The Billionaire Playboy's Ward [Under Revision]

Chapter Sixteen

Isabella felt nervous as she entered her penthouse with Liam close behind her. The last time he spent the night there was when he was totally drunk and almost committed a hideous crime against her but tonight both of them were relatively sober and when he stated that he wanted to spend the night with her, she didn't object. She heard the click of the door behind her and turned to him.

There was something wrong with him, she could tell but he didn't want to talk about it. She felt that maybe it was the reason why he wanted to spent the night there. Maybe he needed someone to comfort him but she wished that he trusted her enough to open up to her.

“Should I put the kettle on for some tea or coffee maybe?” Isabella shed her coat on one of the sofas and made her way to the kitchen.

“No.” Liam grunted and made his way to her fridge then opened her freezer and smiled lightly when he found what he wanted. He pulled out the tub of coffee ice-cream and said. “I knew you would have this.”

Isabella felt a blush on her cheeks. “I also happen to love coffee ice-cream.”

“Want some?” He asked her.

Isabella fished out for two spoons from one of the drawers and followed him out to the sitting room. Liam settled the tub on her glass coffee-table and removed his jacket and tie then folded the long sleeves of his gray shirt up to his elbows and settled down on one of her comfy chairs.

“So, are you going to tell me about your client meeting this evening or will we go through the it's-nothing-I-can't-handle bullshit again?” Isabella turned to Liam knowingly.

Liam's soft laughter rumbled through her bones as he popped the ice-cream and stuck his spoon deep inside it. “I'm a bad influence to you, aren't I?”

“Don't avoid the question, Liam.” Isabella frowned and watched as he slowly pulled out the spoon and licked it. Her insides twisted and turned into soup. “We are partners and that means there are no secrets between us.”

“I'm not keeping secrets.” Liam answered.

“But neither are you telling me the truth!” Isabella felt herself getting annoyed. “Does this have anything to do with what happened this afternoon?”

Liam turned his entire attention to her with his eyes glittering wickedly. “I rather enjoyed myself this afternoon and I'm pretty sure you did too.”

A hot hand landed on her bare knee and slowly made its way up under her pale green dress. Isabella sucked her breath and clamped her hand tightly over Liam's. “You know damn well that's not what I'm talking about.” she shoved her other hand up and little red marks around her wrist were still visible.

Liam eyed the hand for a moment and Isabella saw the way his jaws twitched as he tried to control his anger.

“Does it have to do with this?” She asked softly.

Liam's eyes snapped up to hers and for a moment she thought he was going to lash out at her but instead he reached for her hand and turned it over until her palm was facing up then gently massaged the marks away with the balls of his thumbs. “There are some things that should be left as they are.”

“You have a terrifying look in your eyes and it is the reason why I want to know about this. I'm scared of what you'll do.” She admitted quietly as his thumbs teased the pulse below her palm. The strokes were seductive and they made her anxiety fade away slowly.

“I don't understand why you don't fear me.” Liam's voice became lower. “You should be running away from me; not the look in my eyes or my actions but me.”