A Savage Game of Love Read online

  I know my cheeks are a scarlet red. He already makes me nervous, and when he says stuff like that, I have no idea how to reply. He’s so forward, and most of the time, I don’t know how to react to him.

  The corner of his mouth raises into a devilish smirk, knowing exactly how he affects me.

  “Go on into class. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  I slip by him and blow out a long breath once I’ve taken my seat. I look toward the door and see he’s gone, but the few students in the class are staring at me, all with scrutinizing gazes as to why Liam Harris is giving me the time of day. I want to scream, I’m wondering the same! But I open my book and ignore them all.

  The lunch bell rings and I text Milly, asking if she’s eating in the cafeteria today. Most days, she eats while working in the art room. She’s banking on getting into some fancy, and very expensive art college, and doesn’t give herself even a little time off.

  I don’t blame her. Actually, I envy her. She knows exactly what she wants to do with her life. Meanwhile, all I know is that I want to get out of this town, and I don’t care how I do it. College will be the first step, and I’ve applied to numerous campuses, all out of state.

  When I step out of Biology class, I find Liam leaning against the wall. As soon as he grins at me, my heart races. I’ve never been one of those girls who daydream about a guy noticing her and falling in love, but with the way he always seems to look at me, I’m beginning to understand the fascination.

  “I thought we could eat together today.”

  Seeing no reply from Milly, I say, “Sure.”

  He stands so close behind me in the lunch line, I can barely breathe. His cologne is mixed with cigarette smoke, but it doesn’t mask the dark, heady scent I’ve come to find so appealing.

  Once we have our food, I follow him over to the table he sits at with his friends. My stomach bottoms out at the idea of interacting with them. We didn’t spend any time with them at Ethan’s party, and I was grateful for that.

  “You already know Callum and Ethan, Bella and Alice. Everyone, this is Gabriella.”

  He makes the introductions and I smile at them all, who in turn all smile back. This is kind of ridiculous. We all know who each other is, yet we’re acting like this is my first day here at school. Liam pulls out the chair for me and I sit, smiling my thanks.

  “I like your sweater,” Alice says, and I look down at the cream fabric with lace trim. It isn’t designer or anything.

  “Thanks.”

  The group begins to talk amongst themselves while I eat my pasta, listening and watching them closely. I learn Callum is a joker, and Ethan is a moody asshole. The girls seem nice, though Bella is a little more tightly wound. Rain begins to beat against the window, and a bolt of lightning flashes across the sky, followed closely by a rumble of thunder. Alice jumps, and I can’t help but smile. They act like they’re untouchable, yet a little thunder, and she’s spooked. Callum pulls her chair closer to his and rests his arm around the back of her chair without stopping eating. The air between them is magnetic. They’re completely in sync with one another, and my jealously over how great they are with each other rears its ugly head again.

  Once I’m finished with my lunch, Liam angles his chair to mine, shifting so his back is blocking out most of the table.

  “Are you free tonight?”

  “Why?”

  “I thought we could go to the movies.”

  Biting down on my bottom lip, I fight the smile wanting to break free. A real first date that doesn’t include a party?

  “I’d like that.”

  His smile is all brilliant white teeth. I’m starting to really like how happy he gets when I agree to spend time with him.

  In our small town, the movie theatre only has four options on what to watch: a romance, a comedy, an action movie, or horror.

  We chose the comedy, but I haven’t laughed once. Sitting in a dark room, even though it’s packed with people, is overwhelming when sitting next to Liam. I keep waiting for him to do the yawn and stretch move, but it doesn’t happen. The entire movie, I’m waiting. Waiting for the move, a kiss… something other than actually watching the stupid movie. By the time the credits roll, I’m ready to leave, just to get some air and clear my head.

  Night has fallen when we leave the theatre, and Liam finally puts his arm around my shoulders, which is much more preferable to keeping the chill away than my jacket.

  The burning question I have for him is trying to leap off the tip of my tongue, and as we stop by his car, I blurt out, “What do you see in me?”

  His eyes widen for a second, almost like my question affects him in the worst way.

  “I like spending time with you. I like it a lot more when you kiss me.”

  His charm is back, and I sigh, wishing his answer was enough. His grin disappears and is replaced with a frown.

  “Is that a problem? Do you want me to leave you alone?”

  “Not at all,” I rush out. “I just want to know why now? We’ve been going to the same schools all our lives, and we’ve never once spoken to each other. Yet this year, our last year, you…”

  I struggle to find the right words, and I’m helped out when he cuts in.

  “Gabriella, I’ve always seen you around—of course I have. Did you ever think I made my move in our last year because it is our last year? That this is my last chance to get to know you?”

  I suppose that makes sense.

  “I like you, Gabriella,” he says, slipping his hand around the back of my neck and pulling me close.

  “If we’re going to be spending time together, you probably already know I’m a virgin.” I grate the word out. Not because I’m embarrassed, but because everyone laughed at me. “I’ve vowed not to have sex until I’m married.”

  Let’s see how much time he’ll want to spend with me, knowing sex is off the table.

  “It’s old fashioned, I know, but it’s something that feels right to do for me,” I explain.

  He nods slowly. “I’m not judging you at all, but what if you never marry?”

  “I will one day.”

  I know marriage isn’t for everyone these days, but when I imagine myself later in life, I see a husband and children running around the house. Just the thought of it makes me feel whole. I want to be a good wife, and for my children to be as happy as I was before my dad passed away.

  Liam runs the back of his fingers down my cheek and smiles. “Like I said, I like spending time with you, Gabriella. Sex isn’t everything.”

  Sex isn’t everything.

  This is where I fall.

  Fall so hard, I foolishly don’t care how much it’ll hurt when I land.

  Chapter Five

  Leaning against the doorframe of the open back door, I put the cigarette to my lips and inhale deeply, needing the rush of nicotine. I thought reliving the worst day of my life would be horrifying, but talking about the endearing moments spent with Liam are far worse.

  It’s cold outside, but it’s better to feel the harsh weather conditions than the torment once imposed on me.

  “You seriously don’t remember any of this?”

  Frowning, he shakes his head. “It’s like, the harder I try to remember, the more I struggle to see anything. And I get these terrible headaches when I try. The doctor said not to force it, but it’s difficult not to.”

  I’d say I get it, but I don’t.

  His phone rings for the sixth time, and he continues to ignore it.

  “Someone’s eager to get a hold of you.”

  “They’re not important. I’m only interested in us.”

  His words slice through me. He said that once to me before, and it still fucks me up.

  Taking one last pull on the cigarette, I flick it across the backyard and close the door.

  Rubbing my arms to ward off the chill, I sit back down at the table

  “You smoke a lot,” he murmurs.

  “I never used to.”

  “Why did you start?”

  “Because of you. After… well, let’s just say, I went down a dark path.”

  It’s not really fair to blame him for picking up a bad habit. It was my choice to smoke, but fuck him if he thinks I’m here to soothe his conscience.

  He looks hurt at hearing this, and I can’t stop the snort that escapes. Amnesia doesn’t cancel the hurt and humiliation he caused me.

  Hearing my alarm go off, I rush up the stairs to shut it off.

  When I return downstairs, I linger in the doorway and watch Liam hobble around my living room, like he has some right to do so.

  When he sees me, he mentions, “You don’t have any photos of us around.”

  Christ on a flaming cracker. This is getting frustrating.

  “You’re only here to confirm what went down between us. Our whole relationship, if that’s what you can call it, was a sham, so why would I have photos of us around? We’ve been at each other’s throats for six long years,” I snap, letting my frustration show.

  “I don’t know. I just… I’m looking for something to trigger my memories, even if it’s just one.”

  Hearing the desperation in his voice, I reluctantly admit, “I have a few, but they’re in a box. I don’t keep them on show.”

  “Can I see them, please?”

  I don’t think I’ve ever heard him sound so polite. Well, not with me, anyway.

  “I’ll go get them.”

  It doesn’t take long for me to dig out the shoe box I buried at the bottom of my wardrobe and bring it down to the kitchen.

  Finding Liam seated at the table again, I place the box in front of him. Rather than taking that dreadful path down memory lane, I busy myself making another coffee. I pour him one too, hoping that after he fini
shes it, he’ll leave.

  Taking a seat across from him and placing his coffee to the side of the box, his hand catches mine as he reaches for the cup. Flinching, I pull away, watching the lines across his forehead deepen as he frowns.

  “Did I really hurt you that bad?”

  “You more than hurt me—you broke me. It’s taken me six years not to let what you did define me, but it’s left permanent scars I hate bearing.”

  This new version of Liam has the grace to look ashamed, but I don’t need someone to feel bad if they can’t remember what they did. I need the old Liam to feel horrified and ashamed before I can heal, even just a little.

  We need to move this along. Opening the box, I nudge it closer to him.

  “Have I ever been in this house?” he asks.

  “No. Now look through the photos.”

  The first photo he picks out is of us on our “wedding day.” I keep my eyes firmly away from the image while he stares at it for a long time.

  “Looking at this, it’s hard to believe what I’ve been told. Surely I would’ve married you, being the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen?”

  Jumping to my feet, I hiss, “Don’t do that.”

  In this town, being considered the most beautiful isn’t that hard.

  Moving around the table, I grab the wad of photos from the box and slam down one on top of the other in front of him.

  Doing this at his speed will kill me.

  “This was at one of Ethan’s parties.” I’m sitting on his lap, both of us smiling.

  “This was us at prom.”

  I slam down another. “This was our first and only Christmas together.” And another. “This was taken on my birthday, this one on yours. This is us at the fair.”

  The rest are selfies I toss down in front of him.

  My anger is starting to return, feeling like our past happened only yesterday, and the wounds are still fresh.

  Sitting back down, I rest my head in my hands and listen to him shuffle through the photographs.

  “We look good together,” he observes.

  My head snaps up. “Looked. Past tense.”

  He collects all the photographs but one and puts them back into the box. Picking up the small one, he opens the lid and looks down at my engagement ring and wedding band.

  “I went to sell them, but they were worthless. You cheaped out big time.”

  He weighs them in the palm of his hand. “Why did you keep all this if you hate me so much?”

  “Honestly? I have no idea.”

  He shows me the wedding photo. “Can I hold on to this one, please?”

  “Why? I know you don’t remember, but surely your gut is screaming at you, telling you how much you hate me.”

  “I’m trying to work out how I could ever hate or hurt you. Looking at these, it doesn’t seem possible.”

  I light another cigarette and sit back.

  “Let me continue the story. You’ll understand much better.”

  Chapter Six

  Senior Year: Halloween

  I’m no longer falling for Liam—I’ve fallen, and hard. Three months ago, a boy had never set foot in my bedroom—apart from my brothers, but they don’t count—and now Liam is sitting on my bed while I paint a skeleton on his face for Ethan’s Halloween party tonight. Smudging the black paint around his eyes, he flinches.

  “You know, I could’ve been finished ten minutes ago if you’d stopped moving.”

  “Babe, you’re poking around near my eyes,” he smarts.

  “I literally run a pencil along my eyelids every day. It doesn’t hurt,” I retort.

  “I’ll never understand why.”

  “You don’t need to. You just need to appreciate it.”

  Grinning, I move back to assess my work.

  I can’t figure out why, but he’s kind of hot with a face of death.

  Slipping off his lap, I cross the room and apply my black lipstick. I painted my face as the corpse’s bride before he arrived.

  My costume is a little revealing, and I was having second thoughts about wearing it outside of the house. But Liam’s face when I opened the door was enough for me to raise my confidence. I’ve never felt so attractive, which is weird, because like him, I’m dressed as death.

  Rising off the bed, he throws up his hoodie.

  “Let’s take a selfie.”

  I position myself against him, and he holds up his cell, snapping photo after photo of us. In the last one, I’m looking at the phone, but he turns his head to look down at me.

  Dropping his hand from my shoulder, he glides it down to my ass and squeezes, catching me off guard. I hate to admit it, but whenever Liam touches me, I struggle to remember my vow.

  He leans in for a kiss, but I step back, out of his reach. “We’ll ruin our makeup.”

  Tipping his head back, he lets out a frustrated growl, making me smile.

  “I’m starting to regret agreeing to this. You’re like, the hottest corpse bride, and now I can’t kiss you all night.”

  “I’m sure you’ll survive.”

  “You say that, but I don’t see the same outcome.”

  Laughing, I slap his arm and grab my phone, sensing him behind me before he spins me around to face him.

  “There are other places I could kiss that you’d love.”

  I nearly choke on a small gasp as he backs me up against the wall. His fingers trail up my inner thigh, hovering near my panty line.

  His eyes, the brightest of blue, bore into mine. My heart pounds against my chest as it rises and falls with my heavy panting, anticipating where this is going to lead to.

  “Or we can go to the party?” he hedges.

  As hot as he gets me, I’m not ready to take things further between us. As much as I want to, I’m just not there.

  “Let’s go before I do something stupid,” I say, my voice raspy and too dry to sound anything but sexy.

  The party, as usual, is well underway by the time we arrive. The Scotts have gone all out with their decorations.

  While the two of us walk through the dimly lit house to the main room, a hand creeps up under my dress and lands on my ass, causing me to yelp.

  “I didn’t think you’d scare so easily,” Liam mocks.

  “I don’t, but I don’t like anyone putting their hand under my dress.”

  “Who did it?”

  I shrug. “I have no idea.”

  His body tenses beside me before he turns to the group of guys lingering in the hall we just passed through.

  “Which one of you laid hands on my girl’s ass?” he shouts out over the music.

  They all straighten and look at one another.

  “None of us did, man,” one of them says, holding his hands up.

  “So now you’re calling my girl a liar?”

  “Just leave it. Let’s go find the guys and forget about these assholes,” I coax, with no success.

  “So no one touched your ass?” he snaps at me.

  “Someone did, yes, but…”

  He looks back at the group of guys. “I’ll ask one last time, and then I’ll just kick all your asses. Again, who touched my girl’s ass?”

  They’re quick to step back, denying it was them, apart from one guy dressed as Michael Myers. Liam releases my hand and closes in on the jerk. Over my shoulder, I try to see if I can find Callum or Ethan, but I have no idea who’s who with the rooms so dark and everyone dressed up.

  Grabbing onto Liam’s hoodie, I try to pull him back, but he shrugs me off with ease.

  “Apologise, or I’ll ram your head through the fucking wall,” Liam warns.

  “I–I’m sorry… I won’t do it again.”

  “Damn right you won’t,” Liam growls, pulling his fist back.

  I lurch forward, but I’m not fast enough. He punches the guy, sending him back into Ethan’s mom’s side unit. A vase wobbles and falls onto the tiled floor, smashing into tiny pieces.

  Liam doesn’t seem to care, though. He heads back to me, grabs my hand, and leads me up the stairs.

  Opening the first door we reach, he looks inside and quickly closes it. He continues to lead me down the hall. With every door he opens, he grows more frustrated when he finds them all occupied. He finally settles for pushing me up against the wall at the end of the hall. Bracing his arm above my head, he takes a deep breath and says, “When a guy puts his hands on you, don’t think I’m not going to kick his ass.”