The Mobster's Daughter

The Mobster's Daughter: Chapter 18

"What's going on between us Liam?" I whispered. When he didn't answer, I lifted my head from his shoulder to meet his surprised expression.
"Because nothing can really go on between us you know." I continued.
When Liam tensed, I quickly scrambled up from his lap in an attempt to avoid the rage I could feel coming on.
"Why not, Belle?" He yelled, shooting to his feet.
I took a step back, not wanting to look at the face I knew would be red with an uncustomary rage.
"Because. You work for me." I pleaded.

I may not have been outright lying, but I wasn't telling the whole truth either.
People who worked for my family, or what was left of it, died. Simple as that.

"So that's what it comes down to?" His voice was deadly calm, and a glance at his face revealed that it too held none of the earlier fury.
I took an involuntary step back, slightly frightened.
"Being with me is dangerous." I finally whispered, keeping my gaze on the floor. Liam deserved that much, even if it was just a sliver of truth compared to what I should have been telling him.
To my outright surprise, he chuckled. My head snapped up, and I eyed him like he was crazy. That only caused him to burst into full-blown guffaws.
"What?" I growled, glaring at him.

Lexi sauntered into the room, stopping dead when she caught sight of the unusual situation. She stared at Liam for half a second, before whispering to me, "What's going on?"
"Your brother's crazy." I snarled, baring my teeth slightly.
"Uhm, I just remembered. I need to go uhm, water my...cat." And Lexi backed out of the room as quick as possible.

"What's your god damn problem?!" I shrieked, throwing my arms out. They made contact with Liam's chest, and he fell backward onto the couch.
He didn't answer, but stopped laughing. Instead I received a knowing smirk.
With one last growl, I stormed out of the room.
Halfway to the front door, an arm wrapped around my waist. I struggled, trying to free myself, but it just tightened around me and I gave up sagging against Liam.

"You really don't get it." He whispered into my ear, causing an involuntary shiver to wrack my body.
"Get what?" I breathed.
I knew I had to get out of the situation, but at the same time I didn't want to.
"Everything about you is dangerous." I pulled out of Liam's arms, and turned around to face him.
"You don't understand either." I shook my head, biting my lip against the flood of words attempting to break through my clenched teeth.
"Well help me to." He pleaded, holding his arms out. His expression was so vulnerable that I felt my resolve fading.
"Everybody I love dies." I snapped, and took a calming breath before continuing.
"If anything happened to you or Lexi..." I choked up, my hand flying to my mouth to keep the sobs inside. I blinked back the tears, breathing steadily.

"What made you start to think like this?" Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair. Lately, something he only did when uncomfortable.
"Because..." I was at a loss for words, so I just shrugged wrapping my arms around my mid-section.
"Nothing could happen to me or Lexi, we're both perfectly able to defend ourselves." He reassured me, using a soft tone saved for frightened children.

"But that doesn't mean there couldn't be an accident, or one of Andrew's men could break through our defenses." I paused taking a deep calming breath, there was no need to get worked up.
"Well, you never know. Things happen Belle." He shrugged nonchalantly.
"Urgh! I'll talk to you later." I spun on my heel and stalked away from Liam toward the room Lexi and I shared.

I entered the room to find Lexi sitting on her bed, and eager expression lighting up her features.
"What?" I was creeped out by her staring.
"What's with you two? Did you and my brother do the nasty?" She squealed, dodging a pillow I launched at her head.
"No we didn't. You're so vulgar Lex." I mumbled, sprawling face first on my own bed.
"Do you like him?" She whispered, completely serious.
"I don't know." I admitted, a faint blush spreading across my cheeks.
"YOU DO!" She yelled, falling back onto the bed when the second pillow I launched at her hit her square in the face.