Chapter 45 What Doesn’t Belong to Me
POV Damian:
“All right. Was that all?” Liam didn’t seem to understand my behavior—and honestly, neither did I. I was jealous, but I didn’t want to let it show.
“You’re not mad that I just told you I was making out with your girl?” he asked, incredulous. He knows how possessive I can be with everything that belongs to me—but what he doesn’t know is that Scarlett doesn’t belong to me. She never did.
“My girl?” I laughed without humor. “Are we back in college now?” I shook my head. “She’s not mine. There’s nothing between us.” He frowned, and I knew he saw right through the lie.
“So… no problem if I keep fooling around with her?”
I clenched my fists beneath the table, away from his sharp eyes.
“With Noah?” he added, that other idiot’s name twisting in my chest. I shrugged, pretending I didn’t give a damn.
“I don’t need to give my blessing, Liam. If you two want to have an orgy, I don’t care.” I lowered my eyes to the document in front of me.
“Good idea. Maybe I’ll invite Ethan—who knows, maybe he and Scarlett will join in,” he provoked, but I didn’t take the bait of his childish teasing. “We’re good?” he asked, serious now. I lifted my eyes and saw the concern there—that fear that maybe we weren’t.
“Yes, we’re good.” I wasn’t lying, even though I still didn’t know what I felt about the little make-out session he and Noah had with Scarlett. “Now get out of here. I have work to do.”
“Yes, sir.”
Liam left my office calmer than he’d entered, and that made me realize all his nerves came from not knowing how I’d react. As much as I’m upset, I have to be realistic: I have nothing with Scarlett. Who she’s with doesn’t concern me, just as she’d have no right to say anything if I decided to be with someone else.
Would she, though?
I shake my head, pushing those thoughts away, and get back to work.
(...)
POV Scarlett:
A month. A fucking month has passed, and Damian barely speaks to me beyond the essential: hi, good morning, good afternoon, good night, yes, no, I’m late, I have to go, see you later, goodbye. I’ve been patient, I swear I have. I talked to Ethan about what happened between Liam, Noah, and me, and Ethan seemed to take it pretty well—better than the asshole did, at least. Yes, he’s back to his old self. The uptight, polished, flawless asshole.
I thought things would get worse between me and the brothers after my little escapade with Noah and Liam, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Things actually got better. Noah has become a great friend—he makes me laugh like no one else—and thanks to him, I’ve learned to cook all kinds of fancy dishes. Every now and then, he still brings up what happened between us, which immediately leaves me with wet panties and a face on fire.
Liam, on the other hand, has become my confidant. I tell him things I don’t tell Ethan or Noah. He was incredibly sweet on the anniversary of my mother’s death, spending the whole day with me watching movies and eating chocolate. Ethan is amazing—he’s going to be a wonderful father. He’s helped me with everything about motherhood, answered all my questions, and he’s also the one who takes me to visit my dad. At first, my father wouldn’t see me, but after a talk he had with Ethan, he agreed to it. It’s only for a few minutes each time, but to me, it’s a dream. We don’t talk about much—mostly about the weather or his meals—but he’s been making progress. Still, I can’t help but fear that once he’s discharged, he’ll go back to drinking.
Everything could be considered perfect—except it isn’t. And it’s all because of one person: Damian, the fucking jerk Blackwell. I’m upset with him. I’ve been trying to get closer, but he’s been avoiding me and won’t even give me a chance to talk. I’m tired of waiting. I’m tired of leaving him alone. He’s my baby’s uncle, and I want him to be part of everything that has to do with the baby. That’s why I’m here now—dressed in professional clothes, ready to start working as his and Liam’s secretary. Of course, we went behind his back to make it happen. The only thing he knows is that a new candidate is coming in for the position, since he fired the last one the same day she started. I made sure to leave half an hour earlier than he did, just for the pleasure of parking Noah’s R8 in his precious spot.
In front of the elevator, Liam is waiting with that gorgeous smile of his. The idea of parking in Damian’s space was his, and using Noah’s R8 was Noah’s idea. He reminded me that Damian believes the car is mine—the car Noah bought for me. Ethan only told me to make Damian’s day as difficult as possible, and I’m more than eager to begin.
“Do you think he’s going to be really pissed?” I ask, stepping beside Liam as we wait for the elevator doors to open.
“A little,” he says with a grin, resting his hand on my belly. “It’s getting more noticeable every day.” I smile, covering his hand with mine. “I can’t wait to find out the gender.”
“Me neither. Ethan swears it’s a girl, and Noah says it’s definitely a boy.” The doors open, and we step inside, still sharing one of our many quiet moments together. Liam loves caressing my belly. Noah loves kissing it. And Ethan loves doing both.
“It’s a girl,” Liam says softly, “and she’ll be as beautiful as her mother.” And there it is again—that tremor that runs through me whenever we share moments like this. I look at his mouth, dying to kiss him.
“Scarlett, you know all you have to do is ask.”
Yes, I know. He made that very clear during our conversation a few weeks ago. Both he and Noah—and Ethan—want to try a polyamorous relationship with me, even though they don’t really know how it works. I want to say yes, but... The elevator doors open, and we step out. I follow Liam to what will be my new workplace.
“I’m nervous,” I admit.
“Don’t be. You’ll do great.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders. “You know you can call me anytime.”
“I know. Thank you.” I smile—and before I can even react, Liam brushes his lips against mine.
“Liam...”
“Just a kiss, Scarlett,” he murmurs, and I can’t bring myself to deny him. I want it as much as he does—maybe more.
I open my mouth to welcome his tongue, and I can’t stop the moan that escapes just from feeling it against mine. My hand slips around his neck, my nails scraping lightly at the back of it, while his hands grip my waist, making me gasp into his mouth. I want this. I want Liam—just as much as I want Ethan and Noah.
They’ve slowly helped me rebuild my confidence, made me see that it’s not wrong to love more than one person. They’re fun. They make me happy. They care about me. They care about the baby.
Maybe... maybe I can try.