by Brenda Trim
Liv recalled thinking that way before meeting Lawson. There were many days she would’ve chosen a cookie over the hassle of a man. Now, she didn’t care how chewy or rich or warm-straight-out-of-the-oven that cookie was, it would never come close to satisfying her desire the way Lawson did. That shifter did filthy things to her body, leaving her aching for more. She looked over to Staci who was staring peculiarly.
Liv could imagine the salacious expression she wore as she fantasized about Lawson and could only grin and reply, “I bet. Nothing beats a good cookie.”
Staci looked back to the microscope lens, and Liv suddenly had an idea. Maybe Staci could help her get the ball rolling.
“Have you seen Jim today?”
“Uh, yeah, he was here right before you walked in. He asked if I’d seen you, actually,” Staci replied, paying attention to her work more than their conversation.
“Could you do me a favor?” Liv asked.
”Sure, what do you need?” Staci replied, jotting notes into a file lying beside the microscope.
“Can you text him and ask him to come to our lab. I need to use the restroom, but tell him to wait because I need to talk to him. I won’t be long,” Liv muttered as she walked towards her purse.
Staci grabbed her cellphone, and her fingers typed away then she set it back on the tabletop.
“Done. I’ll make sure Jim waits for you,” Staci answered and went back to her work.
“Great, thanks,” Liv replied then shuffled out of the lab.
Her heart galloped in her chest and she thought she might hurl as she slipped into a nearby open lab. A sudden thought had her stop in her tracks. What if Jim’s entry card was on his person, not in his office? That would be a serious problem.
Liv nearly jumped out of her skin moments later when she spotted him. Her head smacked against a desk as she ducked out of sight. Stifling curse words she learned from the truck driver in Dunlap, Liv watched Jim enter her lab then quietly slipped out of the adjacent room.
Looking back, it seemed the coast was clear. Jim hadn’t seen her and she hoped Staci could keep him engaged long enough for her to do a quick search of his office. Quickening her steps, she was close to a run by the time she made it to his door.
Glancing around, she noticed only a few staff members and no one seemed to pay her any attention, so she darted inside his office, shutting the door behind her. Heart thumping, Liv clutched her neck to try and catch her breath.
Trying to steal his keycard was as nerve-wracking as when she helped Lawson escape. Probably more so because so many things could go wrong and there were too many eyes to see a mistake. Several deep breaths and her mind cleared enough to focus on the mission.
Rushing to the large desk, she scanned the contents but didn’t see his card or his wallet. She walked around the desk and sat on the chair behind it. She opened several small drawers, thinking his wallet might be in one of them. Nothing but office supplies.
She looked on the credenza behind her but didn’t see anything there, either. A file cabinet was open, and the name on the first file snagged her attention. It was Lawson’s file. She snatched it and opened it, scanning the contents. It looked to be her notes along with results from various blood tests they had performed on him. It seemed straightforward with nothing out of the ordinary.
When she went to place it back in its slot, she noticed the file behind his had Jacob Scott written on it. Lawson’s father. And, the file behind that one belonged to his brother. Pulling the drawer some more, she noticed dozens more.
Grabbing a handful, she opened each one. There were so many of them. And Jim knew these men’s names, which contradicted his story. Not that it mattered. She knew he was a low-life that lied whenever it suited him. But as she looked closer, she noticed there were several different lab locations. Did Jim own more than one research facility?
She searched another file drawer and saw more of the same. There were hundreds of files, each belonging to a different person. The sheer number was unbelievable. The question was, how many of these men were dead? From what she could determine, there were labs scattered across the country, all linked to PRL.
Liv grabbed her cell phone. She needed pictures, proving that prisoners were held in his lab. And having addresses of the other locations might come in handy. She could only assume the names on the files belonged to missing shifters. Snapping photos of as many as she could, she quickly returned the folders to their proper place and closed the drawers.
Turning to leave, she jumped when she saw Jim standing in the doorway. Liv had been so engrossed in her discovery that she hadn’t heard the door open.
“Olivia, what are doing in here? I thought you wanted to see me in your lab?” he asked, stalking towards her.
“Yes, of course. I was on my way there now. I just needed…the file for my new shifter. I wanted to add some information,” Liv stammered, her hands shaking uncontrollably. Jim had to know she was lying. She had never grabbed a file from his office before.
“Really? That’s interesting. Do you even know where I keep such files? I don’t recall ever showing you,” Jim sneered, walking to stand beside her. She couldn’t stop the tremble to her hands and she clasped them together, trying to calm her panic.
“Um, no, I guess you haven’t. I wasn’t thinking. I’ll just get out of your hair. You can drop off his file later,” Liv blurted as she walked past him. Jim grabbed her arm, stopping her movement.
“I don’t think so, Olivia. You want to try again and tell me the real reason you’re in my office,” he snarled, squeezing her arm.
She flinched from the pain and jerked her arm, but he had a death grip on her skin. “Jim, let go. You’re hurting me.”
“I’ll let go when I’m goddamn ready, Olivia. Answer me. Why are you looking through my files?” he snarled, blue eyes blazing with anger.
Liv swallowed against the growing pit of fear in her stomach. What could she possibly say to him that would make any sense? As Jim’s fingers bit deeper into her flesh, Liv regretted her idea of returning to work.
21
Panicking, Liv replied, “Okay, I’ll tell you. Just please stop hurting me,” she pleaded and Jim’s grip loosened, but he kept hold of her arm.
“I was looking for any information you might have on the Scott family. I was hoping to find an address or anything that might lead me to Lawson. I just want to know if he’s okay,” she blurted, hoping he would find that reasonable.
She had worked with him long enough that Jim should understand if she cared about his well-being. Jim’s deep blue eyes narrowed, and she sensed he was determining if she was truthful.
“You seem abnormally interested in a man who has no regard for others. Need I remind you he killed two people in your presence? Please don’t tell me you’re concerned for him, Olivia. As far as I see it, he’s a good riddance,” Jim snarled, spittle flying from his mouth.
Heart pounding against her chest, she grasped for anything to deflect his rage.
“I do remember what he did. David was a good guy and didn’t deserve to die. I just wanted to let him know his dad and brother won’t be harmed while they’re here,” Liv responded and Jim’s eyes flew wide.
“How do you know about the father? Did his brother tell you because I never said anything?”
His grip tightened again, and he stepped closer. Liv backed up and brushed against the credenza but Jim kept coming towards her. He loomed above, eyes blazing and she reached back to brace against falling on top of the wooden buffet, causing her cell phone to slip from her hand and fall to the floor.
Jim glanced down then reached to pick up the device. He tapped the screen and it lit up, revealing the last picture she had taken. Liv glanced down to see it was a file that belonged to a shifter at another location.
“You little bitch! What the fuck are you trying to pull?” he shouted, slamming her phone to the ground then stomping it with his boot.
Liv began trembling as her adre
naline spiked. He had to know she was gathering information against him. And now her phone was broken, preventing her from texting Lawson for help. This fucked up situation had gone from a risky prospect to worst imaginable nightmare in two seconds.
“I’m sorry, Jim. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m not trying to pull anything, I swear,” she declared, scrambling to get out of his reach but he grabbed her around the waist.
“I don’t believe you. In fact, I think you helped that fucking animal escape. Did that beast lick your pussy and make you his bitch?” Jim bit out, shoving Liv’s body onto the top of the piece of furniture.
Liv lashed out, trying to push him off but Jim’s weight was too heavy once he was on top of her.
“Get off!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, hoping someone would walk by his office and hear her yelling.
Jim pinned her down then reached inside his suit pocket and retrieved a silk hankie then shoved it inside Liv’s mouth.
“You were trying to fuck me over, Olivia, but guess what? You’re the one who’s going to get fucked now,” Jim threatened, holding her arms above her head with one hand as his body maneuvered between Liv’s legs.
Jim’s other hand ripped open her blouse then shoved her bra up around her neck. His mouth clamped down on Liv’s breast and pain shot through her body as his teeth pierced her flesh.
Liv shouted against the pain but the fabric in her mouth stifled the sound. She thrashed on the credenza but his force kept her from moving far. His eyes blazed with fury and lust, escalating her terror. She frantically looked around for some way to escape his grip but saw nothing.
A cold sweat broke across her skin as Jim roughly groped her other breast as his mouth bit down again. The pain was excruciating, and she saw blood puddle around his lips. She was helpless against his attack. Kicking her legs, she tried to throw him from her body but he didn’t budge.
When his hand pushed her skirt up, she bucked against the feel of his fingers gripping her panties.
“Stop fighting. Or do you like it rough, you whore,” he grunted, ripping the underwear from her body.
A crashing sound had them both looking toward the door. Lawson barreled through the doorway and as soon as he saw the two of them, he roared then charged in their direction. Jim released his hold on Liv and tried to run past her, but Lawson tackled him to the ground.
Liv tugged the fabric from her mouth, coughing from the pressure to her throat as she gasped for air. Jumping off the table, she shoved her bra down to cover her exposed breasts then pushed her skirt down as Bart appeared in the next moment.
“Liv, are you okay?” Bart shouted, running to her side.
Liv had some blood on one side of her chest where Jim had bitten her flesh, and she noticed Bart was staring at her, eyes wide with terror. She pulled her lab coat closed and buttoned it, trying to cover herself as best she could. She looked at the two men on the floor and saw Lawson pummeling Jim in the face.
“I’m fine,” she answered but her eyes never left Lawson. “Please stop, you’ll kill him,” Liv pleaded to Lawson and lunged forward, but Bart held her back from the fistfight on the floor.
It wasn’t much of a fight though. Lawson was beating the shit out of Jim, his face a bloody mess.
“Lawson, stop. Remember why we’re here. Your family,” she ordered as she ran around the scuffle and darted towards the hallway to see if anyone heard the commotion.
Luckily, Lawson hadn’t broken the door, just the lock on it and the corridor to Jim’s office was empty. Turning back around, Liv yelled, “Lawson, stop! Tie him up for now and get his entry card. Staff will be gone soon, and we can sneak down into the lab.”
Ignoring her words, Lawson hit Jim again. Hard. Hard enough to knock Jim out cold. Liv had never seen him so furious. Lawson was shaking and when he looked up to meet her gaze, his gray eyes were wild and savage. Blood covered his knuckles, and his chest heaved uncontrollably.
With outstretched hands, she whispered, “It’s alright, baby. He’s done hurting you. Please, let me help you. You’re bleeding,” she said, looking at his hands.
Lawson’s eyes seemed to focus on her and his expression softened a bit. “Bart, check Jim’s bathroom and see if there’s a towel or something,” Liv instructed, eyes never leaving Lawson’s.
She slowly walked to him and placed her hands on his face. “You okay?”
He looked down and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Don’t worry about me. Are you alright? I’m so sorry I didn’t get here earlier,” he said softly, pulling her close.
And then the floodgates opened and all her pent-up fear and anger was released. The tears streamed down her face as she recalled what Jim had been doing to her.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t come in. It was awful. He was all over me,” she sobbed, trembling as realization set in. If Lawson hadn’t shown up, Jim would’ve raped her.
Lawson held her tight against his chest and gently stroked a hand through her hair, murmuring softly in her ear, “Shhh, it’s okay. He won’t ever touch you again. We’re getting out of this place and you’re never coming back.”
Just then Bart walked up and handed Lawson a damp towel. Liv stepped out of his embrace so he could tend to his wound. “Why are you here? I thought you were waiting for my call,” she asked, grateful but curious for their unannounced arrival.
Lawson didn’t put the cloth to his knuckles. Instead, he reached over and unbuttoned Liv’s lab coat, examining her injury. Wiping away the blood, he then turned her body so her back was to Bart and pushed her bra aside so he could clean her wound. It was the first time Lawson had touched her in a way that wasn’t sexual. It was loving and gentle, and showed how much he cared for her.
Lawson was her knight in shining armor but he didn’t ride in on a stallion. No, he was the man, and animal, combined in one glorious package.
“I don’t think this will become infected but as soon as we get back to the hotel, we should put something on this,” he offered as he carefully placed the bra over her breast then buttoned her lab coat. He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her forehead then her cheek. She was shocked how tender he could be after the wrath he unleashed on Jim.
“You didn’t say why you’re here,” Liv murmured, searching Lawson’s gray eyes for understanding.
Lawson stepped back, wiping the blood from his knuckles and Liv noticed the cuts weren’t as bad as she thought. It was mostly Jim’s blood.
“You didn’t think I was going to let you come here alone. I left right after you did, and called Bart to meet me here. We’ve been in the parking lot waiting for your text, but something felt off to me. We would’ve gotten to you sooner, but we had no idea which office was his,” he revealed.
Jim rolled onto his side, moaning. Lawson walked over, kneeled, and punched him in the face again. The man flopped to his back and it was lights out once again. Standing up, he smiled, “Fuck, that felt good. I hope I get to do that a few more times before we leave.”
Liv had to admit she would like to get one in, as well. A swift kick to the groin would make her day. She didn’t want him dead but inflicting a lot of pain seemed reasonable for all he had done to her and Lawson.
“Well, I guess I can’t complain about your lack of faith in my plan. Turns out, it was a bad idea. Thank you for coming. Both of you,” she muttered and walked over to pick up her cell phone. Definitely broken.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, Liv knew they had about an hour before they could go to the lab and get his family. They needed to secure Jim in case he came to and started yelling for help.
“Look around for some rope or something to tie him with, and I’m going to grab these files over here. It looks like Jim owns several labs throughout the states and I’m taking the folders. Maybe we can take this to the authorities and shut him down for good,” she informed as she walked back to the credenza.
She saw her torn panties on the ground and picked th
em up, stuffing them into the pocket of her white coat, telling herself she would burn them at the first available chance.
Jim’s assault on Liv flashed through Lawson’s mind, and it took all his strength not to go over and rip the motherfucker’s head from his shoulders. If Lawson had arrived a minute later, Jim would have sexually violated her and she might never have recovered from the emotional and physical abuse of that experience.
The asshole deserved to die but Liv felt strongly about sparing his life. Maybe she was right. If they could prove what Jim was doing, a lifetime in prison might be more torturous. Hopefully, his cellmate would make Jim his bitch, and he’d spend the rest of his days sucking cock. Only then would death not be the best choice, Lawson thought as he tried to bury the image of Jim biting Liv’s tender flesh.
Focusing on something to restrain Jim, Lawson walked into the small bathroom. He spotted several towels and figured those would do. Grabbing a few, Lawson exited and walked towards the male. He was still out cold. Come on, fucker, wake up again so I can put a boot between your teeth, he thought as he ripped the towel into thin strips.
“That’s a fantastic idea,” Liv declared when she saw what Lawson was doing. “Bart, keep watch at the door and let us know if you spot anyone coming.”
Liv was pulling folders from a file drawer and stacking them on the desk. There was a pile of them, at least fifty, and Lawson wondered how long the male had been kidnapping and killing shifters.
“I’m going to tie his hands and feet to this,” Lawson stated, walking behind the desk to grab Jim’s office chair. “We can either shove him under the desk, or we can lock him in the bathroom. Either way, I don’t see him getting out of these straps,” he added, taking the chair over to where Jim lay on the ground. Lawson did a quick search of Jim’s pockets and found his wallet.
“Here you go,” he called out before he tossed the brown leather in Liv’s direction. She snagged it midair and opened it.
