Shades of Darkness (Redemption Series) Read Online Free Page A

practically feel his fear reaching out and touching her through the phone. “Mitch?”
    “Olivia! Thank God! Where are you?  Everyone’s panicking here—”
    Unshed tears clogged in her throat. “I’m so sorry, Mitch.” She reached up and swiped her palm across her damp cheeks. “I can’t tell you where I am right now, but I want you to know that I’m okay. I never wanted to hurt you, you have to believe that, and I’m doing this for your safety, too.”
    “Doing what? What the hell are you talking about, Olivia? Are you in some kind of trouble? Tell me where you are and I’ll come get you.”
    Liam shifted restlessly, and she resisted the urge to look at her guardian. It was bad enough having this conversation right beside him. No doubt, he could hear every word Mitch said to her.
    “I can’t, Mitch. I just need you to trust me. I’ll explain everything when I can. I have to go…” her voice cracked. “Tell everyone…tell them I’m so sorry.”
    “Olivia! Wait! Don’t hang up! Sweetheart, I love you! Just tell me what’s going on!”
    “I love you, too,” she whispered before hanging up the phone. The words tasted like bitter acid on her tongue. Did she really?—love him? Maybe she did, in her own way. Perhaps, after all these years, she’d managed to carve out a small part of herself to give to another. But Liam still and always would possess the untouchable part of her heart, the part where her spirit and soul fused. Forcing those words past her lips had been agony. She felt like she’d betrayed Liam and knew, without a doubt, that her heart had already betrayed Mitch.
    The creak of leather and protest of stressed steel forced her attention back to the angel sitting beside her. Liam’s hands tightly clenched the steering wheel. His knuckles blanched, corded muscles straining his forearms. Rigid and stoic, he kept his face turned away from her.
    Tension between them swelled until the air crackled with electricity. “Liam,” she whispered softly.
    He didn’t reply.
    “Liam,” she said again, trying to get him to look at her—to acknowledge her. He pulled into her driveway and slammed the gearshift into park. In one fluid motion, the door was open and he was halfway out the car before she could stop him.  Olivia reached over and placed her hand on his arm. He froze. His flesh leapt beneath her touch.
    “Look at me,” she pleaded. Letting go of his arm, she gently grasped his jaw, turning his face toward her. Slowly, his head came around, and when his eyes reluctantly locked on hers, her breath caught in her throat.
    The deep jade green color of Liam’s eyes, marbled with rich golden amber, reflected back at her, filling Olivia with shame and sorrow. Now she knew why he’d been hiding his face from her, and it only confirmed what she knew in her heart—he was jealous and filled with grief. She’d learned in the past exactly what colors correlated with his emotions, and she also knew he hated having his emotional grid displayed in his eyes for the whole world to see.
    Her hand burned against his cheek, her chest aching with gut-wrenching regret. He was so beautiful…even more beautiful than she remembered. Olivia sat there, speechless, transfixed by piercing eyes she swore could see into her soul. Try as she might, she just couldn’t get the words she needed to say past her lips. What could she say? I’m sorry… I’m engaged to another man while I’m still desperately in love with you? Hardly… That conversation would produce nothing but sour grapes.
    “I’ll go get your bags,” he finally said, breaking contact and letting her off the hook. Liam climbed out of the car with lithe grace. A pang of disappointment speared her heart at the loss of contact with him. Oh Lord, help me… she prayed.
     
    ***
     
    Walking into Olivia’s apartment, Liam was immediately hit with the scent he’d been spared when guarding her from his dimension, and had failed to escape since the