Our Finest Moment ✔️

22

LIANA

His damn parents are here. I got no warning. Not even a text. And I met them all sweaty and gross from a run. I hear muffled voices as I scale the stairs up to my room, hesitating on the landing of the second floor, contemplating silently if I should go to his room instead, but I don't. There's no reason any of them would come looking for me.

I quickly get into my room, have a mini breakdown that involves heavy breathing, a pounding heart and threatening tears, before I make my way to the en suite bathroom to have a shower. I remind myself to do some laundry as I see the hamper full of clothes, and then I try to ignore the visitors for a few minutes, as I wash away the stress—or, I try to wash away the stress.

What meets me when I go back downstairs—because I have to, I can't hide out in my room until they leave now—is a fully decked table, a wonderfully smelling meal, and a family. They both look and sound like a family, and I swear I see Colton smile as he talks to his baby brother.

It's not a smile he's smiled at me before. It's a soft one, full of hope and love, making it so clear that his family means everything to him—even more than his organized crime family, mafia family, gangster family, whatever you want to call it. This is him one hundred percent real, and unplugged. No extra effects or unnecessary reverb, no noise. Just...Colton.

"Please take a seat, Liana," Joni urges when she sees me. Her smile is similar to Colton's, yet completely different. His is cold and menacing, intimidating even, while hers is warm and welcoming, even if I do detect some disbelief in her tone. I do as I'm told and take the empty seat next to Colton, behind an empty plate meant for me.

My fiancé looks up from Cory, who's seated at the head of the table, and one of the corners of his mouth tilts up. It's not a full-on smile, but it calms me a tiny bit.

"This smells amazing," I say, my eyes moving to the table. There's a huge serving tray with what looks like baked potatoes and vegetables, and another with carved and juicy looking chicken. "It looks amazing," I add, my eyebrows lifting.

"It's nothing but love," she replies. Her smile tightens when she clears her throat. "So, are you two going to tell us how you met? How you're engaged after a month? How I haven't met or heard of you before?"

"Mother," Colton warns with a voice strangely warm and dangerous.

"I have a right to know!" She sounds almost desperate. "I want to be supportive, and you seem lovely, Liana, but you're my little boy, Colt. I don't want you to do something you'll regret simply because you fell too hard, too fast."

"Joni, if I may," Mark intersects, "they're adults, and Colt has his—" he hesitates for a second, his vibrant green eyes going towards the little boy with the drawings at the head of the table, "—his business. He can handle himself. Let them be in love and make mistakes while they're still young, sweetheart."

Colton nods, and his hand moves to take mine in my lap. It's a sweet gesture, and it tugs at my heart, but I know it's all a show. It has to be. He says, "Liana is...truly amazing." He lifts my hand and my gaze snaps to his. The tiny flecks of gold in his deep blue eyes shines as he gives me another lopsided smile. It seems easier, this smile, sweeter, almost secretive. "I wanted to tell you guys the second I met her," Colton adds, then he turns to look at his parents again. "I just wanted some more time with just the two of us before everyone fell for her, like I did."

If he was anyone else—anyone at all—I'd think he was being truthful. But he isn't. He's Colton, and he's still the same infuriatingly cold and egoistic man who offered to kill me or marry me, knowing full well I'd die if I went back to my old life. Still, there's something about this—his words—that makes my heart hammer in my chest, and my cheeks feel warmer.