Page 105 of Push

But Gwen’s forgiveness was a knife edge. One wrong step, and she’d cut me out of her life—for good. Wasthisthe wrong step?

I reached over to the backseat to grab my gym bag. I opened the glove compartment, stuffed my hands with everything hidden inside, and shoved it into the bag. I was already out of the car when I remembered the medicine. I bought myself extra precious seconds with my family when I raced back to snatch it off the passenger seat.

Opening the front door had never felt harder. My feet dragged with every step. And just when I thought my shitty day couldn’t get any worse…

Liam.

The blond bastard lounged on my couch like he owned the place. His long legs stretched out, his shiny black shoes on the coffee table, ankles crossed, and his trousers pulled up just enough to show pink unicorn socks. A magazine sat on his lap—the country living kind Gwen thumbed through when she sipped her morning coffee on the back deck.

Liam’s head turned slightly. “Welcome home, sweetheart.” A smirk followed.

I stalked over and shoved his feet off the coffee table. Gwen would lose her shit if she saw that. “What are you doing inmyhouse?”

Unruffled, he resettled himself on the couch and propped his ankle on his knee. “Mylawyer lives here and is signingmypaperwork.” His gaze dropped back to the magazine.

“Mondays are Gwen’s day off,” I spat back.

“You and Elias practically sound like twins.” Liam flicked to the next page. “A little bird informed meeveryday is your day off.”

My spine straightened. I didn’t owe this creep an explanation. “I’m on vacation.”

“Vacation,” Liam repeated with a soft chuckle. “I see.”

“You have some issue with me not working?”

A blond eyebrow arched. “Not at all. But if you’re open to a change of vocation, I could use someone like you on my team. I’d take great pleasure in introducing you to some of my…acquaintances. I can already imagine it.” Liam gestured at me with a flourish, his tone low, almost sinister, when he said, “Gentlemen, I’d like you to meet my dear friend.The dentist.” The darkness in his laugh chilled me to my bones.

“Are standover tactics important in the banking sector?”

Liam’s expression remained unreadable. “Perhaps you’d be pleasantly surprised.” He flicked to another page of the magazine. “Or would you be? You are a Sullivan, after all.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Didn’t your daddy share all the fascinating details about how he earned your family’s fortune?”

I narrowed my eyes on Liam. My father hadn’t told me a damn thing. I wasn’t the son he’d wanted. I’d never been the chip off the old block who’d take over his property empire. I was the dumb one. The rugby player. Ian had spent more time with my father than I had.

And so what? Why was it any of Liam’s business? The tabloid’s darling wasn’t going to waltz into my house, talk shit to me, and order my girl around on her day off.

I cocked my head. If he wanted a fight, I’d give him one. “Do you have some kind of problem with my family?”

Liam rose from the couch. He buttoned his jacket as he prowled closer. We stood toe-to-toe. Almost eye-to-eye. I narrowed my gaze. The blank expression he shot back unsettled me, but I wasn’t scared.

“I havemanyproblems with your family,” he bit out. “It’s no loss to the world your daddy is dead. It’s only a pity the heart attack got him first. Yet, Gwen defends you. She says you aren’tlike him.” Calculated eyes scanned me from head to toe. “She’s wrong.”

I’d made mistakes, but I was nothing like my father. “Fuck you.”

Liam’s lips twisted in a smile. “Is that an invitation?”

My bravado disappeared. “Wha-what?” Stunned, I blinked at him.

“Relax, sweetheart.” He gave me a condescending pat on the cheek. “You’re not my type.”

I smacked his hand away.

A throat cleared behind us. “Am I interrupting a bonding moment?”

My head snapped around in sync with Liam’s. Gwen stood at the edge of the living room, bouncing Noah on her hip. She smiled, but it was more like a grimace.

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