by Cindy Dees
Gunther laughed. “You ain’t a half-bad guy. For a cop, that is.”
The PI took his sweet time writing out a statement by hand. He seemed to be getting a kick out of the police needing his help and was milking the attention, chatting up cops in the precinct and joking over how bad the coffee was and how much he’d missed it.
Liam watched the time anxiously and finally was forced to pull out his cell phone and give Sloane a quick call.
She answered cheerfully, “Hey, Liam. I’m just winding up here at the courthouse. I’ll be ready to go to dinner in a few minutes.”
“I’m running a bit late here. I should be done in the next half hour or so. Would you mind grabbing a taxi and meeting me at the restaurant? I’m really sorry.”
“Of course not,” Sloane answered. “What’s the name again?”
“The Enchanted Plate. It’s a dozen blocks west of the hotel on the same street.”
“Perfect. I’ll drop off these boxes of files in my room and freshen up a little, and then I’ll meet you there.”
Liam realized he was smiling at his cell phone as he disconnected the call and pocketed the device.
“Hot date?” Gunther asked shrewdly.
Liam shrugged. “Dinner. With a colleague who happens to be female.” And with whom he’d slept and hoped to do so again soon. No way was he dishing on Sloane Colton with this man who’d been watching her every move for the past several weeks.
“Gotta say, kid. I’m glad you caught me. I was gonna have to head over to Roaring Springs in person before long to tail the dame the old-fashioned way. And I eff-ing hate snow.”
Liam laughed a little to cover up his horror. “Then why do you live in Colorado, Bill?”
A shrug. “Maybe I’ll head for the West Coast after this. Or maybe go to Florida. Whaddiya think? Do more folks cheat on their SOs in California or Florida?”
“Hell if I know,” Liam retorted. “Are you about done with that statement?”
Chapter 12
Sloane wished she’d packed a slinky little black dress, but alas, she had only conservative business suits in her bag. Oh, well. If Liam didn’t think she was sexy after the smoking hot night they’d shared together, he was probably a lost cause anyway.
She realized she was smiling at herself in the mirror as she carefully applied makeup and let down her hair from the severe French twist she usually wore in court. Liam had that effect on her. He relaxed her. Made her feel at home in her own skin for a change.
Honestly, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt like this. It was more than happiness. She was hopeful for the future, and that she and Chloe would be happy in their new home. That things would work out with Liam.
Huh. She hadn’t seen that last one coming. But darned if he didn’t make her think about a long-term relationship. She’d seriously thought she was done with those, but he’d shown her she still had the capacity to love in that way.
The restaurant Liam had chosen for their dinner was one she’d never been to before. It had a funky Western vibe and casual decor, but the linen tablecloths were perfectly starched, the seasonal menu was gourmet and the waitstaff was impeccably trained.
She arrived first and was led to a table for two in a secluded corner overshadowed by a hanging Navaho blanket. The waiter had just poured her a complimentary glass of the house red wine when Liam strode in.
Every female head in the room turned to note his entrance.
Appreciating the view as well, Sloane took in the way his jeans clung to his thighs and how his tweed sports jacket outlined his big, brawny shoulders. Yes, indeed. Liam Kastor had grown up very nicely.
She sighed dreamily. If she were to make a list of all the things she was looking for in a man at this time in her life, he would tick off just about every box.
Liam slipped into the seat across from her, and the first thing she noticed was how his gaze darted around the room guardedly, taking in everyone cautiously. Should she be worried about something or someone? She looked around herself but saw only patrons eating their dinners and talking.
“You look lovely tonight. How did your day go, Sloane?”
Her gaze snapped back to him, and she smiled warmly. “Thanks. And my day was productive. Yours?”
“Very productive.”
“Does that mean you identified the man who’s been watching me?”
“I did better than that. I spoke with him. At length. He even gave the Denver PD a formal written statement.”
“Really? Do tell.” Anticipation exploded inside her chest. If they could nail Ivan once and for all—
Liam interrupted her thoughts. “The guy’s name is Bill Gunther. Private investigator. Unfortunately, he has no idea who hired him to spy on you.”
“Then we’re back to square one?” she asked in dismay.
“Not entirely. Bill gave us a bank account number in the Cayman Islands and an encrypted email address belonging to his employer. The FBI’s working on penetrating the identity of their owner.”
“How long will that take?” she asked.
Interestingly, Liam’s gaze went even darker and more closed than before. “I don’t know.”
She started to ask him what was wrong, but he forestalled her by declaring himself starving and occupying the next few minutes chatting with the waiter about the menu. Her internal alarm bells started to ring a little. What was he hiding from her? He’d been nothing but an open book in the past. What had changed?
Liam ended up ordering the prime rib, and she ordered a cassoulet of marinated pork, white beans and root vegetables. A fancy French stew, in other words.
She tried to ask Liam what was wrong over dinner, but every time she cleverly maneuvered the conversation in that direction, another sumptuous course of food was served and she ended up totally distracted by it. Not to mention, she got the distinct impression from Liam that he was avoiding talking about whatever was bothering him.
Sometimes, having the finely honed instincts and people-reading skills of a courtroom attorney sucked.
Was it her? Had she done something to put him off? He’d been perfectly pleasant and relaxed on the ride into Denver. Surely this had to do with his work and not with her. But years of living with Ivan had made her prone to self-blame. Her ex had always found a way to make her responsible for his bad days.
Unable to stand the suspense any longer, she leaned in closer to Liam and blurted, “Have I done something to upset you?”
“Why on earth would ask something like that?”
Oh, God. Whatever was bugging him did have to do with her. “Look, Liam. I’m no good at this whole dating thing. I didn’t do it much in college, and I met Ivan the first day of law school. If I’ve done something to tick you off, please just tell me.”
“You haven’t done anything wrong.”
He was lying. His shoulders were up around his ears, and he was all but shouting defensiveness. That was when the panic hit. Her breathing accelerated, and her gaze darted across the room, seeking the exit. A feeling of being trapped in here, of needing to run away surged through her. He was dumping her. She’d already blown it somehow. Crud. What had she done? Her mind raced in futile circles in search of the answer.
Which was when it dawned on her she’d already fallen a lot harder for him than she’d realized. She shouldn’t beg, but she couldn’t help herself.
“Liam, you’re amazing. I never thought I could have any feelings for another man, but you’ve shown me I can. I never thought I would feel like a woman again, and yet I do.”
Stop begging, Sloane. But I can’t lose him!
She continued, “I only hope I make you feel half as good as you make me feel. I really think we have something special between us.”
Lame, lame, lame. Shut. Up.
She heard more words fall out of her mouth. “
I want you to get to know Chloe if you’re willing, and I want you in our lives. I trust you like I never thought I’d trust anyone again. I’m so grateful to you for everything you’ve done for me. For us.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but the waiter arrived just then with dessert.
Damn! What had he been about to say?
Frustrated, she waited in silent terror for Liam’s response to her grand declaration. It was a huge risk to let her feelings all hang out like this. In fact, what had she been thinking to blurt out all of that? He must think she was the most desperate woman on earth.
A deep and powerful need to slide off her chair and crawl under the table all but overcame her.
Frozen in dread, she stared at the gigantic slice of dark chocolate cake before her.
Liam dug into his crème brûlée and didn’t seem to notice her bizarre behavior.
Sloane picked up her fork. Stabbed the slice of cake.
Liam probably didn’t time it intentionally, but he spoke up exactly as she wrapped her mouth around a forkful of creamy frosting and moist, sumptuous cake. “We’ve got a problem,” he announced grimly.
She could only raise her eyebrows in question above the mouthful of chocolate sin. Which was just as well. Way too many words would have spilled out otherwise.
“Bill Gunther may not know who his client is, but he did share the instructions he received from the client. His job was to gather dirt on you that could be used to ruin your reputation and take Chloe away from you.”
She choked in the act of swallowing the cake and had to cough, then had to rinse the rest of the cake down with a swig of water before she could belatedly squawk, “What? Why?”
Liam sighed. “Whoever hired Bill is out to destroy you.”
“The good news is I haven’t done anything that could ruin me. So there’s nothing for anyone to see.”
Liam laid down his spoon and said soberly, “You spent the night with me at my place last night.”
“I’m not married. I can sleep with whomever I like.”
He responded heavily, “In the context of sullying your reputation and painting you as an irresponsible adult not fit to be a parent, sleeping around could cause you trouble in front of the wrong judge.”
“You’re one guy. That doesn’t constitute sleeping around. And I have no intention of sleeping with any other guys.”
“Thanks for that. I’m glad to hear it. But if evidence of us having an extramarital affair was put in front of the wrong judge, it could still be a problem.”
“This is the twenty-first century, Liam. No way would sleeping with you cost me Chloe.”
“Are you willing to take that chance?” he asked quietly.
She stared back at him. Were they really having this insane conversation? She’d been awarded full custody of her daughter. She was allowed to have a life of her own now. Ivan was no longer part of her life or Chloe’s life. Right?
Breaking into her thoughts, Liam said, “Bill Gunther can’t continue to watch you. He got pulled in by the cops and spent the afternoon at the police station running his mouth about the rich client who hired him to spy on a well-known Denver attorney. If the client is half as rich and connected as I think he is, he’ll find out soon enough that we’ve shut down Bill and his cameras.”
He released a breath. “And then the client will hire someone else to spy on you. The next guy may not be as lazy as Bill and could decide to tail you in person. Your every move could end up being watched.”
“Why?” she wailed under her breath. “What does this mystery client want with me?”
“You tell me.”
Liam was in full detective mode, biting out the question quickly and sharply enough to startle her into blurting, “I’m not important to anyone. I don’t have any enemies that I’m aware of.”
“What about your ex? Surely he considers you his enemy.”
“Ivan? I can’t imagine him having enough money to hire a private investigator and set him up with a house and expensive surveillance gear.”
Liam shrugged. “Maybe he got lucky gambling.”
“Ivan doesn’t get that lucky. He’s a compulsive gambler. When he hits a hot streak, he can’t quit. He keeps going until he loses it all. Trust me. I’ve seen the receipts from the casinos.”
Liam looked skeptical.
“I honestly have no idea who else it could be.”
“Regardless, you and I shouldn’t be seen together until we find out who’s after you and why. We shouldn’t be together at all.”
She looked up at him quickly, devastated. The words stuck in her throat before lurching out. “You want us to break things off?”
“No, I don’t want to,” he replied sharply. “But I won’t be the person who costs you your daughter. I would never come between you two.”
He might as well have kicked her in the solar plexus. It wasn’t that she’d forgotten about Chloe for a second. But she’d started to get used to the idea that she might be able to pull off being both a mom and a woman. An adult woman in a relationship with a great guy. A great guy who was making a certain sick kind of sense at the moment.
When would this nightmare of trying to get away from Ivan ever end?
“You’re right, of course—” Her voice broke and she couldn’t continue. Suddenly, the rest of the cake loomed on her plate like a dry mountain of sawdust and glue. She laid her fork down with careful precision, lest it—or she—shatter into a million pieces.
“I’m so sorry, Sloane. If there were any other way...believe me. I would do whatever it takes to be with you right now. But we just can’t risk it. This is Chloe we’re talking about. Lord knows, you wouldn’t want her to end up in Ivan’s tender loving care.”
“He doesn’t even like children,” she burst out. Nonetheless, if whoever was trying to wreck her life succeeded, Ivan would be next in line for custody of their daughter.
Silence fell between her and Liam, heavier than the cake and darker than the night outside.
She felt her eyes filling with tears and stared down at her hands, clenched in her lap, until the threatening moisture subsided. She looked up in anguish at Liam and caught him staring at her like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He looked away quickly.
“What are we going to do?” she whispered.
“We’re going to stay away from each other. No calls, no texts, no dates, no nights together. We’re not going to do a single thing to threaten your custody of Chloe.”
“For how long?” she managed.
“Until I catch whoever’s stalking you.”
“Catch him fast.”
Liam’s eyes glittered harder than emeralds when she looked up at him again. “Count on it. I’ll be working on this every waking moment until I nail the bastard.”
Neither of them felt like finishing their desserts or lingering in the restaurant, and Liam settled the bill quickly.
There wasn’t a cab to be found when they stepped outside a few minutes later. Liam called for one and was told it would be at least an hour before one could come for her. Perfect.
“I’ll give you a ride back to the hotel,” he offered.
She’d hoped he would share her room with her tonight. But that obviously wasn’t happening now. “A ride would be great,” she replied dejectedly.
“I parked a few blocks away. You stay here and I’ll go get the truck.”
“I’d rather walk,” she announced. Not only did she not want to stand alone on a dark, deserted street for ten minutes, she could use the exercise. Her stress levels were off the charts and she needed to walk off a little of the toxic chemical soup coursing through her blood.
“Will you be okay in those shoes?” he asked doubtfully.
She was wearing heels and nylons completely unsuited to walking of any kind, let alone hikin
g through snow. “If you let me hold your arm, I’ll be fine.”
He promptly held out his shearling-clad forearm. It felt old-fashioned to wrap her hand around his muscular arm and lean against his height and steady strength as they stepped outside and stopped in surprise.
As if the universe was determined to heap misery on top of melancholy, the snow had turned into ugly sleet during supper and had already coated the deep snow with a layer of gray ice.
“We can wait for a cab—” Liam started.
“No,” she interrupted. “We can’t. I’m not going to make it another hour before I fall apart, and I’d like to be back in the privacy of my hotel room before I embarrass myself in that way. After all, my entire life is apparently on Candid Camera these days.”
“Do you at least have gloves?” Liam asked.
“My coat has good pockets, and your arm is warm.” To that end, she jammed her free hand into a pocket and nodded stubbornly at him.
Liam sighed. “I’m so sorry about this—”
“Don’t.” She couldn’t handle any more emotions right now. The slightest hint of kindness or compassion could undo her completely.
She shivered and just wanted off the street where prying eyes might be watching her.
They’d gone not even a block when a pair of blindingly bright headlights roared at them without warning. The vehicle had jumped the curb and bore down on them. Fast. There was nowhere to go.
No space. No time. They were going to die.
A flash of Chloe’s face was all she had time for before Liam slammed into her, driving her hard into a recessed doorway, covering her body with his.
A big, dark SUV roared past, missing them by inches and throwing up a rooster tail of sleet that smacked into both of them like a thousand icy daggers.
The SUV swerved back out into the street without even slowing down, let alone stopping to check on them, and sped away.
“Sloane! Are you okay?” Liam asked urgently. His big body pressed against hers from chest to knee, solid. Warm. Safe.
She clung to him tightly while terror tore through her. Her life didn’t exactly flash before her eyes, but an image did come to her of Chloe crying, juxtaposed with an image of herself as a little girl at her parents’ funeral. She’d clung to her older brother’s hand as her entire world had come crashing down around her head.
