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Liv's eyes narrowed as she stared at Michael, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. “Are you serious? You think I should stay away from Jackson just because he might have been the target of some unknown threat?”
She shook her head, her frustration mounting. “I don't need anyone telling me who I can and cannot associate with. Jackson is my friend, and I trust him. If there's any danger, I'll face it head-on, not cower away like some frightened child.”
Michael sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Liv, I understand you're upset, but I'm only trying to protect you. We don't know what we're dealing with here, and I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you.”
“Protect me?” Liv scoffed. “By telling me to abandon my friends? That's not protection, Michael; that's paranoia. I won't let fear dictate my actions, and I won't let anyone dictate who I can be friends with.”
Jackson rapidly approached her, her raised voice drawing his attention. His tone was calm but firm as he asked, “Livvy, what’s wrong?”
“Michael thinks you were the target and I should stay clear of you…that you might be a danger to me,” Liv explained.
Jackson looked at Michael and then back to Liv. “Whatever you decide, I'll respect your choice,” he said, glaring at Michael.
Liv's anger softened slightly. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to Michael. “Fine, I'll be cautious. But don't expect me to cut ties with Jackson just because of some vague threat. He's my friend, and I stand by him.”
Michael’s expression was grave. “Fair enough, Liv. Just promise me you'll be careful.”
Thirteen
Both Liv and Jackson were on edge in the aftermath of the library fire. With the scene handed over, Liv approached Jackson, who was helping roll up the hose. “You and Michael okay?”
“I guess,” she sighed. “One more vial, just like the ones we found before. It's becoming too eerie.”
Jackson swiped at his face. “This is getting out of hand, Livvy. Michael may be right. I can't shake off this feeling of being hunted.”
“I’m sorry about him.” She twirled a piece of her hair. “I need to talk to him. I think he may be feeling something more…” She shook her head. “We need to stick together until this is sorted. Minimize risks.”
They made a brief stop at Liv's place to shower off the remnants of the smoke and soot. “Pack a bag. We can stay at my place tonight. Tomorrow we can stay at your place. We can keep them guessing.” Jackson frowned, but Liv didn’t disagree.
At his place, he took charge, determined to provide some sense of normalcy in the midst of the craziness. He joined her in the living room. “Alright, let's see what I can whip up. You hungry?”
“Starving, actually. Neither of us ate anything after breakfast,” she admitted.
“I'll sort something out. Sit tight.”
He prepared a simple dinner of spaghetti with what he called cheater meat sauce. He sauteed a pound of ground beef with some salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and basil, and mixed it with a jar of sauce.
While he did that, Liv put together a salad. “I’m glad we came back here. Your fridge is better equipped than mine.”
“I can’t eat crap anymore. I’m too old for that.” He offered her a taste of the sauce.
She licked the spoon. Time froze a moment as he leaned down and kissed her.
Their conversation was tinged by the library fire and the unsettling discoveries made there. “That fire, Liv... we were so close to being right in the middle of it. I’ve walked into flames for almost twenty years, but this one unnerved me.”
Liv crinkled her brows. “How so?”
He shook his head, not prepared to elaborate. Then the water with the pasta bubbled over, and he turned to deal with it. He drained the spaghetti and served up a bowl for each of them.
“It's delicious, by the way.” She twirled a bite into her mouth.
After dinner, they did the dishes. “Livvy, you asked me why the fire unnerved me.” He dried his hands and placed a meaty palm on each of her hips. “I could’ve lost you.” His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat.
He lowered his mouth and pressed his lips against hers. “Livvy, I couldn’t bear losing you.” He trailed kisses down the length of her neck, his tongue swiping at her pulse point.
She cupped his face between her hands and pulled him closer. “You protected me.” Her tongue licked his lips and pressed into his mouth. His words were similar to Michael’s but carried different weight.
Their tongues dueled as he lifted her against his body. Holding her head against his heart, he carried her to his bedroom. After setting her on her feet, he undressed her, revealing her porcelain skin. Her perfect pink nipples formed taut points. His lips wrapped around one and then the other.
