Sizzle (Bad Boy Rockers) (Volume 1)(12)

“You like?” Liam stood beside me and looked...nervous?

“It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” he took a deep breath, “let’s do this.”

Why was he nervous about being home?

I followed a reluctant Liam up the front steps to the porch, and noticed the two-person-swing and chairs to the right with a low coffee table between them. It looked welcoming.

Liam opened one side of the huge double doors on the front of the house so we could enter. Walking inside the large entrance, which was decorated in pale lemon with white accessories, I spotted an elegant looking woman over to the left, standing watching us.

“Liam, you’re here?” The rich voice was filled with affection.

“It would appear so,” Liam answered as he walked towards the woman and wrapped her up in a hug. She was about the same height as I was, with short blonde hair styled into a sleek bob. She wore minimum make up and looked elegant in a white pantsuit. Liam pulled away, but kept his arm around her. “Mom, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend,” he winked, “Thalia.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Thalia.” She took hold of my shoulders and kissed the air next to each side of my face. “That’s an unusual name, pretty, but unusual. Please call me Stephanie.”

I stepped away from her. “It’s nice to meet you, Stephanie.” I continued to look around. “You have a beautiful home.”

This woman made me feel uneasy for some reason. She’d been welcoming, but kept looking me up and down as though I fell short, or at least that’s how she made me feel.

“Where are Dad and Jack?”

“Your father is playing golf and Jack took off on that bike,” Stephanie replied in disgust. “Why he uses that dirty thing, I have no idea. I just pray Mia doesn’t find out about it.”

About to laugh, I caught Liam watching me. He gave a slight shake of his head. “Mom, everyone needs to let off steam now and again.”

“Yes, well, he’ll be married in just short of two months, so he’ll have to get it out of his system before then.” She glanced at me, shaking herself like she just remembered I was standing there. “Sorry Thalia, you’ll meet my husband, Graham, and Liam’s brother, Jack, at dinner... You do have a dress with you?” She looked me up and down again.

It was clear from the thin line of her lips and the jut of her jaw that she didn’t think I was good enough for her son. “Yes,” I replied while I tried to hold my tongue. If she saw my family home she wouldn’t be acting as though Liam had dragged me in from the street. She’d be throwing her son at me!

“Good. I’ll let Liam show you around. I’ve put Thalia in the yellow guest room. I’m meeting friends in town so I’ll see you both at dinner.” She breezed out the front door leaving me stunned. For someone married to a lawyer, she wasn’t diplomatic.

“Oh boy. Jack’s pissed about something.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He only takes the bike out when he’s pissed and because Dad isn’t here, I’d say Mom is the reason.” He ran his hands through his hair and let out a breath, as though he’d been holding it in. “Give me a minute to grab our things from the car. After that, I’ll show you to your room.”

“Okay.”

While Liam went to retrieve the luggage, I wandered into the hall where the stairs were located. On the side table to my right were a handful of photographs, letting my purse drop to the floor I moved in for a closer look. I noticed Liam straightaway; in fact there were a few of him and a couple of his parents. There was only one of another guy, who I presumed must be Jack. It was obviously high school graduation. So that cute guy was Liam’s brother.

“Jack,” Liam commented, glancing over my shoulder. I’d been so engrossed in the photographs I hadn’t heard him come back inside. “He looks a bit different now. That was high school graduation.”

Liam started up the stairs, so I followed him, wondering why, if Jack was supposed to be ‘the golden boy’, weren’t there more photographs of him around the house. The ones lining the walls were mainly of Liam. Oh, there were baby photographs of them both, but only Liam as an adult. Strange.

“Jack removed all his pictures after an argument with Dad, not sure what it was about, but it pissed Jack off pretty badly,” Liam answered my unspoken question.

We came to a stop outside what I presumed to be my room. Liam opened the door allowing me to enter first.

“I hope you like it. There’s a great view from the window,” Liam informed me, dumping my bag on the floor at the end of the bed before he tugged me over to the window. Wow, he wasn’t kidding, the view was amazing. I could see the barn, fields and lots of trees that appeared to have a river tucked away behind. The only thing missing in the room was a window seat so I could read.

“The bathroom is through here, but you need to remember when you use it to lock both doors and to unlock both when finished. For some reason, you’re sharing with Jack.”

My eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean?” Surely he didn’t mean my room was separated from Jack’s by a bathroom.

Liam looked uncomfortable, hovering around the bedroom door. “I’m not sure why you’re in here, but you and Jack share the bathroom. Look, he’ll keep his distance. Plus you’re my girlfriend,” he met my eyes, “so he won’t break the brother’s code.”