Chapter 16

Denise squirmed, uncomfortable. She had made dinner only to have her children decide they wanted to eat with new friends. After their day at school, she figured they deserved a little bit of time with people who wouldn't judge. This meant that she and Liam were left alone in his house. Because she'd already cooked, he'd decided to eat with her. It had been a quiet affair so far.

"Have I done somethin' to piss you off?" he asked, taking a bite of his baked potato.

She looked up sharply. "No, why?"

"Since I talked to you earlier, you seem like you're either pissed off or scared of me." He shrugged, rattling his ice in his glass before taking a drink. He watched her closely. It was obvious she wanted to say something, but she held back. "You can say whatever you want to me, I won't be mad."

"Are you sure?" she asked, playing with the food on her plate. "Because earlier, you went from a happy-go-lucky guy to looking like you could murder someone with the flip of a switch. It scares