Chapter 7
I finished washing the last of the dishes in the kitchen. Liam was in the living room, but I couldn’t bring myself to face him. I was stalling. After all, we’d just done something I never thought I’d do—not in this lifetime or the last. I’d always known Liam’s feelings for me weren’t purely familial. We weren’t related by blood, but the way he looked at me… it was like he’d been holding himself back for years. He wanted me, but he’d never dared to act on it. How do you face someone after that? Even after living two lives, I didn’t have the answer. But as I stood there thinking, Liam walked in like nothing had happened. “Thirsty?” Before I could respond, he cornered me at the sink, holding a steaming mug of milk. He pressed it to my lips. I had a habit of drinking milk before bed, but it was obvious this cup had already been his—the faint imprint of his lips lingered on the edge. I took a sip, my lips brushing the same spot his had. “Good girl.” He ruffled my hair like I was a child. “Liam,” I called softly. He raised an eyebrow. “You need to work on your kissing skills,” I teased. “What?” His laugh was low and disbelieving. “I said—” Before I could finish, he bent down and kissed the corner of my mouth, quick and unexpected. “…!” I grabbed his tie, pulling him closer. “Liam, now do you believe me?” I asked, my voice steady. “I’m not running anymore. I’ve given myself to you completely—” But he didn’t say anything. He just stared at me, his expression unreadable. “I’ve opened myself up to you—” Suddenly, my head started to spin. The room swayed, and I blinked up at him, confused. No… The milk. Liam cupped my face, his calloused thumb brushing over my eyelid. I couldn’t move. My limbs felt heavy, and my thoughts grew hazy. His voice sounded distant, like it was coming from the other end of a tunnel. “You did well this time, Lila.” “But you shouldn’t have left the drug so close to the top of your bag.” “It fell out earlier.” “You almost managed to kill your brother.” … No. He misunderstood. The drug wasn’t meant for him. I’d kept it to have it tested, to gather evidence against Josh and Danielle. But Liam thought I’d planned to use it on him. He thought everything I’d done tonight had been some grand performance to lull him into a false sense of security. I tried to speak, to explain, but my body wouldn’t obey me. My eyelids grew heavier and heavier, until I couldn’t keep them open anymore. The last thing I heard was Liam’s voice, quiet and bitter. “You hate your brother that much?” “Lie to me once, lie to me twice… when does it end, Lila?”