Eva's words still rang in his ears, each one sharp enough to sting, he grabbed the nearest bottle of whiskey, uncorked it with a quick twist, and poured himself a glass, without hesitation, he downed it in one go, the bitterness mirroring the frustration boiling inside him, his thoughts drifted to Nova again, It wasn't the first time today, or even this week.
She was always there, hovering in the back of his mind, her laugh, her stubbornness, the way she looked at him when she thought he wasn't paying attention.
Before he could second-guess himself, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number.
"Hello?" Nova's voice came through, hesitant but calm.
"It's me," he said, his voice rough. "Can you come over?"
"Liam? Is everything okay?" she asked, concern lacing her tone.
"Just... please, Nova," he said softly, almost pleading.
There was a pause before she replied. "Okay, I'm on my way."
When Nova stepped into the apartment, the air felt thick with unspoken words, Liam was seated on the couch, the whiskey bottle and his empty glass on the coffee table. He looked up at her, his eyes a mix of relief and something else she couldn't quite place.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft.
He didn't answer immediately, instead, he poured another glass of wine and handed it to her.
"Drink with me," he said.
"Liam... " she called him
"Please," he interrupted his gaze intense. "Just... sit with me."
Reluctantly, she took the glass and sat beside him, maintaining a bit of distance.
They drank in silence for a while, the tension between them palpable, Nova broke the quiet first.
"What happened?" she asked her voice barely above a whisper.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Eva and I had a fight, a bad one, she left."
Nova frowned. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," he said bitterly, taking another sip of his wine. "It was coming, we both knew it."
She studied him carefully. "Then why does it feel like you're blaming yourself?"
Liam laughed softly, a hollow sound. "Maybe because I deserve it, I've been... distracted, I kept hurting her, giving her hopes while I knew that I could never love her… It just hurts me, I didn't want us to be like this, it's my heart that denied to be with her, denied her love and everything bout her."
Nova looked at Liam and hold his hands "Liam it is not your fault, you can't choose for your heart, you can't even argue with it… you just obey it and it is not a crime at all, so stop blaming yourself and get over it"
"How can you do this?" He asked her but she just looked at him "How can you get the way to make me feel t ease? And how can you endure all this? Like I know you have feelings for me too but I don't know how you hold them like nothing is going on… because I can't do that, I can't hide myself or even control myself… so tell me how do you do this?"
Nova's heart skipped a beat at the way his eyes lingered on her when he said that, she quickly looked away, taking a sip of her whiskey to hide her unease.
"This is dangerous," she said, echoing her earlier thoughts.
"What is?" he asked his tone softer now.
"This," she said, gesturing between them. "Us, talking like this, being here like this, Liam I know you're hurt and you need comfort but..."
Liam set his glass down and turned to face her fully. "Do you regret coming?"
"No," she admitted, her voice shaking slightly. "I just don't know if it was the right thing to do."
The silence stretched, Nova drank couple of glasses of whiskey and her resolve began to waver, the whiskey had softened her edges, making it harder to hold back the words she'd been suppressing.
"Liam," she began her voice unsteady, "this... whatever this is, it's going to be bad for both of us."
"Then why does it feel so impossible to stop?" he asked, his voice raw.
She didn't have an answer, instead, she acted.
Before she could overthink it, she leaned in and kissed him. It was tentative at first, but when Liam didn't pull away, when he kissed her back, deep and insistent, she let herself give in completely, the kiss grew heated quickly, her hands sliding into his hair as his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer.
"Nova," he murmured against her lips, his voice heavy with need and hesitation.
"Don't stop," she whispered her breath warm against his skin. "Just let us finish what we started in the elevator"
Liam looked at her in disbelief "Are you sure?"
She nodded then lean in for another kiss
He didn't stop, Liam stood, lifting her effortlessly in his arms as their lips stayed locked, she gasped softly, clutching his shoulders as he carried her to the bedroom.
Clothes were shed in a blur of motion, their urgency fueled by weeks of suppressed feelings, the intensity of their connection was overwhelming, every touch, every kiss, igniting a fire they couldn't control.
Hours later, they lay tangled together in the sheets, the room filled with the quiet aftermath of their passion.
*****
The next morning Nova woke first, the weight of the night before pressing heavily on her chest, she glanced at Liam, still sleeping beside her, his expression peaceful, what had they done? The memories of her first move pop into her mind, carefully, she slid out of bed, her movements slow and deliberate, she gathered her clothes, her mind racing as she replayed every moment.
She was almost at the door when she heard his voice.
"Leaving already?" Liam's voice cut through the stillness, making Nova jump as though she'd been caught doing something wrong.
"Aaaah, no... it's just... that... I..." She stumbled over her words, the weight of last night's actions crashing down on her. She couldn't face him, not like this.
"Where are you going?" Liam's tone softened with genuine concern. "You didn't even have breakfast."
"I... I have an emergency," she replied quickly, trying to mask the real reason.
"An emergency?" He looked at her skeptically, stepping closer. "Are you trying to avoid this? To avoid me? Or is it because you're embarrassed about what happened between us? Because to me, it looks like you're trying to run away"
Nova's heart raced her chest tight. "Please, don't make it harder," she muttered, her gaze dropping to the floor, unsure of what to say.
Liam tilted his head, studying her. "What's really bothering you?" His voice was gentler now, but there was a hint of frustration beneath the surface.
"I need to go home," she said suddenly, the words slipping out before she could stop them. "I can't stay here... like I didn't just... sleep with someone's man, this... isn't who I am."
"Someone's man?" Liam's chuckle was bitter, but it didn't mask the hurt in his eyes. "You're really thinking about her right now… Nova? After everything? After what we've been through?"
Before he could finish, Nova cut him off, her voice trembling with emotion. "You should be thinking about her, Liam, she loved you and this... this is happening after just one fight?"
Her chest tightened, and she placed her things down on the table, trying to steady her shaking hands. "I know it's my fault, what we did... but you need to think about her, think about what you're doing."
Liam froze, the words hitting him harder than he expected. "Nova...," he started, but she wasn't done.
"No, Liam," she interrupted, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I don't think I can stay in this, maybe we should... maybe we shouldn't talk anymore."
Her voice faltered at the last part, as if saying it aloud would make it real.
"No," Liam said, his voice hardening, he reached out, taking a step closer. "Not this time, if you're thinking about cutting me off, I'm not letting you, not after everything."
Nova swallowed her mind spinning. "You're not listening to me, Liam… I'm not trying to make it harder for you, but this..."
"No, you're not leaving," Liam cut in, his tone more firm than before. "If you think this is something you can walk away from, you're wrong, I won't let you run from this."
"Watch me..." She said angrily
"Nova, if you leave me now I'm not going to talk to you ever again and you won't see me" He said that
"It will be for the better and I will gladly accept that" Nova snapped, her heart pounding in her chest.
She turned sharply, ready to leave, but then froze, her hand on the door handle. Out of anger and regret the moment she finished the sentence, she looks back at Liam then left quickly.
Few days passed Liam and Eva sat across from each other at a small café table, the mood was heavy, the silence stretching awkwardly before Liam finally spoke.
"Thanks for agreeing to meet me," he said softly, his voice carrying the weight of guilt.
"It's fine," Eva replied curtly, stirring her drink without looking up.
Liam took a deep breath. "Eva, I'm sorry, what happened that night..." He hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "You were right about everything."
Eva's eyes snapped up, cold and sharp. "You mean the part where you slept with her, Liam?" Her voice cracked slightly, betraying the anger and hurt she was trying to hold back. "Do you know what it feels like to come back, hoping to fix things, and see you... see you with her? Carrying her to your bedroom"
Liam flinched, the memory slicing through him. "I don't have an excuse, I messed up and I'm sorry."
Eva let out a shaky breath, tears glistening in her eyes. "If you never loved me, you should've said it, Liam, it would've been easier than watching you give your heart to someone else."
"I didn't mean to hurt you," Liam whispered, his voice laced with regret. "You're a good person, Eva you deserve someone who... who can give you everything, I couldn't do that."
Eva's lips trembled as she tried to hold herself together. "You could've told me, Liam. Instead, you lied and the worst part?" She paused, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I hate her for it, I hate her for taking you away."
Liam looked away, unable to meet her gaze. "This isn't her fault, It's mine."
Eva stood abruptly, "Like always... you're still here defending her" brushing away her tears. "Maybe it is your fault, but I'll never forgive her."
She walked away, leaving Liam sitting there alone, the weight of his mistakes pressing down on him.