Bare With Me Read online

  “Come in, Liam. I was just watching some TV. Do you want something to drink?” I gesture toward the kitchen.

  “No. I just needed to see you. Like I said, I’ve missed you. A lot.” Wow... Well, OK then.

  “Okay, well… let’s sit down then?” I offer him a seat on the wingback chair opposite from me, but instead, he sits down right next to me. He takes a deep breath and lets it out in a whoosh.

  “Peyton, let me start off by saying that I know we haven’t been seeing each other long at all. It’s still new and I know you have reservations with this going forward into something more serious. What I need you to know is that for me, this is serious. Yes, I understand everything is happening fast and I don’t want to scare you off, but you need to know how I feel. I’m new to these feelings but I have no doubt in my mind, you’re it for me. I’ve never met a woman so independent and strong that’s as beautiful inside as she is on the outside. You’re all I think about. The only woman I want to see, for as long as you’ll have me. I don’t want you to feel pressured but I wanted… No. I needed you to know how I felt. This isn’t a game for me, Peyton. I plan to be in this for the long haul. I’m a patient man. I can wait for as long as it takes for you to reciprocate my feelings. But I know you feel it, too. I know there’s a pull between us. If I had to make a bet, I’d bet on us every time because I’m certain I’d win.”

  I sat there, taking in everything he just said. Oh. My. God. I keep chanting this over and over again in my head because I’m at a loss. I knew he was interested, but I didn’t know it was to this extent. He made this sound so permanent, so forever. But I can’t lie. I do feel a pull between us. No matter how much I try to shut it down, to pretend I don’t feel anything, it’s there. I want him too. I want him like I want my next fix. But I can’t go any further with this until he knows the truth. He needs to know my secrets. He needs to know why I’m so reluctant to move forward. I realize I have yet to say anything and I’ve just been sitting there, completely stone-faced the whole time when I hear him clear his voice.

  “Peyton, say something, anything. I need to know what is going on in that pretty little head of yours.”

  I nod my head up and down and snap myself back to the present.

  “Liam, I… I just don’t know. I have some things. Some things that you need to know before you really make your decision to be with me. If we decide to make this into something more, I don’t want any secrets between us. We have to have trust and complete honesty.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way, babe.” He smiles at me and those damn dimples come out. I’m freaking swooning on the inside. I take a deep breath and start the torrid story of how I met Him. The story only a handful of people know about.

  “Five years ago, I met a man in a coffee shop I frequented quite often when I was attending college. His name was Demetrius.

  He and I became involved after a very short time from our initial meeting. He became my world. Everything revolved around him. I never went anywhere without him, and I shut my friends and family out. He consumed me. Made me feel like I needed him and without him, I couldn’t function. I hated the person I became, but I knew at the time I couldn’t help myself. I would do anything for him to want me.” I stopped to take in Liam’s reaction. His hands were tightly wound and his knuckles were turning white. He nodded his head, gesturing for me to continue.

  “Anyways, we became pretty serious for about four months, give or take. He always made sure he was available to take me where I needed to be or any place I had to go, and if he was not available, his driver would take his place. This went on for a long time. I didn’t like it, but I saw no point in arguing about it time after time. One night I was in my apartment, working on my paper for class. I couldn’t concentrate and I was feeling really restless. So I decided to go ahead and surprise Demetrius at his bar. At that time, he owned City Limits. I knew he’d be at the bar because he told me he couldn’t come see me that night since he had to take care of some business. I had a spare key to City Limits because he insisted that I have one just in case he needed me to help him. Usually, his driver would be stationed outside my apartment in case I ever needed to go anywhere, but that night he was busy working for Demetrius at the bar. I didn’t think much of it, so I called a cab and got dropped off out in front. It was really early in the morning. Around 2:45ish. I remember the time because I kept looking at the clock on the dashboard of the cab. Once I walked up to the door of the bar, I quickly took the key out and let myself in. I knew he’d be in his office so I started to make my way upstairs. The closer I got to his office, a dreadful feeling came over me. I don’t know how to describe it; it was almost like a sickening feeling in my gut. As I approached the door, I heard a female whimpering.

  “The door was slightly open and I saw light coming through so I stayed quiet and looked through the slit of the door. What I saw that night changed me forever. There were two young girls, both naked and tied up with rope. They were both upset and crying. One kept begging Demetrius to stop. That’s the one he had on top of his desk spread open and bent over. He was fucking her right in front of my eyes. And I couldn’t look away. I was in complete shock. She kept crying and begging him and he didn’t stop. He just kept on doing it like she was enjoying it. That’s when I heard a man with a deep laugh that sat there looking amused at the scene in front of him. I didn’t even notice he was there. It was an older man. I didn’t recognize him, because I’d never seen him before. He was holding a glass of liquor in his hand as he walked over to the other girl that was tied up and kneeling on the floor. She got scared as he approached her. I could see it in her eyes. He went to stand in front of her and pulled his pants down. I’ll let you take a guess at what he had her do.”

  “Jesus, Peyton” was all Liam got out. But I was far from done. So I continued on.

  “I couldn’t watch anymore. I was about to leave when I heard Demetrius and the older man start talking. Demetrius said he liked this girl, and something about how the price should be pretty high since she was young and still tight.

  The older man laughed and said they would make a killing with these two girls. Then the older man asked Demetrius about me. He asked how much longer he was planning to play with me before taking me to Paris. Demetrius looked pissed when the older man said that but he quickly recovered the scowl on his face and told him he’s decided to keep me for himself. That’s when the older man told him he couldn’t because arrangements have already been made for me in Paris and there was a high bidder who was interested in me.

  “Demetrius stopped raping the girl and pulled his pants up and walked over to the older man. He got in his face and that’s when I found out the older man’s name. Xavier. He told him I belonged to him now, and I was no longer up for sale. I couldn’t believe it. The whole time I was with him. It was all a lie. It was all a ploy to sell me. Sell me! My God! I didn’t even know that existed here in Monroe. After I heard that, I ran. I got out of there so fast, I couldn’t catch my breath. Ken lived the closest to the bar, so at three in the morning I ran all the way to her apartment. I banged on her door until she let me in and broke down. I told her everything. She called the police and held me all night while I cried until I finally passed out. I was just a toy, Liam. The whole time, he was just playing with me until he got tired and then what? Sell me? The police took the report down and told me they’d get in touch. I ended up moving back in with my parents because I didn’t feel safe staying by myself anymore. I thought I’d hear from him the next day but nothing. I figured the police contacted him and he was laying low. About a week later, I had just got to my parents’ house from the grocery store. I was getting something from the trunk when I felt a knife touch the side of my throat. I didn’t move. I knew he’d come for me one day; I didn’t think it’d be so soon. He told me to quietly get in his car. So I did. I didn’t want my parents to get hurt. He took me to a nearby abandoned barn. I was so scared. I didn’t know what he had planned for me, if I wa
s ever going to see my family again? He made me get out and started to yell at me for ruining everything. He completely lost it. When I looked into his eyes, all I saw was darkness, evil. He said he’d been watching me the whole time. When he approached me at the coffee house, he had every intention of keeping me. He said he couldn’t let me go. Ever.

  “When he turned around to get something from the car, I tried to run but he struck me in the face and I fell. Then he started kicking and punching me until I went numb and all I saw was darkness. I must’ve passed out for some time because when I came to he was no longer there. I couldn’t move. My legs felt heavy. I passed out again and when I woke up I was in the hospital. My parents were there. I asked how they found me, and they said when my dad came out to get the mail, he saw my trunk open and all my things still in the car. So they called the police. The police started a search party for me and found me at the barn. I had a severe concussion, three broken ribs, and my face was beyond recognizable. I had lacerations around my eyes and my vision was pretty messed up for a while. The police searched for him, but they never found him.

  “My parents made sure he was never allowed back in Monroe, but that never gave me any piece of mind. The police didn’t have any solid evidence to pursue Xavier, so he was never charged. I decided to move on with my life and hoped he would stay away. And he did.

  Until a few years ago, I would get strange emails, or phone calls, but I never saw him again. And now, I’m receiving the emails again. And then after our date, someone left a photo of us on our date at my door. I know it’s him. It can’t be anyone else.”

  The sheer anger on Liam’s face hits me in the gut. Does he still want to get involved with me now? This is too much. For anyone, much less for someone I just met. He grabs my hands into his and holds firmly while caressing the tops, looking me in the eyes.

  “Peyton, I need to tell you something but I don’t want you to worry about it. I met Demetrius Friday night. Colt and I were leaving the bar and he approached me. I didn’t know who he was until after he threatened for me to stay away from you. I told him I won’t and I have no intention of staying away unless that’s what you wanted. The only reason why I’m telling you is because I need you to know I won’t lie to you now or in the future. I respect you and hiding anything from you is not an option for me.”

  As soon as I heard Demetrius come out of Liam’s mouth, my heart dropped into the pits of darkness. He came back—and he threatened Liam. He came back. Why? I don’t understand. All I could see is his face—the face that made me feel like I was in the presence of the devil himself. He left me to basically die, alone. I’m sure the look on my face was enough to worry Liam. I told him I wasn’t feeling well so before I said anything more, he picked me up and took me upstairs to my room. He laid me down on my bed and told me to get some rest and that he’d be downstairs. He wouldn’t leave me until I was feeling better. I think I was in a pure catatonic state. I lay down and, closed my eyes and willed all those bad memories back to hell where they belonged. Back to Hell, where He belonged.

  I open my eyes some time later and see that it is dark outside. I remember feeling wiped out but I didn’t realize it was this late already. God, how long have I been asleep? I sit up and wipe the sleep from my eyes and stretch my body out. Good lord, I must’ve been really tired. I get up to use the bathroom when I hear the TV still on downstairs. Huh, that’s weird. I never leave it on. Then it all comes back to me… Liam coming over, the talk we had and Him. I make my way downstairs and see that Liam is asleep on the couch. I take a peek over the couch and smile. He looks so peaceful. As I go to reach for the remote to turn the TV off, he startles me when he speaks.

  “Hey, babe. You’re awake,” he says in a rough sleepy voice.

  “Hey. I didn’t mean to wake you. You looked really tired.”

  “No, I’m okay. I must’ve dozed off for a while.”

  He goes to sit up and reaches out for me to take his hand. I let him pull me to the spot next to him. He puts his arms around me and we snuggle. I like the feel of him touching me, of him next to me. I feel so safe and cherished. Not even with Demetrius did I feel that way.

  He pulls my hair over to the right side of my face and tells me how beautiful I am. The completeness I have in my heart overtakes my emotions. He’s so sweet and genuine. I feel no fakeness from him.

  “How are you feeling? Any better?” Liam asks me.

  “Yeah, I just… I don’t know how to deal with this whole situation. I don’t want you to get dragged in to this mess. My mess. I don’t know why he’s here and I’m not sure I want to know. All I want is for him to go away. I never want to see him. EVER!”

  “Don’t worry, babe. I won’t let anything happen to you. Not on my watch. I’ll kill him myself if he even thinks about touching you.” I can see how serious he is and it makes me fall even more. Is that even possible?

  “Thanks Liam. Just you being here right now makes me feel so much better. It means a lot that you care.”

  “Honey, I’m not sure how thick that head of yours is, but I hope you know I more than care for you. I’d do anything for you.” Well, damn... I laugh and playfully hit him on the arm. He catches my hand before I make impact and looks me in the eyes. His gaze tells me it’s full of lust and promise. He takes my hand and pulls it up to his chest. I can feel his heart pounding a mile a minute.

  “You feel that, babe? That’s what you do to me every time you’re near me. Everything looks crystal clear. Everything changes when I see you and I can’t get enough.”

  He goes to stand up, pulling me along with him. Taking my hand, he leads me upstairs and we go into my bedroom. I know what he wants and I can’t lie and say I don’t want it too. I want it bad. Standing just inside the doorway, he pulls my body flush to his and kisses me slowly and tenderly. Both his hands capture my face as he deepens the kiss. His tongue darts out and licks my lower lip and my upper lip, begging my mouth for entry. I open and meet his tongue with mine. Our mouths sucking and licking each other is so fucking sexy. His fingers slide into my hair with both hands and take hold with a firm grip as he kisses me even harder. My hands go to his ass and I grab on for dear life.

  He moans into my mouth and I about come right then and there. My panties are completely soaked. I can feel the wetness between my legs, and I need to feel more of him. I need the fiction. I grind myself against his leg to relieve the ache in my core. The attraction between us is so hot I think my bedroom is about to burst into flames. He backs me up to the bed and lays me down. I scoot myself up to make room for him while he stands there at the edge of the bed, looking down at me. The look in his eyes drive me crazy with need and God, I want this man. I want him so bad I can feel it like the blood that runs through my veins.

  I put my hands on the waistband of my pajama bottoms and begin to slide them down my leg when he puts his hand on mine to stop me.

  “No, Peyton, please, let me do it. I need to feel every inch of you.” He takes over and slides them down slowly, and it takes everything in me to not jump him already. Once my pajama bottoms are off, he caresses my legs as he goes back up and takes my panties, ripping them off at the sides. Oh, hot damn. That was fucking sexy as shit!

  He pulls my legs to him and spreads me wide open. He takes two fingers and licks them before placing them onto my cunt, rubbing it up and down, making me hot and writhing underneath his hands.

  “God damn, Peyton, you’re dripping, baby. You’re going to enjoy this.”

  He licks his lips and I wanna fuckin’ die. He kneels down, picks both my legs up, placing them around his neck. Starting at the bottom of my pussy lips, he takes his time as he runs his tongue up and down in an agonizing slow rhythm. I feel my ass tense up as I ride it out and move my hips along the motion of his mouth, pressing my cunt harder against him. I feel his tongue going into my folds, fucking me with his mouth and it feels like I’m in ecstasy. I grab a fist full of his hair and moan with everything I have. I can feel that f
amiliar spark getting lit and I need to come. I need to release the pent up sexual tension he evokes in me. He takes his thumb and starts to rub my clit hard and fast. I can’t hold it any longer. That was it. It was the last missing piece of the puzzle to my release. I let go. I scream out his name.

  “Oh God… Liam! Oh fuck! I’m coming! Oh God, I’m coming… Don’t—oh God, don’t stop.”

  Liam sticks two fingers into my pussy, finger-fucking me, letting me ride out the rest of my amazing orgasm. I let go of his hair and fall back down onto the bed. That was—shit—that was fucking unbelievable. Thoughts of how he became so good at that entered my mind but I quickly push it away. It doesn’t matter. He’s here with me. Me.

  He sits back and smiles when I pick my head up and give him a smirk.

  “God, Liam. You’re mouth has got some major… skills,” I say, giggling.

  “You haven’t seen anything yet, Gorgeous. I’m just getting started. You better get ready for the main event. I plan to enjoy you for the rest of the night.”

  Holy. Shit.

  Liam stands up and starts to undo his belt, unzips his jeans and pulls them down. He’s left in boxer shorts and his button-up shirt. He goes to undo the buttons on his shirt, almost teasing me while he has a big smile of his face. I sit back on the bed and stare at him because I wouldn’t be a woman if I didn’t. This man is gorgeous. I see his green eyes almost glowing in the dim light as he stares back at me intensely.

  He takes his shirt completely off and fuck it all to hell. All I see are his muscles and a nicely shaped six pack on a tan, golden body with strong, bulging arms that could do anything they wanted to me. And I mean anything…

  I take the hem of my tank top and pull it over my head. My bra is next to go, and now I’m as naked as the day I was born. I’m horny and I want him bad. I’m so desperate to have him in me. He leans onto the bed and lies down on top of me, spreading my legs and settling in between them with his pelvis touching my pussy. I’m still wet and so ready for him. He leans in and kisses me with so much passion and need. I start to move up and down under him. One hand starts to roam all over my body from my hips to my ass. Liam starts kissing my neck and my shoulders, and then he puts his mouth over the sensitive nub of my breast and sucks while lightly pulling it with his teeth. I close my eyes and forget everything around us. Then I hear him whisper something, and it takes me a moment to understand.