You Were Always Mine

Liam Onyx

Vivian's fingers tightened around the folder in her hands.

"...Are you sure?" she asked quietly.

Cassandra nodded once. “He said his name is Liam and that he was a friend if yours in college. If you want me to turn him away…”

“Turn him away?” Vivian asked as though Cassandra was out of her damned mind to even think that was an option.

Cassandra paused and nodded slowly and hesitantly.

Vivian had that look on her face that made her feel like she'd just said something absolutely erroneous.

Vivian stood there for a moment; goodness, Liam was here. How many years has it been now? Four, five?

Oscar stood still, not moving, not even bothering to pretend he hadn't heard everything.

Every muscle in his body was tensed and when his gaze moved over to Vivian's slowly, he watched a smile tug at the corner of her lips.

His jaw clenched just as tight as his fist did, watching her with dark eyes that could laser down an entire building.

She was still in communication with him? After all these years? After what she’d done?

"I'll be right back."

She didn't wait for another response.

The folder remained forgotten on the conference table as she hurried toward the boardroom doors.

Oscar watched as she brushed past him like he wasn't even there to meet the one person he'd spent every waking minute hating with every fiber of his being.

Not once did she look at him.

The doors swung shut behind her and silence settled over the room.

Charles looked toward Oscar, wisely deciding against saying anything.

He had no clue what was going on or why his boss had suddenly stood still like he'd just seen a ghost.

“...Sir?” Charles called carefully.

Goodness, reading Oscar these past few days has been extremely difficult. The last thing he wanted was to irritate him.

"...We're leaving.” He said simply before making his way to the door without another word.

Charles exchanges looks with Cassandra who gives him a shrug.

Even she had no clue what was going on.

Charles exhaled as he followed his boss; today is about to be the longest day of his entire life.

♡

The executive floor reception was unusually lively.

Several junior employees had abandoned all pretence of working. Even the receptionist looked unusually interested in the visitor standing near the floor-to-ceiling windows.

He was impossible to ignore; tall, easily over six feet, broad shoulders hidden beneath a black leather biker jacket, dark jeans, heavy riding boots.

His helmet rested beneath one arm while the other absently spun a pair of motorcycle gloves around one finger.

His hair was slightly longer than most corporate men would ever allow, dark and pushed away from his forehead.

It gave him an effortless sort of charm that the women were swooning over.

Several women walking past openly stole glances. One nearly walked into a decorative plant.

Liam didn't seem to notice. Or perhaps the man was simply used to it.

The elevator chimed behind him and the visitor glanced over his shoulder.

As soon as his eyes settled on a familiar face, a grin found its way on his lips as he turned fully.

Vivian's eyes widened as she stepped out of the elevator.

"Liam?"

His face broke into the easiest smile she'd seen in years.

"V."

Vivian laughed. "You i***t!"

She closed the distance between them before wrapping her arms around him.

Liam hugged her back just as naturally.

"Goodness," she laughed, pulling away to look at him properly. "You're actually here."

"I was beginning to think you'd forgotten what I looked like."

She folded her arms. "I almost had."

"Ouch." He clutched his chest dramatically. "That one hurt."

She rolled her eyes, he was still as dramatic as ever.

Goodness, she was thinking Cassandra made a horrible mistake about her guest's name but seeing him here..

Just woah.

“How have you been?” She asked, "You're in town? The last I heard was that you were abroad.”

He grinned. “Yeah. I got back a few months ago.”

“Months?!” She repeated. “And you couldn't stop by to say hi?”

She looked him over from head to toe.

"...You're still riding bikes?"

Liam looked offended. "'Still?'"

He placed a hand over his heart.

"That motorcycle is family."

Vivian laughed again.

"I should've known." She said, "I hoped you'd finally grown up."

"I did."

She raised an eyebrow.

"...Says the man dressed like he belongs in a biker gang."

He looked down at himself.

“Come on V. You can't deny I look fantastic."

"You look like trouble."

"I prefer 'adventure.'"

She shook her head, unable to hide her smile.

Goodness, it felt exactly like college again.

Several metres away, Oscar stepped out of the boardroom.

His original intention had been to head straight to his office at Onyx and forget any of this happened but he'd found himself pushing the door to the executive floor instead.

“Sir, that isn't …” Charles stopped himself before he got into trouble.

This man looks terrifying right now! He can't be out here telling him what and what not to do!

The elevator doors swing open and before he could step off, his eyes found Vivian almost immediately.

She was smiling…no, beaming at this man. The kind of smile that reached her eyes, the same one she'd had during sports days ago..

Liam said something and Vivian laughed again before lightly punching his arm.

Oscar looked away, why was he even here? Why was he subjecting himself to this torture all over again?

Before he could push the ground button, Liam's voice rang out.

“Oscar?”

Oscar's gaze met his cousin's almost instantly and there was absolutely nothing cordial in those eyes.

Liam's smile widened.

"Well..."

He looked between Oscar and Vivian.

"...this is awkward."

Vivian turned around. Only then did she realise Oscar had been standing there.

"Oh..."

The excitement in her expression seemed to falter.

It was almost ironic how quickly her expression changed when it landed on him.

Liam walked forward first. "Cuz."

He pulled a stop right outside the elevator with that cocky smile.

“Its been a minute. Nah, you do look great in suits.”

Oscar wanted to push the elevator ground floor button so bad but he didn't.

Instead he stepped out, his eyes unreadable and fixed on Liam.

“You're back in town.” He said simply.

Liam shrugged. “Yeah. I haven't even stopped by to greet the old man.”

Liam chuckled, giving him a once over. "You look exactly the same."

Oscar raised an eyebrow. "You don't."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"It wasn't."

Liam laughed anyway. Some things clearly hadn't changed.

Vivian looked between them. Things have always been a little awkward between the duo and it hadn't always been that way.

Neither of them would tell her why they stopped being so close.

“Heard you two got married. Congrats.”

Liam glanced from Vivian to Oscar before settling squarely on Oscar.

He got closer, dropping his voice into a whisper that stayed between the two of them.

“You got the girl. Impressive."

Oscar's eyes narrowed on him; he knew exactly what he meant by that and he wanted more than anything to strangle his ass.

"I have work."

Without another word, Oscar walked away back to the elevator.

Why the f**k did he come here in the first place?

Liam watched him as the elevator doors swung shut.

"...He's gotten friendlier."

Vivian snorted. "I wouldn't know."

"You live with him."

"Exactly."

That earned another laugh. They had a lot to catch up on!

Cassandra more or less announced that as loud as she could, that Vivian's schedule was packed tight today.

Liam smiled at Cassandra. “Don't worry, princess. I'll be on my way in a couple.”

Cassandra nearly blushed, goodness his smile was quite something.

“I really wish I had more time.” Vivian apologised.

“All good over here Ms. CEO. We can catch up some other time.”

Liam checked the time.

"I promised I'd meet someone this evening."

Vivian looked genuinely disappointed.

"You better not disappear for another five years."

"I'll try."

She pointed a warning finger at him.

"I'm serious."

"Yes, ma'am."

They hugged once more and Liam headed toward the elevators before turning back with a teasing smile.

“You know, I should give you a ride sometime. You'd love it.”

Vivian shook her head, laughing, “Hell no.”

***

The underground parking garage was noticeably quieter. The steady drip of water echoed somewhere in the distance.

Liam walked toward his motorcycle; a matte-black machine that looked every bit as rebellious as its owner.

He had just slipped his gloves on when another pair of footsteps echoed behind him.

"I wondered how long it'd take."

Oscar stopped several feet away and his eyes were as unreadable as always.

"When did you get back?"

Liam swung the helmet lightly in one hand.

"A few months ago."

"For what?"

"A visit."

Oscar didn't respond and Liam smiled knowingly.

"You've never been good at small talk."

"I'm asking once."

His green eyes remained fixed on Liam.

"Why are you back?"

Liam studied him for a long moment before laughing softly.

"Relax."

He rested a hand on the motorcycle seat.

"I came to see family."

Oscar didn't look convinced. "And Vivian?"

Liam's smile became a little more amused.

“I wanted to say hi. I couldn't come to the wedding.” His smile seemed to falter a bit before glancing back at Oscar.

“You know why.” He glanced at the elevator. “I'm glad she's doing alright.”

“You and I know that's a lie.” Oscar offered smoothly.

Liam chuckled, pulled on his helmet before lowering the visor halfway.

"Oh..."

He paused, one gloved hand rested on the handlebar.

"Don't worry."

Oscar's eyes narrowed.

Liam's grin was still visible beneath the raised visor.

"She's still your wife."

He climbed onto the motorcycle.

"If I wanted to cause trouble..."

The engine roared to life.

"...I'd have started five months ago."

Oscar didn't move.

Liam chuckled. "What happens after now..."

He revved the engine once.

"...is your problem, not mine."

With a playful salute, he shot out of the parking garage. The sound of the motorcycle lingered long after he'd disappeared.

Oscar remained exactly where he was with his jaw tightened.

He hated how much those words bothered him.

Even more, he hated the fact that the reason why his cousin was back unsettled him greatly.