Chapter Seven: Wouldn't It Be Nice

"You ask him to move back in?" I asked, shoving the last of my belongings into my duffel bag for the last time.

"Yeah," Franny replied, keeping a watchful eye on me as I got to my feet, and slammed my locker door shut. "Ezra's just over the moon."

"Yeah?" I ask, crossing my arms and leaning back against my locker. "What'd you tell him about Clark not living there for the past few months?"

She sighed. "We told him Clark was on a long assignment," she replied, tightening her ponytail and squaring her shoulders. "Hey, don't judge. What have you told Hailey, when she asks you about Axel?"

I laughed aloud then. "Actually, she hasn't asked me."

Franny rolled her eyes. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me."

I shook my head. "Nope," I said, grinning from ear to ear as Yev stepped into the employee locker room with a smile. "Hey, big bro."

"Hey, little sis," he replied, sadness in his face and tone as he took in my duffel bag. "You cleaning out your locker?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Just did."

He nodded. "Okay," he said, closing the distance between us and scooping me up into his arms, and I let out a laugh as I dropped my duffel to hug him back.

"No need for waterworks, Yev," I told him, my voice firm. "I'm just across the street at home if you need me."

Yev sighed, setting me down. "I know you're right," he said, clearing his throat and stepping to the side as Franny moved forward.

"You know I'm going to miss kicking your ass here," she said, hugging me.

I scoffed. "Please. You know it was the opposite," I playfully shot back, squeezing her back for a moment before letting her go. "Hey, Mom," I said, and Yev and Franny turned around as she came into view.

"Back out to the dining room," she said firmly, but smiled at them to let them know that they weren't in trouble, and they scampered back to their places. She turned and looked at me then before she nodded her head. "And you're sure about this?"

I nodded. "I really am. It's a great opportunity for me, and I'll be able to get Hailey anything she needs or wants down the line."

"And you're okay with working so closely to Liam?"

"He isn't even a factor," I assured her. "It's stipulated in my new contract for Nell's Rags that I won't have to work with him in any shape or form. I explained the situation to Penny, and she promised me."

"Okay, sweetheart, I trust your judgement," she said, stepping forward and pulling me into her arms, kissing my forehead. She then pulled back after mere moments, and stared down at me, a smile on her face. "It seems like just yesterday we were moving in with Nicholas, and you were telling me you never wanted to leave me."

I scoffed. "Please. I still live at home…"

She nodded. "I know, darling, and you're welcome to live there as long as you like. All I'm saying is, I'm proud of you. So proud of you; we all are." She reached into her pocket and handed me an envelope. "Here's your final paycheck, sweetheart," she said, and I reached out and took it. "You'll be careful?"

I smiled. "I learned my lesson with Hailey and my interactions with Liam that I should always be careful," I replied. "I'm keeping both of my eyes open from now on."

"I trust you," she said again.

I smiled again. "I know you do," I replied. "And that means a lot to me, more than you know." I stepped away then, and picked up my duffel. I gave a final glance to the employee locker room at Patsy's, and raised my hand to my mother. Then, turning, I walked outside the door and into the alleyway, the winter sunlight washing over me as I slipped my leather jack on over my bare arms, before hopping in my car and jetting off towards Penny's apartment.

Once I arrived, I dusted off the business suit I was wearing and hopped out of my car, trooping towards the building as quickly as I could. I walked through the main doors and went directly towards the elevator, pressing the button and stepping inside one it arrived. Once it left me off at my pre-selected floor, I walked towards Penny's work suite and unlocked the door, letting myself inside and walking towards my desk beside the window, smiling in exultation when I saw the marketing notes on new business proposals I would have to take a look at.

I pulled the chair out and sat down, pulling the company iPad towards me and putting in notes which would be discussed at the business meeting, later that afternoon. I heard a shuffle in the back room then, and immediately got to my feet, thinkin that Penny was there already. I walked towards the back, where the enclosed veranda was, and opened the door, stopping short in the doorway when I realized who was really there. "Oh," I said, and they turned around when they heard my voice. "Hey."

Liam looked impeccable in his business suit, and looked me up and down, likely before he could stop himself. "Hey, Iana."

I swallowed, keeping a good grip on the iPad, which held my notes, and would have to serve as a barrier between us for the time being. "You here for the business meeting?"

He nodded, likely seeing that small talk was out of the question. "Yeah."

I gave a stiff nod back to him. "Good," I said, and moved to turn around.

"Iana?"

I felt a lump in my throat at the desperation in his tone and, ignoring my better judgement, turned around and faced him. "Yeah?" I asked.

He looked as if he would say something more personal, but decided to go with the safer question he believed he was allowed to ask. "I looked at your new negotiated contract that Penny drew up per your employment here…"

I nodded. "Makes sense. You two are very close."

"No, you don't…" He sighed, looking uncomfortable. "I noticed the clause where you requested that you wouldn't work one-on-one with me anymore."

I squared my shoulders, vowing to stay strong. "I did stipulate that within the contract, yeah. I felt, that given our history, and our tendencies to act inappropriately when push comes to shove, that such a thing would not be beneficial to the company."

Liam slowly strode towards me. "So, what does that mean?"

"It means that, apart from business meetings and company functions, or private parties that we both happen to be in attendance, you and I will not come into contact."

He blinked. "I'm not following completely. What are you saying?"

"The obvious," I said, my tone resolute.

"So, what you're saying here, is that we won't be taking trips together anymore for the sake of the company?" he asked.

I nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying, yeah." I narrowed my eyes then, and shook my head at him. "And don't you dare ask me why," I said, my tone firm as I turned around and marched back down the hallway, "because you know the reason!"

"No, I don't think I do," Liam said, coming after me and taking ahold of my shoulder, turning me back to face him, almost effortlessly. "Explain it to me."

I swallowed then, hating that my body betrayed me whenever I stood close to him. "Because you're a dirty liar, that's why!" I shot back. "I know you see me as ghetto trash, Liam! Don't deny it!" I fired out, as I saw him attempt to stammer around an explanation. "Your true thoughts came out about me once you found out I was pregnant with Hailey, and again when you told me that all I was good for was a quick fuck!"

"That's not what I meant," he said, his tone desperate. "You have to believe me."

"Why should I?!" I cried out, my voice trembling. "Why should I believe one word that comes out of your mouth?! You told me in June that you weren't the relationship kind of guy, then you go to Italy for the entire summer, drown yourself in expensive wine, and come back with a fucking supermodel on your arm, who has a gaudy ring on her finger…!"

"You know, I never liked that ring either…"

"Don't joke around about this!" I cried out. "I ran away last summer because I just couldn't take any of it! I went to California and I saw Andy again."

"Andy?!" Liam demanded then, his hackles rising far above what was normal, as he looked incensed with anger. "Why were you with him?!"

"That's none of your business!" I said, knowing that it really wasn't, but, secretly, I loved that I could make him appear just as jealous as I was. "And it shouldn't matter to you anyway. You're engaged, and I'm ghetto trash, remember?"

"You don't know how badly I want to slam you up against the wall and show you what you mean to me, Iana," he said, his voice husky.

My cheeks flamed then with a combination of anger and arousal. "That won't help either of us here, Liam, and you know it," I whispered to him.

The door opened from behind us then, and Liam immediately stepped away from me. "Iana, you're early!" came Penny's voice, and, quickly composing myself, I turned around, plastering a smile on my lips when I saw Illiana coming in behind her.

"Don't mind me," Illiana said, her voice kind as she breezed into the room and kissed Liam on the lips, and I felt my insides rolled with rage as she had her perfectly-manicured hands all over him. "I have just come to take Liam to lunch."

I nodded. "Go have fun," I said, catching a glance of the abundance of bags that Penny was carrying and setting down near my desk. "Shopping?" I asked.

"Sort of," Penny said, her tone awkward.

"Just things for the wedding," Illiana said, and came towards me. "I don't want to make anything awkward, Iana, but I have no sisters, or cousins, and not many friends. Would you be willing to be one of my bridesmaids?"

Penny looked shocked. "Illiana, I think…"

"She's not one for dressing up much," Liam said quickly.

"Oh, what nonsense!" Illiana said, grinning and laughing aloud. "Every girl loves to have a dress created just for her! What do you say, Iana?" she asked, turning back and staring at me with those kind eyes of hers. "I've already asked Penny to be my Maid of Honor, and Lacey will be my other bridesmaid. Please, say you'll do it!"

I forced a smile to my lips then. "What girl can say 'no' to the bride?" I asked.

Illiana squealed then, and threw her arms around me, and I did my best not to fall over from the impact of the hug, ignoring Penny's and Liam's mixed expressions.

. . .

"She asked you to what?" Yev demanded, as I sat with him on the back porch steps, and I yanked the cigarette he held away from him, my first since going cold-turkey exactly eleven days ago. "I just… What?" he asked, staring at me.

I swallowed then, lifting the tobacco stick to my lips and inhaling deeply. "Yeah," I said, clearing my throat so as I didn't nearly choke to death from talking too soon. "Just came right out with it in front of Liam and Penny and bam. Now I'm obligated to go to the wedding of a guy that I hate and watch him be in holy matrimony with a woman who's physically a goddess or some shit," I said, the last words coming out like a mutter.

"Come on," Yev said, snagging the cigarette away from me. "You don't mean that."

"Uh, have you seen her?!" I demanded, whipping out my phone and pulling up my Instagram account, where Illiana had tagged us both in a photo. "You and social media really need to shake hands at some point, Yev…"

Yev raised his eyebrows. "Holy fuck."

"Come on. I mean, you're with Des," I said, clicking off the account and pocketing my phone again. "Des is best friends with the groom-to-be. Don't you two do double dates or something on the weekends?"

Yev grinned. "Ever since the judge said I didn't have to do jail time, Des and me have been spending a lot of alone time together…"

"Okay, no, don't tell me," I said, covering my ears as Yev howled with laughter. "But, come on, I mean, you must've met her…"

He sighed. "Nope."

I tore my hands off my ears, taking the cigarette from his extended hand. "What? Why haven't you met her?"

"Because I don't really see Liam socially," he said quietly.

I blinked, bringing the cigarette to my lips again and inhaling deeply, blowing out the plume of smoke before handing it back to him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, that ever since he pulled that fast-one on you last June, I told Des I don't want to have anything to do with Liam," he explained.

"And he's fine with that?"

Yev grinned. "Oh, he's more than fine with that."

"Okay, again, no," I said, my voice firm as Yev grinned, sticking the cigarette into the side of his mouth and looking cocky.

He sighed then, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and allowing the night air to take its smoke up into the clouds. "I know you're not really okay with this."

"Okay with what?"

"What else? Liam getting married."

I made a grumbling noise and scooted closer to him, putting my head on his shoulder, and Yev responded by picking his arm up and putting it around me. "Maybe," I said quietly.

"Not maybe. It's a definite," he said softly. "You don't need to lie or pretend when it comes to me, Iana, you know that."

I sighed. "I know I don't, it's just…"

"What?"

I swallowed. "I don't know. Something's in the way…"

"Illiana?" he asked.

I sighed. "No. Well, yeah… But I don't mean that, fully. I mean, the notion that I even want to be with someone long-term is foreign to me…"

"You were with Axel?"

I bit my lip. "I was just going through the motions," I replied, breaking away from Yev and pulling my legs into my stomach. "I was with him because he needed me, and, believe me, I know how fucking selfish that sounds, so you don't need to tell me…"

"Point taken."

"Liam makes me feel in a way that I've never felt with anyone before," I said. "I mean, with Axel, it started out with sex, and we never really developed beyond that. I saw Axel as an authority figure and, therefore, needed to conquer his authority through sex, which is a total power move, and then I wouldn't see him as above me in any way…"

"Because of Tommy?" he asked.

I nodded, turning to look at him. "Yeah," I said, forcing a smile to my lips.

"Don't do that."

I blinked. "Don't do what?"

"Force happiness," he said, reaching out and squeezing my shoulder. "I know when you're doing it, Iana, whenever you do it. I'm your brother. All I know is, I want and need you to be real with me; authentic. I don't want you placating me with fake emotions and just playing nice twenty-four seven. You can show me the real you, no matter what."

I sighed, my entire body deflating, as I felt my eyes filling with tears, although, like panes of glass, they were unable to break the surface. "Everything's fucked," I whispered.

He nodded. "Tell me why."

I bit my lower lip, pulling it into my mouth in an attempt to ignore the wave of pain that I felt, but found that I was unable to do so. "Mixed signals…"

"What has that son of a bitch done now?!" Yev growled, and my eyes snapped to his. "If he's hurt you again—!"

I shook my head, and this was enough to cut him off. "Just what he says, and what his words do to me," I said, my voice faint. "I can't help it, and I'm not sure he wants me to help it."

"Of course he doesn't. It's a total dick power move," Yev said heatedly.

I shrugged. "I just don't know anymore," I said, dashing the tears out of my eyes and leaning against the beam of the outer side of the porch. "All I know is, that there's something fishy about this quickie-engagement to Illiana."

Yev nodded. "How do you figure?"

"No idea. It just seems too perfect, you know? She's so… I guess you could say squeaky-clean, when it comes right down to it. Sure, Liam could get anyone with his high-profile career and financial stability—not to mention his movie-star good looks—but it's… Different, with Illiana, and I can tell."

"Different?"

"Like he's going through the motions for some reason, like I did with Axel," I replied. "I mean, whenever he touches him or kisses him, he just looks uncomfortable…"

"Maybe it's because he's a goddamned gentleman who doesn't want to do PDA," he replied. "I mean, wasn't Penny there when Illiana asked you to be her bridesmaid? Maybe he didn't want to go full-on makeout in front of his baby sister."

I fixed Yev with a look. "You and Des go full-on makeout in front of me."

"That's different," Yev replied with a grin. "We know you don't care. Maybe, in private, Penny's a priss of some kind."

I laughed. "Really?"

Yev sighed and shook his head. "No. Des and I double-date with Penny and Lacey sometimes, and we do pretty much whatever we want there, too…"

"Well, then, what else could it be?" I asked, spreading my hands. "He couldn't possibly care about my feelings. Even though he denied thinking I was ghetto trash when I called him on it the other day, he probably just doesn't like being backed into a corner…"

"I don't know," Yev said.

I sighed, shaking my head. "Well, he certainly doesn't have chemistry with her."

"How do you figure?"

I smirked. "Looks like he wants to push her off of him," I said, feeling more than a little satisfied by this minute detail. "I don't know. I'm probably reading too much into it because I've got feelings for him and I want to claw her eyes out whenever she touches him."

"Jesus Iana," Yev said, finally taking it upon himself to hand the cigarette back to me. "That's a little dark, don't you think?"

I scoffed. "Fuck it," I muttered, bringing the cigarette to my lips. "Tell me something good, please, Yev," I begged. "Combined with all the work I've been doing for Penny the last several days, starting up my second college quarter, and taking care of Hailey, this is my first night off in a while. I need to decompress. You tell me something now."

Yev smiled. "I stared college today."

"Hold up," I said, sitting up. "You did?"

He grinned back at me. "Yeah. Your dad pulled some strings. I'm doing this online program at the University of Chicago, because I'm on my house arrest."

"Oh, my god!" I cried out then, launching myself into his arms. "That is officially fantastic news, Yev!" I crowed. "Have you picked a major yet?"

"Nah," he said, pulling back and shaking his head. "But, I will, at some point." He sighed, and took the cigarette back from me. "Never thought I'd be a college guy. Gotta tell you, though, Des loves it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Let's just say he wants to get a cap and gown, and then—"

"No!" I shouted again, covering my ears once more, and Yev cackled into the night, while all the while I rolled my eyes, happy for my brother.

. . .

I was staring at myself in the bathroom mirror, the buzz of people which filled the kitchen and living room, filtering through the door just beside me. I was pleased that Pops and Uncle Ian had agreed to be the hosts of Hailey's second birthday party, and yet, as I stood there, gripping the bathroom sink and staring at myself, I knew I was far from okay. The dark circles were more than a little pronounced, and my heart was going a mile a minute, knowing full well who lurked on the other side of that door.

The morning and early afternoon had gone fine, with me, Pops, and Uncle Ian playfully dashing around downstairs while Yev and Des watched Hailey upstairs. There was a bunch of laughing and reminiscing about my own childhood birthdays, although I had constantly found myself rolling my eyes when one of them would mention the other's birthday suit. I did my best to focus on the day ahead, knowing that Hailey would be surrounded by family and love, and, given that I had gotten such a decent bonus check from Penny after re-starting my position at Nell's Rags, let's just say my birthday gifts for Hailey were more than satisfactory.

"Doing okay, kiddo?" Pops asked.

I turned and looked at him, from where I was setting up the various plates of food in the kitchen—nuts separated from everything else because of Ezra's allergy, etc. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, and smiled at him. "Just a little tired. Penny's keeping me in some long hours since I got back to work."

"She's not working you too hard, is she?" Uncle Ian wanted to know.

I shook my head, turning my face towards him as he walked by, before pulling on his shirt collar and kissing his cheek. "Nope. And I don't see it as work," I said, turning back to my food arrangements and deciding what needed to go where. "Marketing is my jam. I know a lot of people may find it annoying, or can't understand it, but I'm so in love with it."

"Who's coming today?" Pops asked.

"Mom and Dad, plus Clayton, Fionn, Carla, and Charlie, of course," I said, flashing him a quick smile as I worked. "Aunt Debbie, Franny, Clark, and Ezra will be here, plus Uncle Kev and V said they'd come by, too."

"Anyone from work?" Uncle Ian asked casually.

"Penny and Lacey will be here," I said. "Of course, Des is already here, so it'd be rude for me to tell his sister, and my boss's girlfriend, that she wasn't invited."

"I thought you and Lacey were cool…"

"We are cool, Pops," I said quickly, "of course we're cool. She understands the situation from last June and gets it…"

"Anyone else coming?" Uncle Ian questioned, and I knew exactly what he meant.

"Plates!" I said, turning loose the last of the cheese cubes on one plate, and crossing the small space of the kitchen to wash my hands. After doing so, I grabbed the party plates I'd bought the night before and placed them at the edge of the designated food counter.

"Iana," Pops said, likely wanting me to answer Uncle Ian.

I turned and looked at him. "Uncle Lip, Aunt Mandy, and Ronan are coming," I said quickly, and hoped that the notion of seeing his sister would render him excited enough to drop this topic of conversation. "They RSVP'd yes…"

Uncle Ian hesitated for a moment before turning to Pops. "Hey, Mick, why don't you go upstairs and check and make sure that the boys are getting the birthday girl ready?"

Pops turned and looked at Uncle Ian as I turned my attention to the cracker plate. "You sure?" he asked him.

"Positive."

"Okay." Pops made sure to walk by Uncle Ian, whereupon he kissed him before he walked upstairs and out of sight.

Uncle Ian walked directly in front of me. "Talk," he said.

I gave him a cursory glance before I lowered my eyes back down to my hands. My fingers were now covered in a fine layer of salt from the crackers I'd been holding. "What do you want to talk about?" I asked noncommittally.

"Stop with the games," Uncle Ian said firmly, and I placed part of my palms onto the counter, but not so much that my salty fingers made contact with it. "Tell me what's going on, Iana. I helped raise you, so I know when something's up."

I shook my head. "Nothing's up."

Uncle Ian sighed in frustration as I finished with the crackers, before walking over to the sink and washing my hands again, so much so that I didn't hear him talking up behind me. "I know when you're lying to me," he said, waiting to speak just as I turned around.

"Fuck!" I screamed, automatically shoving him back and away from me. "Fucking Christ, Uncle Ian! I know you can't do that!"

"Sorry, I'm sorry," he said, stepping forward again and hugging me, waiting for my heart rate to go back to normal before he let me go. "Better?"

I nodded, although the action was stiff. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Now, will you please tell me what's going on?" he asked.

I sighed. "Well, it's…" I was cut off by the doorbell ringing, and I made an apologetic face up at him. "Can we table this?"

"Sure," he replied.

I smiled, giving his shoulder a squeeze as I walked into the living room, just as Pops, Yev, and Des all trooped down the main stairs. I let out a laugh of joy as Pops carried Hailey, all dressed in her new birthday clothes, and automatically reached out to take her in my arms, my heart swelling with pride as she reached out to me. "Hello, sweetheart."

"Hailey ready to party!" she cried, clapping her hands.

I pressed my lips to her forehead. "I'm sure you are," I said. We opened the door and greeted her guests, the first of whom were Franny, Clark, and Ezra. As the next thirty minutes went by, I paraded Hailey back and forth to the front door, and she helped me in greeting the guests that had arrived for her birthday party. Everyone was enchanted with my daughter, and I remember Mom telling me that she'd felt the same way whenever I or one of my siblings had been the topic of conversation, or the center of attention. Finally, Penny and Lacey were the last due to arrive, and when I opened the door, my mouth nearly fell open.

"Liam!" Hailey sang, but I managed to stop her from reaching out to him completely.

"Hey," he said, and Penny mouthed 'I'm so sorry' to me, while Lacey gave me a pained expression. "Room for three more?"

"Of course," I replied, stepping back, and allowing them inside, my heart beginning to race in my chest as Liam walked by me, his scent intoxicating to my nostrils. I shut the door behind them and followed them into the living room. Spotting Franny immediately, I walked towards her then and said, "I need a minute."

Franny took note of my face, and immediately saw that Liam was there. "Want me to knock him out of here?" she asked.

I shook my head at her. "No," I replied. "Just take Hailey, please."

She nodded. "Of course," she replied, taking her and easily managing to distract her, all with the ever-helpful Ezra's help.

I walked through the living room and into the kitchen, quickly managing to see that the bathroom should've been unoccupied. I stepped inside and locked the door behind me, leaning against it for a moment, doing my best to keep my heart from bursting out of my chest. I walked over to the mirror then, taking in the dark circles beneath my eyes, and hating that I cared about how I looked when it came to a confirmed liar like Liam. I dragged one of my hands down my face and swore to myself under my breath, just wishing that this pain could end.

"Get it together, Milkovich," I said to my reflection, addressing myself through my teeth. "He is engaged to an Italian supermodel, and there's no way in hell someone like you could ever compare to someone like her…" My voice broke then, and my eyes threatened to fill with tears then as I heard a quiet knock on the door. "Yeah?"

"Mama," said the voice on the other side, and I quickly blinked the tears away and unlocked the door before opening it.

"Hey, beautiful," I said, my heart squeezing as she raised her arms to me, and I immediately took her in them. "You okay?"

"I'm okay," she replied, looking me over. "Mama, are you sad?"

"No," I said quickly, smiling down at her.

Hailey's brow furrowed then. "You were crying."

I sighed. "Just a little," I replied.

"Why?" she asked.

"Well, because Mama just can't believe how big you're getting," I said, and Hailey grinned up at me at my words. "It's a little scary to Mama."

Hailey looked surprise. "Mama can get scared?" she asked.

I nodded. "Of course," I replied, walking back towards the living room, my eyes managing to find Liam's without much difficulty and, when he seemed to sense my gaze on him, he raised his silver eyes to mine. "Anyone can get scared, my darling, at any time, at any place. It doesn't matter where or when, but it's usually at just the right moment, and then time seems to stop, and you have no control over it whatsoever…"

. . .

I tried not to be too annoyed when Yev told me he was picking up an extra shift at Patsy's, with full permission of his probation officer, for the Valentine's Day dinner rush. Mom and Dad were spending the night in with a candlelight dinner, and agreed to watch Hailey, while I went to Penny's Valentine's Day gala solo. Once I arrived, my little black dress—designed by Penny for this specific evening—hugging me in all the right places, I could feel many pairs of eyes on me throughout the space, and did my best to smile at everyone in turn, and accepted a champagne flute from one of the many waiters which drifted around the room.

"Oh, good, you're here," Penny said, embracing me. "Potential investors, three o'clock. They've been absolutely dying to meet Nell's Rags COO…"

"Point taken. Game face on," I said, grinning as she pulled back.

"Gentlemen, our esteemed COO, Miss Iana Milkovich," Penny said to them both, and I put out my hand.

"Ah, Mr. Wendell Chung and Mr. Elliot Washington, at last," I said, putting out my hand to each gentlemen respectively, as Penny had informed me about them both prior to the gala. "It's a pleasure to finally meet with you both. I trust your flights over from Hong Kong and London weren't too bad."

"Hong Kong is usually much warmer than this during January," Mr. Chung said to me with a warm smile, "but I prefer the snow myself. The flight was all right, I suppose, and the flight attendants were polite to me."

"I'm so glad to hear it," I said, turning to Mr. Washington. "Politeness, I find, should belong in most conversations."

"We get plenty of snow in London to go around," Mr. Washington said, rolling his eyes playfully and allowing his champagne to swirl slightly in his flute. "My husband has the kids while I'm away and they're still on school break. Snowed-in," he explained. "So, I guess it's nice to get away from that for a little while, but they said that the weather could delay my flight home, and I wouldn't want to be away from Tristan and our girls, Tabitha and Elizabeth, more than I absolutely have to."

"No, of course not," I said, knowing just how to continue. "I have a daughter of my own, so I can understand how you have to divide your time between work and home."

"Oh, is she the precious child who appears on the website and catalogues, advertizing the toddler clothes?" Mr. Chung asks. "My granddaughter is her biggest fan, and absolutely must have everything she wears!"

I smiled, pleased that Hailey was getting positive attention. "Yes, Mr. Chung, as a matter of fact she is," I replied, lifting my champagne flute to my lips and sipping gently. "She's the light of my life, if I do say so."

"I'm quite sure some small-minded people would say that you were irresponsible for having a child at such a young age, Miss Milkovich," Mr. Washington said, "but look at how far you've come in the professional world. I, for one, think age is just a number, and people should just mind their own business."

"Not to mention that you haven't seemed to let your position go to your head," Mr. Chung went on, nodding his head. "A lot of young ladies in your shoes would just put on a face for a party and not be kind. But you are so genuinely nice, my dear. I do hope you never allow yourself to be overshadowed by your circumstances."

I nodded at them both. "Believe me, gentlemen, I wouldn't," I assured them. I wrapped up my conversation with the two of them and excused myself, covertly flashing Penny a thumbs-up as I walked by. I placed the champagne flute in the kitchen before walking out onto the back veranda, needing a moment after successfully getting five-hundred-million from that entire exchange, and all for Nell's Rags. The door opening behind me a few moments later wasn't a complete surprise, and I did not permit my body to betray me as it shut automatically. "Illiana not wanting to dance with you?" I asked.

"It would be damn near impossible, because she's in Italy," Liam explained, coming up behind me and standing beside me. "How'd your talk with Chung and Washington go?"

I shrugged. "Can't complain. Got five-hundred-million out of them."

"Jesus," Liam whispered, his voice almost that of awe. "That must be a new record."

I sighed. "Sure," I replied.

Liam looked around then, for I could see that much from the corner of my eye. "I didn't see Axel in the party. He at the prison tonight."

I shrugged, my shoulders bare from the cold shoulder affect of Penny's specialty-made little black dress. "Wouldn't know."

"He's not telling you about his schedule anymore?"

I shook my head, lowering my eyes to the city lights below. "No. I wouldn't know because I broke up with him two months ago."

"Wait. You broke up with Axel?"

I nodded. "Yeah." I pulled back from the edge of the balony then, before I turned around and faced Liam. "And before you say anything, no. I didn't break up with him because of you, or for you, because I know that we can't happen. You're with Illiana now, and, for the love of Christ, I said I'd be one of her fucking bridesmaids, and I still don't know why I said I would. All I know is, I broke up with him for me, because it was something I had to do."

"Do you really have feelings for me?" he asked, his voice quiet.

It was then that I felt the tears in my eyes, and yet I made no effort to call them back. "You know I have feelings for you," I replied, knowing that saying this wouldn't be good for either of us, but I couldn't for the life of me hold back anymore. "But you're engaged to Illiana, and she's, you know, gorgeous, and all I am is ghetto trash…"

"Don't say that about yourself," Liam said, his voice firm as he stepped forward then, taking ahold of my face in his hands and staring down at me, wiping my trail of tears with the pads of his thumbs. "I shouldn't have said that in the first place. I was drunk, and I was being stupid, and I can't for the life of me figure out what to say about it, except that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I said that, and for what I said to you, that day in June. Part of the reason why I said it, Iana, is that I'm involved with some really bad people, and it's safer for you to stay out of it. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and instead of explaining everything to you, I let you run off without an explanation—or a fake one—while you still had the chance…"

"Bad people?" I whispered.

He sighed. "Yeah, some real bad people, that I didn't want you and Hailey to potentially get hurt by them…"

"But… But Illiana's not in danger?"

Liam mulled that over for a moment. "It's complicated."

"Is it real?" I asked him, my voice quiet. "The engagement, is it real?"

He looked around then, almost as if he was afraid that the area was bugged. He yanked me towards him then, and I gasped in protest, but was shocked when his lips merely went to my ear, and his voice was so soft, only I could hear him. "All I can say, Iana, is that it would be a marriage only on paper. She doesn't have her claws in me."

"Claws?" I whispered back.

He chuckled, his hot breath sending goosebumps on my skin, and his laugh sending chills down my spine. "Yev may have told Des, who told me, that you were jealous…"

I tried to yank myself out of his arms. "I'm not jealous, you pompous, liar, cheating bastard! I would never be—!"

It is then that his lips, oh sweet lord, his delicious lips are pressed to mine, and I cannot escape, not at all. My arms mind automatically around his neck then, and he yanked me so that my entire body was pressed against his. I responded immediately, tangling my fingers in his hair, tasting him, feeling him, and never wanting all of this to end. The fact that burned on my brain then was that I wasn't being disloyal to anyone, although it could be said, no matter what his reasons, that Illiana was being betrayed here. And, even though it broke my heart, I slowly pulled back from his lips then and shook my head.

"What is it?" Liam asked.

I sighed. "We can't do this."

"You don't want to?"

I scoffed. "I think I've made it abundantly clear what I want."

He blinked. "Then… What's wrong?"

I looked up at him. "You're engaged."

"So?"

"So…" I sighed. "Whatever your reasons are for your coupling with Illiana, complicated or not, I'm not a homewrecker," I said, my voice firm. "If you need to marry her because of a debt or something like that, fine. Go marry your supermodel for all I care," I said, the bitter laugh escaping my lips as I walked away from him.

"Iana, please…"

"No," I said, catching his eye as I took ahold of the door. "No, Liam, not again. No more pleading and begging and kissing, although you know as well as I do how much I enjoy that third thing, and what inevitably comes after that… But we can't."

"What are you saying here?"

"I'm saying that you have my blessing, not that you need it," I said.

Liam blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Marry Illiana," I told him, and he looked as if I'd gutted him. "Marry her, if that's what you need to do. I understand, and I'll come to accept it, in time. But I have a daughter, and a job, and a degree to get, and a life," I said softly. "And, as far as I'm concerned, you and I need to come to an understanding, while I'm working for your sister."

"What kind of understanding?"

"One where we can work without fighting or foreplay," I said firmly. "We can't keep acting like teenagers every chance we get. It's enough now. Marry Illiana, get on with your life, and let me get on with mine," I told him, turning around without a backward glance and headed back to the party, my game-face back on to make more money for the company.