Page 124 of Shattered Melodies

I chuckled, feeling some of the tension ease from my shoulders. “Deal. Though I have a feeling between you and Jimmy, I’ll be lucky if I get five minutes to myself.”

“Damn straight,” Jimmy called from across the room, not looking up from his phone. “I’ve already booked your flight for tomorrow morning. And I’ll be coming with you, by the way. No arguments.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but Caleb squeezed my hand, shaking his head. “Let him come, Liam. It’ll make me feel better knowing you’ve got backup.”

I sighed, knowing when I was outnumbered. “Fine. But Jimmy, I swear to God, if you try to replace the mini bar with kale smoothies or something…”

Jimmy grinned, finally looking up from his phone. “Wouldn’t dream of it, boss. Though I can’t promise I won’t hide a few protein bars in your suitcase.”

As the three of us fell into familiar banter, I felt some of the fear and anxiety start to dissipate. This wasn’t ideal, not by a long shot. But I wasn’t alone anymore. I had Caleb, I had Jimmy. I had people in my corner, ready to fight for me, to support me.

And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to get me through this.

Later that night, as Caleb and I lay in bed, I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had settled in my stomach. The thought of going back to New York, of stepping back into that world of corporate law and family expectations… it made me feel sick.

“Hey,” Caleb said softly, his hand tracing soothing patterns on my back. “Where’d you go just now?”

I sighed, turning to face him. “Just thinking about tomorrow. About going back.”

Caleb nodded, his eyes full of understanding. “It’s okay to be scared, you know. This is a big deal.”

I snorted, burying my face in his chest. “Scared doesn’t even begin to cover it. I feel like I’m walking back into the lion’s den.”

“You’re not the same person you were when you left, Liam,” Caleb said, his voice firm. “You’re stronger now. You know who you are, what you want.”

I looked up at him, feeling a rush of love and gratitude. “Yeah? And what’s that?”

Caleb smiled, leaning in to press a soft kiss to my lips. “This. Us. A life where you get to be yourself, all of yourself.”

I felt tears prick at my eyes. “God, I love you. You know that, right?”

“I know,” Caleb said, pulling me closer. “I love you too. And that’s why I know you can do this. You can face them, finish this deal, and come back to me. To us.”

I nodded, feeling a sense of determination settle over me. “You’re right. I can do this. I have to do this.”

As we drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms, I made a silent promise to myself. This would be the last time I let my parents, or anyone else, dictate my life. From now on, I was in control. My life, my choices.

And when all of this was done and over with, I’d be ready to start our life together. For real this time.

CHAPTER 34

Alone Again

CALEB

The weight of Peanut in my arms was the only thing keeping me grounded. Liam had left her with me, a living, purring promise that he’d come back. But damn if it didn’t feel like the universe was trying to tear us apart again.

“You sure you’ve got everything?” I asked for probably the tenth time, helping Liam with his bag.

Liam rolled his eyes, but there was a fondness in his expression that made my heart ache. “Yes, Mom. I’ve triple-checked.”

“Hey, can’t blame a guy for worrying,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “Just making sure you’re not gonna call me from New York asking me to FedEx your lucky socks or something.”

Liam chuckled, but it sounded strained. “Trust me, if I forgot anything, Jimmy’s probably got three backups packed.”

Jimmy, who was checking in their bags, shot us a grin. “You know it, boss. I’ve got everything from extra toothbrushes to emergency bow ties.”

We all laughed, but it felt forced. The reality of what was happening, of Liam leaving, hung heavy in the air.

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