The Belladonna Effect

Liam Gallagher can't seem to stop screwing up his life. For years, his destructive tendencies have hurt those around him. First Patsy, then Nicole and now Debbie. But this time, something feels different-and it cuts deeper. There's no more anger or shouting, no dramatic confrontations. Instead, there's only tired looks and disappointed faces, as if everyone has finally given up on him. "Oh, poor Liam, the sick bastard just can't keep it in his pants. Well, what are you gonna do about it?" they mutter, half-heartedly, as though he's become more of a cliché than a tragedy.

But this time, the woman involved isn't like the others. She has needs that set her apart. On one hand, she's desperate to leave behind a dark past, craving a new life full of happy times and warmth-the kind only a family can provide. On the other, she longs for obsessive, all-consuming love... but not his.

For the first time in his life, Liam finds himself helplessly, maddeningly in love. It's a kind of longing he hasn't felt since he was a teenager. His heart races, his pulse quickens, and every rejection from her leaves him shattered. For someone like Liam, used to being chased, the tables have turned-and he's never been so vulnerable.