Page 15 of Broken Harmony (Heartbreak Melody #2)

“She knew you would drop everything to go and be at her side. But your mother knew that it wasn’t possible.

Lulu was at the Omega center, a place where no outsiders were allowed,” my dad, Calvin, said.

“Lulu was under an order of protection from anyone from her previous life until everything was dealt with. They wanted no outside influences. There wouldn’t be any point in coming back because you wouldn’t have been able to be there for her like you wanted.

No matter what you said or did. They wouldn’t have allowed it.

And then you would have given up everything for nothing. ”

I protested, telling them Lulu wasn’t nothing. But the more they talked, the more I understood why my mom did what she did.

Then my dad, Ryder, had to drive it home.

“Your mother came from nothing. She had to fight hard for everything she had in life. Her one goal was to give you the world, or as much of it as she could. You finally had everything you worked hard for, dreamed of, and the thought of you losing all that clouded her judgment. We’re not saying it was right of us to keep this from you, but as much as we wanted to tell you, we were in a hard position.

Do as our Omega asks, or go against her and tell our daughter something that would derail her life.

The whole thing was a mess. But we never once did anything with the intent of hurting you. ”

After more shouting and crying, I gave in and called her. Then there was more crying, and in the end, I agreed to work on building that trust and relationship back up.

Maybe it would have happened sooner, but with Julia fucking with my mind so much, trusting anyone these days is nearly impossible.

“Ahhh, where are we?” I ask when we pull up to a run-down warehouse.

Liam frowns, looking down at his phone. “I put in the address Julia sent me.”

“Huh.” I blink a few times, turning to face Liam. “You think this whole photoshoot is just a ruse to get me alone so they can cut me up into a million tiny little pieces and mail them to fans all over the world?”

Liam stares at me with a blank face for a long moment. “You disturb me sometimes,” he grunts.

“Ahh, you're so sweet.” I grin, pushing his arm playfully. “Careful flirting with me there, big guy, it might just work.” I wink.

He raises a brow, but I hold his stare. The longer I look at him, the hotter this car seems to be getting.

I let my eyes drop from his, just long enough to look down at his lips. Ugh. I wanna know what they taste like.

“Ally.” When he says my name like that, low and husky, I’m grateful for the scent-blocking panties, that's for sure.

My eyes flick back up to his, lips parting as my pulse races.

His eyes darken, and it takes everything in me not to climb over this center console and straddle his lap.

“Hey there!” a female voice sounding way too perky breaks us out of the moment, making me jump.

Liam’s hand moves to his waistband, switching to full-on guard mode, and pulls out his pistol, pointing it at the woman standing at my window.

She lets out a squeak of terror and jumps away, hands up.

“Hey there.” I smile over at her.

“Ahh,” she looks from me to Liam. “Are you Ally?”

“Sure am. And you are?” I ask, cocking my head to the side.

“Can you lower your gun?” she asks Liam.

“He won’t do that until you tell us who you are.” I smile. It’s like having my own guard dog. I love it. He really takes no chances, and it’s totally hot.

“I’m Bonnie.” She swallows hard. “I’m in charge of the photo shoot for GR Wear.”

“Ohhhh, why didn’t you just say so?” I turn to Liam. “Down, Cujo.”

His eyes drop to mine, glaring at me, but he puts his gun away.

“Stay here,” he growls, getting out of the car and making his way over to me. Bonnie keeps a wide berth as Liam opens my car door.

“Always the gentleman.” I wink, taking his hand and letting him pull me to my feet. Any chance to touch him, I’m taking it.

“Wanna tell me why this photoshoot is being done in this abandoned building?” Liam asks.

“It’s one of the companies’. It looks rough on the outside, but the inside is converted into different studios for shoots.”

“When you say shoots, do you mean photoshoots?” I grin. “Do they shoot more than just photos?”

“What do you mean?” Bonnie asks, brows furrowing.

“They’re not filming porn here, Ally,” Liam sighs heavily.

“Hey, you never know. This is Hollywood after all. Wouldn’t surprise me.” I shrug and start heading towards the building, not having a clue where I'm going.

“Crazy-ass woman.” I hear Liam mumble under his breath, making me smile.

***

“Ally, could I get you to straddle him, please?” the photographer asks.

My eyes flick over to his, and I raise a brow.

“Don’t have to worry about me getting a stiffy or anything, doll face,” Mark, the model underneath me, chuckles. “You're not my type.”

“Because I’m an Omega?” I ask him.

“No. Because you're not a man.” He grins wide. “Also, think you could tell that to your man over there? Because he’s glaring at me like he wants to rip me apart. And not in the fun way if you know what I mean.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

I snort out a laugh. “Don’t mind him. He just takes his job seriously.”

“Job?” Mark raises his brows. “He’s your bodyguard?” I nod. “Mhm, girl. He wants to do more than just guard your body.”

“Stop,” I laugh, and I swear I hear Liam growl.

“I think someone is a little jelly,” Mark hums.

It’s wrong of me, but I just can’t help myself. “Want to test that theory?”

Mark grins. “I’m down.”

“Like this?” I ask the photographer. I lower myself down on Mark, the position putting my breast really close to his face.

The photo shoot is for a sports wear line, promoting workout gear. It’s just glorified underwear if you ask me. But hey, they make my tits and ass look great.

“Yes, just like that.” The camera goes off, and my eyes find Liam’s for the briefest of seconds.

Oh. Maybe Mark is right. Liam looks pissed.

Why does that turn me on so much? Could he really be jealous?

If so, why? He acts like he can’t stand me for the most part.

And why do I care so much? Maybe he wants nothing to do with me because I’m his boss. It would make sense. Most people don’t want to get involved with the people who pay them. It’s messy.

But damn it. Why doesn’t my mind or body get that memo? It’s a bad idea. I am his boss. My life is in his hands. I shouldn’t be thinking about anything more than that.

Try telling that to my heart, body, and mind.

The photographer instructs us to move into different positions, and I get into it, playing along, having fun. I keep sneaking glances at the mirror to my left, and I look hot as fuck. I might not wear this stuff to work out, but it sure is working to drive Liam wild.

“Alright. Mark, cup her ass, hold her close,” the photographer requests, and that’s all it takes for Liam to get up off his seat and storm over to us.

“Enough!” he barks, and my spine stiffens. My worried eyes flick over to him, but he’s not talking to me. He’s glaring at the photographer. “I think you got enough. This is a photo shoot, not a porno.”

The guy glares at Liam, but he doesn’t fight him on it. “That’s enough for today. I got some good shots. It’s going to be amazing.” He smiles, turning his attention away from Liam.

“Come on,” Liam mutters, grabbing my folded clothes that were set off to the side and handing them to me.

“Oh, come on. It’s just a little fun,” I pout up at him as I take the clothes from him.

“Fun?” he growls. “That man looked three seconds away from mounting you.”

I bite my lip, trying not to smile. He’s so wrong, but I don’t tell him that.

Looking over my shoulder at Mark when Liam turns away, he winks and I grin back.

Making Liam jealous seemed to work, but at what cost? The car ride back to the bus is filled with tense silence.

I need to stop. I’m playing a game where no one wins.

Still, I can’t seem to help myself. I want Liam. My heart and body crave him, but I don’t fucking know why!

And it doesn’t change the fact that I’m still madly in love with Lulu.

I’m so confused about what to do.

I told myself no relationships, career first.

But when I go to bed alone at night, all I can think about is Lulu on one side and Liam on the other.

My mind is a fucked up mess, just like the rest of me I guess.

***

It’s hours later, and I’m drunk. Really drunk. I hardly drink, not really liking the feeling of not being in control of my own body.

But after today, I needed to get out of my head.

I’m on the roof of the apartment building that we were invited to for a party some celebrity is throwing. At first, I wasn’t going to come, but then the guys told me they were going, so I said fuck it.

Should have just stayed back because I spent most of the night being broody as hell, drinking.

Maybe I’m spending too much time with Liam. His personality is rubbing off on me.

“Why do you hate me?” I ask Liam when I feel him coming up behind me.

I’m leaning against the wall, looking over the city’s night sky.

He’s silent for a moment before he speaks. “I don’t hate you,” he grunts.

I snort a laugh. “Could have fooled me. You hardly ever talk to me. And when you do, you sound pissed off with me. You never joke, you never smile, but I know you can. I see you with your brother. With the guys. So why not with me ?” I ask, hating how vulnerable I’m letting myself be right now.

He lets out a heavy breath, stepping up next to me. We both lean our arms on the top of the wall, watching the city for a while.

“I don’t hate you,” he says again, finally looking towards me. I look at him. I see it in his eyes. He means it.

“Then why do you treat me differently? Is it because I’m your boss?”

“Partly.”

“So, you don’t hate me?” I ask, voice almost a whisper. He makes me feel all kinds of ways when he looks at me like this. I both hate it and love it. He shakes his head slowly. “So... you like me?”

“More than I should.” His answer is so low, and if it wasn’t so silent up here, I wouldn’t have heard it. My heart starts to race, and I find myself leaning forward.

“Then why don’t you do anything about it?”

His face turns to stone, and I know I fucked up.

“Because you’re not my scent-matched Omega,” he says, looking away from me.

It feels like someone is stabbing me in the heart.

“So?” I ask, trying not to let the hurt show in my voice.

He shakes his head, looking down before looking back over to me.

“I like you, Ally. More than I should. You’re smart, funny, sweet, and kind. You drive me fucking crazy, in all the best and worst ways. I’ve never wanted anyone more in my life than I want you.”

My breathing picks up, eyes darting frantically between his. Did he really just say all of that, or is my drunk mind making me hear what it thinks I want?

And if all of that is true, then why the hell won’t he do something about it?

I open my mouth to ask just that, but he cuts me off.

“I can’t,” he says, eyes pleading. “I can’t get hurt like that again.”

“I wouldn’t hurt you,” I say, but that’s a promise I wouldn't be able to keep. Because I don’t even know what the fuck is going on right now.

He gives me a sad smile, and I hate it so damn much.

“You think that now. But I’ve been here before, Ally.

I’ve been with Omegas who weren't my scent match. I’ve fallen hard, and in the end, I’m the one getting crushed.

They find their scent match, leaving me behind like I meant nothing because that’s how strong scent matches can be.

I can’t go through that again. The last time.

..” he looks away, shaking his head. “Doesn’t matter. ”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I look away too, the tears welling behind my eyes, about to fall any second now. Why does my chest hurt so much?

I should have just kept my damn mouth shut.

“And I wouldn’t want to cause you that kind of pain either,” he says softly.

“I’d hate myself if we started something only for my scent match to pop up when they’re least wanted.

I could be madly in love with you, happy, starting our own damn family, but none of it would matter because fucking scent matches are more powerful.

They have the ability to rip packs apart. I can’t do that to you.”

“But scent matches are rare. We could go our whole lives not ever finding them,” I protest, hating how pathetic I sound as the tears fall.

“It’s not a risk I’m willing to take.”

“So, you're just going to be alone for the rest of your life?” I ask, anger rising inside me.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do.” He shrugs. “I’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

My chest heaves as I glare at him. Fuck him. Fuck him, and fuck his past.

You can’t live life expecting the worst. That's how you miss out on the best things.

Says the girl who is getting worked up over the fact her bodyguard won’t be with her, when in reality you have no fucking clue if you could be with him the way you want to when you’re so hung up over your best friend you left behind to suffer some fucked up fate.

Ripping my eyes away from him, I stumble towards the door.

“Ally!” he calls after me.

“I want to go home,” my voice croaks. “Just forget about this, okay? Let’s just go back to being the popstar and her bodyguard.”

“Ally,” he’s closer now.

“Drop it, Liam.” I spin to face him, nose to nose now, as tears spill down my cheeks. “Please.”

His jaw flexes, nostrils flaring. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Liam,” I beg, hating every second.

“Fine,” he grinds out. “It’s already forgotten.”

“Thank you,” I sniff, turning away from him and throwing the door open.

His words are a lie. For the both of us. There’s no way either of us are going to forget this.

Sometimes, I really should know when to keep my fucking mouth shut. It only gets me into trouble.

When are you going to learn, Ally? No one wants you. And the ones who do, don’t think you’re worth the fight.

That's okay. I don’t need anyone. I have myself, and I have the guys. I’ll be okay.

Until they find an omega of their own, then what?