Begin Again novel Chapter 32

The house was quiet. Dave and the housekeepers had all retired for the night, but Laura was still in his bed.

Liam took one look at her and made a beehive for his study.

He couldn't bring himself to sleep beside her. Not when he was so confused. Not when his mind was racing with thoughts of Eden in his arms, and his dick grew hard just thinking about her.

He turned on his MacBook and tried to work through the agenda notes for tomorrow's board meeting, but his mind kept drifting back to Eden's reasons for leaving him.

He tried to think back to that night at Crush two years ago, but he couldn't remember ever mentioning marriage to Eden.

He could see why she would jump to that conclusion though.

Julian and Matthew had invited a few friends from college for a night out on the town to help him accept his future as Anderson Logistics' CEO.

A group of guys at a club and one of them mentioning it's his last night of freedom can easily sound like a bachelor party.

It made sense that she'd run off without seeing him if she thought he's getting married. But still, whatever her reasons were, however noble, he wanted his life back, and Eden's the only one who can help him, it seemed. Liam hated being at her mercy and wished he didn't have to keep her around. But he'd have to tolerate her until he's cured.

He called his assistant.

Gibby sounded sleepy and annoyed, "Yes, Mr Anderson."

"I want Eden McBride."

"You had her." Gibby breathed in sharply on her end. "Now she's gone, and I don't think she'll come back."

"Make her come back. Give her everything she wants. Enrol her son at the daycare and build a play area for him on our floor, stuff it with all the toys you can find."

"I don't think that will resolve the problem."

"Why not?" Liam was stunned by the certainty in Gibby's voice. "But we're giving her everything she wants. Clara will do all the heavy lifting, and Eden can spend time with her son."

"And how's any of that fair, Mr Anderson?" Gibby demanded. "It sounds like you want to keep Eden as your pampered princess, while Clara's treated like Cinderella."

"I fail to see how you arrived at that conclusion," Liam growled, losing his patience real quick. "This isn't a negotiation. I want her."

"Sometimes, we don't always get what we want."

Liam held the phone away from him, tempted to smash it on his desk over and over until it cracked or Gibby tells him what he wants to hear. He's okay with either.

He breathed in slowly, willing himself not to say stuff he'll regret later. He already lost one assistant and was now trying to get her back; he didn't want to piss off another.

"Eden is very important to me," Liam said as he spun around in his office chair and gazed at the flowers and trees blooming in the garden, illuminated by ground lights and the pole lanterns strewn all over the backyard.

"I've gathered that much."

"No, Gibby I don't think you know how important she is," Liam said seriously. "She can help me get better."

There was a long pause as his assistant processed his announcement.

Liam bit his thumb nail absently, giving her all the time in the world to add things up. He was in no rush, but he wanted Eden as a matter of urgency.

At last, Gibby stirred to life and cleared her throat. "You mean she can help with the therapy?"

"Yes!" He replied.

"Why didn't you say so from the start?" His assistant said softly on her end, all the irritation gone from her voice. Gibby's the only person who knew he sees Linda because she takes him there. But she didn't know the reasons.

"Something happened between us in the past," Liam carried on.

"I figured," Gibby said. "What do you need from me? What can I do?"

"I already told you. Get her back."

"I don't think it's that simple. I saw Eden when she left. She was shattered. Whatever you said or did to her, wounded her deeply. You can't fix that with money. You have to talk to her yourself and apologise."

"Let's try the money first. Increase all her benefits. Give her the world if she asks. And if she wants the fucking moon too, or anything else, let me know. But I need her back by Wednesday morning, end of the week latest."