LIAM (Book Two)

TWENTY-THREE

I exhale, standing in front of the door of the Reid slash Wolfe's home.

I received a text from Effie a couple of days ago asking me to come to her house this weekend for a party.

After all, I'm over with Liam. Why would they suddenly host a party?

I don't want to see him. I don't even want to breathe in the same air as him. I practically ignored him at school. Sometimes he would try to get my attention, but I just ghosted him. Going here was the worst because he lives here. Effie is my best friend, and I shouldn't say no to her invite because she has been calling and texting me non-stop to come, or she will ask Terry to drag my ass here.

And I do not want that.

So, here I am. I dressed nicely, which shows a little of my baby bump. I was not concerned about what the family would think once they saw my stomach growing because it was a family party. No other friends are included. I wore a yellow summer dress, knowing the cold weather this month, but I have leggings, UGGS boots, and a very long wool cardigan.

I exhale again and reach to knock on the door. I expect to see Effie in front of me, but unexpectedly it's Seth with a bright smile on his face until he looks down, and that smile fades as he lifts a brow. "Lily, looking stunning as ever." He leans closer to a whisper. "Are you sure? I heard what happened from Effie. I gave Liam a good beating afterward."

"Yeah, I'm sure," sounding confident, and brush my way around him. Seth closed the door. "So, where is everybody?"

"They are at the patio, upstairs," Seth says. "Expecting an actual party with alcohol?"

"Sort of. I'm not sure why you guys suddenly have a party unless it's special." I follow him as we head upstairs, which papa and his employees built, settled in the middle of the house. "Is it someone's birthday?"

"You will know once you see everyone."

I narrow my brows at Seth's comment. As soon as we reach the top and Seth slides the large frame glass door to the patio, his brothers and the Reid siblings, including Clark, Sam, Jordyn, and Terry, are all huddled up as if they are making a game plan, and I'm starting to worry.

"Guys, Lily is here!" Seth hollers, and I jerk as all heads turn back at me.

I wave my hand. "Hi."

"Lily!" Effie magically appears from the crowd and skips her way to hug me. "I'm so happy to see you here."

"Me too," I smile, then fade once I see Liam watching me. I roll my eyes and focus my attention on my best friend. "So, what is the party for?"

Effie's stormy eyes look left and then right with a smile on her face. Her smile is so vast she seems like the Joker, and it's freaking me out.

"I know you are having difficulty with you know who," she turned her head at Liam and sent him a scowl, then looked back at me. "And you been stressing out with school and everything. I decided to have this bonfire to ease that emotion."

"I would've stayed home and binge-watched Games of Thrones," I snort.

"I stopped watching that after the first episode," she says, making a face until it disappears. She told me once she not hated the show but disliked it in her own opinion. She held my hands and squeezed them. "But I want you to be here for this special occasion."

"What's so special about this bonfire?" I start to get irritated, especially being here with that person sitting around the same place. I would catch Liam staring at me, and when I did look at him, he would move his eyes someplace else.

That prick!

"Besides having you relax with friends," Effie said, her eyes gleaming with delight and joy. I could see it sparkle, illuminated by the fire. "I want you to meet someone."