Liam's POV
It was a Saturday morning, and I found myself in the kitchen cooking pancakes for Destiny and me. She hadn't come out of her room yet. My mind was still clouded with the memory of the incident in the elevator. That man... the way he looked at her, the way he touched her, it made my blood boil just thinking about it. I gripped the spatula so tightly that my knuckles turned white, a wave of anger surging through me again.
Why do men behave like that? It's something I've never understood, and after seeing Destiny's panic, I was livid. Seeing the terror in her eyes made my heart squeeze painfully. I never thought I could feel so much rage toward someone, but the moment his hand touched her, I was ready to tear him apart.
I replayed the scene in my head. Her soft face, usually so confident, had been marred by fear and vulnerability. The tears that welled up in her eyes as she struggled to maintain composure nearly broke me. I felt devastated inside, and all I could think about was how much I wanted to protect her. Protect her from everything, even if it meant taking down anyone who threatened her.
I knew that man would pay for the consequences. There was no way I could let him get away with what he did. The thought made me grip the edge of the counter harder. No one, and I mean no one, would hurt her while I was around.
As I stood there flipping the last pancake, my thoughts drifted to the conversation I had with Luke the other day in the meeting room.
FLASHBACK
I had been standing by the window in the office, feeling restless and disconnected from the work around me. I'd had no desire to be there anymore. The meeting had drained me, and even though Destiny had gone, I couldn't shake off the unease from the whole situation.
Someone cleared their throat behind me. I turned and found Luke standing there with that typical smirk on his face.
"What do you want?" I asked, not bothering to hide the irritation in my voice.
"I wanted to ask you something," he replied, crossing his arms casually.
"I don't want to answer you, so leave me alone," I said, my tone cold and detached. "And more importantly, stay away from Destiny."
He started laughing, which only fueled my anger. I glared at him, but he didn't seem to care.
"Oh God, you thought I liked her? Seriously?" He chuckled again, as if I had just told the funniest joke.
But his laughter stopped abruptly, and he looked at me with a quizzical expression. "Wait, wait… You've been acting cold this whole time because you thought I had a thing for her?"
I didn't respond. My face remained blank, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd hit the mark.
"Wow," he said, shaking his head. "Here I was just trying to tell you that you should ask her out because of the way you looked at me before the meeting. But I guess you already have feelings for her, huh?"
"That's my business," I said sharply, turning away from him. "I'm trying to figure it out now."
Luke sighed dramatically. "Well, you better figure it out soon. I'll leave you alone. But for the record, I'm already engaged, and I have no interest in Destiny beyond work." He paused at the door. "But you? You should stop holding back."
With that, he left the room, and I was alone again.
The conversation played over in my mind. He was right, wasn't he? Why was I holding back? I knew I had feelings for her. The way my heart raced every time she was near, the way I felt like I could never take my eyes off her, it was more than just attraction. It was deeper, more consuming.
END OF FLASHBACK
Last night, I finally gathered the courage to ask Destiny out. I tried to do it in a business-like manner, keeping things professional. But underneath, I had a plan. I wanted today to be special, for her to see a different side of me. One that wasn't defined by work or the walls I'd built around myself.
After finishing breakfast, I plated Destiny's pancakes and walked to her room. I knocked softly.
The door opened, and there she stood, eyes locked on my chest. I had forgotten to put a shirt on after my shower, and I couldn't help but notice how she was staring. Her eyes traced the lines of my torso, and I couldn't resist smirking a little. She was attracted to me, that much was clear.
I glanced at her outfit, an official dress, the kind she always wore to the office. It didn't suit the day I had planned for her. I needed to change things up.
"I made breakfast for you," I said, stepping into her room and setting the plate down on her bed. "But I don't like your outfit today."
She blinked, taken aback. "What? What's wrong with it? I thought we were going to your office."
I shook my head, walking over to her suitcase and rummaging through her clothes. I pulled out a soft pink dress and handed it to her. "Wear this. It looks better on you."
She opened her mouth to protest, but I quickly cut her off. "Hurry up. You've got fifteen minutes."
I left her room and went to mine to get dressed. Today was going to be different. I wanted her to see the real me, not the cold businessman everyone else knew.
I put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with full sleeves, leaving the top buttons undone. Casual, yet still presentable. I checked myself in the mirror. Good enough.
Downstairs, I waited for her, leaning against the wall, anticipation thrumming through me. The sound of heels clicking on the stairs caught my attention, and I looked up.
My breath caught in my throat. Destiny was descending the stairs, and she looked stunning in that pink dress. It fit her perfectly, accentuating her figure in all the right ways.
She stopped in front of me, and for a moment, I was speechless. Finally, I managed to say, "You look beautiful."
She blushed, her cheeks turning the faintest shade of pink, and I couldn't help but smile.
"Thank you," she said, her voice soft. "And also for the breakfast. It was delicious."
I grinned. "You should be lucky to have it. After all, it was made by me."
She rolled her eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah."
I took her hand, she didn't pull away and led her to the car. We drove in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again.
"You're wearing casual clothes, and you picked this dress for me. Are we really going to the office?"
I glanced at her, then back at the road. Clearing my throat, I admitted, "No. We're not going to the office. I'm taking you out."
She raised an eyebrow. "You're taking me out?"
"I was scared you'd say no if I asked," I confessed, running a hand through my hair nervously. "So I said it was business to get you to come. But really, I just wanted to spend the day with you."
She was silent for a moment, and I worried I had made a mistake. But then she surprised me.
"So, where are we going?" she asked, her voice calm.
I glanced at her, relieved she wasn't angry. "You'll see in a few minutes."
Ten minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of the amusement park. I could see Destiny's face light up the moment she recognized where we were.
"You brought me to an amusement park?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement.
I nodded, unsure if she was happy or not. But when she squealed and practically dragged me toward the entrance, I knew I had made the right choice.
We spent the morning going on ride after ride. Destiny was like a child, her excitement contagious. She held my hand the whole time, and I couldn't help but smile at how carefree she was. It was already noon by the time we finally stopped for lunch.
As we sat down at one of the food stalls, I looked at her, marveling at how relaxed she seemed. It was a side of her I rarely got to see, and I liked it. A lot.
"You've been more excited than I expected," I said, pulling her closer. She blushed as our bodies brushed against each other.
"Well, it's been years since I've been to an amusement park," she admitted, laughing softly. "Thank you for bringing me here."
I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. "I'm glad you liked it. But the day's not over yet. I have another surprise for you."
She looked at me curiously. "Another one? Where are we going?"
"You'll have to wait and see," I teased.
We left the amusement park, and Destiny fell asleep in the car on the way to our next destination. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful, that I didn't want to wake her. But as we arrived at the London Eye, I gently shook her shoulder.
"Destiny, wake up. We're here."
She blinked sleepily, then looked out the window. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of the massive Ferris wheel.
I paid for our private capsule, and we stepped inside. As the wheel slowly lifted us above the city, the sunset painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.