Liam Read online

  Liam

  LeAnn Ashers

  Contents

  Prologue

  1. Liam

  Paisley

  A Couple of Years Later

  Liam

  Paisley

  2. Eight Years Later

  Liam

  Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  Liam

  3. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  A Few Hours Later

  Liam

  4. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  Paisley

  5. A Few Hours Later

  Liam

  Liam

  Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  6. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  7. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  8. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  9. Liam

  Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  10. Three Months Later

  Paisley

  Chapter 11

  Liam

  Paisley

  Liam

  12. Paisley

  Liam

  13. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  14. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  15. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  16. Paisley

  The Next Morning

  Liam

  Paisley

  17. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  Liam

  18. Paisley

  Liam

  19. Two Months Later

  20. Liam

  21. Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  Paisley

  Liam

  Paisley

  Caiden

  Epilogue

  A Couple of Months Later

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  More of LeAnn?

  Grim Sinners MC

  Liam is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are all products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Except as permitted under the US Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Designer: RBA Designs

  Editor: Stephanie Marshall Ward at the Eclectic Scribe

  Cover Photographer: Wander Photography

  Formatter: HJ Bellus

  Dedication

  To my readers. You have been begging for Liam and Paisley since my “Forever” series. You have gotten your wish. <3

  Prologue

  Paisley

  Oh my goodness, could he get any more beautiful? We have a new boy at school named Liam, and he is absolutely gorgeous, the kind of good looks that take your breath away. He started school about a week ago, and he keeps to himself.

  He has this bad boy look that is killing my soul. He has dark brown hair that is slightly longer on top and swept to the side. His eyes are a beautiful dark brown, and they watch my every move.

  From the moment he saw me, his eyes have never left me. He just watches me. I do not understand why. At first I thought I had food smudged on my mouth or a stain on my clothes. That is not the case; he just watches me, and I haven’t gotten the nerve to speak to him yet. So ball-less me just lowers her head, blushing, and goes on with her day. Girls flock around him, but he just ignores them. I’ve decided I am going to introduce myself to him tomorrow. God, I am such a spaz! Why can’t I just talk to him? Be brave, Paisley!

  My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I see a text from my father. He will be able to pick me up early. I grab my bag off the bleachers. I have P.E. this period, and we are just sitting around doing nothing. They won’t even notice I am gone.

  Sneaking out the door, I peek back to make sure that the teacher isn’t looking, and she is on her phone as usual. I shoot a text to Dad letting him know I will be waiting for him outside. He messages back instantly: Okay.

  My father has raised me by himself, and I couldn’t ask for a better dad. I may not have had a mother, but he went above and beyond. I also have my uncles, the guys who were around for my first day of school and, when I started playing sports, came to all of my games. They may not look like the kind of men who would play dress-up and have tea parties—they have a hard and mean exterior—but on the inside they are soft, at least when it comes to certain things.

  That is family.

  As I’m walking out the front door, I hear something hit the floor behind me. I peek back to see the weird janitor everyone at school avoids. He grins at me, sets his mop against the wall, and walks toward me. I duck out the door and hurry around the side of the building, hoping I lose him.

  I wonder if Liam is interested in me. I’ve never even had a boyfriend before, let alone kissed a guy. My dad scared away any guy who dared to look twice at me, and don’t get me started on my uncles.

  “Well, if it isn’t Paisley.”

  Fear shoots up my spine and goose bumps break out across my skin.

  “What are you doing?” My voice shakes and my palms are sweaty and trembling.

  The feeling in my gut is telling me to run, but he is standing between me and the only exit. He continues to grin as he starts to unbutton his shirt. No. This is not happening right now. I am completely imagining this.

  Instincts take over and, without thinking, I run toward the entrance to the alley. Fingers snatch my hair, throwing me to the ground, knocking the wind out of me. I am frozen with fear. He falls down beside me and reaches for my hands. I punch him hard in the face, and his head snaps back. I raise my fist again and he pins it above my head. He grins at me; his teeth are covered in blood. I punch him with my free hand and kick my legs, hoping and praying to dislodge him from me. He catches my left hand, pinning it beside the right one. His face bends toward mine, and I turn my head to the side, warm tears falling down my face. This is my worst fear, and it is happening right at school.

  His warm breath fans across my face, making me gag. “Please don’t do this.” My heart hurts, and the terror fills every part of me with pain. Why?

  He releases me with one hand and I try to pull free, but he grips both of my wrists with the other hand. I try to hit him with my knee, and he laughs right in my face. “Shh, it’s okay.” His finger trails down the side of my jaw. I swallow back the vomit and let out a deep heart-wrenching sob. “It’s better to be broken in first before I turn you over to the guys to sell.”

  Sell. The word is thundering in my brain. I stare at the sky, the sun beaming down, and I plead with this man, begging him not to do that. Then his weight is torn off of me. I sob into my hands and, through blurry eyes, I see Liam beating him. I fall back, reeling from what just happened. A man just tried to… I sink my hands into my hair and pull it, hoping that I wake up from this horrible dream.

  “Liam!” a woman yells, and I feel hands snaking under my body. I open my eyes to see his dark ones bearing down on me, his face filled with rage. I close my eyes once more, letting it sink in that I am safe.

  He turns around and I hear a sound that will never leave me. “No!” Dad yells. Liam tightens his grip on me, and I take a step back. My dad calls the guys, telling them to get here and runs over, taking me from Liam. In that moment, breathing in the smell of my father and the sense of safety that he gives off in waves, the dam breaks. I cling to him, his arms tight around me. He is sha
king just as hard as I am. “He will pay for this, Baby.” He kisses the top of my head, and I close my eyes and cry against his chest.

  I just want to go home. “Fuck.” Dad lifts me off the ground, tucking me against him. I bury my face in his chest and let him shield me from the world. In this moment I am not a teenager, but a little girl again.

  The guys arrive a few minutes later. Kyle walks up to us, and the others follow close behind. “Talk,” Kyle says and Liam relays everything that happened.

  I raise my head and mouth to Liam, “Thank you.” He nods and goes back to talking to Kyle. A few minutes later Dad carries me to the car and I close my eyes, allowing sleep to take me.

  1

  Liam

  That is a moment I will never fucking forget. The sight of her on the ground like that and someone wanting to hurt her will forever be stamped into my brain.

  She is like an angel. She had my attention the moment I walked into the school. She smiled at everyone and floated around making everyone happy by just being in her presence. It was fucking intoxicating.

  I want her, but I am not someone who can be the guy next door. I had a hard time and had to live rough until I moved in with my sister. I am the exact opposite of Paisley. I am dark, mean, and rough. I talk with my fists. She is light and happiness, too beautiful to be in this cold fucking place. That doesn’t stop me from wanting her, but I settle for watching her and protecting her. Maybe someday, once I become the man she deserves, then I can have her. One thing is for certain, I am a determined motherfucker.

  Paisley

  A Week Later

  It was finally time for me to go back to school. I don’t think I will ever be ready, but it’s time for me to move on with my life. So now I’m sitting at lunch, and all of my friends have completely abandoned me, leaving me all alone with people staring at me. They’re looking at me like I am from a different planet. Nobody knows what happened except for the people I thought of as friends, but I guess they spread it around.

  I duck my head and stare at the tray in front of me, my appetite completely gone. Them not being my friends isn’t a big deal to me, not compared to everything else that happened. Someone sets down a tray directly beside me, and I look up to see Liam, much to my surprise. He sits down beside me and I stare at him. What is he doing? He begins opening my food and drink for me while I just stare.

  He finally looks at me for the first time, a small smile tugging at the edges of his lips. I smile and lower my head again, blushing hard. He is so beautiful it’s hard not to smile. I offer him my hand, like a dork. “Paisley.”

  He looks at my hand, his twitching lips turning into a full-blown smile. “Liam.”

  This was the start of my forever.

  A Couple of Years Later

  Paisley

  Today is the day I have dreaded more than anything. Today is the day my best friend in the whole world is leaving for basic training. Liam is someone I have come to trust and care about. There is also a part of me that wants him. God, do I want him. I have this fear buried deep in my heart because I am scared for him. I am scared that he will be taken away from me. A knock on my bedroom door interrupts my fears, and Liam steps into my room.

  “Sneaking in again?” I ask, a grin sliding over my face for the first time today. He winks, neither confirming nor denying. He shuts the door behind him, and my stomach sinks because he is such a beautiful man. I thought he was beautiful the first time I met him, but now? He has changed. He is taller, at least six foot five, his body has filled out, and he has a killer smile. I scoot across the bed so he can sit beside me. We watch TV together, as we have time and time again, but we won’t do this again for a long time. I stare at the TV, not looking at him even though I can feel him staring at me, demanding that I look at him. I don’t want him to see me cry.

  “What happened?” he asks, and his hand wraps around mine. I don’t say anything, and my throat tightens. He touches my jaw and turns my head to look at him. His eyes darken when he sees my tears, and his nose flares. “Who fucking bothered you?”

  Bothered me? I close my eyes and laugh. I fall forward and lay my head on his chest while shaking with laughter.

  “Paisley?” His hand is resting on the back of my head.

  I push him away and smile up at him because he so cute. “Nobody bothered me.”

  He studies my face to make sure I am being truthful. “Why are you sad then?” He touches my jaw, wiping away a tear. He is a sweetheart.

  “I am sad because you’re leaving.”

  He closes his eyes, his hand in my hair. It’s so quiet I can hear the clock ticking on the wall. His eyes slowly open, locking with mine. “I was going to tell you this shit tomorrow, but I am going to tell you now.”

  Oh my goodness, what could it be? He lifts me up and sets me down directly in front of him, with only a few inches separating our faces. His hand moves from my hair to the side of my face. “I have wanted you since the moment I met you, but I didn’t want to claim you until I deserve you, and I realize that I will never deserve you, my love. I also knew that I never wanted you to wait for me to come back from basic, or while I am deployed. I want you to live your dreams and do whatever you want to do in life.” He gives me that sexy smile. “But know that the moment I am done with the SEALs, I am coming for your ass.”

  Oh my fucking god. I narrow my eyes at him. “Well, I wish you had told me sooner because I would have done this a long time ago.”

  He gives me a questioning look, but I never stop to give him an answer. I lean forward, pressing my lips against his.

  Heaven.

  His hands are on my face, taking control of the kiss. His lips are soft as they move over mine in a way that I will never forget.

  This is my first kiss.

  A few minutes later, he slowly lets me go and presses his forehead against mine. “I have wanted that for so long,” he whispers.

  I will wait for him. I will live my life and start my career—I want to be a nurse—but I want him. “I will wait for you, Liam,” I whisper, and I kiss his cheek and lie against his chest once more.

  Liam

  I feel fucking stupid. I thought for years that she could not want someone like me. I am the son of a prostitute and a man who spends his days beating up his wife. I started working the moment I was old enough, so I could eat. I was surrounded by pimps and guys paying my mother. Way too many times I saw her get her ass beat. I would step in the way and try to defend her. No matter how many times she did shitty things, she was still my mother. Then she was fucking killed.

  Then I went to live with my father, who was an asshole, and I hate his fucking guts. His wife saw him beating my ass, so she left him, which shocked the shit out of me. I never expected that, nor did I expect her to say I had a sister. My sister had lived a fucked-up life just as I had.

  My father’s wife helped me sneak out in the middle of the night, and she took me to my sister. It was the best thing that had ever happened to me. My sister gave me a life I’d never imagined I would have. Then I became a prospect for the Devil Souls MC and found out what I was meant to do in life. That was when I met her, Paisley.

  Paisley

  No, no, no. Other guys around his age are climbing into the bus that will take him away from me. “Don’t fucking do it,” he warns, glaring at me because I am close to crying once more.

  I roll my eyes, pushing him slightly. “Yeah, well, I would like to see you try to stop me,” I tease.

  That sexy slow smile slides over his face once more. He comes closer to me, and I brace myself. “I bet I could,” he taunts, before he kisses me.

  Right in front of my father, I grip Liam’s shirt and kiss him back as hard as I can.

  “What the fuck!” Dad yells.

  He pulls back and kisses my forehead, his fingers intertwined with mine. “I will see you soon, remember what I said. The moment I am out.”

  I finish for him, looking into his eyes. “You’re coming for me.�
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  He hugs me once more then lets me go. I bite my lip as he climbs onto the bus, and he sits by the window directly in front of me. I put on a brave face and smile and he winks; then the bus is moving. Taking him away. This is just one chapter of many in our lives. He’s wanted a military career since before I met him, and I would never deprive him of what he wants, but I don’t want to see him go. I want him to follow his dreams. Just like he never wanted to act on his feelings for me because he didn’t want me to follow him from base to base—he wanted me to achieve my dreams. He says I don’t deserve him, but he is selfless and kind, the most amazing person I have ever met. I think I don’t deserve him.

  2

  Eight Years Later

  Paisley

  I am dead on my feet; I just finished a twelve-hour shift. Now that I am clocked out, I look at my phone for the hundredth time in the last hour. Dad told me a few days ago that shit has gone down in the club and to be on my toes.

  “I don’t know about you, girl, but I am ready to pass out,” my best friend Vanessa says. We walk into the locker room and grab our things.

  “I am exhausted myself, girl, my feet are killing me.” The emergency room has been absolutely bonkers today, and I haven’t even gotten a chance to have lunch yet, so I am stopping at the local burger place and stuffing my face. Vanessa waits while I gather my things; then she pushes the door open and steps out—and freezes.