Second Thought

Chapter 32

Serenity’s POV

            Looking up into his sexy eyes I could tell he needed this. I’m not sure what came over me but once our lips touched, my body needed him in a way only he could fulfill. As I made my way from the car toward my building, he stopped me.

            “Where are you going? Come home…with me.” His eyes pleaded with me to leave with him. Even though we just had an amazing time in the car, I still couldn’t forgive him. He had s*x with 3 different women. At the same time. He had to of known that I would find out.

            “No. I can’t. I need to get home. I’ve had a late night and I’m drained.” I started walking again but he grabbed me, turning me around to him.

            “Serenity. I’ve gone mad without you. I can’t go back to that. Now that you’re here in front of me, I can’t let you go. Not ever again.”

            “Listen, you can stay the night. Sleeping on the bench in my room. We are going to have to sneak you in though because I made a promise to Liam that I am now breaking. Plus, this is his home and I’m trying to respect that.”

            His face went from soft and caring to anger within a split second. “My brother? Your living with my brother?”

            But before I could answer, he walks right past me and into the rotating doors. I’m not sure how but he knew exactly where he was going. He left me alone sitting in the lobby waiting for the next elevator to come. “Come on! Hurry the f**k up!” I said to the elevator thinking it would speed up the process. Once I heard the ping, I stepped inside. Please let me make it up there before he murders his brother.

            A moment later the elevator doors swung open to our floor. My legs pushed themselves as fast as they would go, straight for our door. My hands were shaking at this point. The door was already cracked open. Yelling was coming from the living room. Quickly stepping inside, I headed straight for the voices.

            “Liam, you have taken this s**t too damn far. Stealing my girl away from me? You’re a sick f**k and you’re going to get what’s coming to you.” Alexander’s fist connects with his brother’s jaw, sending him straight toward the floor. Liam quickly recovered as he jumped onto his brother. All I saw was fists flying everywhere.

            “STOP! I’m tired of this s**t! Alexander leave! NOW!” Screaming seemed to do the trick as they both stopped and looked up at me in disbelief. Confusion was plastered on Alexander’s face. Liam had a wicked grin placed on his. This was so frustrating. I’m at the point where I don’t even understand what is going on. All I knew is that Alexander needed to get the hell out. He was making things worse. Regret fumed over me. I should have never had s*x with him. I should have just told him I never wanted to see him again. But I couldn’t lie like that. All I wanted was him. He was like a temptation that I could indulge in but would regret the repercussions later.

            “Serenity. Don’t do this. He has got you so fooled. Tell her about how you faked those videos! Tell her or I will.” What was Alexander talking about?

            “Liam? What is he talking about? There was one video. Of…of Alexander…with those women. No other video.”

            “He is lying! He is just pissed that he got caught in the act. He thinks he can have any woman he wants including you. But you have to remain loyal to only him. It’s disgusting!” Liam sounded really convincing, let me tell you.

            Alexander yanked out his phone, pushing play on another video I had not seen before. It was of me and Liam. Ohmygod. That didn’t happen. Nothing has happened s****l toward us since before Alexander and me. Other than before I left for work but that doesn’t count because I didn’t let it go further. “See. He faked videos of both of us having s*x with someone else to drive us apart. I even have the letter stating they are both fake. He’s the one you should be upset with baby, not me. I’ve been waiting on you this whole time. There was never anyone else.”

            Liam looked over toward me, watching me clutch my stomach. The room was spinning. My stomach feeling like it was going to release all its contents right here on the floor. How could I be so blind? So ignorant? He ran over to me, dropping to his knees in front of me. “I just needed you to see. To see that you can have a life without him.” He snaked both arms around my waist, placing his head to my stomach. Tears. I felt his tears gliding down over my skin. My anger subsided for a moment. Feeling bad for him in a way. I wrapped my arms around his neck, leaving him in place. My hands started to stroke at his hair as a way to calm him down. Alexanders eyes were beaming into my skull, but I didn’t care. I should be pushing Liam off me. It was f****d up what he did but at the time it showed me he cared. In a strange sadistic kind of way but nonetheless he cared. My heart broke for Liam. He was letting out all his emotions. Raw. Right in front of me. He has never been like this and I have never felt more torn. I wanted to be there for Liam like he was always there for me.

            “Shhhh.” My body started rocking Liam as another way to calm him. My finger cuffed under his chin bringing him to look at me. “It’s okay. I forgive you.”

            A soft smiled formed on his lips as he grasps his hold on me tighter. Alexander looked lost, confused and completely heartbroken. My intention was not to hurt him but that was exactly what I was doing. “Serenity, I cannot begin to express how sorry I am. I promise I did it only because I care about you. After spending these last several months with you, I’ve come to realize that I’m falling for you. It’s true that I wanted you from the beginning, but I wasn’t sure exactly what for. I couldn’t let go of my past, but you helped me with that. We have a connection. I know you feel it too. Please give this a chance. Give me a chance to show you how a beautiful woman is supposed to be treated.”

            What? Great this was just perfect. Two men in front of me falling for me and I was stuck in the damn middle. This was not fair. Never did I expect Liam to fall for me. I made myself very clear with him about the way I felt about his brother. Of course we had a connection but my connection to Alexander was so much stronger. I had to make a decision. Would it be Alexander, the man that was so wrong for me in the beginning but now felt so right. Or Liam, the man that has been right for me all along. I couldn’t do this right now. My hands dropped from holding Liam. My legs darted straight for my bedroom, shutting the door behind me, and locking it.

            How could this night have gotten any worse? My ears perked up at the conversation taking place outside my bedroom. My ear pushed against my door to try and make out what they were saying.

            “Liam, you can’t interfere anymore. I love her. I can’t live without her. Do you understand that? Do you have any idea what she means to me? You picked her for me brother and what a hell of a job you did. But she is my woman. I’m going to take her home with or without her permission.”

            “See that is exactly what the hell is wrong with you. That is exactly why you are so wrong for her. You don’t let her make her own decisions. She is a big girl and can decide what she wants for herself. She doesn’t need you crowding over her, making those decisions for her.”

            “I’m not trying to crowd her. I am just in love with her. I’m afraid if I let her go, she will not want to be with me, and my heart can’t take that. But your right. No more being selfish. Whatever she decides, I’ll accept it. If she does decide to stay here with…you then I need you to take it all. Take everything I have. The house, the money, the cars. All of it.”

            “Alex, I’m not going to take anything away from you. I can give her everything she needs on my own. If she decides she wants me, you will find a way out of whatever it is your feeling. You’ll find a way to overcome it. And you will get back up on your feet and you will need your things for that. You are my brother and I wouldn’t just leave you. Not completely.”

            “Do you think I would be able to stand that sight of you two together? No, you might as well kill me. I don’t want to live the rest of my life without that woman. She is the exact reason I wake in the morning, the reason for me to breath. Without her I am nothing. I refuse to go back to the cold-hearted son-of-a-b***h I was before.”

            I had to stop listening. Sobs started to escape from my chest. Heaving in and out. Grabbing my pillow and burying my face in it, I just screamed. Screamed till I couldn’t scream anymore. My body curled into a ball as I began rocking myself from side to side. With my hot tears staining my cheeks, my eyes began feeling heavy and closed while drifting off to sleep.