving with Aunt Elsie this morning?”

“I am. I made a pit stop here on my way to pick her up.” 

“A pit stop for what?” Liam asked.

Reyna stared at him, forcing herself to not hesitate with this. “You think that you have me and my feelings all figured out—”

“Rey—”

“Shut up, Liam!” Reyna barked in exasperation, and his eyes widened in surprise. “You’ve said enough. It’s your turn to stop talking,” she said. “I will respect your wish to not say anything not just because you won’t listen to me but because neither of us has the time to stand here right now and hash all of this out. But I need you to read this …” She revealed a book he hadn’t noticed was tucked beneath her arm and held it out to him; it was what she went to grab from her room last night before they were interrupted.

Liam took it, furrowing his brows; it looked familiar, but he couldn’t place why at the moment. “What is it?”

“You think I simply fell out of love with you over the years … but hopefully reading this will make you understand. It will tell you everything you need to know. Promise me you’ll read it.”

“I …” Liam met her gaze again with both hesitance and confusion but nodded. “I’ll read it.” 

Reyna eyed the book for a moment; it held her entire heart … and now it was in his hands. She let out a breath as she glanced back up at him. “I’ll be off the grid while I’m with Aunt Elsie … but I’ll see you when I get to Cordonia in a week. You have until then to read it … and then we’ll talk.” 

Reyna perched up on her tiptoes, and Liam instinctively leaned down; she kissed his cheek before turning away, walking back toward her vehicle without a backward glance. He watched her disappear behind the SUV before it drove off the tarmac a moment later. 

Liam glanced down, realizing he was looking at the worn brown leather cover of a thick journal; he turned it over in his hands, examining it as he made his way onto the jet. 

***************************************

Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes @cocomaxley @emichelle @sweetest-marbear @indiacater @gibbles82 @the-soot-sprite @esmckenzie @dcbbw @burnsoslow @deb-1106 @bbrandy2002 @charlotteg234 @neotericthemis @foreverethereal123 @choiceskatie @sirbeepsalot @gnatbrain @openheart12 @sincerelyella @superharriet @queenrileyrose @aestheticartsx @kingliam2019 @indiana-jr @bascmve01 @rainbowsinthestorm @emkay512 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @forallthatitsworth @walker7519 @iaminlovewithtrr @amandablink @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @princessleac1 @21-wishes @appleone @tessa-liam @pixelatedpassion @malblk21 @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @forthebrokenheartedthings @nomadics-stuff @differenttyphoonwerewolf 

[dcbbw-deactivated20250316]

Bringing Sexy Back (Bratwurst Challenge)

Soooo, @charlotteg234 issued a challenge to use the word bratwurst in a sexy, smutty but non-cringey way. Tossing my hat in the ring, but posting separately because I broke Rule #1 of the challenge. (I'm a rebel)

Using UnRomance Liam x Riley, and it's not full-blown lemons ... more lemon-scented than anything, but just in case ... NSFW.

Dribble (less than 300 words so it's a quick read) is below the cut.

The tines of the fork spear through the plump pan-fried sausage before Liam holds it aloft, outlining the shape of my lips with the grease-splattered meat. We are both naked at the dining-room table; Liam sits in his chair, and I am straddling his lap.

The apartment is silent; we aren’t holding a conversation, the television isn’t turned on, and our phones are powered off.

It’s dinnertime.

He pushes the meat against my closed lips as our gazes lock.

“Open up, Riley.” Liam’s urging, uttered in a neutral tone, breaks the quiet.

Dutifully, I part my lips to allow the meat entry.

“Bite,” Liam instructs.

I do as he says, and taste juices and spice cover my tongue.

He sets the fork down on the plate as his arms pull me closer to him. My erect nipples press painfully against his broad chest. I feel his erection twitch against the inside of my thigh.

“You like that?” he asks as his eyes dart between my eyes, lips, and cleavage.

I say nothing; I am distracted by the pooling in my center.

His arms wrap around me as he shifts in the seat; my eyes close in pleasure and relief when I feel his manhood invade my sex. He leans forward, his teeth scraping my earlobe as he whispers into my ear.

“I asked if you liked my bratwurst, Riley.”

“Yes,” I breathe against the side of his neck.

Tagging:  @jared2612​​​ @ao719​​​ @marietrinmimi​​​ @indiacater​​​ @kingliam2019​​​ @bebepac​​​ @liamxs-world @mom2000aggie​​​ @liamrhysstalker2020​​​ @twinkleallnight​​​ @umccall71 @superharriet​​​ @busywoman​​​ @gabesmommie1130 @tessa-liam​​​ @beezm​​​ @gardeningourmet​​​ @lovingchoices14​​​ @mainstreetreader​​​ @angelasscribbles​​​ @lady-calypso @emkay512​​​ @princessleac1​​​ @charlotteg234 @alj4890​ @motorcitymademadame​​​ @queenmiarys​​​ ​​​ @choicesficwriterscreations

[ao719]

…Sometimes Not (Part 9)

Holding Out

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #2

Title inspo: Neverland - Ross Copperman

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Not beta’d. Please excuse any errors.  

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Word count: 2495

Catch up here

Inside her apartment on a Friday night, Reyna sat curled up on her sofa, staring out the window. The television was off and no music played, leaving her to only her musings. Since her return from Cordonia two weeks ago, a trip in which Liam spilled the truth of his feelings for her, she found herself like this every night — drowning in silence and her thoughts. 

Reyna continued to talk to Liam as normal; they called, messaged, and video chatted … and not once mentioned what he had said. He said that day that he wanted to forget it, to act as though it didn’t happen, and that’s precisely what they’d done. 

Despite trying to say something in response, merely getting out his name before he abruptly interrupted her, the truth was that Reyna didn’t know what she was going to say had he let her continue. She knew what she wanted to say … that she loved him, too, that she never stopped; no matter how much she wanted to say it, she couldn’t. 

Reyna’s heart was playing a game of tug of war between what she felt and what she feared. 

And that fear was winning. 

A knock pulled Reyna from her musings; she threw the blanket off her and stood from the sofa, walking over to the door. When she glanced through the peephole, she let out a quiet breath as she stepped back and opened the door, forcing a smile. “Hi, Dad.” 

“Hi, Princess.”

“What are you doing here?” Reyna asked as she stepped aside to let him in; she noticed the large white paper bag in his hand and the heavenly smell that came from it. 

“Well, I was hungry,” Gideon said as he set the bag on the counter and turned to look at her. “And since your mother is out of town with your Aunt Sophie for the weekend, I thought you’d like to have dinner with your old man. I stopped at Lido’s,” he grinned. 

“Thank you,” Reyna smiled. 

As Reyna grabbed two plates from a cabinet, Gideon pulled the containers from the takeout bag. The real reason he stopped by her apartment that night was because he’d noticed in the two weeks since their return from Cordonia that she seemed … off. She was silent on the flight back, not uttering a single word except for when, after being unable to take it any longer, he asked if she was alright, and she responded with a simple “fine.” She’d canceled having dinner with him and Catherine four times since they’d been back, saying that she was tired. Catherine invited her along on the little weekend getaway she was taking with her sister, but Reyna politely declined the invitation. 

It all left Gideon wondering if something had happened in Cordonia between Reyna and Liam. So, he decided to invite himself over with some of her favorite food in hopes he could get her to open up.

As the two of them ate at the counter, between small bouts of silence, they caught each other up on their work week. Despite him being there, he could tell she was still slightly distracted by something. 

Once done with his meal, Gideon nursed a glass of scotch as he waited for Reyna to finish. He watched as she slid her plate back, still leaving half of the chicken piccata. “I’ll save that for lunch tomorrow,” she said, noticing him giving her a curious look.

“Not much of an appetite tonight?” Gideon questioned.

“S’pose not …” 

Gideon set his glass down, shifting on the stool so his body faced hers. “Are you going to tell me what’s been bothering you?” Reyna looked at him and her brows furrowed in confusion. “Did you really think I haven’t noticed how you’ve been acting oddly since we left Cordonia?” She leaned back against the stool, resting her hands in her lap. “Did something happen?”

“No,” Reyna answered as she met his gaze; he didn’t believe her and she knew it. “Maybe …” 

“With Liam, I’m guessing?” Gideon asked, and she nodded slowly. “Did you two have an argument?”

“No.”

“Then what happened?” 

Reyna dropped his gaze; she closed her eyes, staying silent for a moment as she searched her muddled thoughts. “It’s probably not a secret to you that I never stopped caring about him …” 

“Not particularly,” Gideon smiled softly.

“I tried to fight it … but he’s in my head even when he’s not supposed to be. It shouldn’t be this hard to let go … especially with all the time that’s passed since we were … anything.” 

“Well, if it’s so hard to let go … perhaps that means you shouldn’t.”

Shaking her head, Reyna sighed. “After we reunited in Paris … I promised myself that no matter what, I would bury my feelings for him to save our friendship. To save … myself. It just … burying it made things seem easier between us. It made getting our friendship back on track easier. I excused any slip-ups I had as just that … a slip-up. A mistake. I’d said that we shouldn’t venture down that road again when we had a lapse … and he agreed. And because neither of us had said anything … barely mentioning that part of our past at all … I thought we were on the same page. It’s been four years … I figured anything he may have felt for me before had to be long gone by now. I convinced myself — just as I had for all those years — that what I felt was one-sided. Unrequited. And doing so made it easier for me to push my thoughts and feelings away when I was with him.” She let out a breath. “But when we were in Cordonia … the morning before we left, he was acting odd. I asked what was wrong and he didn’t want to tell me … but I pushed and poked until he did … not expecting him to snap and tell me that it was too hard to pretend I was nothing more than a friend to him, that there wasn’t a single part of him that wasn’t still in love with me … and that it had become too difficult for him to keep it in any longer.” 

Gideon would be lying if he said a spark of both joy and triumph didn’t fill him, but he managed to keep his expression unreadable. “And what did you have to say in response to that?”

“Nothing,” Reyna answered. “He asked me not to say anything.”

“What?” Gideon questioned. 

“He wanted to act like what he’d just said didn’t happen … and he begged me not to say anything back.”

“Well, I think it’s safe to say that he only asked that of you to save himself from what he thought would be rejection,” Gideon said. He knew for a fact how Liam still felt about Reyna. “But what would you have said?”

“Truthfully?” Reyna met her father’s gaze again. “I don’t know,” she shrugged, and his brows furrowed. “When he first said it … I just stared at him. It was like I couldn’t speak … like I was choking on everything I wanted to say. I … I don’t know what I’d have said if he didn’t stop me.” 

“Reyna, do you love him?” Gideon asked, despite already knowing the answer. 

“I love him,” Reyna answered without hesitation, saying what she couldn’t to Liam. “I still love him so much that it hurts. It hurts to be around him and not tell him or show him how much I love him, but … I’d rather suffer in silence than to …” She trailed off, shaking her head. 

“I guess I’m not understanding,” Gideon said. “You know how he feels now, that it’s not one-sided, so why can’t you just tell him that you feel the same way?” 

“We tried that already. We let our guards down and we crossed that line … and I lost him in the end. I can’t lose him again, Dad. I won’t …” Reyna’s words were choked off by her throat tightening at the mere thought; she shook her head as her vision blurred. “I can’t go through losing him again,” she whispered as her tears started to fall. “I won’t survive it a second time …” 

Gideon stared at her. He remembered all too well Reyna’s state four years ago when she came home from Cordonia broken-hearted. He remembered how she changed, how she turned to the bottle to try and numb her pain, how she was a shell of the woman she was before that summer away. She spiraled into a darkness that he was afraid she wouldn’t come out of. As a father, it was both heartbreaking and frightening to watch; he saw his daughter suffering and breaking and there was nothing he could do to take that pain away, nothing he could do to help because she had shut everyone out, including him. 

Even though Reyna eventually made it out of that pit of despair in the end, she was never the same. For three years Gideon watched her try to move forward with her life, but a piece of her was missing, a part of her soul gone. And she remained that way until the day she returned home from that trip to Paris; once reunited with that missing piece of her heart, he saw life breathed back into her. 

Gideon realized at that moment what it was that scared Reyna most about giving a relationship with Liam another chance. “To save … myself,” she’d said. “I won’t survive it a second time …” She wasn’t just afraid of losing him again if things didn’t work out, but of what losing him would do to her; she was afraid of falling back into that dark place and the lengths she would go to rid herself of feeling that pain and loss for a second time. 

It was clear that Reyna’s love for Liam was all-consuming. If it was anyone else, Gideon would be concerned; he’d probably tell her to let go, that he didn’t want her to travel down that road again either out of his own fear of seeing her as broken as she was before. But this was Liam, and he knew that he felt that same all-consuming love for her. 

As much as Liam was a half to her whole, Reyna was his. 

And Gideon needed to encourage her not to let a fear of the unknown dictate her life.

“What if it could turn out better than you ever imagined?” Gideon asked, and Reyna looked at him as she wiped her cheeks. “Yes, there’s a chance it could go sideways, but there’s an even bigger chance that it could give you something not just extraordinary but that you’ve always wanted. Liam laid his cards on the table. He told you how he felt … that after all this time, he still loves you. The only thing standing in the way, Reyna, is yourself. You cannot let the what-ifs ruin a chance at a future with the one person you’ve ever truly loved.”

“We can’t,” Reyna’s breath hitched. “I can’t.”

Gideon covered her hand with his. “Look at me,” he said, and she lifted her tearful gaze. “You can. Liam was willing to take the risk of telling you how he still feels about you because he thinks you’re worth it, that what you two could be is worth it. I understand your reservations after what you went through last time … I know how hard that was on you. But it was just as hard on Liam yet he still took that leap. For you. Don’t let that fear guide your choice in this because what you two have … it’s a once in a lifetime kind of thing, Reyna. You’re not going to find it with anyone else.”

Reyna covered her eyes with her hand as a quiet sob escaped her, and Gideon leaned forward, wrapping his large arms around her; he cocooned her in an embrace as he rubbed her back. She knew he was right, that she shouldn’t let this fear of hers make decisions on her behalf, and she didn’t want it to, but getting past that fear was another story.  

After a few moments, Gideon drew back and met her gaze again. “Things are different now. It’s not the same as it was four years ago. You’re different people in a different set of circumstances. But the one thing that hasn’t changed over time is how you feel about each other and how happy you make one another. And I know you, Reyna. If you don’t give yourself and Liam this chance … you’re going to regret it for the rest of your life …”

*******

Sitting on the sofa inside her apartment on a Thursday evening, Reyna ran her palms along the length of her denim-clad thighs. She was waiting to hear from Liam; he was coming into town after spending the last two weeks making multiple state visits, and he said he’d call as soon as he landed. 

In the three weeks since her conversation with her father over dinner, Reyna allowed both his words and advice to slowly sink in. After receiving the call from Liam last week that he was planning to visit, she spent the following few days convincing herself that she needed to talk to him, that she needed to finally tell him how she felt. 

Reyna had spent that entire day rehearsing different ways to bring it up and things she could say; she knew it was pointless and that all of it would go right out the window once he was standing in front of her. 

Nervous didn’t begin to describe how Reyna was feeling about taking this leap again, but she knew her father was right: if she didn’t try, she would end up with nothing but regrets. 

The alert of an incoming call startled Reyna from her thoughts; her heart raced when she saw Liam’s name flashing across her phone screen. Knowing he must’ve arrived and that she was that much closer to her confession caused her nerves to spike. 

“Hey, you,” Reyna greeted him.

“Hello.”

“You’re here?”

“Yeah. Just got off the plane,” Liam replied. “I know we were going to meet up tonight, but these past couple of weeks finally caught up with me. I’m on the verge of crashing and I don’t think I’d be much company tonight. Could we meet up tomorrow after I get a good night’s worth of sleep?” he chuckled. 

Reyna felt herself deflate. Sure, she understood, but now she was going to have to spend the rest of the night building herself up again to talk to him … and convincing herself that this wasn’t some form of divine intervention or sign from above to just keep quiet. 

“Rey?”

Reyna cleared her throat. “Sorry, I’m here.”

“So, raincheck for tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Reyna answered. She closed her eyes, letting out a quiet breath. I’ll tell you tomorrow. “Tomorrow is good.” 

***************************************

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[ao719]

…Sometimes Not (Part 8)

Turn A Blind Eye

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #3, “Why are you being so weird?”

Title inspo: Enough Is Never Gonna Be Enough - Ross Copperman

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Thank you @burnsoslow for prereading! Please excuse any errors.  

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Word count: 2500

Catch up here

Laying on the lounge chair, Reyna soaked up the sun on the royal family’s private beach. She had flown in with her father when he came for a week’s worth of meetings to discuss an event being hosted in Cordonia by a charity that he and Constantine were both patrons of. A week in Cordonia with Liam was better than a week in New York any day, so she’d requested time off work as soon as her father told her of his travel plans. 

Suddenly, something eclipsed the sun, casting a shadow over Reyna’s bikini-clad body; she opened her eyes as she slid her aviators down the bridge of her nose and glanced up to see Liam, who had just come from a quick dip in the water. “You’re blocking my sun. And dripping water on me.” 

“Well, excuse me,” Liam quipped. He shook his head, spraying her with the water that flung from his hair.

“Liam!” Reyna squealed as she turned her face away. She lifted her sunglasses to the top of her head and wiped her face.

“Oh, my bad,” Liam chuckled before moving to the chair beside her. He swung his legs up and laid back, tucking an arm behind his head with a content sigh. “I didn’t realize how badly I needed this day off until I had it.” 

“You’ve been stuck in those negotiation meetings for nearly two months. You need more than just a day off.” 

“Well, lucky for me, someone convinced me to take the whole week.” Liam glanced over at her, meeting her gaze; her amber eyes sparkled under the sun like pools of honey as she smiled at him. 

“So, what time are we going out tonight?” 

“I told Max and Liv we’d meet them down at the beer garden around nine,” Liam replied.

“Leo too?” Reyna asked.

“Yeah,” Liam nodded. “Whose turn is it?”

Reyna chuckled. “Mine.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“I am. Last time, it was you in New York. I had to tuck you in after Kismet, but not before you stole my pillow, remember?” 

Liam snorted. “Barely.” 

In the months since their drunken pillow fight kiss, Reyna and Liam made an agreement: no drinking at the same time. It was to help them control what they seemed unable to while inebriated together. One set of lowered inhibitions was easier to manage than two. So they took turns; one would drink, the other would be the designated babysitter for the evening. 

It wasn’t as easy as they initially thought it would be. The one drinking would be more flirty than usual and would go into ramblings while falling asleep that sometimes left the other overthinking every drunken word. It worked well enough, however, leaving the sober one able to ignore what they typically wouldn’t be able to and push their feelings down further. 

Those feelings were about to combust, though. At least for Liam, they were. 

It had been nearly a year since their Parisian reunion and to say Liam was struggling would be the understatement of the century. Whether drunk or sober, he found himself on the verge of spilling the confession of his feelings every time they were together. He thought over time it would get easier to keep them to himself, but it had only gotten more and more difficult. Reyna still seemed content where they were, however. She was the one who said it wasn’t a good idea for them to venture down that road again. Liam took the words as her way of saying she no longer looked at him that way. That helped a little when it came to not saying anything to her about how he felt; his silence was better than the sure rejection that would come.

****

Leaning against the table with his chin resting on his hand, Liam watched Reyna toss back another shot with Leo; he’d lost count of how many that was. 

“Rey! Come dance with me!” Maxwell called out before grabbing her hand and tugging her away from the table. 

When he saw her stumble, Liam reached out and grabbed her. “Careful,” he murmured as he steadied her.

Reyna giggled as she looked up at him with a kittenish grin. “I want you to dance with me.” She gently jabbed him with her finger before letting it trail down his chest.

Liam caught her wrist, shaking his head with a playful smirk. “Max asked you first.” 

“Ever the gentleman.” Reyna winked before turning away to follow Maxwell.

Olivia laughed. “Based on that look she just gave you, I’m pretty sure she’d let you rip her clothes off, but your ass is as sober as a judge and I know you wouldn’t take advantage of that.”

Liam shook his head. “It’s not like that between us.” 

“Why is that, anyway?” Leo asked.

“What?”

“Why are you sober? You’ve had two drinks all damn night.” Liam shrugged; he didn’t need to tell him the truth. “And why isn’t it like that between you two?” 

“It’s just not,” Liam replied.

“But you want it to be …” Liam silently shook his head, but Leo knew better. “Li, you weren’t fooling anyone back then, and you’re not fooling anyone now. Full stop, Max, Liv, and I have a bet going on how long it’ll take you two this time around,” he chuckled, and Olivia nodded in agreement. 

Liam looked at his brother. “It’s not the same as back then,” he shook his head. “Things are … different now.” 

“They don’t have to be,” Leo replied matter-of-factly. “Have you guys even talked about it?” 

Liam looked at him without responding. 

“You haven’t told her that you’re still in love with her?” Olivia asked incredulously. “What the hell are you waiting for?”

“Nothing,” Liam answered. “Like I said, things are different … it’s not like it used to be, not in that sense anyway.”

“So, what I’m hearing is that you’re avoiding talking about it. Got it,” Leo nodded. “Call me crazy, but I don’t think that’s going to get you very far. And it’s not going to win me this bet, either, so I’m gonna need you to get your shit together so I can take Max and Liv’s money.” 

Liam chuckled despite himself. “I wouldn’t hold your breath.” 

“Stop being a chicken shit and just tell her.” 

“That’s easier said than done,” Liam mumbled under his breath. 

****

“Easy does it,” Liam chuckled as he helped Reyna out of the SUV at the front entrance of the palace. 

“Everything is shpinning,” Reyna slurred.

Liam laughed, wrapping his arm around her waist as he guided her toward the steps. “That’s what happens when you get shit-faced.” 

“I’m-I’m not poop-faced.” 

“Whatever you say, Rey,” Leo snorted from behind them. 

After taking her sweet time going up the front steps, the three of them stepped into the foyer. Reyna glanced up at the grand staircase, trying and failing to blink it into focus. “When did you add another staircase? That is a looooot of stairs.”

“Need help getting her to your wing?” Leo asked.

“No,” Liam shook his head. He effortlessly scooped Reyna into his arms as she yelped with a giggle. “This’ll be easier.” 

“You’re so strooooooong,” Reyna laughed as her head lolled against his shoulder. 

Leo snorted. “Have fun with that,” he said as Liam started up the stairs.  

After carrying Reyna inside the south wing, Liam opened the door to her bedroom. He set her down by her bed, holding onto her to keep her steady. “You need to get changed.” 

Reyna closed one eye in what was supposed to be a wink and gave him a thumb … sideways? “Yes, sir.” 

Liam shook his head with a smile. “Are you gonna be alright for a minute while I go grab you some water?” She swayed with a nod. “Ok, I’ll be right back.” 

Liam stepped out of the room and headed to the kitchen; he grabbed two bottles of water and some aspirin to leave on her nightstand for the morning before heading back down the hall.

When he made it back to her room, Liam walked inside to find it empty. “Rey?” he called out. He spun on his heels when he heard something behind him; across the hall, he could see her standing in his room. “What are you doing?” he asked as he approached her.

“I wanna sleep in here.” 

“That’s fine, but you still need to change.” Without hesitation, Reyna began to peel her shirt over her head. “I didn’t mean … never mind.” He set the water and aspirin down on the nightstand before helping her when she got her arm stuck in the sleeve. “Hold still,” he chuckled. Once her shirt was off, she started unbuttoning her pants. “Rey, wait—” He grabbed her arm when she started swaying as she shimmied out of them. Once she was in nothing but her lace undergarments, he sat her on the edge of his bed. “Stay right there. I’m going to grab your pajamas.” He turned and hurried across the hall, grabbing the pajamas from her bed before rushing back to his room; he paused in the doorway as she pulled one of his button-up shirts over her head. 

Liam came in front of her; he lifted his hand, reaching behind her and untucking her hair from the collar as she looked up at him. “This smells like you.” 

“Well, I would hope so considering it’s mine,” Liam chuckled, lifting the shorts he grabbed for her. “Here—” she turned and climbed into his bed “—Or not.” He tossed her clothes on the chair and stepped into the bathroom; he returned a few moments later after changing and laid on the bed next to her, turning on his side. “You ok?” he asked, brushing her hair away from her cheek.  

Reyna opened her eyes to look at him. “I wish you were poop-faced with me.” 

Liam chuckled. “Why’s that?”

“Because I really wanna kiss you right now.” 

“Rey—” 

“And I know you won’t.”

“This is why we said only one of us would drink,” Liam reminded her with a smile. 

“That’s a stupid rule,” Reyna slurred. She tilted her face as she shifted closer to him. “Innit?” 

Liam closed his eyes, feeling her breath on his lips; he was fighting every instinct he had not to give her what she claimed to want. When he opened his eyes and met her gaze again, he offered a rueful smile. “We made the rule for a reason.” 

“I decree we can break it just this once.”

Liam chuckled and shook his head. He wasn’t going to break the rule no matter how much he wanted to. 

Reyna sighed as she shifted back and nestled into the pillow. After a few moments of silence, her eyes began to flutter. “You and I …” Reyna mumbled. “Always almost …”

Liam’s brows furrowed as he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “What?”

“We were always on the verge of almost. Never nothing … but never quite something … ”

Liam held his breath for a moment as he watched her drift to sleep. “We were something, Rey,” he whispered. “More than something.” We still can be … 

*******

The following morning, Liam and Reyna sat out on the balcony of the south wing, eating a late breakfast once Reyna had finally woken up. 

Liam had barely gotten any sleep, too consumed by Reyna’s drunken words the night before; that paired with his conversation with Leo from earlier that night when he insisted on him telling her how he felt was all he could think about. He tried clearing his head with an early morning run on the beach while Reyna slept. It didn’t help. He felt more on edge than ever before. 

Reyna noticed how Liam seemed off that morning; he was more quiet than usual and it was obvious that something was weighing on him. She wondered if something happened the night before … if she’d done or said something that had upset him. She sorted through what flashes of their night she could recollect, but nothing stood out. 

Finally, after another bout of silence, she couldn’t take it. “Why are you being so weird?” Reyna asked, and he looked at her questioningly. “You’ve been acting off all morning.” He sighed and looked away from her. “Did … did I do something last night or say something that upset you?” 

“No,” Liam shook his head adamantly. “Not at all.” 

“Then what’s wrong?”

Liam glanced back at her. “Nothing.” 

“Don’t lie to me,” Reyna said. “I know you, Liam. I know when something is bothering you.”

“Rey, really, it’s nothing.” Liam stood, taking his empty plate inside. 

Reyna stood and followed him. “So there’s something …” He gave her another curious look. “You just said, ‘it’s nothing.’ So that means there’s something bothering you.” 

Liam became flustered with both himself and his slip-up, just wanting her to drop it. “Rey—”

“If it’s nothing, then why can’t you just tell me?”

“Because it’s not a big deal,” Liam lied. It was a huge deal, of course. 

“Well, if it’s not a big deal, then why can’t you just say what it is?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Li, you can tell me anything. I’m your best friend and—”

“That!” Liam finally snapped. “That’s what’s wrong!”

“What is?”

“Me having to walk around pretending you’re nothing more than just my best friend and acting as though there’s not a single part of me that isn’t still in love with you!” Liam shouted. Reyna’s brows slightly rose both at his tone and his words. He stared at her for a moment before letting out a breath, throwing his hands up in frustration. “I’ve been struggling every damn day since we reunited in Paris not to tell you, Rey, but it’s just …” he trailed off for a moment before dropping his voice to a whisper. “It’s too damn hard.” 

Reyna stared at him, her own confession on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t get the words to come out because that fear — that stupid gigantic fear of history repeating itself, of losing him again — stifled her voice. 

Liam closed his eyes, running his fingers through his hair before meeting her gaze again; he knew he couldn’t tell her to forget what he’d just said, but by the look on her face — one that filled him with panic — he was certain he didn’t want to hear her response.

Reyna cleared her throat. “Liam—”

“Don’t,” Liam shook his head, cutting her off. “Please don’t say anything. I’m begging you, Rey. Please. I didn’t mean — I think we — let’s just act like that didn’t happen because I don’t — just please don’t say anything.”

Both Liam’s voice and eyes were pleading with her. A part of him was hoping she’d tell him to shut the hell up, that she still loved him, too, but instead … she nodded, complying with his request for her to remain silent.

It made Liam believe something he’d been long afraid of acknowledging: she didn’t feel the same. 

***************************************

Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes @cocomaxley @emichelle @sweetest-marbear @indiacater @gibbles82 @the-soot-sprite @esmckenzie @dcbbw @burnsoslow @deb-1106 @bbrandy2002 @txemrn @charlotteg234 @neotericthemis @foreverethereal123 @choiceskatie @sirbeepsalot @gnatbrain @openheart12 @sincerelyella @superharriet @queenrileyrose @aestheticartsx @kingliam2019 @indiana-jr @bascmve01 @rainbowsinthestorm @emkay512 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @forallthatitsworth @walker7519 @iaminlovewithtrr @amandablink @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @princessleac1 @21-wishes @appleone @tessa-liam @pixelatedpassion @malblk21 @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @forthebrokenheartedthings @nomadics-stuff @differenttyphoonwerewolf 

[ao719]

Best Kept Secrets

Best Kept Secrets - I’ll Take The Fall (Chapter 16)

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

Summary: An unforeseen encounter with the past proves that even the best-kept secrets eventually make their way into the light. 

Title inspiration: Villain - Lucie Silvas

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x F!OC

A/N: Thank you to @burnsoslow for prereading. Please excuse any errors. 

Rating: M • Warning: This series will contain NSFW material. If you read, you acknowledge you are 18+

Catch up here

Sitting inside his study, Liam anxiously drummed his fingers against his desk, staring at his laptop screen. He was waiting for a call from Amalas and Olivia, who were currently in Auvernal, attending their Fleet Week event. 

Olivia met with Amalas in Monterisso a couple of days ago to hash out their plan. They’d arrived at the Auvernese palace that morning with the intention of sneaking off to do some digging; it was now late afternoon, and Liam had yet to hear from either of them. 

A knock on his study door pulled his attention; Liam called for them to enter, and Rashad stepped inside a moment later, shutting the door behind him. “Anything?”

Liam shook his head. “Not yet …” 

Rashad could see the worry in his old friend’s eyes. “I’m sure they’re fine.” 

“I just don’t want them to get themselves into a bind by getting caught.”

“They’re not going to get caught,” Rashad retorted. “They both have plenty of experience in this area and know what they’re doing. Just relax.” 

“This is my best chance at getting something concrete enough to get out of this damn alliance.” Liam sighed as he raked his fingers through his hair. “If they don’t find anything …”

“If they don’t find anything, we’ll keep looking,” Rashad said. The stress of this — among other things — over the past month had certainly taken its toll on his friend, and he could both see and sense it. “We’ll get out of this, Liam, one way or another. You have my word.” 

Liam blew out a breath and nodded. “I hope so.” He looked at Rashad again. “Did you just come from the council meeting?”

“Yes,” Rashad answered. “They want to meet tomorrow so we can discuss the announcement. Should Olivia and Amalas get what we need, they want to make sure we’re ready with a statement so we can stay ahead of Bradshaw on the matter and get it out before he tries anything.”

“Understandable,” Liam nodded. 

“They also made a request …”

Liam tilted his head. “And what’s that?”

“They want to bring Amara in on these discussions,” Rashad replied, and Liam’s brows slightly rose. “She is Sophia’s mother, so they feel it would be for the best to have her involved in the plan for the announcement and so she’s kept in the loop … and I have to say I agree. Daniel said he’d let her know. I just thought I’d give you a heads up that she’ll probably be there …” Liam glanced away, silently nodding. “Have you spoken to her at all since everything happened?” 

“No,” Liam answered, staring out the window. “I haven’t.”

It had been a few days since Liam had spotted Amara playing with Sophia out in the gardens. That was the first time he’d even seen her since that day they spoke in his study a month ago. Any communication they had was still done through Riley and Daniel. They hadn’t spoken at all. Not a word. 

“Are you going to be ok with that?” Rashad asked. “With her being there?”

“Yes,” Liam nodded. “I’ll be fine.” 

“And are you sure you two can be cordial?” 

“I will be,” Liam replied as he met Rashad’s gaze again. “I can’t speak for her. As I said, we haven’t spoken.”

“Do you think she’s going to have any qualms about the announcement?”

“I’m sure she’ll have some worries … because we’re obviously going to have to be forthcoming in the statement about our past. It’s not like it will be a secret once it’s out there that we had a relationship while Madeleine and I were married; it’s simple mathematics. I know she was worried before about any scrutiny Sophia and I could face if our history got out, so I don’t doubt that will still be a concern of hers.” 

“Not a concern for herself?”

“I’m sure she’s worried about herself as well,” Liam said with a shrug. “I just mean that she specifically said she was trying to protect Sophia and me, so I’m assuming that will more than likely be the biggest concern she’ll have, more so regarding Sophia.”

Rashad nodded, letting his thoughts on the matter stir for a moment. “Well, I guess we’ll find out tomorrow how she feels …” 

Liam nodded. “I guess …” 

“Alright, well, if you hear any—”

Rashad was cut off by the sound of an incoming video call on Liam’s laptop; they both looked at each other, and the look on Liam’s face told him exactly who it was. He hurried toward the desk to listen in just as the King answered. 

“Olivia,” Liam said in a relieved tone, able to see they were settled in their seats on the jet. “Are you and Amalas alright?” 

“Of course we’re alright,” Olivia scoffed.

“You weren’t doubting us, were you, Liam?” Amalas playfully asked. 

“No, I just … I hadn’t heard from either of you since last night, and … I may have started to worry a bit.”

“It’s heartwarming to know you care,” Amalas quipped. 

Olivia chuckled as she looked back at the screen. “We’re fine. We’re on the jet headed back to Monterisso.”

“Did you find anything?” Rashad asked.

“Right to the point. I like him,” Amalas said. “Yes … maybe.”

Liam furrowed his brows. “What does that mean?”

“We were able to sneak into his study,” Amalas answered. “I found something that piqued my curiosity …”

“Go on,” Liam urged.

“While snooping, I found multiple past correspondences between Bradshaw and the former Queen of Rivala.”

“Reena?” Liam questioned.

Amalas nodded. “We just got done speaking with her before we called you. It took some persuading to get her to tell us any of this because she’s afraid … but did you know that Rivala had an alliance agreement with Auvernal two years ago?”

“What?” Liam’s brows rose in surprise. “No.” 

“According to Reena,” Amalas began, “her daughter was set to marry Isaac Achilles in a betrothal alliance just like the one they approached you with. As part of the proceedings, she had her physician perform a routine medical exam on their twins, but before she could see the results, Bradshaw and Isabella seized them. When Reena refused the alliance after that, feeling as though they were hiding something, she claims Auvernal sent their troops in to occupy Rivala, and she had no choice but to accept the alliance and step down as monarch to avoid an all-out war.”

Both Liam’s and Rashad’s eyes widened. “Holy shit,” Rashad gasped. 

“Wait,” Liam shook his head. “If that’s true, how the hell has no one heard about it?” 

“They rebranded her concession as a willing alliance and made it appear as though the two nations combined to be one,” Olivia answered. “They forced her hand into giving up her kingdom because they knew she would want to protect her people from unnecessary bloodshed. I think Bradshaw had the same intention with Cordonia, but he found something else to use against you instead of brute force …”

“Amara,” Liam said quietly.

Olivia nodded. “Sending his troops there would have been a last resort, but you folded when he threatened to out your past, so he didn’t need to.”

“Plus,” Amalas interjected, “having Auvernese troops in Cordonia after having them in Rivala would have looked a little too suspicious for Bradshaw’s liking, so it worked out better in his favor to not have to send them in.” 

“Do we have any proof of this other than Reena’s word?” Liam asked. “It’s not that I don’t believe her, I do. But this isn’t concrete enough. If they had her sign an alliance as they did with me, it won’t hold, and Bradshaw will just accuse her of fabricating it all two years after the fact.”  

“No … we don’t have any proof,” Amalas shook her head. “Not yet. I did find a flash drive hidden in a secret compartment in Bradshaw’s desk drawer, but I don’t know what’s on it. It’s encrypted, so I’ll need time to decode it.” 

“Considering it was hidden and is encrypted, my guess is there’s something there,” Olivia added. “Whatever’s on it, they don’t want anyone to see.” 

“My thoughts exactly,” Amalas nodded. 

“And Reena offered to be of assistance in any way she can in hopes of exposing Auvernal’s illegal siege of Rivala,” Olivia said. “She said she hopes to spare Cordonia from the same fate.” 

Liam shared a look with Rashad before glancing back at the screen with a nod. “So we just need to hope there’s something on that flash drive we can use …”

“Pretty much,” Amalas nodded. 

“Also, I snagged you a little gift while rummaging through that shithole,” Olivia smirked.

Liam arched his brow curiously; she held up a piece of paper in front of the screen, and his eyes slightly widened once it came into focus. “Is that—”

“The original alliance document that you were forced to sign,” Olivia grinned. “That way, when we do take this asshole down, you can destroy it.” 

“Thank you,” Liam smiled. “Thank you both.” 

“I’m going to start working on this flash drive,” Amalas said. “I’ll be in touch …” 

****

That night, Liam sat in the cushioned glider in Sophia’s room inside his quarters, staring down at her as he attempted to rock her to sleep. Having had her stay overnight with him the past few nights had been going well, but they were both still adjusting to the new routine. The first night, getting her to sleep wasn’t an issue. 

The last couple of nights, however, was another story. 

Sophia stared back at him, and he tucked his lips between his teeth to stifle a laugh when she offered one of her adorable toothy grins. “You need to go to sleep,” Liam said through a quiet chuckle. She let out a little squeal as she sat up in his arms, and he positioned her to stand on his thighs as he held her. “This is not going to sleep.” A sound like a raspberry escaped her as she leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his as she scrunched her nose. “You’re too cute for your own good. You know that?” 

Another toothy grin. 

Liam shifted her to lay against his chest and she rested her head on his shoulder as he rubbed her back and started to rock again. “Dada,” she murmured, and he froze. “Da da da da da.” He moved so he could tilt his head to look at her as she turned her face to snuggle into the crook of his neck, clutching the front of his shirt in her tiny hand. “Daaaaaa Dada.”

Liam wasn’t sure if she was actually saying the word or was just listening to herself make the sound, but he didn’t care. He smiled and let out a breath, blinking the tears from his eyes as he rested his cheek against her head and resumed his rocking. “That’s right, Soph. Daddy’s got you.”

As Sophia finally started to drift off to sleep, Liam found Amara at the forefront of his mind. Truthfully, she’d been lingering there since that afternoon when Rashad came to see him.  

Knowing they would be coming face-to-face for the first time tomorrow had Liam feeling a little more nervous than he wanted to admit. He wasn’t sure what or how he was going to feel. He’d spent the last month trying to process everything; he’d had time to think, spending some nights awake and replaying everything he’d been told. He tried to put himself in Amara’s shoes and inside her head during that time in order to try and better understand where she was coming from. And while some things had been put into a different perspective, helping to assuage his anger and resentment, he’d be lying if he said the hurt and betrayal he felt wasn’t still there. 

Liam was worried that seeing Amara could reopen wounds that only just started to heal and destroy any progress he’d made in trying to come to terms with everything. He also knew, however, that Amara had just as much right as he did to be a part of these discussions, to know what the plan was for announcing their child to the world. Sure, he could fire back his own request that the council just meet with them separately and relay their suggestions and opinions on the matter to the other, but regardless of where they currently stood on a personal level, this wasn’t about them. 

Liam also thought that just maybe this had the potential to be a good thing. Yes, he’d been actively avoiding Amara as he spent time with Sophia to build a bond and relationship with her while simultaneously wading through all of his thoughts and feelings about everything as best he could. And from what he’d been told, Amara had been actively avoiding him as well out of both a desire for him to have time with Sophia on his own and a fear of upsetting him and tainting that time. 

Perhaps being forced into a room together with other people could be the first step in getting them to a place where they were both comfortable enough to talk on their own.

*******

Late the following morning, Liam sat inside the council chambers with Rashad and a few others as they waited for everyone to arrive. He and Rashad were speaking in hushed tones as others began to file into the room. 

Liam glanced up at the door just as Daniel stepped inside followed by Amara; his eyes locked on her as he slowly straightened himself in his chair. Her eyes shifted around the room, hesitant and afraid in a way. Daniel gestured for her to take the seat beside him, the one across from Liam at the opposite end of the long table. When she sat, she folded her hands in her lap and kept her gaze cast downward. She appeared to be nervous, which wasn’t like her at all; Liam wasn’t sure if it was the meeting, seeing him, or both. 

Still looking at her, Liam watched when Amara glanced up at the door as the last few people filed into the room … including Madeleine. He saw Amara’s throat bob as she swallowed thickly and looked away, closing her eyes; it was obvious seeing Madeleine had caught her off guard and made her more uncomfortable than she clearly already was. 

Despite the purpose of these meetings being how to announce Sophia’s existence to the world, Liam thought Madeleine should be included as well because his relationship with Amara during their marriage would also be made public. He and Madeleine still held a deep respect for one another, and because this had the potential to throw her into the middle of a media frenzy, he asked if she’d like to be there, to which she said yes. 

Madeleine walked over to Liam, and he stood from his chair, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek before she took her seat. When he sat back down, his eyes lifted to Amara again; she still hadn’t looked at him. 

“Alright,” Rashad spoke up, quieting the murmurs of the others in the room. “Everyone is here, so let’s get started.” 

As they began to discuss the reasons for the meetings, Amara inconspicuously lifted her gaze to Liam; he was looking at Bertrand, who was currently speaking. She’d been trying not to look at him, afraid of seeing the utter disdain for her in his eyes if she did. 

When Daniel came to her yesterday and told her the council had requested her presence in the meetings and the reason why, Amara agreed to go. She appreciated being kept in the loop, and she wanted to know exactly what their plan was regarding the announcement of Sophia; she’d have heard it from Daniel regardless, but she was glad to be included in the discussions. She’d be lying if she said the thought of coming face-to-face with Liam for the first time in a month didn’t keep her up last night, however. Nervous didn’t begin to describe what she was feeling. 

Amara had continued to struggle in the weeks since everything came to light, and she continued to keep it to herself. Knowing she was going to be sitting in the same room with Liam had her feeling more than just on edge all morning; she was worried about keeping her composure and not breaking down in front of him. 

The moment Amara stepped inside the council chambers, she felt Liam’s presence. She felt his gaze shift to her. And she couldn’t bring herself to look at him, not only because she couldn’t bear to see exactly what he thought of her in his expression, but because she was afraid that if her eyes met his, any bit of strength she was holding onto in order not to fall apart would dissipate.

“So, what are your thoughts on how to go about this, sir?” Hakim asked, pulling Amara’s attention to him; she couldn’t help when her gaze flickered to Liam again a moment later.

Liam leaned his elbows against the table, pressing his clasped hands over his mouth as he sorted through his thoughts. He’d been thinking about this the past few days, and he knew what he was about to say would surprise some, Amara included. “I’d like to keep everything as … simple and civil as possible,” he said. “I’d prefer this announcement to be done in a way that doesn’t point fingers at any one person in particular.”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, I’m not sure that’s possible,” Bertrand spoke before looking at Amara. “I’m not trying to come off as though I’m passing judgment, so please don’t take it that way,” he glanced back at Liam, “but the facts are the facts, sir. You were kept in the dark about the existence of the child.”

At that moment, Amara wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. 

“I have to agree, sir,” Landon chimed in. “I’m not sure if there’s truly a way to get around not pointing any fingers.”

“There is a way,” Liam said matter of factly. “We flub the truth.” His gaze lifted, meeting Amara’s for the first time; she looked more taken aback than anyone else in that room by what he was saying. He glanced back to his council. “We don’t give all of the details as to why I didn’t know. We chalk it up to miscommunication and misunderstanding. We focus on the present instead of the past.”

“Sir—”

Liam held his hand up to silence Bertrand. “I just feel that it would be the best way for the people and press to keep their focus on what matters now. To say, yes, this happened, this is where we are, and we’re dealing with it. It would just make things easier for everyone to move forward and not dwell on anything else.”

Amara imperceptibly shook her head in disbelief. 

Yes, Liam was well aware that he could potentially save himself, his reputation, and that of the monarchy should he just tell the truth and attempt to shift the attention to Amara and what she had done. He didn’t want to do that to her, though. Despite his lingering anger and hurt, he still loved her and cared about her well-being. He wasn’t out for revenge and didn’t want to offer her up as a proverbial lamb to the slaughter in order to save himself, which wasn’t a guarantee anyway. 

“I understand what you’re saying, sir,” Hakim said. “However … I’m not sure that is the best path going forward. The people are going to be made aware that you had this relationship during your marriage, which will have the spotlight and attention on you and the monarchy. You should be strategic about this and use the details — the facts — to your advantage. I understand you don’t want to throw anyone under the bus, but I believe it’s in your and the crown’s best interest to do so.” 

“We can’t act like you wouldn’t be in this predicament had you known from the beginning,” Landon added.  

Amara closed her eyes, feeling the Duke’s words like the slap they were intended as. 

“Even if I’d known, had I been made aware from the start … we still would have had to deal with the fallout of our relationship during my marriage to Madeleine.” Liam sighed. “I’m looking at it that way … I’m taking the fact I didn’t know out of the equation and using how we would have dealt with it back then now.” 

“I see where Liam is coming from,” Rashad said as he looked at the others. “To show that he’s focusing on the present, that his main concern is having a relationship with the Princess … it could just as easily keep the attention off of the scandal aspect of it all.” 

Liam nodded in stern agreement before looking to the other side of the table. “Daniel, this is your area of expertise. What do you think?” 

Daniel cleared his throat. “Honestly, I think it will mainly come down to how yours and Amara’s relationship will be portrayed and perceived by the Countess in front of the public.”

Liam glanced beside him. “Madeleine?” 

“Liam and I have spoken at length,” Madeleine said. “I told him that I don’t have any issue letting it be made known that I knew about their relationship.” 

Amara struggled to keep her expression neutral and her surprise at bay over Madeleine being willing to flat-out lie on her and Liam’s behalf. She didn’t know about their relationship, not until the day it was over, but she was willing to make the people believe that they had her blessing. 

“We openly stated during our divorce announcement that the marriage was nothing more than an arrangement,” Madeleine continued. “So I don’t think it would come as too much of a shock to the people to know that because of that arrangement, we both sought attention and affection outside of our marriage. And that’s something we can also play to our advantage … to get a little sympathy for the loveless marriage we were forced into due to archaic traditions. Not to mention, this news will probably have people questioning whether Amara’s return to Cordonia with the child was a reason for our divorce because of the timing. Showing my support and understanding in the matter would certainly help to deter those assumptions.”

“If that’s how it’s going to be handled, I don’t see why we couldn’t do it the way Liam wishes,” Daniel said. “Having him focusing on the present and the future could shift the attention away from the affair if we zero in on the positives, which are that Liam is thrilled to be a father and that Cordonia has their long-awaited heir to the throne. However, it’s still a risk. There’s a chance that it doesn’t go the way you’re hoping and you and the monarchy could still take the brunt of the criticism and backlash.”

“Ms. Onasis.” Everyone’s eyes shifted to her, including Liam’s, when Bertrand said her name; she let out a quiet breath. “What do you think?” 

Amara swallowed thickly, blinking away the sting in her eyes; she wasn’t even sure why she felt so emotional at that moment. She cast her gaze downward. “I just want what’s best for Sophia and Liam,” she said quietly. 

Liam stared at Amara for a moment before looking at Daniel again. “I understand that it’s a risk … but it’s one I’m willing to take.” 

****

An hour later, after more discussions on how to construct the announcement the way Liam wanted, the council decided to pause with plans to reconvene over the next several days while they waited to hear from Amalas. 

As everyone began to file out of the room after bidding their goodbyes to their King, Liam watched Amara at the end of the table, where she stood talking to Daniel. He’d been surprised at how quiet she had been during the meeting. This was her area of expertise as well, with more experience and success than Daniel, so he’d been certain she would have tried to take control of the reins of the discussion, but she hadn’t. She offered no opinions or suggestions; her only spoken words were that all she wanted was what was best for him and Sophia. 

Liam started for the door at the same moment Amara did. She didn’t look at him and he kept his gaze leveled above the top of her head as he followed her out the door. They both turned, going in separate directions down the corridor without a word or glance back at each other. 

*******

Over the next few days, Liam and Amara had been in closed-door meetings with the council and Daniel, sometimes more than once a day. 

The pair had yet to speak. 

During the discussions, Amara would answer questions only when asked, and Liam did much more talking than she did, but their words were never directed specifically at one another. And at the end of every meeting, they always seemed to be the last two to leave the chambers, but they’d go their separate ways at the door, still not sparing a word. 

Amara wanted to talk to Liam, but she didn’t know how to even approach him. She was certain he despised her under that stoic facade he was wearing in front of his council, and she still worried about upsetting him should she even try to speak to him. She was struggling with the silence and all of the things she wanted to say, which among a hundred more apologies included wanting to tell him that she wasn’t sure his approach on the announcement was the best.

During the meetings, Amara remained quiet about her thoughts on Liam’s plan, but she silently hoped he would realize that he needed to prioritize himself and Sophia. The subject was brought up a couple more times by other council members who still felt he should reconsider, but Liam remained resolute in his choice not to point the finger where it would be easiest: at her. 

After the end of a particularly heated meeting, Liam let out a breath as he leaned back in his seat while the others stood from theirs and began to leave. They discussed how exactly they should deal with Auvernal in the announcement since speculation and questions had begun to float through the media regarding an alliance; those talks flared the tempers of some of his council members who wanted Bradshaw to be held accountable for what he’d done. Liam promised them that he was already looking into it, and as soon as he had more information to share with them, he would. 

Liam looked across the table at Amara, who seemed to have the same idea he did about waiting for the others to clear the doorway before attempting to make her escape. The last couple of days, he found himself watching her more often during the meetings, studying her. He couldn’t help but notice how she hadn’t seemed herself; she was a far cry from the opinionated and outspoken woman he knew her to be. She was quiet … too quiet. And she just looked … disheartened. 

And the last couple of days, at the end of each meeting, Liam thought about approaching her to talk … but then he’d think better of it before making his way in the opposite direction. He knew, however, that one of them needed to take that first step, and after their last conversation, he was pretty sure that person would have to be him; based on what he’d heard from Riley and what he’d seen for himself during these meetings, she wouldn’t be approaching him. 

Amara rose from her seat, and her eyes flickered up for a brief moment to catch Liam doing the same. Just talk to him, she told herself before she started for the door. You need to talk to him. When she stepped into the hall and turned, instead of making her usual beeline down the corridor toward the North Wing, she stopped, hesitating. She closed her eyes, trying to work up the courage to turn around and say something … anything. 

When Amara finally turned, expecting to see him halfway down the corridor by now, she froze when she saw Liam standing in front of her. 

Liam stared down at Amara, both of them standing there in awkward silence. Just say something, he urged himself. He parted his lips to speak … but then closed his mouth before he let out a quiet breath and turned, walking away. 

Amara didn’t call after him. Instead, she made her way down the opposite end of the corridor. 

*******

A few days later, inside his study during a late lunch break, Liam was on his hands and knees, chasing after Sophia as he pantomimed a bear. He rose up on his knees, lifting his arms high above him with a playful roar before he scooped her up and tickled her belly. 

“Dada!” Sophia squealed through giggles as she wriggled in his embrace, and he could feel his heart swell. 

When he gently set her feet back on the ground, Sophia toddled over to the table; she grabbed a piece of cut-up apple and shoved it into her mouth before grabbing another and outstretching her arm to him in an offering. 

Liam opened his mouth and she shoved it in. “Thank you,” he chuckled. 

“Riley said her favorite food is apples. She’s definitely Cordonian,” Drake quipped from his seat on the sofa. 

“She eats more apples than I do,” Liam chuckled. 

“That says a lot,” Drake snorted. 

Sophia moved around the table to Drake with a piece of apple for him; she raised her hand and he leaned forward, taking it. “Thanks, squirt,” he smiled. 

Just then, Liam’s laptop chimed with an incoming call; he got to his feet and hurried to his desk, and when he saw the name, his heart started to race. “Hey, I gotta take this. Can you take her back down to Amara for me?” 

“Sure,” Drake nodded. 

Liam quickly rushed over and scooped Sophia up, kissing her cheek and saying goodbye before passing her off to Drake. When they exited his study, he rushed back to his desk and answered the call. “Amalas,” he nodded in greeting. 

“I want you to repeat after me,” Amalas said with a subtle smirk. “The Queen of Monterisso is the greatest of all.” 

Hope flooded Liam’s entire body from her smug tone. “You got into the flash drive and found something?”

“I didn’t just find something, Liam. I struck gold,” Amalas grinned. 

“What is it?”

“I’m sending over what I found through a secure channel so you can see for yourself.” 

A moment later, Liam’s phone pinged with an alert. He grabbed it and opened up the documents Amalas had just sent, skimming over their contents. He froze on one particular section, and his eyes widened as he snapped his gaze back at the screen.

“That’s right,” Amalas grinned triumphantly. “Seems as though Bradshaw couldn’t keep it in his pants. The twins aren’t Isabella’s biological children, meaning—”

“They have no legitimate claim to the throne because they have no royal blood,” Liam breathed. 

“Rendering the alliance null and void.” 

“This is why they seized the medical reports before Reena could see them …” 

“Exactly. They didn’t want her to know the truth.”

Liam let out a breath, feeling his heart thump in his chest from the sheer relief he felt. He looked from his phone back to his laptop. “Amalas, I … I can’t thank you enough.” 

There was nothing but sheer gratitude in his voice. “You’re welcome,” Amalas nodded. “Now … there is the small matter of what I get for doing all of this for you …” Liam stiffened at her words, and she smiled. “I’m not going to ask for your Crown Jewels, Liam. Relax.” 

“What is it that you want?”

“All I want is for Cordonia and Monterisso to be allies. I want to know that if ever needed, you would have our back, and I would extend the same to you and your kingdom in return. I think I’ve more than proven my allegiance …”

Liam let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “You certainly have,” he smiled. “And Cordonia would be both lucky and honored to have Monterisso as an ally.”

Amalas smiled. “I won’t make you sign anything right away. I wouldn’t want you to have war flashbacks to what you just went through.” Liam snorted at her words. “We’ll consider it a vocal agreement for now until we can draw up some friendly terms we both agree upon, which I promise will not include a betrothal.” 

“Thank you, Amalas. Truly. I’m in your debt.” 

“I’ll let you go so you can get going on getting yourself out of that mess you’re in,” Amalas smiled. “I’ll be in touch.” 

When the screen went black, Liam let out another breath, pressing his palm to his chest as though it would help to slow his heartbeat. His mind flooded with everything that needed to be done. He checked his watch before he grabbed his desk phone and dialed a number. 

The voice greeted him on the other end. “We need to meet to finish the statement and make the calls to have the press meet tomorrow morning …” 

****

Amara walked around the corner from the entryway of the North Wing after Drake had brought Sophia back to her; as she set her down and watched her toddle toward her toys, she glanced up to see Daniel on the phone. He wore a look of surprise, nodding to himself as the person spoke on the other end.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Daniel said. “You’re welcome, sir.” 

When he ended the call, Amara furrowed her brows. “Everything ok?” 

“He did it.” Daniel looked at her with a grin. “Liam got the information he needed to get out of the alliance. He just called … he wants the statement made in the morning so he’s calling a last-minute meeting with the council.” 

Amara stared at him and her vision began to blur as tears filled her eyes. “He … he got Sophia out?” her voice cracked. 

“He did, Buttercup,” Daniel nodded with a grin. “She’s a free little bird.” Amara covered her face with her hand as a relieved sob escaped her; Daniel was there a moment later, wrapping her in a hug. “Now all you need to do is prepare yourself for the announcement. Are you ready for this? For it to all be out in the open?” 

Stepping back, Amara wiped her cheeks as she let out a shuddered breath. “I-I’m ready as I can be … but …” She trailed off.

“But what?”

Amara shook her head. “Daniel, you can’t give that statement … not the way Liam wants you to.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean that it’s not right, the way he wants to do this,” Amara answered. 

Daniel’s brows furrowed before realization struck. “Tell me you’re not suggesting what I think you are …” 

Amara dropped his gaze as she nodded. “I am.” 

“Amara, no—”

“I’m not your client,” Amara interrupted, looking back at him. “He is.” 

*******

The following morning, after a brief and final meeting with the council and Liam to discuss last-minute details regarding the statement, Daniel met with Amara in the North Wing to talk with her about it. 

Imogen had already left to take Sophia to Liam since he had cleared his schedule for the day, something Amara was thankful for; it would give her time to decompress and think once the announcement was over. 

Daniel glanced over at her, wondering if she’d perhaps changed her mind. He took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling, finally breaking the silence. “You know what I have to do to make this work, right?”

“Yes,” Amara nodded, staring straight ahead.

“And you’re sure about this?”

Amara nodded again. “Yes.” 

“Buttercup …”

“I’m sure,” Amara reiterated. “This was my doing. When I said all I wanted was what was best for Sophia and Liam, I meant it.” 

Daniel shifted his body to face her. “But what if I can spin it, though? I can. And I can make it more of a—”

“This needs to happen first,” Amara interrupted, knowing where he was going with his question. “In order to control both the criticism and narrative … this is the only way. We can talk about what comes next afterward … if this works.”

Daniel sighed. “Well … I was taught by the best, so — I actually hate that I’m saying this — I’ll do everything that I can.” 

“You do whatever you need to do.” Amara finally looked at him. “You can’t go into this with any emotional attachment because I’m your friend. Don’t worry about me. Liam is your client. He is your priority.” 

“I know …” Daniel reluctantly nodded. 

“And you’re prepared for after?” Amara asked. 

Daniel scoffed. “As best as I can be. If he doesn’t kill me, I’ll consider it a win. And if he does … it’s been a pleasure knowing you.” 

“Thank you … for doing this.”

“Only you would thank someone for something like this,” Daniel shook his head as he rose from the sofa. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I’ll come find you when it’s done …” 

“You don’t have to do that,” Amara said, looking up at him. “I think I’m going to need some time to myself. I’ll let you know …” 

Daniel nodded in understanding before he turned and started toward the door. When Amara heard it latch shut a moment later, she closed her eyes, feeling her heart drop into the pit of her stomach as she sank deeper into the cushions of the sofa. 

****

After sending Imogen to his quarters with Sophia, Liam, Drake, and Riley sat inside his study. On the television was the image of an empty podium as the news station waited for the exclusive statement from the palace. 

“You feeling alright?” Drake asked.

“As best I can be,” Liam nodded.

“Nervous?” Riley questioned.

Liam hesitated for a moment. “A little …” 

“It’s going to be fine,” Drake assured him. “They’ll be surprised, sure. But I don’t think it’ll be that bad.” 

Riley saw Liam give her a questioning look; she had experience in this area just like Amara and Daniel. “Truthfully, I think it could go either way,” she said. “But I agree with Drake. I don’t think it’s going to be all that bad.” 

Liam nodded before glancing at his watch; with only a few minutes to go before Daniel would be at the podium, he had a call to make. “Let’s get this over with.” He walked to his desk and grabbed the phone, dialing the number. 

“King Liam,” Bradshaw greeted on the other end of the line. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” 

“We can skip the pleasantries, Bradshaw,” Liam bit back. “Plus, I think this call will be anything but a pleasure for you.” 

“And why is that?”

“I’ll just get straight to it. The alliance … it’s done. I’m out.” 

“Oh, Liam,” Bradshaw laughed wryly. “It’s too early for jokes.”

“I can assure you, I am in no way joking,” Liam replied. “You know, I thought the way you tried to blackmail me was bad enough, but come to find out, the alliance and betrothal you proposed was never even valid or legal.”

“What are you on about?”

“The twins,” Liam hissed. “I know they’re not Isabella’s children and therefore have no legitimate claim to the Auvernese throne.” Silence filled the other end and a smirk tugged at the corner of Liam’s lips. “What’s wrong, Bradshaw? Cat got your tongue?” 

“How did you—”

“It’s not important how I found out. What’s important is that I know and I have the proof. So, as I said, this alliance is done.” 

“If you so much as utter a word of this to anyone, I will make it my life’s mission to destroy you and Amara with your little secret.”

“You might want to turn on the news, Bradshaw.” 

Liam could hear him rummaging on the other end through grumbles at the same moment he looked up at his television screen; Daniel had just appeared behind the podium, and he lifted the remote, turning up the volume.

“Good afternoon. On behalf of King Liam, I’d like to thank you all for coming this morning. I’m going to get right to it because there’s a lot to cover and I’m sure there will be questions to answer afterward. There has been speculation circulating regarding an alliance between Cordonia and Auvernal. I’m here to tell you that there is no such truth to those statements. 

With that said, it’s important for you to know that the King and Queen of Auvernal tried to stoop to a despicable level of intimidation in hopes of seeing that alliance through. They tried to blackmail His Majesty by threatening to out a romantic relationship he was involved in two years ago with his then public relations specialist and press liaison, Amara Onasis. Auvernal tried to use that against King Liam in order to secure the alliance they wanted …” 

Upon hearing the gasps and murmurs among the crowd, Liam lowered the volume as he turned his attention back to his call with Bradshaw while Daniel continued with his statement, explaining how Bradshaw brought Amara in to work for him as an unknowing participant of what that work was truly for and about the parentage of the twins.

“As I said, consider this alliance severed,” Liam said. “And by the way, I’ve been in contact with an old friend of yours, and they wanted to send you a little gift.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Bradshaw seethed.

Just then, Liam could hear a knock on a door in the background of the call. When the door burst open, Bradshaw began yelling, but his shouts were interrupted  when Interpol announced themselves. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Bradshaw barked.

“Queen Reena sends her regards,” Liam said in a smug tone. 

Liam could hear ruffling on the other end and Bradshaw’s shouts as Interpol agents closed in on him, taking both him and Isabella into custody for their illegal siege of Rivala. He ended the call before he, Drake, and Riley turned their attention back to the screen as he raised the volume once again. 

“The stakes of getting out of the alliance he was being forced into, one that included an eventual betrothal between heirs, was even higher than most knew because a month ago … King Liam found out that from his relationship with Ms. Onasis two years ago … he had a child …” 

“Here we go …” Riley whispered under her breath as more gasps were heard and the shocked faces of those in attendance were shown on a split screen.

“This past month, His Majesty has spent time with his daughter, Crown Princess Sophia, getting to know her and building a relationship with her …” When Daniel trailed off, Liam furrowed his brows at the flicker of hesitation that he saw cross his expression before he let out a breath and continued speaking. “It was a relationship he was robbed of having by Ms. Onasis herself, who purposely kept her pregnancy and birth of their daughter a secret from him …” 

Riley and Drake stared at the screen slack-jawed as more murmurs whipped through the crowd on the screen. Liam was wide-eyed. What the hell is he doing?

Daniel continued to throw Amara under the bus, easily painting her as a villain by stretching and twisting some of the truth. He said she chose to leave Cordonia after the relationship with Liam had ended, that she had gone out of her way to keep the truth about Sophia hidden from him, showed no intention of telling him, and how her actions forced Liam to miss out on more than a year of his child’s life until she was left with no choice but to come clean after being caught trying to leave again.

Liam ran his hands through his hair, clasping them together at the back of his head as he stared at the screen in stunned and angered silence. 

When Daniel finished, the hands of dozens of reporters shot into the air as people clamored to ask the questions they had. 

“What just happened?” Drake asked as he and Riley turned to look at him. “I thought you didn’t want any fingers pointed?”

“I didn’t!” Liam shouted. “I don’t know what the fuck that was but it certainly wasn’t what was discussed at all!” He let out a shuddered breath. “This is unbelievable!” 

Riley turned her attention back to the television, watching Daniel flawlessly answer the questions he was asked. And she noticed that none of the questions were about Liam and his affair; most were about Amara, her betrayal to their King, and how he was feeling regarding it. He did it on purpose, she thought to herself as it suddenly clicked. “She told him to do it,” Riley said just above a whisper, but neither Drake nor Liam heard her over their own conversation. 

“Ok, just calm down,” Drake said. “I can’t … for the life of me understand why he’d throw her under the bus like that, but I’m sure he’s got a reason.”

“I’m about to find out,” Liam growled, looking at the screen, watching Daniel ask for privacy for both Liam and Sophia for the time being before he turned away from the podium and headed back inside. 

Liam flung the door to his study open so hard it bounced off its hinges as he stormed into the hall. Riley and Drake shared a look before they followed him. 

Daniel stepped inside the foyer just as Liam reached the top of the grand staircase; he glanced up, seeing his narrowed gaze boring into him as he flew down the stairs. “What the hell was that?” he barked.

“Liam—”

“That was not what we discussed, Daniel! Not to mention, you completely stretched the truth out there!” 

“I did what needed to be done.”

“You threw her under the bus!” Liam shouted. “Hell, you might as well have been fucking driving it! Why would you do that to her? What the hell is wrong with you?”

Despite Liam’s flaring temper, Daniel remained calm, having prepared himself for this reaction. “I did what she asked me to do.” 

Caught off guard, Liam took a step back. “What?” 

“She knew it was the only way for you and Sophia to come out of this as unscrutinized as possible … to take the focus off of you and the affair and make it about her … to make her the villain. Everything I said up there … she told me to say.”

No, Daniel hadn’t been at all thrilled with Amara’s suggestion or what she asked him to do, but she was right in her reasons why. Throughout their conversations about it yesterday and that morning, however, she never told him that he had to keep quiet about why he did what he did.

Liam let out a breath. “She … why? Why the hell would she do that?”

“Because she loves Sophia,” Daniel replied. “And despite what you may think or how you feel, she loves you …” 

“I … I don’t understand,” Liam shook his head. 

“She’s a fixer, Liam,” Daniel said. “This is what she does. She’s someone who thinks everything is salvageable … everything except herself in this particular situation. So she made the choice to stick her neck out and sacrifice her reputation in hopes that it was enough to save yours.”

Liam ran his trembling hand down his face as what Amara had done and why she had done it sank in. 

****

Late that afternoon, Amara sat with her knees curled to her chest on the sofa in the North Wing. It had been hours since the announcement was made and she hadn’t moved from her place in the living area. She had turned off the television once Daniel started to delve into the details of her betrayal; she didn’t want to see or hear how the press and people reacted. 

Amara had been sitting in silence ever since, emotional as she mulled over everything in her head. She was hopeful that she’d gotten what she wanted out of it: for most — if not all — of the negative attention to be off of Liam and in turn, Sophia. If the press and the people needed someone to be their villain, she was more than willing if it meant that they left Liam and Sophia alone. They could lift them up and tear her down; it was the least she deserved. 

Lifting her hand, Amara wiped her cheeks with the cuff of her sweatshirt; she sniffled as more tears started to fall. Knowing she’d more than likely be emotional was the reason she asked Daniel to give her time after the statement. She could feel it cresting that morning and knew she was going to need to be alone; everything from the past month had seemed to catch up with her all at once. She was already overwhelmed, sinking into a state of despondency and teetering along the edge. The statement had been her tipping point. 

When she heard knocking on the door of the North Wing, Amara’s gaze slowly slid toward the entryway; she didn’t move. She assumed it was Daniel, Riley, or both, but she wasn’t up for talking or company at that moment and knew they’d leave after she didn’t answer. 

A few moments later, more knocking came.  

Sitting up and letting out a breath, Amara wiped her cheeks again as she stood from the sofa. As she moved toward the entryway, another knock came. She rounded the corner and reached for the knob, prepared to tell Daniel or Riley or both that she was fine and still needed and wanted time to herself. 

Amara opened the door and she froze when she saw Liam standing on the other side. 

***************************************

Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes @cocomaxley @emichelle @sweetest-marbear @indiacater @gibbles82 @the-soot-sprite @ladyangel70 @esmckenzie @dcbbw @burnsoslow @deb-1106 @bbrandy2002 @txemrn @charlotteg234 @kat-tia801 @neotericthemis @foreverethereal123 @choiceskatie @sirbeepsalot @gnatbrain @openheart12 @sincerelyella @superharriet @queenrileyrose @aestheticartsx @kingliam2019 @indiana-jr @bascmve01 @rainbowsinthestorm @emkay512 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @forallthatitsworth @walker7519 @iaminlovewithtrr @amandablink @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @princessleac1 @21-wishes @appleone @tessa-liam @pixelatedpassion @malblk21 @lovingchoices14 @nestledonthaveone @forthebrokenheartedthings @nomadics-stuff @differenttyphoonwerewolf

[ao719]

…Sometimes Not (Part 7)

Hard To Go Back

This is a submission for @choicesflashfics, using prompt #2, “Everything that we were afraid of happening, happened.”

Title inspo: What If I Wasn’t Done Loving You - Fly By Midnight

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Thank you @burnsoslow for prereading! Please excuse any errors.  

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Word count: 2500

Catch up here

“We’re almost there. We’re going to slip in through the private entrance,” Reyna said to Maxwell on the phone. “Ok, see you in a few.” 

“Are they there?” Liam asked when she hung up.

“Just pulled up,” Reyna smiled. 

Liam had arrived in New York the previous day for the UN Gala taking place tomorrow evening. Maxwell, Olivia, and Leo had tagged along for the event, along with some other members of the Cordonian Court. 

After spending yesterday relaxing off the jet lag with Reyna at her apartment, Liam suggested going out that night to blow off some steam with her and the others. It was the first time they’d all been together in New York in nearly four years and the first time they’d gone out for a night like this since their Parisian reunion.

As the SUV carrying them turned down a side street toward the club, Liam drummed his fingers against his thigh; he glanced over at Reyna, who was scrolling through her phone, wondering what exactly that night might bring. In the months since reconnecting in Paris, despite his multiple visits to New York and the couple she had made to Cordonia since her return for Leo’s birthday, they hadn’t been drunk together; they hadn’t gone out and let loose like they planned to that night … like they used to before.

In the past, they always had an odd habit of tiptoeing along that line whenever they were drunk; they’d always become more flirty when inebriated, and it would lead to lingering looks and touches, and that would eventually lead to slipping one foot across that line with spur of the moment, drunken stupor kisses that they’d brush off as nothing and ignore afterward as though they didn’t happen. 

That was before, however. Before they crossed that line that summer nearly four years ago. Before they confessed their long-held feelings and had become a couple. Before they had been torn apart by circumstance. Before the three years they spent apart. 

Looking back, Liam couldn’t help but think that things seemed so much easier then. There was no elephant in the room, no questioning whether any feelings remained because back then, those feelings had been left unsaid; there was no worry of losing her again because he’d never lost her before. 

Now, that’s all Liam could think about. He’d been struggling more and more every day with keeping his feelings for her at bay, and it was far worse than it was all those years ago before he ever confessed to them at all. He knew what it was like to be with her, to love her and have her love him in return, what they could be, and it made keeping those feelings to himself this time around much more difficult. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but Reyna seemed perfectly content where they were now — Liam and Reyna, two best friends and nothing more. He didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that, and he feared confessing he was still in love with her could very well push her away. 

And if they crossed any sort of line that night … Liam wasn’t sure he’d be able to pull himself back over to his side and keep his feelings contained, worried it could destroy any thread of restraint he was holding onto. 

“What?”

Liam snapped from his daze, realizing he was still staring at Reyna, and she’d just caught him. “Sorry,” he chuckled sheepishly. “I zoned out.” 

“Still jet lagged?” Reyna snorted as the SUV stopped outside of the private entrance. 

“I’m fine,” Liam smiled. 

Reyna nodded with a grin before she opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk; Liam followed behind her. 

****

“Another round of shots!” Leo yelled over the thumping music as he set a full tray down on the table in front of them. They all grabbed one, clinking their glasses together before tossing them back. 

They’d been there a couple of hours now, all feeling the effects of the alcohol. And that small space that had been between Liam and Reyna at the start of the night on the velvet sofa they sat on was now non-existent. They were huddled together with no room left between them at all, having inched closer together with each drink. 

Reyna knew what could happen going into that night. She remembered all too well how she and Liam could get when they had more than a few drinks in them; she remembered every drunken moment they’d ever shared. 

When Liam first mentioned going out, Reyna was almost hesitant. Almost. She’d been struggling with her feelings for Liam and the way they were taking over every thought, and she was worried about what she would do or say having that liquid courage coursing through her. It didn’t take all but a few seconds for her stupid heart to have her agreement to go out spilling from her lips, though, even telling him that he could crash at her place, offering him the spare room so he didn’t have to worry about any press outside the hotel seeing him arrive back so late. She tried convincing herself that things were different now, that the way they used to act was years ago, and that they would both be able to control it. She had to control it. 

With each drink she had, however, the less and less Reyna seemed to care despite knowing better. And thus the game begun with the lingering stares and smiles, the inconspicuous touches, and the way they had inched closer throughout the night.

Reyna grabbed two more shot glasses from the tray and turned, handing one to Liam. He took it, offering a lopsided grin as a thank you. “What’re we toasting to?”

“To us,” Reyna smiled as she hooked her arm around his; they locked eyes before tipping back the glasses. “Come dance with me!” She stood and grabbed his hand; he went with no hesitation, following her out of the VIP section to the dance floor. 

“So, are we going to take bets on how long this round of ‘we’re just friends’ is going to last?” Leo asked.

“Who knows with those two,” Olivia scoffed before tossing back a drink. 

Maxwell laughed as he set an empty shot glass on the table. “They spent 10 years doing it last time.”

“So another 10 then, yeah?” Leo snorted. 

“No. Absolutely not,” Olivia shook her head. “I cannot do another 10 years of that. I’ll lock them in one of my damn cells before that happens again.” 

“Cheers to that,” Leo chuckled, raising another glass in salute before tipping it back.

****

In the early hours of the morning, Liam and Reyna laughed as they stumbled their way down the sidewalk with her arm looped through his to help steady her steps. While Leo, Maxwell, and Olivia headed back to their hotel, they opted to stop at a diner for something to eat before walking back to her apartment, hoping the fresh air would help sober them up a bit. 

When they entered her building and stepped into the elevator, Reyna stared at the buttons; she attempted to push the one for her floor but missed three times before Liam stepped in. “Let me,” he snorted and she laughed and stumbled back before he hit the button. 

“Thanks,” Reyna giggled as she rested back against the wall. 

“Tonight was fun,” Liam said, coming to lean against the wall beside her. “I haven’t had a night out like this in a long time.” 

“Glad I could help,” Reyna grinned as she looked up at him. 

Liam stared down at her, unable to stop his eyes from dropping to her full lips. He could feel that all-too-familiar pull, not even realizing that he started to imperceptibly lean down, as if some kind of magnetic force was pulling him in. 

Suddenly, the elevator chimed and jerked to a stop, pulling Liam from his momentary daze. When the doors slid open, he shot upright off the wall as Reyna, who hadn’t seemed to notice what he’d been doing, pushed herself forward and stepped into the hallway. He trailed behind her, following her to her door. 

When they entered her apartment, Reyna let out a relieved breath as she kicked her heels off and tossed her bag onto the counter. She walked to the refrigerator and opened it, pulling out two bottles of water. “Here,” she said, tossing one to Liam; she laughed as he fumbled it in his hands before grasping hold of it. “Come on. I have stuff for your bed.” 

They walked down the hall into Reyna’s room and Liam saw a folded blanket and a pillow on the floor. “These?” 

“Yeah,” Reyna nodded as she shrugged off the lightweight leather jacket she had on before tossing it over the back of her desk chair. 

Liam picked up the pillow, fluffing it before looking at her bed. He dropped it and reached over, grabbing one of hers. “I want this one.”

“What’s the difference?” Reyna chuckled. “They’re both feather-down.”

“This one is more broken in,” Liam said; he squeezed it to his chest as he subtly inhaled the scent of her perfume that lingered there. 

“That makes zero sense.”

“It makes perfect sense,” Liam retorted. 

“That’s my pillow. This …” Reyna bent down and grabbed the one he dropped, hiding her mischievous grin. “This is yours.” She came up, swinging the pillow with her, smacking Liam in the side of the face.

Silence filled the room as Reyna stifled a laugh, waiting for Liam to react. He stretched his neck before slowly nodding, clicking his tongue as he looked at her. “You’re done.” 

Before she could move, Liam swung the pillow, smacking her in the side of the stomach with an audible thwack, causing her to yelp. Reyna laughed as she swung back and sidestepped to dodge his next attack. The sound of the pillows hitting them filled the room, mingling with their laughter and the shuffling of their feet as they tried to outmaneuver the other. 

Feathers began flying around them as the pillows started to rip, but neither stopped, swinging wildly through bouts of laughter, grunts, and yelps. It wasn’t until there was nothing left in his pillow that Liam had no choice but to stop; Reyna started to swing at him again, but he tackled her onto the feather-covered bed before she could make contact. 

Both out of breath and laughing, Reyna looked up at Liam as he hovered over her … and suddenly, time slowed down. Remnants of feathers floated down around them as he stared at her; their smiles started to fade, and neither was sure who moved first, but in the next moment, their lips connected. 

The kiss was desperate and filled with passion, too much yet not nearly enough. 

Liam sighed against her lips, swearing he could feel life being breathed back into him as his tongue curled against hers. He pinned one of her hands above her as her other curled around his neck at the same moment her legs wrapped around his waist. When she deepened the kiss even more and arched her body into his, a low groan escaped him, but there was a whisper of a voice in the back of his head: not like this. 

When Liam drew back from her lips, both their chests were heaving. “Rey—” His whisper was cut off when she lifted her head and kissed him again, earning another quiet groan from him. That voice got louder, however. He couldn’t reconnect with her in that way like this, inebriated and unsure of where they even stood. Somehow, despite the alcohol and the way his body thrummed and ached for more of her — to feel her, touch her, taste her — he drew back again. “Rey, wait …” 

Reyna’s eyes fluttered open to meet his gaze as his hand shifted to her chin; he brushed his thumb against her lower lip, and she had to force herself not to kiss him again, knowing they needed to stop. “We shouldn’t,” they both whispered in unison before offering sheepish smiles, knowing what the other was trying to say. “Jinx.” 

Liam closed his eyes, and when he felt Reyna’s legs fall from around his waist, he sighed before reluctantly shifting his body off hers; he dropped next to her on the bed, and they both stared up at the ceiling in conflicted silence.

*******

The following evening, Liam stood at the bar in the ballroom of the hotel where the UN gala was being held. As he waited for his refill, his eyes settled on Reyna; she was chatting with her parents, Maxwell, and Olivia.

Like in the past, they didn’t talk about the kiss they shared the night before. After helping her clean up the feathery mess they made, he’d gone to the spare room and went to bed; when they’d woken up that morning, it was never mentioned. They’d spent the day together, got ready for the gala together, and had been at each other’s sides all evening … still, it wasn’t mentioned. 

It was all Liam had been able to think about, however. He wondered what would’ve happened had he not stopped it, and wondered what, if anything, it meant to her. 

Reyna glanced over from where she stood next to her father, watching Liam make his way out onto the balcony. She quietly excused herself and started after him. That kiss they shared last night had been all she could think about all day, and she needed to talk to him. 

In the past, they always flouted those unspoken boundaries between them when they drank. Unlike those moments in the past, however, they had a deeper, more entangled history this time around. They didn’t have to talk about it before, but she couldn’t help but feel like they should talk about it now.

Last time, everything that they were afraid of happening, happened. They crossed that line and the one thing that kept them from doing so all those years became a reality: they lost each other. 

They couldn’t do it again.

“Getting some fresh air?” Reyna asked as she stepped onto the balcony.

Liam turned with his scotch in hand and smiled. “Yeah.” He saw her holding a water bottle; he noticed she’d had nothing but water all evening. “Had enough to drink last night?” he quipped.

Reyna smiled as she leaned against the balustrade beside him and looked out at the city below. “Something like that …”

Despite her adding a quiet laugh at the end, her tone of voice told him there was more behind that statement and something weighing on her. “Something on your mind?”

“Yeah.” Reyna met his gaze again. “Last night … and that kiss …” 

Liam subtly stiffened, surprised she was bringing it up. “Oh …?” Did that mean she’d been thinking about it like he had? 

“I don’t … I don’t know if it’s a good idea for us to venture down that road, Li.” 

“What road?” Liam questioned.

Reyna sighed. “With our history, I mean … yeah, we used to have those kinds of slip-ups in the past when we would drink together, but that was before … before everything else happened. And I just … I don’t want things to get … complicated because of it.” 

It took everything inside Liam to mask the sting he felt from her words and what she was saying: it can’t happen again. “No, I, uh … I get it. Like you said, it was a slip-up … just a heat of the moment kind of thing.” 

“Yeah … exactly,” Reyna nodded, dropping his gaze. “We were drunk. That’s all it was.” She lifted her eyes back to his. “Right?” 

Liam blinked, wondering if she was asking for confirmation for any reason in particular, but then that fear of history repeating itself, the same fear he didn’t know she was also feeling, snapped him back to reality. Instead of telling her the truth — no, that’s not all it was, not to him — the thought of losing her again flashed in his mind, choking off the confession. 

“Right,” Liam nodded. “It was our first night out like that … we just got wrapped up in it,” he lied, struggling to maintain the feigned conviction in his voice. “And I get what you’re saying. I don’t want things to get complicated either.” 

Despite knowing this was for the best, his words still stung, but Reyna shook it off. “Ok,” she nodded. “So … we’re good?”

Liam offered a halfhearted smile as he pulled her into a hug that she eagerly returned. “Of course we are …” 

***************************************

Perma Tags (if you’d like to be added or removed for this story, please let me know): @zaffrenotes @cocomaxley @emichelle @sweetest-marbear @indiacater @gibbles82 @the-soot-sprite @esmckenzie @dcbbw @burnsoslow @deb-1106 @bbrandy2002 @txemrn @charlotteg234 @kat-tia801 @neotericthemis @foreverethereal123 @choiceskatie @sirbeepsalot @gnatbrain @openheart12 @sincerelyella @superharriet @queenrileyrose @aestheticartsx @kingliam2019 @indiana-jr @bascmve01 @rainbowsinthestorm @emkay512 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @forallthatitsworth @walker7519 @iaminlovewithtrr @amandablink @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @princessleac1 @21-wishes @appleone @tessa-liam @pixelatedpassion @malblk21 

[ao719]

…Sometimes Not (Part 6)

The Scars Still Follow Me Around

Song inspo: Don’t Hold Me - Dean Lewis

A/N: This is an au mini series to my Always You story. Thank you @burnsoslow for prereading! Please excuse any errors.  

Book/Pairing: TRR; Liam x OC (Reyna)

Rating: T • Warnings: None but some mild language.

Catch up here

Keep reading

[ao719]

I should be given a medal for the amount of restraint I had to show for holding onto this art for as long as I have jaksjsksjdjsjskdk

I commissioned @pilitella​ way back in October for this piece of Liam and Croía from chapter 16 of Vancross. At the time, I hadn’t written the scene, and only bits and pieces were in my head. I had no idea what exactly it was that I wanted as far as the commission, only that I wanted the beginning of this pivotal moment for these two to shine through. So, I explained where they would be, what would be happening leading up to this moment, and what would be happening afterward. I then gave her free rein to come up with what she could to show what I was unable to really express or convey at the time.

And in true @pilitella​ fashion, she absolutely nailed it and blew me away 🥲

Keep reading

[resetmypatientviolence]

From what I hear, it’s a fucking travesty that PB murdered TRR in the end. Literally everybody else’s headcanons are better and I’ll resort to fanfic as canon.

[kristinamae093]

Hello and happy Sunday, friends! I hope it's been a great week for everyone! It's been hot as balls here with humidity to match, so I've been holed up inside perfecting my hermit-ism (I am a legendary hermit, I legit have messages in my inbox asking if I'm still alive.😂)

With that being said, I've been working on a lot in my moments of mental clarity! Not only with stuff here, but I'm getting back into photography as well, so I guess that's exciting 😬. I'm also working on a character profile for Kyla, my OC from HCTS that I'm fairly pumped about.

Okay, below is the stuff I beckoned you for 🤣😘. I guess you could expect at least one of these this coming week, hopefully maybe probably. Per usual, there's more than six sentences and everything is subject to change and probably will because helloooooooooo, it's me. 🤷‍♀️

One bad word below (thanks, Kyla.)

In this part of HCTS, Bastien asks Liam if he'd like him to contact authorities (regarding Constantine's whereabouts), Liam says we don't want the same thing happening as last time. So, I wrote a little one shot to fill in that blank. 😬 It's called An Apple A Day.

After a time, a loud engine could be heard in the distance. As it got closer, Liam realized it was a semi hauling something to them. The truck stopped a ways away and started backing up. He saw what it was that was being carried, but had no time to register it as the trailer started heading directly for one of the statues at the entrance to the garden.

"No no no–" Liam started, but the loud shatter as the marble hit pavement cut him off. The driver got out and apologized profusely, to which Liam could only clench his jaw and nod. It wasn't that the statue was important, the issue was the gathered press still taking pictures of the ordeal; he knew he was going to have to get creative to try and explain this.

Next, here's a peak into the next part of Here Comes The Sun ☀

Kyla handed Constantine his pole and he took it with wide eyes. “You didn’t tell me you were a professional! That was record time!”

Kyla shrugged. “I guess it’s one of the only good things I picked up from being raised in Farmville.” She chuckled.

A bark of laughter escaped Constantine, but he started coughing immediately after. Kyla quickly grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to him with a concerned expression. He took a swig, inhaled a few deep breaths, and finally calmed himself. He sat his drink down, grabbed his pole, and launched his line into the water as if nothing happened at all.

Kyla stood watching his every move, unsure of what to do. The pollen probably isn’t doing any good for his lungs. We should go back. Constantine sat back down in his chair and rested the pole close beside him; he let out a content sigh, closed his eyes, and raised his head to look up at the sky. He looks so fucking relaxed… Trent didn’t come down here, so maybe this is fine. Yeah… this is fine. I’m not going to mess this up for him.

Last, here's a excerpt from Ghosted titled The Apple Banquet.

“No.” Bertrand firmly responded as he pulled himself from Maxwell’s embrace, “You are not to blame here whatsoever Maxwell… In fact, I may be more at fault here than you..." He took a deep breath and quietly said, "I… I'm afraid I may need to come clean about something…"

Maxwell immediately moved and stood next to Liam with a furrowed brow. Liam felt his heart rate increase and stepped forward instantly. "What do you mean?"

"I… I worry you may find out anyway during your investigation, and I feel after my other atrocious actions I may as well come clean and take my punishment."

Bertrand was suddenly yanked up from his seat by Liam's strong hands. Liam held Bertrand by the collar of his sweater and pulled his face to eye level, nearly lifting him off his feet. "What did you do?"

-------------------------------------------------------

I don't know who I'm supposed to tag, so everyone is getting it lololol. However, please consider this your open invitation to share anything you may be working on, and please make sure to tag me in return if you do! (No pressure, but FEEL ALL THE PRESSURE 🙃)

Ghosted tags - @ao719 @txemrn @imashybish @queenrileyrose @kingliam2019 @riseandshinelittleblossom @dcbbw @tessa-liam @twinkleallnight @amandablink @cordonia-gothqueen @sfb123 @jared2612 @harleybeaumont @bebepac @charlotteg234 @busywoman @malblk21 @angelasscribbles @bascmve01 @iaminlovewithtrr @hopelessromanticmonie @mysticalfangirl @umccall71 @fuckitweball0000 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @lovingchoices14 @emersyn-in-cordonia @aussiegurl1234 @karahalloway @the0afnan

HCTS tags - @ao719 @queenrileyrose @tessa-liam @angelasscribbles @kingliam2019 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @bascmve01 @busywoman @belencha77 @mysticalfangirl @nestledonthaveone @lovingchoices14 @lunaseasblog @malblk21 @sfb123 @twinkleallnight @emersyn-in-cordonia @walkerdrakewalker @tinkie1973 @queenmiarys