"I prevented you to take off my shirt that day was because of this."
Norah looked in awe at his hard muscular body, he was definitely in shape considering he is a drinker. But what caught her attention was all of his body covered in tattoos!
She got down from the bed and approached him, a finger touched that permanent black ink on his chest.
"Is it not painful?"
The full body tat covered both of his arms, started from the shoulder, chest, stomach, thighs and legs. It was like he is wearing a clothes.
"Just a little pricking sensation. Not as bad as what I had to endure before I got a full body tat. Look closer, Norah."
Norah was too mesmerized by the art on his body, she traced an eagle at the center of his chest with it two wings spread wide. Then she look a little closer, there were whipping scars.
"God! Who did this to you?" She gasped.
Norah looked at his back, the scars were even more visible than the front side, but the tattoo make a good job in covering the ugly marks.
Liam laughed, but the sound was hollow. "I was caught stealing my boss's drug trafficking money. I should've died in his hands, but thanks to my cousin, I just need to endure 40 lashes."
He was young and dumb at that time, he thought he could get away from stealing a few thousand bucks. Xander was his boss's best friend, so to rescue Liam, he suggested a flogging.
"You were in the underworld too? I never knew you before you rescue me." Norah held back her tears. It must be painful.
"Uh huh. And I'm still working for him." Liam sat on the bed with only a short boxer.
"What? Are you crazy? Why did you want to work with someone who had inflicted such pain and permanent scars on your body…"
He crossed his arms at the back of his head, leaning on the headboard of the bed.
"It was an easy job with huge payment. I just need to supervise the ships from overseas and its transaction. I have plenty of free time."
Norah never asked what he did before, by knowing his current job and the story behind the reason he got a full body tattoo, Liam was not as carefree as he shown.
There was a misery on his face, he had to live with the reminder of his own foolishness for the rest of his life.
"Why did you want to work at the underworld in the first place?" She got up on the bed, settled on his chest.
One of his arm circled her shoulder. "I couldn't stand living with my parents anymore so after I finished high school, I ran away. At that time, Xander was already Valachi's trusted man. He didn't want me to work under the same boss."
Norah nodded her head, she wouldn't have known about him because she was already living at a better place with his brother.
"So your parents.."
Liam rubbed her shoulder. "The last thing I knew they are divorced. I'm glad because that's the best decision, they were constantly at each other's throat. Arguing all day long and sometimes I would think why they ever had me in the first place…"
But Liam knew the reason. He was an accident, the son that nor the two of them wanted to have. Liam's grandfather was a religious person, he insisted that the man who'd impregnated his daughter must take responsibility.
"I just wished that they divorce sooner, and maybe I would choose a different path…"
Norah looked up at him, "Then I will never know you, Liam." She cupped his cheek so tenderly.
"You wouldn't be the person who saved me."
He made a short guttural sound, his chest rumbling at the thought of Norah in other man's hand.
Liam cupped her chin and kissed her in possessive way. Without breaking the kiss, Norah sat on his laps and rubbed his chest, the hot skin she was dying to touch.
She circled her arms on his neck and deepened their kiss. Liam was groping at her breasts then ended their kiss.
"No, we can't continue this anymore. You have to end your relationship with Xander first."
Liam was just teasing her, he didn't care if she was taken, as long as he had her in his grasp.
Norah sulked, "We didn't have any relationship to start with."
Liam widened his eyes in surprise, the girl that worshipped Xander like no other person, finally gave up on her pursue.
"Are you sure, Norah? There's no turning back. Once you're mine, I won't let you go." He stated.
Norah nodded her head, "Then make me yours, Liam."
There was no need for other words, because they were too busy kissing each other, lost in each other's embrace.
They didn't realize that someone knocked on her door, when Liam was about to take off her cute bikini top, the door banged harder.
"Norah! Are you there?"
It was her brother's voice.
They scrambled up from the bed, Norah quickly covered her body in a thin oversized shirt she wear to sleep.
"Do you have another shirt?" The gorgeous man looked at his swimsuit in disgust.
"Oh god! You can't be here!" She shrieked in hushed tone. "G-go hide inside the bathroom." She pushed him.
Norah dreaded the consequence if Noah found her in a room alone with Liam. She kicked the swimsuit under her bed, then straightened her hair and opened the door.
"H-hello, brother." She peeked through the slit of the door.
Her brother pushed the door open wider and walked inside, his eyes scanned the room.
"What do you need, Noah?"
Her brother walked to the back of the room, overlooking the lagoon and Mount Otemanu. He slide open the glass door but nothing or 'no one' was there.
"You have not taken a bath yet? We will have dinner together with Xander."
Norah was sweating when her brother opened her bathroom door. But the small elegant bathroom was empty, the white shower curtain was drawn.
His hand was about to open the curtain but she halted him in the process. "Wait! I have unwashed underwear there. I'm about to take a shower so I didn't hear you knocking at the door. Sorry.."
Noah slowly turned, he expected Liam would be in this room with his little sister.
"Sorry, Norah.. See you at the restaurant." He took a last glance and walked out of the room.
Norah quickly bolted up the door and opened the curtain, she couldn't help the laughter coming out from her mouth.
The big tattooed guy was sprawled inside the bathtub, with only a short boxer and he had to fold his legs because the tub was too small for him.
"Happy? He asked in annoyed tone.
Norah clutched her stomach from the pain because she laughed too hard.
Liam was annoyed, he shouldn't have to hide from Noah. His sister had choose him over Xander.
She shrieked when Liam lifted her up easily and turned on the cold shower with them under it.
"Liam!"
He took off her shirt carelessly, threw it on the floor then followed by her bikini.
"I'll bath you squeaky clean, Norah honey."