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."

"And if it all fails? Will you at least apologise?"

It cannot fail, Liam thought. It was bad enough Eden already had so much power over him, there's no way he'd get on his knees and beg her for mercy. No chance in hell. She broke him; she had to fix him. It was non-negotiable.

"Will you?" Gibby asked as she stifled a yawn.

"I'll think about it."

"I'll set up a meeting with her sometime this week."

"Come on, Gibby, you can do better than that!"

"Alright, alright. Tomorrow then!"

"There's my rockstar; I knew I can count on you!" Liam beamed happily and hung up.

His joy was short-lived.

When he turned back from the window, ready to tackle all his reports with newfound vigour, Laura stood inside the door with a crushed look in her eyes.

Time to change the locks, Liam thought as he shut down his laptop and rose from the chair. There's no way he can get any work done now with all the silent accusations swimming in her eyes.

"Who is she?" She demanded as she leaned on the doorframe and crossed her arms, his shirt hanging loosely on her.

"Eden McBride. My new assistant." And the only woman I can fuck it seems, he added silently.

Liam wondered now about his denim shirt, the one Eden stole from him, and whether she still wore it. Getting it back should have been his top priority instead of jumping and kissing her like a neanderthal.

"Why are you giving her the world and the moon?" Laura moaned, her eyes glistening with tears.

He ignored her. He was in no mood to explain himself to her. They were not that couple, they didn't get jealous, and they didn't question each other. Theirs was a business relationship with simple economics and outputs.

"I thought you would have left by now," he said as he pushed her aside gently and headed upstairs.

He slipped in the shower, and she joined him; she never could read the room.

As he watched her on her knees, trying to perform miracles only one woman can, Liam hated her for the first time, and he hated himself for hating her.

It wasn't her fault.

He was fucked up.

He pulled her up and held her, sighing in her hair as he rubbed her back in soothing motions, "we have to stop this."

Laura wailed harder in his arms. "I can fix you. I know I can."

No, Liam thought sadly. Eden's already fixed him without even knowing; she just had to do a little more, and he'd be as good as new. But, he didn't have the heart to tell Laura. She was distraught as it is, no need to kick her still when she's already down.

"I found a doctor overseas, I just need to call him and make an appointment," she carried on, clinging to him tightly.

"We've talked about this; no doctor can fix me, Laura. You can't either. You don't deserve to be in a sexless relationship. You deserve a lifetime of amazing orgasms, and I can't give you that! So, let's end it here. Let's stop now," he said firmly, leaving no room for doubt and confusion. Lord knows they'd tried so many times, but they always ended up right here, with him feeling like a complete loser and her in tears, feeling like a total failure.

It's time they stopped.

It's time he stopped bashing her heart.

"I'm sorry."

"Give me time to get used to the idea," Laura pleaded.

Liam didn't think that's how breakups should work.

But she was hurting, and it was his fault.

He would give her anything to make her feel better.

Just not the world. Or the moon.

He'd already promised those to Eden McBride.