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A half-truth. I was getting good at those. I couldn’t tell Liam that my word tipped from the overwhelming guilt of learning that not only had Eli already gone forward with what I stole, but Crane Enterprises needed this win more than I ever could have realized.
I thought they were fine. The rumors of needing a merger should have been exactly that: rumors. Instead, there was a hidden truth to them that I never could have anticipated.
“Callie.” Liam stopped when we reached my door. “I’m going to take care of you, for all our sakes, okay? You fainted and even if it is the heat, I’m not going to leave you alone until I’m certain, without a doubt, that you will be okay.”
In any other situation, this would have been a dream. I would have sunk into his arms and eagerly accepted every drop of care he wanted to give me. Right now though, I didn’t feel worthy but he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.
I had to pretend for just a while longer.
“Okay,” I relented, handing him the keys to my apartment.
“Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor?”
“No.” I followed him inside and my answer was a little sharp. I didn’t need to see a doctor since I was already waiting for a call from one.
The possible pregnancy was the furthest thing from my mind right now though. Pretending to be okay for Liam’s sake was taking all of my energy and I didn’t even care that it was his first time seeing my apartment.
“Okay, listen.” Liam took my hand in the hallway and cupped my cheek with his palm. His beautiful eyes darted back and forth between my own. Fighting back tears, I smiled at him as strongly as I could manage.
“I want you to go and take a cool shower. Not cold, but it will help you cool down. Your cheeks are so rosy.”
His smile was gentle and the heat flaring in my cheeks increased at his comment, but it helped play into the lie.
“Then I’m going to raid your kitchen and find you something to gently replace fluids, okay?”
“Good luck finding anything worthwhile in my kitchen,” I laughed weakly. “I haven’t done a food shop in days.”
“I am a man of many talents,” Liam smiled. Then he leaned down and gently kissed me.
For a moment, it was the only thing that mattered. The softness of his lips, the fruitiness of his aftershave and the warmth of his hands. I could stay in this moment forever, captured just by his lips in a little time bubble.
Sadly, I wasn’t granted that kind of luxury. The kiss broke and Liam’s brow furrowed gently.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Positive.” I forced a wide smile. “I promise.”
“Okay. Now, go and shower.” He pressed a chaste kiss to my hairline, then I stepped away and headed to my bedroom. Liam’s eyes remained on me until I closed the door, then I sagged against the wood and pressed one hand over my mouth as a sob of grief escaped.
How could I have caused so much damage? Everything Sawyer worked for, everything Kane and Liam worked for, was going to crumble underneath them all because of me. Marie was about to start a new school, a new life with Liam here because of Crane Enterprises
God.
What have I done?
The shower did little to calm me. As per Liam’s instruction, I started with a cool shower, then turned the heat up and soaked myself in some scalding hot water straight from hell. It numbed me externally but did nothing to soothe the sharp, acidic guilt throbbing in my chest.
Think, Callie, think.
Was there a way to fix this? Even if I came clean, there was nothing to stop Eli now that he had started. I knew there would be nothing from him to back up my story either. That snake was good at hiding his tracks; knowing my luck, he’d find a way to slip out of this scot-free.
The men I cared about were the only ones that would suffer.
I stayed in the shower until I ran out of hot water, then I trudged out and dressed in some comfier clothes. All I needed to do was look fine and healthy, then Liam would leave and I could have a good cry.
I was desperate. The pressure building behind my eyes was reaching its limit, and I knew that if I cried in front of Liam, I would never get rid of him.
“Hey!” Liam beamed at me as I walked into the kitchen. He indicated to the single chair at my small table where a bowl of steaming soup sat next to a spoon.
