The Awakening: Liam (Entangled Covet) (24 page)

day that followed.

After washing her hands, she dried them on a dishtowel. And just like that, she went on autopilot. She

took out a pack of thawed chicken breasts, placed them in a plastic storage bag, and tossed it on the

counter. Grabbing a mallet, she slammed the tenderizer hard onto the meat. Then did it again…and again…

and again, until she had pulverized it with relentless hits. A sob pushed up her throat and between her

clenched teeth as she stepped back, mallet held loosely at her side, staring in despair at the mutilated pieces

of chicken.

“Ava, what are you doing?”

The sound of her sister’s voice from behind her had her whirling around. “Emma!” She stifled the sob.

Forced a laugh. “Um…the chicken pissed me off.”

“You sure it’s the chicken’s fault?”

Ava’s eyes strayed to the dog that sat beside her sister with its tongue lolling out. She jerked her gaze

back to her sister. “Just been a bad day.”

“Liam?”

“For one.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Please. You have better things to do than talk to your older sister about her pathetic love life.”

“Sounds pretty juicy to me.” She leaned against the counter, grabbed a cookie out of the cookie jar, and

popped it into her mouth. “Though, Liam doesn’t like me.”

The blunt statement stunned her. “Of course he does!”

Emma smiled. “No, he doesn’t. You think I didn’t hear the fights you two had over me? The
only
time

you two fought was over me.”

She’d always worried her sister had heard those late night arguments, but she never let on that she’d

overheard, so Ava had never been sure. “Liam never got the chance to truly know you. You were mouthy

and always in trouble. He didn’t like what you
did,
or what you brought into this house when you stayed

here. He believed I should’ve had a firmer hand with you. Maybe if I had just taken his advice, instead of

bristling every time he told me how I should’ve handled things, then—”

“What? I wouldn’t have been tripping balls and hit an animal with mom’s stolen car?” She shrugged.

“He had a point, Ava. I was completely screwed up back then. I brought drugs into this house. Snuck guys

into my room. Remember when Seth stole your wallet out of your purse? Liam was furious and told me I

wasn’t allowed to spend the night anymore, which flipped you out, and you started fighting again. I was a

bad kid. Why
did
you stick by me?”

“You were never a bad kid. You just got in with a bad group of kids. You needed to get away from

them, and I didn’t agree with mom and dad on how. I knew how terrified you were after you wrecked

mom’s car, but that accident was also the final straw for mom and dad. Juvie wasn’t the answer. You were

ready to change, and I wanted to give you the chance to prove that.”

Emma studied her for a moment before grimacing. “Liam would’ve never let me move in here fulltime.

You picked me over him, didn’t you?” She paused. “You’re still picking me.”

She swallowed. “You’re my little sister.”

“That’s what I thought. I didn’t want to believe you’d actually do that, so I didn’t let myself think about

it. Liam coming back made me have to face reality.” She pushed away from the counter. “I’m going to

move back to mom and dad’s.”

“Wait. But—”

“I’m
glad
you picked me, sis. You’re right. That night scared the hell out of me, but it was your

unwavering support that got me through it. Through all of it. You helped me become a better person,

supported my art in a way mom and dad never had, encouraged my friendship with Jessica. And look at me

now. You did a great job.” Her sister grasped Ava’s forearm and squeezed. “But it’s
my
time to choose. You

love that man out there, and I make you two fight. I’ve always known that, but was too messed up to care. I

care now. I’m different, too. Because of you.” An impish smile came to her lips. “I think Liam won’t be so

against me staying with you guys from time to time now, either.” Emma kissed her cheek. “I am sorry for

everything, Ava, but don’t put your life on hold anymore because of me.”

After her sister left the room, she took a huge gasp of air as her lungs squeezed tight. Emma had grown

up. Ava would always regret what she’d done to Liam, but she couldn’t be sorry for the intelligent young

woman she’d helped her sister become. She would be able to conquer anything now. The world wouldn’t

be prepared for her.

A small smile played at her lips as pride washed over her.

She wanted to go to Liam, tell him what had just happened.

But there was still one last obstacle they had to conquer.

So her sister was out of danger for good.

And they could be as free as Emma felt now.

…

Ava flipped through the channels for almost an hour before she gave up and tossed the remote on the

cushion beside her. Emma had left for the play a couple of hours ago and had asked if she could just stay

with Jessica since they wouldn’t get home until late. Ava had sensed her sister’s true motivation was to give

her time alone with Liam, but didn’t call her out on it. She couldn’t explain that right now they had to keep

their distance from each other.

When she’d talked to Jimmy on the phone earlier, she hadn’t been able to explain that to him either. As

promised, she’d called him, and his interrogation about what had happened after he left had started

immediately. She’d finally appeased him by admitting she would like for her and Liam’s relationship to

work out.

After that, she’d been able to shift the conversation to the coffee shop and away from the darkness

looming over her and Liam. Chatting with Jimmy about the café was different than with Becky. He knew

the ins and outs of everything that needed to be done, including the nightly bookkeeping. He’d reassured

Ava that he’d take care of everything while she was gone. All she needed to focus on was healing and

getting back as soon as possible. When she hung up, she felt better, knowing at least one thing that was

important in her life was in capable hands.

Rising, she balanced on her crutches and decided to put the day to rest. Tomorrow was a new day.

Maybe the day all this came to an end—a
happy
ending, where she and Liam could finally be together.

After she carefully climbed the stairs, she stepped into her room. And froze, as shock erupted all

through her body.

An unfamiliar man with dark hair sat with his foot resting on his knee, his fingers knitted over his

stomach as he leaned back in the chair in the corner of her room.

“Hello, Ava.”

That voice
. Low with menace. Terror engulfed her as adrenaline made her head spin. Flinging the

crutches at him, she whirled around. The roar of blood rushing through her veins filled her ears. Time

seemed to still. Pain ceased to exist. She should be running…why wasn’t she running? Even though her

heart pounded in her chest and her legs pumped beneath her, the walls of the hallway passed too slowly.

The stairs were too far away. The door, the outside, might have been miles from her instead of mere feet.

She was tackled from behind and sent crashing hard to the ground. Air whooshed out of her lungs as

the hardwood floor smacked her chest. She couldn’t die.
Oh, God. Liam! No!
She wouldn’t do this to him.

When her attacker’s weight lifted and he flipped her onto her back, she immediately shoved out with

both feet, hitting him in the middle of his chest. As he went sprawling backward, she scrambled to her feet

and down the stairs, the sound of his rough breath right behind her. A scream ripped from her throat, and

he responded with an enraged, “Fuck!”

At the base of the stairs, he crashed his body into her again, sending her careening into the living room,

while he rolled a couple of feet away. She staggered back to her feet. Just as she made it to the kitchen, a

shove from behind sent her flying. Pain exploded in her head as it smacked against the edge of the counter

and she collapsed onto the tile.

As he flipped her over and straddled her, she screamed, clawed, kicked. Then cold, sharp metal bit into

her neck and she froze.

“It’s time to end this, Ava, don’t you think?”

“Please,” she whispered, terrified for Liam

“I bet my mate said that exact same word as she lay dying.” Moisture brightened his eyes as the blade

trembled against her skin. “He took her from me.”

“He-he didn’t.”

No matter what this man said, Liam had never willingly taken a woman’s life.

“He did!” Rage peeled his lips off his teeth. He replaced the knife against her neck with his other hand,

and pressed down until she was certain he would crush her windpipe. Yanking on his grip, she flailed

beneath him, trying to knock him off, loosen his grip. Anything to breathe again.

“He
killed
her. Why should he have happiness while I’ve lived in hell because of him!” He ran the blade

down between her breasts, then circled the sharp tip around the area below her ribs. “I won’t allow it! I’m

taking him into hell with me.”

No! Her struggles increased, her panic consuming.

Searing pain stabbed through her as the blade pierced her skin. Inch by excruciating inch, he embedded

the butcher knife deep into her side. Numbness spread through her body, leaving her paralyzed, immobile.

The only sound she heard was the beat of her heart in her ears as he straightened. Arms slack at his sides,

he let his head fall back to stare at the ceiling. A long relieved sigh filled the room.

“Finally,” he whispered.

The simple act of breathing felt like the blade was severing every tendon, muscle, and vein inside her.

She took shallower breaths, fought dizziness, lifted a trembling hand to hover around the handle.

Liam.

Tears scorched the back of her eyes. She’d failed him.

“You’re dying slowly, like my Eliza.” When he tapped the top of the handle, she inhaled sharply,

arching up as agony sliced through her. “I bet he’s feeling it right now. He’ll be confused at first. It’s an odd

sensation, like a flare. As your heartbeats slow, darkness will seep in, and then he will no longer be able to

deny what is happening. He’ll freak. Panic. Want to save you, but will know it’s impossible because you are

already gone.”

A tear slid down the side of her face.
She
felt it—the energy bleeding out of her. The difficulty taking a

breath. Everything felt sluggish inside her, failing to keep her alive.

Liam.

It was his handsome face she wanted to see last. Not this man’s. Not with this horror.

“He’s off chasing a terrified shifter soaked in propane, along with the rest of SPAC. I wasn’t going to

give him a chance to tell you how much he loved you, to hold you while you slipped away. He never gave

me that chance. I had to sit in my office and feel the woman I loved leave me forever.”

Anguish tore at her. Liam would blame himself…live life with that horrible darkness
and
the guilt of

leaving her alone. She had to hang on. Live. Never leave him like that.

A faint noise came from outside.

Teeth bared, his head snapped to one side. Fisting his hand around the knife handle, he shoved down,

then savagely yanked the blade out. She moaned, hands covering the exposed wound where blood gushed

and pooled around her.

A horrendous crash came from behind her followed by an enraged roar. The madman’s eyes went

wide.

“It’s not possible,” he whispered hoarsely before a flash of golden fur launched over her and leapt onto

her attacker. Terrified screeches followed.

Help him.

She tried to sit up, but her body refused to cooperate, refused to even move, except for the occasional

twitch. The man had the knife. All it’d take was one thrust for the blade to end Liam’s life.
She couldn’t

lose him
. A pitiful wail erupted from her lips. Faint. Like her heart. .

The shrieks intensified. Her head lolled to the side. The lion was on top of the man. Ferocious snarls

rent the air. The man slashed wildly at him with the knife.

Liam. Don’t leave me
.

A sickening snap sounded, and the lion tossed something into the hair. It landed mere feet from her.

Wide, dead eyes stared back at her from the dismembered head. When she opened her mouth to scream, no

sound emerged. Agony sliced through her torso as she tried to distance herself, causing her vision to swim.

Liam’s beast stepped toward, and all the horror of the last few minutes multiplied at the blood staining the

fur around the animal’s muzzle. The last thing she saw before she lost conscious was the bright red drops

that dripped from the beast’s jowls onto the floor.

Chapter 13

Eight hours later, Liam sat by the hospital bed with his steepled fingers pressed to his lips as he prayed

for Ava to wake. After she’d lost consciousness, he’d quickly licked her wound. Even though it had healed,