Page 47 of Liam (The Valeur Billionaires #4)

Chapter Thirty

LIAM

“ W hat are you doing?” Aleria asks, her voice husky, her eyes half-closed from sleep. She’s lying in my bed, her hair tousled against the pillow. Since I got out of the hospital a month ago, she’s been here, sleeping beside me. My woman. And I never want her to leave.

The thought catches me off guard. Mine. She’s mine, and I want her here with me, always.

“Why do you have a glass of ice?” Her eyes narrow.

I pull out a single ice cube, raising an eyebrow. “You’ll see soon enough.” The cube rests between my teeth as I climb over her, tossing the blanket aside.

Her eyes widen. “Liam?”

I don’t answer. I can’t, not with the ice in my mouth, but I also don’t need to. Instead, I lower myself over her, the cool air brushing her bare skin. My breath catches at the sight of her, every inch of her calling to me. Where to start?

I drop my head, pressing the ice cube against her nipple. She gasps, her body arching off the bed. “Liam!”

I don’t say a word, just move the ice around her now taut nipple, savoring the way it hardens beneath my gaze, the trail of water glistening in its wake.

I press the ice cube between my teeth, grinning down at her as I slide it lower, letting it melt as I guide it over her stomach.

The cold leaves a wet trail down her skin, her body quivering beneath me.

Her eyes are wide, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths, anticipation thick between us.

“Cold,” she murmurs, her hands fisting the sheets, but her hips still rise to meet me, seeking the heat I haven’t given her yet.

I hold the cube with my fingers.

“Wait for it,” I rasp, pushing her legs apart with my knee and placing the cube between her thighs. The second it touches her there, her body jolts.

“Liam!” Her voice is sharp, her fingers tangling in my hair as if she can stop me. But she doesn’t really want to stop me. She shudders, torn between the cold and the heat that’s building inside her.

I replace the ice with my mouth, my warm breath rushing over her wet skin, chasing the icy trail with my tongue, and her moans melt into the air.

I tease her, alternating between the sharp sting of cold and the soothing warmth of my lips, watching as her body tightens under the sensations.

She’s burning up now, even though her skin is slick and cool from the melted ice .

Her legs tremble, and I don’t stop. I let the last remnants of the ice cube slip between my fingers, pressing it against her clit.

She gasps, but I’m there, following the cold with the heat of my mouth, my tongue circling her sensitive nub.

Her breath hitches, her body writhing beneath me, caught between two extremes: the ice fading and the fire I’m stoking rising higher.

She’s right on the edge, her body tensing, her thighs clamping around my head as I slip the ice inside her, pushing it deep before replacing it with my fingers.

Her moan is a desperate sound, her hips lifting to meet my hand as I work her with everything I have, my fingers thrusting, curling inside her as my mouth focuses on her clit, sucking, licking, teasing until she’s trembling.

I settle between her thighs, spreading them wider, my cock throbbing with the need to be inside her.

Pressing my forehead against hers, I wait, lingering at her entrance. She’s warm, slick, and all I need is one small push to be inside, but I hold back, taking in the moment, her scent, the way her body fits against mine.

She whimpers. “Liam.”

“You want me?” I lick the shell of her ear, trailing down her neck and back to her lips.

“Yes,” she moans.

“You want my cock inside you, Aleria?”

“Yes,” she breathes, her voice desperate.

“I’ll give you everything. All of me.” And with one smooth thrust, I sink into her, her tight heat wrapping around me like it was made just for me.

“Wider,” I murmur.

She obeys, opening up, and I press deeper. Perfect. Every inch of her fits me, and I know—this is where I belong .

Her breath hitches as I pause. The heat between us is electric. Her skin flushed beneath my touch, her body trembling in anticipation. I pull back, just an inch, and then thrust slowly, deliberately, every movement sending a shockwave through both of us.

“Liam,” she gasps, her fingers gripping my shoulders as I drive deeper.

I lower my head, brushing my lips against her neck and the rapid pulse of her heartbeat beneath her skin.

Her body moves with mine, each roll of her hips drawing me further into her, her nails digging into my back.

The friction between us is maddening. Her soft gasps fill the air, mixing with the low growl building in my chest.

“I want to hear you,” I whisper against her ear, nipping at her earlobe. “Let me hear how much you need this.”

She moans louder in response, her body arching beneath mine as I pick up the pace, thrusting harder, deeper. The sounds she makes drive me wild—soft whimpers mixed with broken cries, her body responding to every movement, every push and pull.

I shift, angling my hips, and her reaction is immediate. She throws her head back, her mouth falling open as a cry tears from her throat. Her legs wrap around me, pulling me closer, tighter, as I hit that spot inside her that makes her lose control.

Her nails scrape down my back, a delicious sting that only spurs me on, my pace relentless now, pounding into her with everything I’ve got.

“Liam, oh God, yes,” she gasps, her voice barely more than a breath as her hands tangle in my hair, tugging me closer, her lips crashing against mine in a heated kiss .

I devour her mouth, swallowing her cries as I continue to move inside her, her body tightening around me, every muscle coiling as she teeters on the edge.

I pull back just enough to look down at her. Her eyes are wild, pupils blown, her lips swollen from our kisses. Her chest rises and falls, her breasts brushing against my chest with each ragged breath.

“Come for me, Aleria,” I murmur, my voice rough with need. “I want to feel you.”

Her body tightens even more, and with a sharp cry, she shatters around me. Her pulse, her walls contracting as she falls apart, her nails digging deeper into my skin as she rides out her climax.

I’m not done with her, not yet. My hands move to her hips, sliding down to cup her ass, and I flip her onto her stomach, positioning her beneath me. Her breath hitches, and she glances over her shoulder, her eyes wide, a flicker of excitement mixed with anticipation.

“Liam?” she murmurs, her voice already husky again.

I don’t answer with words, but let my actions speak louder.

I grip her hips and lift her onto her knees, her body arching for me.

The curve of her back, the soft line of her waist, everything about her is breathtaking.

I trail my fingers down her spine, eliciting a shiver from her before positioning myself behind her.

With one slow thrust, I enter her again, and she gasps, her fingers gripping the sheets beneath her. The new angle sends a wave of pleasure crashing through me, and I have to grit my teeth to keep from losing control right there.

She moans, pushing back against me, her body so responsive, so eager. I take her hips in my hands and move, each thrust deeper and more deliberate than the last. The sound of our bodies colliding fills the room, her soft whimpers mingling with my ragged breaths.

Her back arches more, pressing her ass into me, and I groan, my grip tightening as I drive harder.

The way she moves, the way she responds to every thrust—it’s addictive.

I lean forward, my chest pressing against her back, one hand sliding around to cup her breast, my thumb brushing over her already sensitive nipple.

“You’re so damn beautiful,” I murmur against her ear, nibbling her earlobe as she trembles beneath me. “I could do this all night. Watch you fall apart like this.”

Her only answer is a moan, her body tensing as I reach between her legs, my fingers finding her swollen clit. I circle it slowly, and her knees nearly buckle as she whimpers my name.

I thrust faster, my fingers working her clit in tandem, and she’s tightening around me, her whole body shaking. She’s close, so close.

Just when I think she’s about to come, I pull out, flipping her over onto her back again, not giving her a second to catch her breath. Her eyes widen as I grasp her legs and throw them over my shoulders, bending her almost in half.

She cries out, breathless, as I plunge back inside her, deeper than before. Her hands fly to my chest, her nails digging in as I set a ruthless pace, her body bouncing with every thrust.

She’s lost in it now, her head thrown back, lips parted in a silent scream as her body tightens around me.

Her body arches, and she falls apart in my arms, her orgasm ripping through her with such force that she’s left trembling. I don’t stop. I keep thrusting, milking every wave of pleasure from her until she’s limp, her chest heaving with each breath.

I push deeper, her body quivering with aftershocks.

“Liam,” she breathes as I thrust one last time, her body clenching around me. That’s all it takes to send me over the edge.

I growl her name, my release crashing over me as I spill into her, my arms tightening around her as I bury myself as deep as I can, feeling her shudder against me.

I collapse against her, our bodies slick with sweat, her chest rising and falling beneath me. For a moment, we just lie there, tangled together, our hearts pounding in sync. Her fingers trail through my hair, and I press a soft kiss to the curve of her neck, my breath still heavy.

“You’re mine,” I murmur against her skin, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

She lets out a soft, breathless laugh, her voice teasing but filled with something deeper. “I think it’s pretty clear that goes both ways, Mr. Valeur.”

I smile against her skin, pulling her closer as we lie in the quiet, the aftermath of our passion lingering in the air. There’s no need for words now, not when everything I need to know is in the way she holds on to me.

Minutes pass, maybe hours, and I roll onto my back, pulling her with me. She rests her head on my chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns over my skin.

“You know,” she says after a long silence, her voice soft, “I never expected this... Us.”

I hum in response, my hand stroking her back. “Neither did I. ”

She lifts her head to meet my gaze, her eyes still dazed but clearer now. “I’m glad. Even if you drive me crazy sometimes.”

I chuckle, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “It’s mutual, trust me.”

She rolls her eyes, but the smile that tugs at her lips is soft and genuine. She nestles closer, and I tighten my arms around her, my heart settling into a steady rhythm. This—her in my arms, the quiet that follows the storm—it feels right. It feels like home.

“Please tell her about the stalker,” Ryan wheezes, wiping tears from his eyes, his voice echoing off the hand-painted walls of Le Cirque’s private dining room. “Oh God, tell her about the stalker.”

I take a measured sip of whiskey, watching Aleria’s smile, how she’s captivated and somehow at ease here with us. Under the golden light of the chandeliers, she looks radiant, her eyes glinting with curiosity.

“We are absolutely not telling that story.”

“Oh, we absolutely are,” Diego says with a grin, leaning in as if it’s a top-secret confession. He turns to Aleria, his eyes twinkling. “So, this woman shows up at his office?—”

“Wearing a wedding dress,” Alex cuts in, almost knocking over his glass in his excitement.

“She’d never even met me,” I mutter, signaling our ever-discrete waiter for another round.

“That’s what made it so good!” Ryan slaps the table. “She’d seen him in Forbes and decided they were meant to be.”

“She run through security,” I say dryly. “Very romantic.”

“Security had to carry her out,” Diego adds. “While she was screaming, ‘But we’re meant to be! I named our children already!’”

Aleria’s practically crying with laughter. “What were the kids’ names?”

“Liam Junior, Liamette, and Bob,” Alex adds.

“Bob?” Aleria turns to me.

“Don’t ask me, I didn’t name them.”

Aleria laughs, holding her stomach. Seeing her like this, laughing with the people who mean the most to me, fills me with an unexpected warmth.

“She was harmless,” I mutter. “Just...enthusiastic.”

“Enthusiastic?” Ryan slaps the table. “She wallpapered her entire apartment with his Forbes cover!”

“And named her cat Corporate Liam,” Diego adds, wheezing.

Aleria’s practically crying with laughter. “What did you do?”

“Honestly, it was just business,” I say, deadpan. “I arranged a meeting?—”

“He leaked to the press that Harrison, his biggest competitor, was interested in buying his company,” Diego interrupts. “Helen showed up to protest the takeover?—”

“With signs saying ‘Don’t Take My Man’s Company!’” Alex howls.

“Harrison was so impressed by her business analysis of why the merger would fail,” Ryan wipes his eyes, “that he hired her on the spot. ”

“Last I heard, she moved on to obsessing over some tech billionaire in Silicon Valley,” Diego adds.

“Very on-brand,” I say. “Though I do miss the daily love letters to Accounting.”

The laughter quiets, leaving a warmth in the air. She squeezes my hand under the table, a subtle gesture that sends warmth through me. I trace circles on her skin with my thumb, grounding myself in the simple touch, in the fact that she’s here with me, fitting into my world without even trying.

“Tell her about the board meeting!” Ryan says.

“No,” I say, giving him a mock glare, but Aleria’s already leaning forward, eyes twinkling.

“Oh, the board meeting is legendary .” Diego grins, and I sigh, resigned.

“Do it, Liam,” Aleria teases, giving me a look that makes resisting impossible.

Diego grins, turning to Aleria. “So, Liam’s giving this big presentation to the board?—”

“You’re all fired,” I announce.

“We don’t work for you,” they chorus.

“Then I’m buying your companies just to fire you.”

“Worth it,” Diego decides. “Should we tell her about the woman who thought Liam was an undercover prince?”

“No.”

“Oh God, the princess story,” Ryan cackles. “When she showed up with a tiara?—”

“I’m cutting you all off.” I signal the waiter. “No more alcohol. You’re hallucinating.”

Even Marcus is fighting a smile now.

“The best part,” Alex says to Aleria, “is that he actually helped her too. Got her an audition at a Renaissance Fair. ”

“I’m rethinking my friendship choices,” I announce.

“You are not. You love us too much.” Alex grins.

“Debatable.”

“Should we tell her about the woman who thought you were her long-lost twin?” Diego asks.

“Check, please!”