Are We Partners? | ✓

• e n d i n g

Good morning, Erica. We don't have new information about the Russian cargo plane that vanished on Barents Sea, near Finland last week. Until now, no survivor was found, but the authorities claimed that the plane...

"You kicked his ass, handsome."

Her sweet, raspy voice was like music to his ears. Sat on a chair, Liam Hopkins muted the television and felt greeted by Elizabeth Clark's green eyes. From the bed of the rented lodge, she smirked, seeming incredibly weak.

"We kicked his ass," Liam corrected, caressing her hand. She closed her eyes, and he observed her perky nose, brunette hair and pale skin against the subtle morning light of the bedroom. Elizabeth's face was full of small red cuts, and Liam sighed."How are you, princess?"

"Incredible, thank you. It's not the first time I'm blown-up after all." She chuckled, sitting with a grimace of pain against the soft pillows. Liam puckered his lips, but didn't say a word. "Spankin'?"

"In the kitchen, making coffee."

"Great. What about the treasure?"

"No treasure."

She chuckled again. "What a surprise. How's your leg?" Liam smiled, tucking his chin on his chest. Elizabeth gave a him a bemused look. "What's so funny?"

"Small talk again," he replied, raising his head. In a hushed voice, Liam said, "Don't tell me you want sex right now, Liz. I mean, you're kinda... broken."

"If you promise me you'll be gentle, cowboy..." she mocked. They laughed, and another silence filled the bedroom. Liam was caressing her hand when Elizabeth sighed, looking at the muted TV. "What's the plan now?"

"The plan?"

"Back in London you were full of suburban ideas." She smiled, ignoring his gaze. "Still on that?"

"I'm tired of living like this, Liz," he confessed. "Gunshots, explosions, treasures, crazy people. I've robbed enough to relax, you know? Buy a house in the suburbs of New York, have a dog and drink a beer at the end of the day. I've talked to Spankin' and she's agreed with living with me. You know I feel responsible for the kid, after all. Why do you ask?"

"I just want to know," she said and raised her green eyes, "if you have place for me in your American dream, or...?"

Liam eyed Elizabeth, trying to read on her words, to find hidden meanings where things were, well... plain and simple. Liam intertwined his fingers on hers and whispered, "Hey, do you really think I'd leave my partner behind?"

They smiled, leaving silence grow between them.

"Is this our 'happy ending', handsome?"

"No." Liam Hopkins kissed Elizabeth Clark's head, feeling the sweet vanilla smell of her brown hair warm his chest, and smiled. "This is just a great beginning, my dear."

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