Betrayed: Keeping her in the Dark Vol. 3 Read online

  I felt his warm hand on my back and then his fingers under my hair moving lightly over my neck. I leaned back into him, and realized it wasn’t Liam. I turned and saw a face I never thought I would see again.

  “Nick!” I said way too loud so I covered my mouth.

  “What the hell are you doing here? Are you out of your mind? Liam is going to kill you!” I moved away from him.

  “I’m a shareholder. This is a shareholder’s dinner. I’m supposed to be here.” He was just as cocky as Liam. But I couldn’t believe his nerve.

  “Don’t try to be funny, Nick. This is serious. He will kill you, do you understand me?” I tried to walk around him but he took my arm.

  “I can’t believe you married him, Norah. What were you thinking? I thought we were making progress, finally getting close and then you just let him take you away from me?” I couldn’t believe his memory. I guess people remembered things the things the way they needed to.

  “Well rumor has it that you love birds haven’t been getting along to well recently. Is that true?” He still held my arm.

  “Our relationship is none of your business!” I spat back at him.

  “Well Norah, you know how to find me if you ever want to leave him,” he winked and let my arm go. I walked around him and moved fast to find my husband. I put my hand over my neck. Nick had told me about an apartment he had here in London. It was his mother’s name. I assumed that was what he was talking about when he said I could find him. I cringed thinking how angry Liam would be if he knew I might have been able to find Nick for him this whole time.

  I saw him talking with Steve again and he raised his arm to me as I walked closer to him.

  “Liam, come this way. We need to go be over here,” I tugged at his jacket and pulled him away from Steve. He apologized to Steve and walked with me.

  “Norah, I know you said I’m very good looking, but really, sweetheart, we need to wait until we get home.” I stopped him and made sure his back was to the bar where Nick was standing.

  “Nick is here,” I said quietly and urgently. His eyes went dark and his face completely changed.

  “Nick is here and listen,” I tried to calm him down by putting my hands on his chest. I could feel his chest moving up and down very fast and his heart felt like it was about to beat out of his chest. He was looking at me but I wasn’t sure if he was really seeing me.

  “He’s here?” his voice was harsh.

  “Yes, and I think we should just ignore him. He approached me at the bar and I told him he needed to leave.”

  He turned his head around the room and I grabbed his face and made him look back at me.

  “He approached you? He has the nerve to speak to you!” I tried to pull him near me so he wouldn’t walk away, but it was hard. His eyes kept scanning the room and he was trying to pull away from me.

  “When he first touched me, I thought it was you, but I told him he had to be crazy,” He yanked his arms away from me.

  “He touched you!” he yelled. “He touched you!” He yelled again. “I’m gonna fucking kill him!”

  “Liam!” It was too late, he was walking away from me.

  “I’m going to kill him,” he said under his breath but I heard him. “I’m going to fucking kill him!” He moved fast through the crowd until he saw Nick standing at the end of the bar. He ran up to him and shoved him in the back, making him bump into the person in front of him. Nick turned around to see what had happened and Liam punched him in the mouth.

  “Liam! Please!” I yelled. “Will!” I tried to get his attention. He had just walked up to see what the commotion was about. “Will stop him! Please!”

  Before Nick could react, Liam punched him again. His lip was bleeding and he dropped his drink. The glass hit the floor in front of him and shattered. Nick lunged forward and punched Liam in the stomach. They struggled with each other for a bit. Nick ripped Liam’s jacket and punched him in the mouth. I saw blood dripping down his chin and I screamed again.

  “Someone do something! Stop this!” I shouted.

  “Someone call security!” someone else yelled.

  Two men jumped on Nick and pulled him off Liam. I ran in front of him, putting myself in between both of them. I touched his face and tried to make him look at me.

  “Are you ok?” I asked. He pushed me out of the way and lunged at Nick, who was still being restrained by 2 men. He punched him in the face, making him step back, lose his balance, slipping on a napkin on the ground and fell down.

  “I will kill you son of a bitch! Do you hear me?!” Liam started to move over him, and I jumped in between them again.

  “Liam! Stop this! Please!” I held up my hand and tried to get him to look at me. His eyes were filled with rage. I had never seen him this angry. His eyes were locked on Nick, who was on the ground behind me.

  “Liam, you have to stop! He isn’t worth it.”

  “Someone call security!” I heard someone from the crowd yell again.

  “Yes, Liam, do as the little woman instructs you to do and stop now, before I have you arrested for assault.” Nick stood up and again Liam lunged for him. Nick backed away and Liam rammed into me.

  I tried to hold him back with one hand but I knew I couldn’t. The only reason he wasn’t trampling me at the moment was because he didn’t want to hurt me. I looked over at Nick.

  “Are you trying to get killed? Shut your mouth and leave before I let him go and he rips your head off.” I was doing everything in my power to keep Liam from moving. I looked over at Will and the other men standing around just watching this happen.

  “Someone? Anyone? Do something please!” No one moved. But again Nick opened his big mouth.

  “I am very sorry I missed the wedding, but I guess my invitation got lost in the mail.” He smiled and Liam pushed me out of the way making me fall to the ground and punched him again. Nick fell to the ground and landed right beside me. Liam stood over him and took hold of his jacket, raising his face to his.

  “Have me arrested for assault and I will have you arrested for kidnapping and torture!” he dropped him down and started to hit him again but instead Will grabbed him around the waist then he and Steve pulled Liam away. Someone held out a hand to me and I took it helping myself up. I nodded at the man and thanked him under my breath.

  They moved through the crowd and Liam just kept shouting at Nick.

  “Don’t think this is over! I’m going to rip off your head and piss down your throat! This isn’t over!” Will and Steve kept walking while dragging Liam behind him.

  Nick leaned up against the bar and the bartender handed him a napkin with ice and he held it to his lip and blew me a kiss. I grabbed my purse that I dropped when I fell and walked away.

  “Don’t forget Norah! You know how to find me! I’m here when you’re ready to leave him!” Nick shouted at my back.

  Will shoved Liam in a limo and I climbed in behind him.

  “Look I would go with you, but we still need to have to vote, so I’m going to hang around here. Call me if he gets away from you.” He shut the door and taped the top so Trig would go.

  Liam was still breathing hard and sweating. I helped him out of his jacket and unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt.

  “You can’t kill him, Liam,” I said as I wiped his neck with a napkin.

  “Yes, I can, Norah. I can kill him. I have to kill him for what he did to you.” He took a breath and I handed him a bottle of water from the little fridge. “And don’t ever get between me and him again! Do you hear me? I don’t want to miss him and hit you, so you stay out of it!”

  “No, I don’t think I will. You have to let it go and you know why?”

  “Let it go? Are you out of your fucking mind? I can’t let it go until I am standing over his dead body!”

  “Yes you can and you will. Because any scenario you can come up with will end with you in jail and me alone. You kill him, you go to jail. You have him arrested for kidnapping, then you hav
e to explain why you purchased your wife. And you go to jail!” I yelled. He looked up at me.

  “This happened to me!” I moved back on the seat and put my seat belt on. “It happened to me! He did those things to me! And I’m sorry but I don’t want to him to win! So you have to let it go!” I yelled again.

  “Don’t you see that is why I have to kill him? Because if I don’t, he wins!” He slammed his hands on the seat beside him. “And this happened to me too, Norah! He took you from me! He wanted you because you are mine and that’s the only reason he wanted you! He wanted to get back at me for not sharing you! This is my fight, dammit! I have to win!” He looked away from me.

  “I’m sorry, win was the wrong word for me to use. This isn’t a game. But if that is how you see it, let me explain this, you go to jail and you lose! But more importantly I lose! Let it go, because you have already won! He wanted me and he can’t have me, Liam.” I moved to my knees and put both hands on the sides of his face and made him look at me. “You have me. I am with you. I’m your wife. You win.” He looked down and put his forehead to mine.

  “Liam?” he looked back up.

  “I can’t let this go, Norah. He took you from me once, and I don’t doubt he will try again.” He paused and wiped his forehead. “He still wants you! He just propositioned you again! He isn’t going to stop until I make him stop!”

  “Promise me.” I touched his face again. “Promise me you will let this go.” I waited for him to answer me.

  “Norah, I love you more than anything in the world. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” He looked down and then back up again.

  “But I can’t promise you that, little one.” I moved back to my seat and we rode home quietly. The only thing I was a little happy about was that he was being honest with me.

  We didn’t talk for a while. He took a shower, then I took a shower. He paced the room and I combed my hair. Finally his cell phone rang breaking the silence.

  “Hastings!” he said way too loud into the phone. “What the hell are you talking about? That isn’t possible! Has everyone lost their minds! They’re fucking fired! All fired! I know I can’t, but I will buy up all the shares myself so there is no fucking board!” I could only hear his side of the conversation but I knew it wasn’t good.

  “Liam? What’s going on?” I asked and put my hand on his shoulder. He slammed the phone on the bed.

  “Nick Meyers is going on! The man you are so desperate for me not to kill, just became a member of my board! The man you are trying to protect and don’t want to lose, now has a seat on my board! Are you happy?” I stepped away from him.

  “You really think I am protecting him? You think I want his life spared because I don’t want to lose him?” I stressed ‘him’ both times. He stepped closer to me.

  “Well you could have fooled me with all the begging for his fucking life that you did in the car! You put yourself in-between us to stop me from hurting him! Yes! I think that is you protecting him!” I couldn’t believe he was saying these things. How could he be so insensitive? He realized his error and held his hands to me.

  “Norah, I didn’t mean,” I shoved his hands away.

  “Get away from me.” I went to my side of the bed and climbed inside.

  Liam

  I climbed in own my side of the bed and moved close to her. Her back was to me and she didn’t move. I couldn’t help the way I felt, but she had to know she was still mine. I was angry, she was pissed, but I wanted her. Our sex when we were both angry was scorching. At this moment, I wanted her, and I knew I could convince her rather easily that she wanted me too.

  We just weren’t connecting lately. We bumped heads over everything. We seemed to be at odds more than ever. Sex was the only thing that still worked for us. We may not be able to see eye to eye outside of the bedroom, but in the bedroom we were together.

  I ran my hands through her hair and down her back. I kissed the back of her head and moved my lips down her neck. My hands moved around her waist to the front of her body and I cupped her breast in my hand.

  My heart was pounding in my ears. It was loud so I was sure she could hear it too.

  I ran my hand over her cheek and down her arm.

  I wanted to give her what she deserved and more than she could ever want. I knew my tactics weren’t normal. Loving me and being my wife wasn’t easy and I was aware of that.

  Her body shivered as I ran hand down to her waist to the tops of her legs. I moved my leg to cover hers and her body rolled to meet mine. Our eyes locked on each other. I slid my hand up her gown and covered her ribs. I leaned forward and let my nose slightly rub against her face. I kissed her softly and her lips moved against mine. Not urgent or aggressive, but soft and sweet.

  I moved my body so I was on top of her and moved her legs open with my knee. She arched her back and pulled her nightgown off. She wasn’t wearing any underwear.

  I started at her neck and kissed my way down her body.

  I paid special attention to her hips because I knew she loved it. She raised her hips to me and moaned. I slipped my hand behind her knee and bent her leg. She angled her body to me and I moved my lips to her sex.

  She made a whimpering noise when my tongue touched her folds. She was so warm and wet. I loved the way she was always bare and ready for me.

  She arched her back while I feasted on the fruits of her passion. Her hand touched the back of my head and I moved her legs to my shoulders. I licked, sucked and made sure I covered inch of her.

  She started the groan she usually makes when she is close to orgasm so I moved faster. She opened her legs wider and I took advantage. Her body tensed and her hands held me in place. When her thighs released me and her body relaxed I lifted my head and our eyes found each other. I moved up her body and let my hands touch every inch of her soft skin.

  “You’re so beautiful,” words I could never help myself from saying when I was in her presence. Norah was beautiful. Everything about her was beautiful.

  From her big brown eyes, succulent lips and soft skin to her innocence and naturally good personality. With her big heart and her forgiving nature, to her eagerness for knowledge and will to please me and everyone around her. Norah was beautiful. She was a beautiful person both inside and out.

  If I searched the world for 50 years, I knew I would never find another woman that could ever compare to her. Although I detested the way we came together and ever hurting her for my pleasure, I knew if there was God, this was his way of bringing his into my life. She was my angel.

  I moved most of weight to my forearms next to her head and leaned into her neck kissing my spot. Then I entered her body. She raised her hips to meet me and I slowly pressed myself inside her.

  I could feel her hands on my back as I moved my hips in and out. I pulled back from her neck and took her mouth with mine. Our tongues tangled and I couldn’t stop myself from moaning. I bent her leg and moved myself deeper inside her and she moaned in my mouth. We rocked together like we were laying on a ship in the ocean. We made love like this was our first time. I couldn’t get close enough. I needed my wife close to me.

  I felt sweat drip from my head and roll down my back. I didn’t know how long we had been at this, but it was so good I didn’t want it to end. The inside of her thighs were getting slick with our juices too.

  I looked in her eyes and into the face I wanted with me forever. This is the face I want to have my children and grow old beside me. This is the face I owe everything to and should try to honor every day.

  “I love you, little one,” I breathed. She closed her eyes and moved her hips against me. Her thighs started to tighten on me again and I knew she was close again. Her insides started to grip me harder and that was all I needed. I throbbed inside her until I had nothing left.

  We laid there quiet listening to each other breathe. I didn’t want to move. I knew when I moved she would get up, and I couldn’t let her go yet.

  When her breathing started
to even out I spoke hoping she wouldn’t want to fight with me anymore.

  “Norah, I didn’t mean what I said earlier. I was angry,” I said this to her shoulder because I couldn’t look at her.

  “I know,” she panted.

  “I don’t want to fight anymore,” I still couldn’t look at her.

  “I don’t either.” She kissed the top of my head.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Norah

  I went to work the next day against Liam’s expressed wishes. He tried to get me to stay home. He said it was because he wanted us ‘make up’ some more, but I knew the true reason.

  He was worried. Nick Meyers was in town and obviously not worried about Liam’s revenge. He didn’t say it but I knew that was going through his head.

  It was going through mine too, but I didn’t voice my concerns as I waved goodbye and got in the car with John.

  “John? Can you…I don’t know,” but he stopped my unfinished thought.

  “I’m going to be with you all day, Mrs. Hastings. I will be in your office, taking you to lunch and if you go to the bathroom I will check it before you go in and wait outside the door until you come out.” I nodded at him.

  “Thank you,” I said. “Did Liam put you up to this?” I asked.

  “No. He mentioned he was worried. But I assured him that I would not let you leave my sight. With Winston being on vacation, it will be harder for me to keep up with you by myself.” He pulled up in front of my building and I actually waited for him to open my door. I didn’t usually wait and he didn’t like that.

  “Mrs. Hastings,” he started.