by Nicole James
“Are you on something, Vano? Are you a heroin addict now?”
“Fuck no! I’ve been taking some pills to stay awake, is all. It’s hard to keep up with those guys. You have no idea, Vee.”
“Vano, how did you get mixed up with them?”
“It was stupid, okay. I conned Skin. He figured it out and wanted his money back. I didn’t have it anymore. I’d used it to open this place. That’s why I had to steal your money. It was to pay him back. It wasn’t enough. He wanted more. Then the next thing I knew I was laundering drug money for them. They cut me in for part of it. It was easy money, Velvet, and I didn’t have to do a damn thing to get it. I don’t know. It all just got out of control, and now I don’t know how to get rid of them.”
“Vano—” She was about to tell him about Skin and Weasel when he cut her off.
“I’m in over my head, but I’m done with that, do you hear, done! Take care, sister. You’re my final payment to that asshole. He wants you so bad, maybe he’ll forget I took all the money.”
He disappeared down the hall as Velvet’s mouth fell open. Her own brother would give her over to that disgusting ex-con? At that moment, she realized her brother didn’t love anyone but himself, and all her delusions of family, and all her guilt about them shattered like a plate glass window under a wrecking ball.
She heard the door slam, and felt a tear roll down her cheek. She brushed it away; she couldn’t think about her family anymore. She had the beginnings of a new family now, and a man who loved her. “Liam!”
She heard only silence.
She grabbed up her cell phone to call 911, but the battery had died. “No! Shit, shit, shit!”
She only hoped it still had some of the recording she’d tried to make. Vano had confessed to everything. She studied the room she was in. She’d bugged the office, but she hadn’t bugged the restroom. Could the FBI hear her if she called out? Had they already been listening? Or had Vano or Skin found and destroyed the bugs? Maybe that’s why Skin was so intent on finding her. She had to try anyway. “Sanders! Can you hear me? I’m handcuffed! Vano is escaping with the drugs and money! Liam is hurt. Come get us! Help!”
She kicked her foot. “Goddamn it.” She realized coming here was a mistake. She’d gotten overconfident, and she’d been naïve if she thought it was all going to be so easy. She’d been stupid to think she could just come in and find evidence and everything would be over. Fat chance. It was never going to be that easy. She shouldn’t have underestimated Vano.
She heard movement in the office and moaning. “Liam? Liam, are you okay? I’m here, baby.” There was more moaning. “Liam!”
“Mmm. Velvet? Where are you? Fuck, my head hurts. What happened?”
“Liam? I’m trapped in the bathroom.”
She heard rattling. “What the hell? Baby? I’m cuffed to the radiator.”
“Vano hit you over the head. He cuffed me in the bathroom. He took off with all the money. He’s leaving town.”
“Baby?”
“Yes?”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No, I’m okay. My cell phone battery died. I tried to record Vano. He confessed everything to me, Liam.”
“That’s great. Did you call the police?”
“I tried, but it died before I could. What about yours?”
There were more rustling sounds.
“My phone’s gone. He must have taken it, or maybe it fell out of my pocket when I hit the floor.”
“Can you see it?”
“No. I guess we’re gonna be stuck here awhile. Anybody else have a key to the place?”
“I don’t think Cooter or Finn have one. If Skin had one—“
“Yeah, that won’t matter anymore.”
“Maybe we can scream when the guys show up later. Maybe they’ll hear us.”
“Maybe.”
There was silence.
“Liam? Liam?!”
“Yeah?”
“Are you okay? Keep talking so I know you haven’t passed out again.”
“What do you want to talk about, babe?”
“I don’t know, but I’m starting to freak out.”
“Maybe your buddy in the FBI will show up soon.”
“Maybe.”
“Too bad there’s not a landline phone on this desk. I can’t reach the desk, but I probably could have pulled the phone off it by the cord.”
“Vano’s too cheap. There’s just the one up by the register.”
“He left his cigarette burning in the ashtray.”
Velvet frowned. Why would Liam mention that? “He did?”
“Yeah. Babe?”
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s all that flammable stuff up there and that cigarette is burning down. I think it could fall off the ashtray if it burns back far enough.”
“Liam, you’re scaring me.”
“You sure you can’t get free? Wiggle your tiny wrist out of those cuffs?”
She pulled tight on it, fear flooding her. If Liam was concerned enough to worry her like this, he had to think they were in real danger. “I’m trying, but I can’t do it.”
“I’m trying to find something to pick the lock on these cuffs.”
“Liam, I’m scared.”
“Baby, you remember the tattoo expo?”
“Yes, why?”
“You were so hot rolling around on that stage. Hottest woman I’d ever seen in my life.”
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to get your mind on anything but where we are, Velvet.”
“Do you think we’re going to die here?”
“We’re not going to die. We’re going to get out of here.”
She heard the sound of a boot scraping across the floor. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to reach the tattoo needle laying on the floor over by the desk. I can barely reach it. Fuck!”
“Liam?”
“If I can get it, maybe I can pick the lock on these cuffs with it.”
She quietly waited, praying, and giving thanks for once that the shop was so dirty. There was a whooshing sound. “Liam, what was that sound?”
“The cigarette fell and rolled across the desk. The rubbing alcohol soaked wipes just flared up.”
“Oh, my God.”
“Baby, imagine we’re somewhere you love. Where would you like to be right now?”
She could hear different sounds, one that might be him fiddling with the needle in the lock, one that might be the crackle of fire. “Liam, stop, I can’t think about that now.”
“Yeah, you can, baby. How about with the horses in the canyon? You loved that place, right? Imagine we’re there.”
A strong chemical smell reached her along with the scent of paper burning. “Liam, I smell smoke.”
“Good. Maybe the smoke detectors will go off and someone will hear them. Hey, do you have a window in the bathroom?”
“Yes.”
“Can you reach it?”
“It’s got bars on the outside.”
“Anything you can throw to break the glass? There aren’t any windows in here or I’d do the same.”
Velvet looked around. There was nothing. She glanced down at her phone. Maybe it was strong enough to break the glass. She’d probably be throwing away the evidence of Vano’s confession, and with it maybe her chance at immunity from a twenty year sentence, but if she didn’t they both might die in a fire. There was no question what she would do; she only hoped it would break the window. She paused with her hand in the air. “Wait. Will this make the fire flare up, I mean, the outside air source?”
“Baby, we need to get out of here. The stack of magazines is burning, and the ceiling tile is starting to blacken and melt.”
“Oh, God, Liam. Can you pick the cuffs?”
“I’m trying, baby.”
She hurled the phone at the window. The glass cracked but didn’t break. She stomped her foot on the tile in frustration, and screamed on the t
op of her lungs as the smoke detectors went off. Thick black smoke rolled out of the office and drifted across the ceiling of the hallway.
“Liam! Liam! Help us! Help! Fire!”
Liam suddenly was in the door, he paused his hands on the frame as a coughing fit took hold of him. “B-baby.”
He staggered to her, dropped to his knees, and tried to fiddle with her handcuff.
The smoke had made him woozy, and his eyes were watering. She coughed and covered her mouth and nose with the fabric of her dress. “Baby, cover your mouth.”
He looked at her, trying to focus. “I have to get you free.”
“Liam, look at me! Get the fire extinguisher! It’s in the break room across the hall. Go. Quick.”
He staggered to his feet, disappearing into the smoke.
She pulled on the cuff.
A moment later, she heard the extinguisher. It went on for about thirty seconds and then it sputtered out. Something clattered to the floor. “Liam!”
He appeared back in the doorway and paused to rest against the frame, hacking and coughing. Then he collapsed to the floor.
“Liam! Help us! Help!” Velvet screamed and screamed for help. Finally, she heard glass shatter from the front of the shop.
“Velvet?” It was Sanders.
“We’re in here! Hurry!”
He appeared in the doorway, a blue windbreaker with FBI in bold yellow letters on and an ax in his hands. She saw some activity behind him as more agents rushed in, then she heard the sirens of a fire engine pull up outside.
“We’ve got a man down in here!” He stepped over Liam and moved to Velvet, dropping the ax to the floor. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head. “I’m okay. Get Liam out; he needs oxygen!”
Two agents bent over him and dragged him toward the front of the building.
Velvet looked up at Sanders with tears in her eyes. “He has to be okay.”
“He will be. Let’s get you out of here.” He reached in his pocket for keys, squatted down, and fumbled with the cuffs.
“Never thought I’d be happy to see you,” she said, watching him.
The corner of his mouth lifted. “Mutual.”
“It took you long enough.”
“Sorry about that. We were busy chasing Vano.”
“Did you catch him?”
“Yes, ma’am. Him, three bricks of heroin, and a shitload of cash.”
“Not to mention the money in all those accounts he has.”
“Right, we’ve frozen them already.”
He unlocked the cuffs, and she drew her arm down, rubbing her wrist. She nodded to her phone on the floor. It lay face up, its screen shattered. “I recorded his confession on that, but I don’t know if it saved it, the battery died, plus I just broke it.”
He shoved it in his pocket. “If there’s anything on it, our guys will be able to pull it off, don’t worry.”
“So, we almost died. Have I done enough to get that immunity?”
He nodded. “I think so, Ms. Jones. We got our man, with your help, of course.” He pulled her to her feet, and she swayed. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. Just take me to Liam. Please.”
“You got it, lady.” He scooped her up in his arms and carried her out the front door.
A fireman was administering oxygen to Liam, who was just coming around. When he saw Velvet, he ripped the mask off and started to move toward her. It took three firemen to hold him down.
Sanders carried Velvet to him and set her on the ground next to him. “Easy, big guy. She’s fine.”
They fell into each other’s arms. Velvet clung to his neck, and Liam’s arms went around her back, crushing her to him. She never wanted to let go. She wanted to stay here in his arms forever.
“I thought I lost you,” they both murmured simultaneously, and the emotion of the situation overwhelmed them, and they broke into big smiles, their eyes sparkling with emotional relief.
“I love you, Velvet.” Liam smoothed her hair back from her face, and she broke down in sobs. He crushed her to him. “Don’t cry, baby. We made it.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
“I love your new style,” Liam murmured as he ran his fingers through her shorter hair. It was no longer jet black. It was now the color it had been when she’d first walked into his shop as a fifteen-year-old—her natural color, she’d told him. They were on his sofa, her head in his lap and her legs resting up on the back of the sofa.
She held up her finger. “Shush.”
He smiled as she followed along with her finger on the page of the book she held in her hand, sounding out the words carefully. She paused on one of the longer words.
“Pra-pra… What’s this word?”
“Sound it out.”
She let out a huff of frustration. “I was.”
“Practice.”
“Practice,” she repeated.
“Um hmm, practice. How about we practice what we were doing in the shower this morning,” he teased, leaning down to kiss her forehead, his hand reaching toward the waistband of her jeans.
She smacked his hand away. “I’m reading.”
Liam’s phone went off. He dug it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. It was Jameson.
“Hello.”
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“Not helping you move that heavy-ass piano, that’s for sure.”
“Ha ha. That’s not why I’m calling, and yes you are—next Sunday.”
“So, why are you calling?” Liam grinned down at Velvet who was frowning up at him, mouthing the word, piano?
“Is Velvet there?”
“Of course.”
“Can the two of you come down to the shop?”
“Why?”
“Can you just come down? I’ll tell you when you get here.”
“Hmm, I don’t know. Sounds suspicious.”
“Just get your asses down here.” Jameson hung up.
Liam pulled the phone from his ear. “Rude son-of-a-bitch.”
“What’s going on?”
“He wants us down at the shop.”
“Why?”
“He wouldn’t say.”
She twisted and set her feet on the floor. “Let’s go.”
“No, he was rude. I say we stay home and have wild, crazy, monkey sex.”
“Monkey sex? Ew.”
“Wild, crazy, alpha-male, bondage sex?”
“Uh, let’s go.”
“What’s in it for me?”
“There has to be something in it for you?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“I’ll buy you one of those fried doughnut things.”
“They’re called Spritzkuchen.”
“You want one or not?”
“Fine. I’ll go. But only because I’m hungry.”
Ten minutes later, they strolled into the shop with a bakery box. The shop was closed, and no one was on the first floor, but the sound of a guitar drifted down from upstairs, so they headed up to Jameson’s office.
Rory was sitting on the couch, his feet up on the coffee table, playing licks on his guitar. Jameson and Ryan Kelly were sitting in adjacent chairs.
“What’s in the box?” Jameson asked.
Liam pulled it back a few inches. “Depends on why you wanted us down here. Nothin’ for you, if I don’t like the answer.”
“You’ll like the answer,” Ryan said. He stood and extended his hand to Velvet. “Velvet, it’s good to see you again.”
She shook it. “Ryan, what brings you here?”
“You.”
“Oh, really?” Liam asked. “Why’s that?”
“Why don’t you both sit down, and we’ll talk.”
Liam moved to the other side of the couch. When Velvet moved to sit between Rory and him, he pulled her onto his lap instead. His arms encircling her waist, he said, “So talk.”
Ryan looked to them both. “The issue with the two of you on the cover did phenomenal sales. Only sec
ond to the cover we did with Jameson, and the best we’ve ever done with a couple on the cover.”
“Really?” Velvet’s face lit up, and Liam couldn’t be happier for her. That kind of thing didn’t matter to him, but he was happy to be a part of it if it made her this happy.
Ryan nodded. “The response to the article and interview with you was overwhelming. Jameson told me you two are together now. The magazine wants to do another issue with the two of you as a couple, and I’m sure they’d love an article on how you found each other.”
Liam rubbed his hand up Velvet’s back, and she twisted, meeting his eyes. “I think I’d like to keep that story private, how about you, babe?”
She nodded.
“Well, you wouldn’t have to share everything,” Ryan jumped in, trying to persuade them. “Think about it. In the meantime, there was something else I wanted to talk to Velvet about.”
“What’s that?” Liam asked as she turned back to face the reporter.
“Did you like the article I wrote?”
“I did. Liam read it to me. You did a good job.”
“I’ve found a publisher interested in your story. They’ve offered us a book deal, that is, if you want me, I’d love to be your co-author and tell your story.”
“You talked about this, but I never really thought it would happen.”
“They’ve made a good offer, which of course they would present to you officially, but I can tell you unofficially, it was a fifty thousand dollar advance.”
Liam watched the expression on Velvet’s face. It was enough money for the coffee shop she’d dreamed of. He squeezed her. “That’s wonderful, baby.”
She gave him a blank look. “I…I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.”
Liam frowned. “Why? What’s to think about?”
“Liam, this wouldn’t be a three page magazine article; they’d want enough to fill an entire book. I’d have to reveal things in much more detail. I just don’t know if I’m ready. And with Vano’s trial hanging over my head…”
Liam nodded. “Of course. No pressure. Whatever you want to do.”
“I understand your concerns, Velvet. If you’d like we could work up a draft outline, just to see it all laid out. That might help you to decide if you’d want to proceed. I don’t want to pressure you into anything either.”
