After My Death, My Husband Who Threw Me Into the Hunting Grounds Went Insane novel Chapter 106

AUDREY

"Samuel is really something, huh?" Liam said when we arrived at Clifton Hotel at the Maricopa.

"Why? Oh, you can come in," I invited.

"Really?" He grinned. 

"Yeah, sure." I blushed. "I've never invited a boy to my room before… um, but… we're not in the mansion, so—"

"Thanks." Liam stepped into my suite and paced straight to the windows where he could get a view of the Sky Harbor International Airport. "I've never been in this kind of place. My room is big as yours and is thrice our house in Glendale." He glanced at me with a smile. "It's only probably the size of this suite's bathroom," he joked.

"I have tea," I said. "Would you like a cup?"

He nodded. "Sure."

"What would you like? Earl Grey or English Breakfast?" I asked as I grabbed the jar from my suitcase.

He shrugged. "What's the difference? Isn't it… tea?"

"Um, Earl Grey is like lighter and slightly citrusy. It's my favorite. And um, English breakfast is stronger—" I chuckled "—but it can be blended with a latte."

"Earl Grey, it is. Thanks," he replied simply.

I nodded, but the redness of my face was irrepressible. How stupid of me to start the conversation with tea? I mean, of course, I wasn't trying to tell him that I had more knowledge of tea. I should be more embarrassed since, yes, it's only tea, but… Ugh! I was insensitive. I could just choose it for him. 

I poured the hot water into the cup then put the teabag in it. I picked up the saucer and walked over to him. 

"Here."

"Thank you." He took the plate and sniffed the tea a little before taking a sip. "Hmm. It tastes like tea," he said, chuckling.

"Um, why don't we sit?" I offered. "We have the whole day before the flight tomorrow."

"Right." He took another soundly sip of his tea and headed to the couch. He sat on the cushion and placed the cup on the table. "I guess we're going to be each other's company in the next couple of days."

"Just a couple of days?"

"I think so. I have to accompany you to Brooklyn for a week before Sam arrives, and I'll be starting to work the following week, and I'll be staying at my father's friend's house."

"And we aren't going to see each other again?" I asked, wondering.

He stared up at me, and his eyes lingered with mine for a moment. I wasn't sure if he was stunned or amused.

"If you want to." He shrugged. "Do you want to, Audrey?" There's a gleam in his eyes. 

I bit my bottom lip, smiling. "Sure. You're like… the only person I know from home, aside from Sam, of course, I want to see you again."

He let out a chuckle, and it was rich and breathy and sounded like a relief. "Yeah, sure. I guess we have to get to know each other then."

I couldn't look into his beautiful eyes. It's like I was going to melt looking on it for a long time. "Um, how?"

He picked up his tea again and took a gulp. "I'm not a very complicated person, but I'd really much like to know how you would end up being engaged to a father with a son of your age. By the way, I don't like the Scotts, and I don't like you to marry the old fat Benjamin, not even to Charles, for example, but running away like this is also dangerous."

I blinked. "You don't like me to marry—why?"

His face grew red. "I didn't mean to say that, for me… I mean, of course not for me," he stuttered nervously. "What I mean theoretically, why would a sixteen-year-old marry someone she doesn't like?"

I froze, but I couldn't contain my amusement. I burst out a laugh. 

"Is something funny?"

"I'm sorry." I giggled. "I didn't expect that you'd be so approachable."

His smile reached his eyes. "Why do you think so?"

"I mean, we never really spoke before. I see you almost every day. I'm just wondering why you haven't."

His eyebrows met. "Approached you?"

I hummed. "Yes. We could've been friends a long time ago."

He smirked. "Nah." He shook his head. "As if I could do that. Samuel is a good friend, and he's very close to Dad, but Anton might try to murder me before I even try to say ‘hello'—not to mention you might have a lot of suitors around…" 

"There's nothing like that because you're right. Anton can be like that. He's very violent. I don't know why."

He nodded. "I know because he's been hanging up with the wrong friends. So, okay… tell me what happened?"

Oh, so we're back to the main subject. I cleared my throat. "Well, my father had been indulging in some vices. He's already losing a huge deal of money. He already sold half of our vineyard, your dad might have heard of that, and some of our workers have already lost their jobs. We were near to bankruptcy, Liam, so he kind of made a deal with the Scotts, including selling me to them."

A deep growl escaped his chest, and he clenched his fists. "How can a father do that to her only daughter? I always knew your father was coldblooded, Audrey. After the rumors about the Millers, he's not even done doing vicious, evil deeds."

I scowled. "What do you mean about the Millers?"

"Didn't you know?"

"I heard, of course, but there's no basis, Liam."

"Listen," he leaned closer to me and spoke in a whisper. "Only a few workers in the vineyard know, and Dad has been keeping silent. You know what happened to Austin Miller, right?"

I nodded, and I shut my eyes remembering what happened to him. "Yes, he's found dead a year ago in the lake with bruises and stabs in his body."

"They saw him being dragged away by at least five men into the woods, but no one had said a thing. People are afraid."

"And you think my father is behind this?"

"Why not, Audrey? Your father sent Ben Miller, Austin's older brother, to prison while he's innocent—setting up the poor guy for the illegal gambling in town your dad started himself. You know about this, of course." 

"Yes, I know that he's gambling," I muttered, unable to deny when it was also the reason why we've started losing some of our properties.

"I didn't know what exactly happened, but Austin was probably trying to save his brother, but he ended up losing his life instead."

I wanted to cover my ears for such a gruesome story. My stomach wouldn't be able to handle it. There was no reason for Liam to lie. Having a father who could throw away his daughter for his own whim was enough reason why I should believe the guy.

My palms were sweaty, and my skin shuddered. And this man we were talking about was my own flesh and blood. 

"You're not creepy at all." I tightened my arms around his waist. "You're beautiful, Liam. From now on, I'm going to keep looking at you," my innocent heart promised. "Only if you promise to look at me whenever I feel alone."

I felt his smile in my hair. "Believe me, Audrey. I've never looked at anything else but you…"

***

Time was unbelievably fast, I didn't notice it was already noon, and I had fallen asleep in Liam's arms on the couch. I carefully sat up so I wouldn't wake him and so I could stare at his beautiful face even more.

Liam Cross had the face of an archangel, so beautiful and so serene. He must've been sent from the heavens to watch over me; it's then I apprehended that hope was not dead. 

I ached to touch his face, trace the line of his chiseled jawline, and his incredibly long eyelashes for a guy, but it'd be too embarrassing if he noticed. Then I realized we hadn't had anything in our stomach but tea since morning. 

"Liam?" I whispered in his ear. "Liam…"

He didn't hear me, so I decided to just get up first and take a shower. He'd probably wake up by then. I stepped out of the couch and was about to stand up when I felt his arms curled around my waist, and he brought me back next to him. I landed over his hard rock body.

Still having half-closed eyes, Liam gazed into mine. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to take a shower. You're still sleeping. I didn't want to disturb you."

"Hmm." He tucked my hair behind my ear. "What a lovely face you have. You remind me of Pierre Joseph Cooman's ‘Portrait of A Young Woman.'"

I giggled. "Who is that?"

"A noted painter in the 19th century. He has paintings of landscapes, historical subjects, and beautiful women. One particular portrait reminds me of your face. She looks like you." 

I blushed, no one had ever made me so feel so self-conscious before, and I was beginning to get annoyed of it myself. Liam would probably think I was so easy to please. Though, I was actually more surprised by his knowledge and love for the arts. 

"Then she must be plain-looking if she looks like me," I teased, chuckling.

"She's the most beautiful face I've ever seen." He ran his thumb on my cheek. "You have the most beautiful face I have ever seen," he rephrased in a whisper. "Am I making you nervous?"

I slightly nodded. 

He smiled. "Probably because I'm the first to hold you like this."

"I never have fallen asleep next to someone before." I looked away and got up so he would no longer see how red my face was. "I'm… I'm going to take a shower."

Liam pulled himself up and sat, still chuckling. "What time is it?"

"Past twelve. We need to grab lunch. I'm hungry. If you want, there's a restaurant downstairs."

"Whatever you like," he concluded. "I'm going to call your brother first. He must be worried we didn't call him yet."

"Oh, of course." 

"All right." Liam stepped out of the couch then stretched out his arms in the air with the hem of his shirt winched up slightly, revealing a little view of the defined cuts and lines of his stomach. I looked away instantaneously with my widening eyes.

Heavens have mercy on me! He's just like Adonis, dashing and handsome—the god of beauty and desire. There's no way I could bear being alone in the same room with this guy without having any intrusive thoughts. My young and naïve hormones kept waking up whenever I was with him. 

"I'll knock on your door in thirty minutes," Liam said, and he lowered himself to grab his phone. It had probably fallen on the couch while we were sleeping. I lifted my face to look at him once more, but at the exact moment, his mouth landed on my lips that had never been kissed.