Page 57 of Cruel When He Smiles

“You already made it this far, Pup,” he says with a smile and steps back, holding the door open. I enter slowly, eyes adjusting to the low light of his room. It’s clean, as I expected—organized chaos rather than pure filth that some athletes live in.

And then the scent hits me.

Jesus.

I suck in a breath without meaning to, and it burns in my throat. Creed Aventus. Of fucking course he’d wear something like that. It’s the cologne of men who know what power smells like. Masculine without trying too hard.

“You can sit,” he says casually, as he shuts the door behind me with a soft click. “Unless this was just a drive-by thank you and you plan to flee again.”

I stop near the middle of the room, suddenly unsure where to put myself. My fingers twitch in my hoodie pocket, and I exhaleslowly through my nose, trying to focus on anything that isn’t him.

“I figured…” I start, then trail off.

He watches me carefully, and I can’t tell if he’s amused or suspicious. Maybe both. Probably both. “I’m glad you came,” he says finally, and it doesn’t sound like a line. It sounds… real.

I nod, unsure of what else to do. “Are you always like that?” I ask before I can stop myself. “The way you were earlier.”

His brow lifts, and he looks confused. “What do you mean?”

I hesitate because I don’t really know how to put it into words, so I look away. “Uhm… Calm, in control. I don’t know. It’s like you… knew exactly what to say to pull me out of it.”

When I glance at him again, Liam’s still watching me. He doesn’t smile this time, and he doesn’t tease. His expression is unreadable in that way that always makes me feel like I’m behind, like I’m playing chess with someone who’s already stolen all the pawns and just left the king standing there, exposed and pathetic.

“I know what it feels like to drown and not have anyone notice,” he says. “So, when I see it happening to someone else, I do something about it.”

My throat tightens. “Thank you,” I whisper, and it costs me. I hate how raw I sound.

His expression softens, and it looks so fucking weird. “You don’t have to thank me, Nate. Especially not after how I’ve been treating you.”

“I do,” I insist, my voice barely holding steady. “I’ve never… no one’s ever done that. Sage is my best friend, but he’s never seen that part of me. I don’t let people see it.”

Liam’s eyes darken at that, and I think he likes it. “But you let me.” It’s not a question.

I nod, even though it scares me. He moves closer, reaches up, and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, the motion slow andgentle. I should move and shut this down before it gets worse, but I stay still and let him touch me. I let him look at me the way no one ever has.

“You okay?” he asks, and his voice is so gentle it cuts.

I laugh, hollow and thin. “Not even close.”

“I didn’t think so,” he says with that same soft smile that pins me in place more than anything else ever has.

“I don’t want to talk about it, though,” I say, and the words sting because Idowant to talk about it, but I don’t knowhow.

“You don’t have to,” he murmurs.

I nod once, grateful that he’s giving me this out. And then he does something that completely undoes me. His hands slide around my waist, not possessive or demanding, just… holding me. My composure splinters, and I press my face against his chest before I close my eyes and pretend—for just a second—that I’m not a fucking disaster barely stitched together.

I let myself be quiet in his arms, let myself sink against him and drown in his scent for just a breath, just a second too long.

“I should go,” I murmur against his chest, and I can feel him nodding.

“Okay,” he says, but he doesn’t let go right away and neither do I.

When I finally step back, I feel the loss of his body like a chill. I turn toward the door and open it slowly before glancing back at him. “Goodnight, Liam.”

He smiles, soft and warm, and so fucking dangerous. “Goodnight, Pup.”

And I leave, heart pounding, wondering which part of me he’s already claimed without me knowing.