Over the Edge (Bridge #3)(47)

She came closer, pressing herself against my torso. Relieved, I held her to me, but my chest ached. Having her in my arms again was bittersweet. It didn’t solve everything. I hadn’t expected to feel so possessive when it came to having her, but things were becoming too slanted. That she could be seen with Will while I could barely glance her way wasn’t ever going to sit right with me.

But she hadn’t asked for this arrangement. This wasn’t her fault. I buried my nose in her hair, breathing in her scent and embracing her warmth against me.

“I’m sorry. Tonight is supposed to be about you and your brothers. I just wasn’t expecting it to be so hard to keep my distance.”

“I’m here now,” she whispered.

I shook my head, because it wasn’t enough. With anyone else, it would have been too much.

“I don’t know why I can’t stay away from you, Liv. But if it were up to me, I’d never let you go.”

I was losing my mind over her. I should have cared that being with her was turning me into someone I hardly recognized. Except I didn’t. The only thing that mattered was claiming her in any way I could right now.

I tipped her chin up so I could take her mouth. Soft sweeps of my tongue met hers. My cock thickened, and desire flowed thick in my veins. She owned me, and somehow I had to accept that the rest of the world would never know it.

While I delved into her mouth, I molded my palm to her ass and pressed her against my arousal. The helpless sound she made offered no relief. It only stirred up my aching need. She curved her palms around my nape, lifting herself higher and closer, pulling me further down into my desire. I was ready to f*ck her against the building, given the chance.

“What the hell is going on here?”

I broke away from her lips at the sound of Darren’s approaching voice. He stalked closer, hands balled into tight fists. The look in his eyes was murderous.

OLIVIA



I jolted at the sound of Darren’s voice. As he came toward us, my racing pulse thundered in my ears. Panic mixed with the rush of desire Ian’s embrace had inspired.

Fuck.

I stood frozen in Ian’s arms. Putting distance between us wouldn’t do any good, because Darren had likely seen enough. And the wild look in his eyes made me want to keep a barrier between him and the man I was falling hard and fast for.

The door to the building swung open, and seconds later, Cameron was beside him, his thick arms crossed over his chest in a defensive pose. I cursed inwardly and stood beside Ian, our hands intertwined, creating some semblance of a united front against the wrath that I knew was coming.

“Answer me.” Darren’s angry gaze was fastened to Ian.

“I don’t have to answer to you.” Ian’s low tone was laced with an undercurrent of frustration that I worried was seconds from coming to the surface.

“Like hell you don’t. Get your f*cking hands off my sister.”

I bristled. “Darren, stop it. You’re going to make a scene.”

“Make a scene? You’re outside the ribbon-cutting playing grab ass with this motherf*cker.”

The muscles in his jaw flexed. The door swung open and Will emerged, followed by Vanessa and Maya. I cursed a thousand more times to myself. I resisted the urge to escape back inside. Instead, I held my place by Ian.

Not being able to show the world that we were together had gotten us here in the first place. Even as it pained me to see him upset, I knew there wasn’t an easy solution.

We’d all been honest with each other, open with our fears and our desires. And the second we found ourselves in public, we had to start living a lie. I didn’t blame Ian for being upset, and even though Darren was being a hothead, I didn’t entirely blame him for being confused.

“Hey, is everything okay?” Maya touched Cameron’s shoulder, but he didn’t move or acknowledge her.

Darren shook his head, glanced to Will, and then back to Ian and me. “I thought you were here with Will. What the hell are you doing with Ian?”

Vanessa stood a few paces away from Darren, like she was worried about getting caught in the crossfire. “Darren, let’s go back inside.”

“Vanessa’s right. We should let Will and Liv figure this out.” Cameron spoke quietly, but his voice seemed to silence everyone else. Except Darren.

“I told you to stay away from her. You didn’t hear me?” He pointed angrily at Ian, but he didn’t flinch.

I made eye contact with Will. My heart beat wildly, and I fought the sudden urge to cry. Falling for two men wasn’t ever what I’d had in mind, but now we were all here, facing my family. I swallowed over the knot in my throat and the uncertainty that painfully tightened my chest.

Will walked to me slowly. He touched my cheek, his eyes filled with an emotion I couldn’t place. “You okay?” he murmured, like no one else was there.

I wasn’t, but I was trying to be strong. I nodded. I didn’t know how we were going to get through this, but I had to trust that somehow we would. I’d been careless. My family wasn’t ready for the truth. I wasn’t sure they’d ever be.

“I’m sorry—”

“You don’t have to apologize.” He turned, taking a casual stance beside me, hands tucked into his pants. “There’s nothing to figure out. I appreciate the concern, but there’s nothing awry here.”