The rest of his words were cut off as Liam crawled over him, one hand pinning his wrists to the mattress again, the other sliding over Alex's jaw, forcing him to meet his gaze.
"Do you have any idea," Liam whispered, his mouth so close their breaths tangled, "how close I came to losing you? To losing this?"
Alex swallowed, his anger dissolving under the intensity of Liam's eyes. The truth burned there — fear, desperation, a love so consuming it frightened them both.
"I'm here," Alex whispered back. "I'm right here, Liam."
Something inside Liam snapped at those words. He crushed his mouth against Alex's again, this time harder, hungrier. Alex gasped, opening for him, their tongues colliding in a kiss that was less about finesse and more about survival.
