by Autumn Reed
Based on Knox’s comments, I figured Liam would jump at the chance to discuss his so-called “glory days,” but he simply answered, “Stanford.”
“I’m in my second year of law school at Stanford,” she said with an air of entitlement.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liam merely nod, but despite his polite indifference, Tinkerbell continued. Referring to the man dressed as Captain Hook seated several seats away from her, she said, “Daddy is a supporter of Mr. Douglas, as is most of this table, it seems. Are you?”
“My uncle is, and Gerald used to sail with us occasionally.” I wondered if that was true or just part of Liam’s cover story for the evening. Jackson and Patrick had only ever referred to Douglas as a client, so I was leaning toward the latter.
“Oh, I love sailing.” She gestured enthusiastically, her Tinkerbell costume sparkling with the movement. “Daddy has a Catalina 315 that we take out on the weekends.”
“Yeah,” Liam said, looking at me and winking. “I’ve been meaning to take Haley out on the water.”
I had to give him credit; he kept trying to talk to me or at least include me in the conversation. He had introduced us, but Tinkerbell clearly preferred to pretend that I didn’t exist. She finally shifted her attention to me at Liam’s latest statement; fortunately, Peter Pan asked her something, forcing her to turn away from me and Liam.
The wait staff started collecting dishes while the band took to the stage. Several of the guests at our table had already gotten up when Liam stood and offered me his hand.
“What would you like to do now, my lady?” A silly smile played across his lips as I stood from the chair.
I shrugged my shoulders and leaned toward him. “Is interrogation an option?” Just knowing Douglas was in the room was making me antsy. I was more than ready to confront him, though I knew Liam was unlikely to let that happen.
“Sorry, gorgeous. Unfortunately, that’s not on the table.”
“And here I thought you were my knight in shining armor,” I said playfully. “Have any other ideas?”
“Oh, I have plenty of ideas,” Liam said, accompanied by a roguish smirk.
With his hand on my lower back, Liam steered me away from the table, distracting me with his hilarious commentary on costumes. We had seen everything from the characters of Alice in Wonderland, a myriad of fairy tales, and even children’s books like Curious George. Liam gestured to a couple in Regency-era costumes, clearly Darcy and Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice.
“Alas,” Liam sighed somewhat dramatically, “that could have been us.”
“Frankly, I think Rhett Butler is a closer fit for you; you talk way too much to make a good Mr. Darcy.”
Liam snapped his head toward me, surprise flashing across his face before his mouth curved into a grin. “Ouch. I wondered where my cheeky girl was hiding.”
I elbowed his side. “You seem to provoke me.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a woman’s hand swipe across the slope of Liam’s shoulders in an intimate gesture. “Where have you been?” She asked, the tone of her voice suggestive, if not outright provocative. “It’s been too long.”
Liam looked at her, his jaw clenched. “Kat. This is my date, Haley.”
I shook her hand, feeling extremely awkward, and wondered if she was a former girlfriend . . . fling . . . friend; one could never be sure with Liam.
“It’s a pleasure,” she said, openly assessing me while she spoke. Kat returned her gaze to Liam, giving him a flirty smile. “I’m off to the bar. Come find me if you want to . . . catch up.” She sashayed off, her hips swinging in her Katniss Everdeen costume.
Before I could inquire about Kat/Katniss, we were drawn into a conversation with other guests. I listened absently as Liam discussed jazz music with several characters from The Chronicles of Narnia. All the while, I was subtly scanning the room for Gerald Douglas, simultaneously craving and dreading the chance to see him up close and maybe even talk to him.
Between the staff, guests, and Zenith members, the space was full of people in constant motion, and the costumes were not helping my search. Considering the fact that I had a known target, I realized how well-trained the Zenith teams must be to effectively scan such a large crowd for unknown security issues. I still had yet to see Tyler or Ethan; I didn’t expect to see Jackson unless there was an issue.
I straightened at the sight of Douglas not far away. Liam’s arm curved around me and pulled me toward him, his hand resting almost possessively on my hip. Not long after, Liam excused us to check on several items at the silent auction.
When we were alone and not at risk of being overheard, Liam spoke in a low voice. “Haley, do you need to go back to the room?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“You know it’s always an option if being here is too much.” He brushed my hair over my shoulder, his hand resting lightly on my collarbone.
“It’s not. I’m just so close to him and I want answers.”
Liam’s face softened, his gray eyes staring into mine. “I know, but we have to do this a certain way. Okay?”
I nodded and he released me.
The crowd parted enough that I finally caught a glimpse of Ethan standing against the wall, his gaze zeroed in on me. Dressed in his black suit, he looked imposing and, of course, incredibly handsome. But, the scowl on his face was what really caught my eye. I furtively glanced around in case I was mistaken and he was actually focused on someone else. No, he’s definitely glaring at me.
When I gave him a tremulous smile, his expression remained unchanged, and my confusion increased. He wasn’t usually quick to smile, but I expected at least a knowing smirk from him. Maybe he is just concentrating on the job? Somehow, that didn’t seem right. What is his problem?
Liam clasped my hand, and I looked up at him, breaking eye contact with Ethan. Liam asked me to dance, and I agreed, following him to the dance floor. When I glanced back once more to where Ethan had been standing, he was gone.
Liam took me in his arms, and I felt surprisingly relaxed. I’d never admit it to him, but Theo did me a favor by coercing me into joining him at the jazz club. If I hadn’t danced with Liam and even Devin that night, my nerves would have been exponentially greater among all of tonight’s glamorous guests.
When Liam’s left hand drifted up my back and his fingers began to slowly caress my bare shoulder, my steps faltered, and I forced my body to refrain from shivering at his unexpected touch. Unable to stop myself, I angled my head up just enough to find his lips pressed into a smug grin. Not wanting to make eye contact while he continued stroking my exposed skin, I found myself fixated on his mouth and how the fullness of his lower lip gave him a natural pout.
“Haley,” he whispered, breaking through my fog. “You truly are the most enchantingly beautiful woman in the room.”
His enticing voice compelled my eyes to travel all the way up to meet his. Expecting to find his usual flirtatious expression, I was surprised to see only earnestness instead. I looked away and gave a small laugh. “Thank you, Liam, but you can stop with the flattery. It’s not like this is a real date.”
Liam pulled me even closer, completely eliminating the space between us. “It’s as real as you want it to be, gorgeous.”
Stunned, I fought the heat threatening to inch up from my chest to my cheeks. Knowing that I couldn’t take Liam’s words at face value, I tried not to read too much into them. Even if Liam did consider our evening a date, he went on dates all the time. It didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t.
When I felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned to see Theo standing behind me with a wide grin. “May I cut in?”
Sighing in relief at the chance to get a break from Liam’s intensity, I moved out of Liam’s arms and into Theo’s. “Of course.”
If Liam was disappointed, he hid it well and pointed to The Phoenix Room before heading that direction.
“So,” Theo’s voice was impish. “Is our noble Lancelot behaving
himself?”
I laughed, “Does he ever?”
“No, it’s not in his nature to be good when in the presence of a beautiful maiden.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” My eyes unconsciously sought Liam, now surrounded by at least three women on the edge of the dance floor. “He’s just a little too charming.”
“Yes, he is,” Theo agreed. “You know, if his behavior ever bothers you, all you have to do is threaten to tell Knox. Liam knows Knox will go medieval on his butt, especially when it comes to you.”
Choosing not to dwell on why Knox was so protective of me, I said, “I think I can handle myself, but I’ll keep it in mind.” Hoping to change the subject from Liam and Knox, I asked, “How are things going with Kara?”
“Great. I’ve never spent much time with her, but she’s a fun date. You two would probably get along smashingly, now that I think about it.”
“Is everyone else playing nice? When I saw Ethan earlier, he was scowling.”
Theo rolled his eyes then looked away.
“What is it, Theo? You can tell me.”
He sighed dramatically. “Apparently Ethan was pissed that Liam asked you to come as his date. I don’t know why he’s so upset about it . . . maybe he’s jealous.”
Jealous? I was still trying to process that thought when the music changed and Theo groaned. “Haley, I hate to dance and run, but I already stayed longer than I probably should have.”
He led me from the dance floor and searched the room before saying, “It seems that Liam has disappeared for the moment. Do you want me to help you look for him?”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll just go back to the table for a few minutes. I’m sure he’ll find me.”
As I made my way to our table, I kept an eye out for Liam, but had yet to see him. Thankful for a momentary respite from conversation, I sank into my chair. The event was still going strong, and it seemed like the noise from the dance floor only increased as the evening wore on.
“Hi, Haley. Are you having a good time?” Tyler asked, slipping into the empty seat next to me. Like the other Zenith guys, he was in a black suit, but his was a more stylish version with a subtle pinstripe vest and black bow tie.
Happy to see him, I smiled. “Yes, I am. As much fun as it is to dress up, I think my favorite part is the people-watching. Some of these costumes are incredible.”
“Like that one,” he said in a dry tone, pointing to a woman dressed as Moaning Myrtle from Harry Potter, complete with the toilet seat around her neck.
I laughed. “Okay, well some are a little on the crazy side, but mostly they’re pretty great.”
Tyler swept his eyes from my hair down to the shoe peeking out of my skirt. “I have to say that your costume is definitely my favorite. You look absolutely exquisite, Haley.”
Not surprisingly, my face flushed at the compliment. “Thank you, Tyler. You look very handsome this evening.”
“So . . .” Tyler stretched out the word. “You and Liam.”
I shook my head and looked down. “It’s not like that. He needed a date and we’re friends.”
Tyler chuckled, “Right. Liam Carlyle is friends . . . with you.”
“Is that so difficult to believe?”
Standing, he said, “A little bit, yeah. Anyway, I would love to chat with you for the rest of the evening, but I’m on the clock. Can I get you a drink before I get back to my post?”
“Thanks, but I’m good,” I said before he nodded. Once Tyler was gone, I headed toward the restrooms.
Kara entered the bathroom as I was drying my hands on a towel. When I smiled at her, she paused, and I got the feeling she wanted to say something.
“I love your costume, Haley. You and Liam make quite the pair.”
I laughed. “Thanks. You and Theo are very glamorous—hands down, the best Gatsby couple here.”
“Theo always seemed nice, but I’ve definitely had more fun tonight than I anticipated.”
I laughed. “That’s Theo; he can make anything fun.”
“Theo and Hunter would actually like each other if they could all see past this stupid rivalry.”
I huffed out a breath and rolled my eyes. “Boys!”
She laughed. “Tell me about it.”
When she walked toward a stall, I called, “See you out there.”
After exiting the restroom, I saw two men in black suits stalking down the hall away from me. Even from behind, I recognized that it was Knox and Ethan, and they appeared to be on a mission. While it could have been related to event security, my stomach clenched at the thought that it might be something else.
They turned a corner, and I hesitated for only a second longer before deciding to follow them. If it wasn’t related to my dad, I would return to the gala and leave them to their business. But if it did have something to do with my dad . . .
With no time to lose, I strode down the hallway. I needed to reach the end in time to see where Knox and Ethan had gone and avoid being spotted by Kara as she exited the bathroom. But when I peeked my head around the corner, Knox and Ethan had vanished. Fortunately, there were no other entrances or exits before the next turn in the hallway.
I approached the second corner and stopped to peer around it. Still no sign of Knox or Ethan, but there was only one place they could have gone—a glass door ahead of me that led to the courtyard. As I approached, I was thankful that the door was mostly blocked from view by trees and other plants. My heart clamored at the thought of what I might find on the other side. But I knew I had to get out there no matter the cost, so I quickly removed my shoes and slipped through the door as quietly as possible.
Guarded
Hoping the tree I hid behind provided sufficient cover, I peeked through its branches to see Knox and Ethan speaking to Clive, one of Douglas’s personal security guards.
Straining to hear Knox’s deep voice clearly, I made out only the end of his sentence. “. . . us the truth about your involvement in Brian Taylor’s disappearance.”
Clive scoffed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. And even if I did, it wouldn’t be any of your business. You did your job and found Taylor. You got paid. It’s over.” He turned away and started walking for the door on the opposite end of the courtyard from where I was standing.
Ethan moved so swiftly, I barely saw his long arms reach out and pin Clive’s arms behind his back. “I don’t think so,” Ethan said, his voice dripping with amusement.
Knox continued, speaking louder this time. “You must have misunderstood me. We’re not giving you a choice here. You will tell us everything you know about Taylor; we know you and your associate pursued Taylor after the explosion, so there’s no use denying it.” His stance was relaxed, at odds with his harsh words and tone.
“Why do you even care?”
“We’ve known there was something suspect about this situation from the beginning, so we continued our investigation, and now we need to see it through.” Knox paused before redirecting the conversation. “Why don’t you start by telling me why you broke into Taylor’s office in Coleville?”
Clive struggled unsuccessfully against Ethan’s hold. “Why don’t you fucking make me?”
Knox lost his relaxed demeanor, growling, “Do you honestly think you still have a choice here?”
“Fine,” Clive practically spat at him. “But you’re dealing with the fallout when Douglas finds out about your little interrogation. You boys are in way over your head.”
“Why did you break into Taylor’s office?”
“We didn’t have anything to do with that.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I swear. I don’t know anything about a break-in.” His voice became whiney toward the end; no doubt Ethan was putting some pressure on him.
“Fine. Then tell me where Taylor is now.”
Clive stood there glaring at Knox, refusing to respond.
Knox moved back a few steps and lazily placed his hands in his pockets as if he ha
d all the time in the world. “I’m sure the press would love to hear about the skeletons in Douglas’s closet. And, if you think I won’t find every single one, you’re out of your mind. Where. Is. Taylor?”
Clive laughed humorlessly. “Whatever, it’s your funeral,” he huffed. “We spotted Taylor in El Segundo about twenty-four hours ago.”
I forced my hand over my mouth to stifle a gasp. I was anxious to hear the rest but needed to stay hidden if I was going to have any chance of doing so.
“That’s a start.”
“We believe he was staying at the Seahorse Inn, but whether he’s still there or even in the area, I have no idea.”
My ears started buzzing, and I couldn’t concentrate on the conversation playing out in front of me. Oh my god. My dad is alive. I know where he is. I was bombarded with a surge of thoughts and emotions. Elation. Anxiety. Hope. Uncertainty. Then, I felt a sense of calm. I knew what I had to do.
Glancing toward Knox and the others, I confirmed that they were still preoccupied and quietly slipped back through the door and down the hall. Skirting around corners, I hurried to the elevators, praying I wouldn’t be seen by any of the guys. Considering the amount of noise drifting from the ballroom, the event was still going strong, so hopefully they were too busy to notice my absence. Ha, keep dreaming.
In the elevator, all I could think about was Chase’s presence in the hotel room. Why couldn’t he have been downstairs with the rest of the guys? If he spotted me, I’d just have to wing it.
Thankful they had given me a room key, I slid the card into the slot and cringed at the beep that seemed to reverberate in the silent hallway. I peeked into the room and released a deep breath when I didn’t find Chase in the main room. Tiptoeing down the hall toward my bedroom, I held the voluminous skirt of my dress to keep it from swishing. When I made it past Chase’s closed door and into my bedroom, I practically collapsed in relief.
Knowing I didn’t have even a second to spare, I frantically stripped off my dress, leaving my bustier on. I hastily pulled on a pair of shorts and a chambray shirt, not taking the time to button it up. Hurriedly slipping on sneakers then grabbing my phone and purse, I paused at the door for only a second, listening for movement.
