Liam wanted nothing more than to strangle the woman before him.
As he watched her pitiful appearance, his heart shattered with her every word.
Leaning against the doorway, he paused, his presence commanding like a king as he looked down on her miserable face.
Slipping his hand into his pocket with a smirk, he began, "Sorry about this. How about I step out and let Bryce have another go? But, can he really stand up to Hugh to save you? He doesn't have the guts; he's nothing but a coward."
His words were merciless, cutting deep with sarcasm.
Whitney trembled, the deep timbre of his voice gripping her nerves. Her gaze, desperate and scattered, tried to meet his. When her eyes finally rested on his dark, mature features, she recognized him.
It was really him...
In that moment, her heart ached as if seared by a hot iron.
He was the source of her pain, yet also her savior, time and again.
Could this cruel cycle ever change?
Hiding her bitter smile and the strangeness within, she feigned surprise, "It's you?"
Liam's handsome lips curved, "I see your disappointment."
His cold laughter echoed in his eyes.
Turning away indifferently, "I'll let Hugh continue then."
Whitney's temple throbbed!
The terrifying experience of being almost suffocated by vodka was not something she wished to relive. She glanced at the toilet water and the bodyguard covered in blood.
As Liam moved to step away, driven by a will to survive, she crawled towards him, her body a mess, clutching at his trouser leg.
The expensive fabric of his pants felt cold and hard in her grasp, just like his icy demeanor.
Suddenly, he stopped.
Whitney looked up, her eyes wet and helpless, biting her lip as he saw her.
From his vantage point, she appeared disheveled, soft, and pitiable. Yet, her eyes betrayed her; she had never truly submitted, never truly sought his help out of anything but a desperate will to live.
Liam's gaze darkened, watching her coolly, "Deep down, you don't want my help. So proud, yet now you can't let me go? Afraid? If you've chosen this path, face the consequences. Should I save you or not? You tell me."
Tears welled up in Whitney's eyes.
He was trampling on her pride, playing with her dignity.
It was her mention of 'Bryce' that had provoked him.
She understood.
With difficulty, she gritted her teeth, "Save me."
Watching her struggle, her face turning pale, Liam's dark eyes deepened. She reeked of alcohol.
Finally, he reached out, coldly pulling her up, "How much did they make you drink?"
"Two bottles..."
That was a lot of vodka.
Liam's eyes narrowed. The woman in his arms was weak, her breaths shallow, her wet hair sticking to her pale face.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Love Beyond the Mask