Page 43 of A Win-Win Situation
I smile. "I love you, too."
Adeline then turns her attention to Lucas, her face void of all previous emotions. "Oh, and Lucas," she says, her voice stern, "if you hurt her in any way, I’ll be back to cut off your?—"
"Adeline!" Sophie cuts her off mid-sentence, a look of horror on her face.
Adeline, however, doesn’t back down, raising two fingers to her eyes before pointing them at Lucas in a clear threat. Lucas’s chuckle only seems to offend her further, so she continues, in Arabic this time, "Yel’an?—"
"I guess congratulations are in order," a deep voice interrupts, and we all turn toward the source of the voice.
"I’m disappointed, Lucas. Not even a call to share the happy news?" That same voice is laced with a touch of amusement, yet, there’s an underlying tension.
Lucas’s whole demeanor changes as he visibly tenses beside me and I’m afraid the glass of whiskey in his hand will break. The man standing before us is tall, almost matching Lucas’s height, and his eyes resemble the same dark color as Lucas’s. He's wearing a leather jacket over a white t-shirt that’s paired with dark jeans, and his hair is short, almost like a buzzcut. I look between them, but no one notices as they seem to be in a staring contest.
They kind of look alike.
No, I take it back, theydolook alike.
They continue to stare at each other, oblivious to my presence until finally, Lucas speaks up, breaking the tension.
"Liam," Lucas says, his voice rigid.
"Lucas," Liam responds.
The intensity of their stare is tangible, and I feel like an outsider witnessing an intimate moment.
Wait. Liam.
Of course, Liam is his brother.
The air is thick with unresolved issues, and I can't help but wonder why. My hand instinctively slides into Lucas’s and I have to gently coax his hand open from its clenched position. He eventually yields to my touch and intertwines his fingers with mine.
"Hi Liam, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Leora," I say with a warm smile, hoping to ease the tension in the room. "I've heard so much about you."
Liam's gaze shifts from Lucas to me, and the intensity in his eyes softens.
"Leora, I guess you're my sister-in-law now," he says, taking my free hand and brushing his lips across my knuckles. It's obvious he's a charmer, and he knows it.
I look back at Lucas to find his gaze has narrowed slightly. His fingers tighten around mine as he slightly pulls me back to him.
"I'm happy to meet you too, but I doubt you've heard much about me." The corner of his lips quirks. "At least, not anything good," he adds with a playful wink.
His gaze drifts to Sophie then, lingering a second too long to be just a passing glance. She forces a smile, but I can see the uncertainty in her eyes.
"Well, I'm sure you aren’t that bad," I say with a small smile, trying to diffuse the situation. There's a lot more to the story, but I decide not to press any further. At least not for now. I can feel Lucas’s hand tightening almost painfully, and I instinctively respond by giving his hand a reassuring squeeze, which seems to relax him a bit.
Adeline looks between Sophie and Liam, sizing him up as if he’s some new enigma, before tugging me away from the awkward staring match. "We have to go, but keep us updated." Sophie smiles reassuringly and adds, "Don’t hesitate to call us if you need anything. Okay?"
I nod, trying to keep it together. They give me one last hug before making their way to the airport. Then they’re gone.
"How long are you staying this time?" Lucas asks a bit abruptly, breaking his silence. Liam's gaze flickers back from watching Sophie walk away to his brother and I can see the tightness in Lucas's jaw as he awaits an answer.
"I'm not sure yet," Liam finally answers. "I just got in today and haven't made any plans."
Lucas nods, and I can feel his hand relaxing in mine. I give it another squeeze, trying to provide some comfort.
"Well, you're welcome to stay with us as long as you need," I offer with a smile, not exactly knowing why. I’m hoping Lucas won’t take offense, though I’m not entirely sure there is an "us" to stay with. We haven’t talked about accommodations. If it’s up to me, I’ll just stay here at the hotel—on his dime.
My hopes are smashed when his head jerks in my direction, his eyes flashing with anger. I choose to ignore his reaction, focusing on Liam, who returns my smile with a hint of gratitude in his eyes.
