Chapter 126 What is this Secret
I do not even have time to process what is happening before Liam is right there. He grabs Jordan by the collar and punches him straight in the face.
Jordan screams out in pain and covers his nose, stumbling backward. Blood starts dripping through his fingers. Liam does not let up. He lifts his leg and kicks Jordan down to the ground.
I fall too, my legs giving out underneath me. I can not breathe. I think I am having a panic attack. Some people who were watching come over and try to help me up, but my legs feel so weak I can barely stand.
"Oh my god," someone says. "I think he is killing him. Should we call the police?"
That snaps me back. Through my blurry eyes I see Liam holding Jordan down on the ground, just hitting him over and over. Blood is all over Liam's hand and all over Jordan's face. The sound of his fist hitting skin makes the hair on my arms stand up.
Jordan is crying and begging for him to stop. He is a big guy, he could easily take me with one hand. But he does not have a chance against what Liam is doing to him. I have no doubt Liam wants to kill him right here.
"No. No. Liam, stop!" I pull myself up off the ground and run over to them on my shaky legs. "You are going to kill him. Please stop."
I wrap my arms around Liam and try to pull him off. But his muscles are like rock. I can not move him even a little. And now that I am this close to him, I am kind of scared by how angry his face looks.
"I am killing this fucking son of a bitch!" Liam yells, his face all twisted up. He puts both hands around Jordan's neck and starts squeezing. Jordan's begging gets quieter and he is barely awake.
I have never seen Liam like this before. He comes from this really fancy family. People like him do not get their hands dirty or get into bloody street fights. But here he is, doing this for me. Kneeling in the dirt, beating the hell out of Jordan with his own fists. He must have thrown away all his manners because he is so angry.
But I have to make him stop. I do not care what happens to Jordan. But I can not let Liam make such a huge mistake because of me.
"Stop, please." I grab onto his clothes and beg him. "I am so scared. I am shaking. Please. I need you."
That works like magic. Liam goes still and turns to me right away. His fingers loosen and Jordan falls to the ground. I lean into him and wrap my arms around his chest. He holds me back, so tight, and lowers his head to kiss my forehead.
"Shh, it is okay." I hear his soft voice next to my ear. "I am here. No one can hurt you anymore."
His voice is what finally breaks me. I start crying in his arms, letting out all the fear and everything I have been holding in.
Everything ended with people calling the police.
An ambulance showed up not long after to take Jordan away because he was unconscious. I heard someone say something about a concussion and broken ribs.
My mind felt foggy the whole time. The noise, the crowd, the police, it all felt like it was not really happening. The only thing that felt real was Liam's hand holding mine. He did not let go the whole time.
I was so scared the police would take Liam away and put him in jail. But that did not happen. Liam made a phone call and some guy in a nice suit showed up thirty minutes later. After talking to the police for a bit, he told us we could leave. For now.
"Thank you, David." Liam shakes his hand. "Sophie, this is David Brown, our family lawyer. David, this is Sophie Bennett, my sister."
"Nice to meet you, Miss Bennett. Sorry we have to meet like this." The man smiles at me. He seems really professional. I feel a little better knowing someone like him is handling this.
"Let us go home and talk then." David looks at his phone. "Mr. Thorne is expecting us."
I swallow hard. Of course. With something this big, of course Mr. Thorne is going to be involved. I feel guilty, like this is my fault somehow.
On the way home, I ask the lawyer. "Um, Mr. Brown?"
"David, please."
"Yes, David. I know it is probably too early to say anything, but do you think Liam will get in trouble for this?"
"Well, that depends on how badly that boy was hurt and whether he wants to press charges against us. So we do not know anything for sure right now." He says it so casually.
My heart drops. Oh. That sounds bad.
"Come on," Liam says from next to me. "Do not get her all worried again."
David laughs and shrugs. "But that is why you have people like me to handle things. So you can rest assured Liam will be alright."
We pull up to the townhouse not long after. My mom is already outside waiting for us. She rushes over as soon as she sees us and pulls me into her arms.
"Oh my god, Sophie." She is crying. "How could something like this happen? Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"No, I am fine, Mom." I pat her back. " Liam got hurt more than I did. His knuckles are all torn up."
"Okay, I will have someone bring the first aid kit." She sighs and turns to David. "Alexander is upstairs in his study. He said he wants to talk to you first."
David nods and heads upstairs. Mom goes into the kitchen to make tea. So that leaves me and Liam alone in the living room.
"Hey." He moves closer and takes my hand again. "Are you okay?"
I bite my lip and nod.
I want to throw myself into his arms and kiss him and let him calm me down in his own way. My whole body wants him so badly.
But we can not. We are at home. We have to be careful about how we look at each other so no one finds out about us.
"I am sorry our first date ended up like this." He says it so quietly. His green eyes move over my face, and there is so much love and gentleness in them.
Right. Our first date.
I almost forgot.
If I had not run into Jordan, we would probably be having the best time together right now. That makes me hate that bastard even more.
I sigh and ask him. "What did you have planned?"
He is quiet for a moment, then says in a low voice. "I was going to take you to the Secret Garden."
"Garden?" I blink. "What is that? Like a restaurant?"
His body goes stiff. When he looks at me again, all that love and affection is gone. His face looks dark with anger.
"You do not remember?" His voice sounds strained.
I am surprised by how he is reacting. Should I know this place? I try to think back, but no. I have never heard of it in my whole life.
"I am sorry, but no." I am even more confused now. "Maybe a hint?"
He makes this sound and looks away, pulling his hand from mine. Here we go. The mood swing. I have no idea why he is mad. Did I forget something that was really important to him?
" Liam." I try to get him to talk to me again. "Do not be like that. Maybe I forgot. What is this Secret"
But I do not get to finish because David comes back downstairs to get us.
" Liam and Sophie? Mr. Thorne wants to see you both now."