I shook my head and put a hand on Liam’s chest, wanting to go back in to the safety of the house.
“I recognize the van,” I said, my voice a little husky from the adrenaline that was still running through me. “I think I know who that was.”
Chapter Nine
“Blue Boy Vans?” Liam said, confused.
I nodded, taking a sip of my tea. We were in the office again. This was where I felt the most comfortable in the house. Liam had brought up a cup of hot tea for me as I gathered myself.
“A couple years back, Madewell hit pay dirt in some mines in Virginia. We found a load of a certain type of mineral that was in demand for those shatter-proof cellphone screens. By that point though, most of our industry was abroad so we didn’t have enough trucks and equipment stateside. So we were buying trucks from everywhere to help with this increase in production. And one of the companies we bought vans off of was a company called Blue Boy.”
“What the hell kind of name is Blue Boy?” Liam asked, leaning against a bookshelf.
I shrugged. “I dunno. I think they were like a denim manufacturer. But then, who knows why they had so many large trucks and vans. Either way, my dad bought them all up. We were in such a rush during that time though that we didn’t bother repainting all of them. We just slapped our logo over the old one and sent all the trucks and vans to Virginia.”
I took another sip. The tea felt soothing and good in my stomach. “As part of Blue Boy, all the trucks and vans had this little cartoon boy on the back doors. As the van drove off today, I saw the little Blue Boy cartoon.”
Liam’s brow furrowed. “So somebody was using a Madewell van to come kill you?”
I shook my head. “Two years after the find in Virginia, our American production reduced. Once again, our big time money was coming from our mines abroad. So we reduced our load here. We sold off a lot of the excess equipment we had bought and a lot of our vehicles.”
I paused, feeling a shiver slowly run down my back. “We sold off essentially all of the old Blue Boy vehicles. Actually, we were able to sell them off in one huge package sale since there was a company at that time who was in need of additional trucks and vans.”
Liam’s eyes narrowed as if he could tell what I was going to say next. “And who was that?” he asked with a flat tone that indicated he knew exactly who it was.
“RL Co.,” I said softly. “Ron Lawson bought all of our Blue Boys.”
***
“Well,” Liam said, straightening up and crossing towards my desk. “What will our plan be?”
His face, gorgeous as a male model’s, was serious and lined as he asked the question, clearly set for action.
I, on the other hand, hesitated. “Wait,” I said, putting down my tea carefully. “This attack doesn’t prove Lawson was behind the first one.”
Liam raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t it?” he asked.
“No, it doesn’t,” I said firmly.
“Does it matter?”
“Yes, it does!” I nearly shouted. “I want my family’s murderer more than anything else but if I’m intending to kill a man in revenge, I want to kill the right man.”
Liam waved an arm towards the large windows, the windows I had been looking up at right before the shooting.
“And you don’t think making an attempt on your life just now also warrants some retribution?” he demanded.
I looked at him. “So now we’re possibly killing two men,” I said evenly.
Liam huffed a humorless laugh. “Kill all three, I say,” he said cavalierly. “I’ve seen those kinds of men multiple times in multiple forms. None of those three are worth keeping alive. If you’re not sure who did it, then take all three out.”
“Are you always so dismissive of lives or are you just being that way now because you want our bargain to come to a close?” It dawned on me how comfortable I was now speaking with a demon.
Liam pierced me with a heated glare. “I’m here till the bitter end, sweetheart,” he said softly. “And it will be quite the bitter one for you. But I’m telling you the truth here. Most men aren’t even equal to their own shits. And those three men are just taking up space. You’d be doing the world a favor by getting rid of them.”
“I’m not here to play god,” I said.
Liam sat on the edge of the desk then grabbed the back of my chair, turning me towards him. “Oh aren’t you?” he asked. “It’s quite god-like to throw down judgment on your murderer. Isn’t that better left in the hands of God Himself?”
An earthquake could have tumbled the house around us and I still wouldn’t have been able to break away from his gaze. “Maybe,” I whispered. “But my soul isn’t under God’s hands anymore.”
I saw Liam’s lips twitch. His eyes looked as cool and as mesmerizing as a forest glade. “No,” he said, agreeing, “That it certainly isn’t.”
And for a quick, breathtaking moment, I felt as if I was back in that airless, black space again. But instead of free floating and gasping in the dark, consuming space, I was pinned and anchored by glowing green eyes. I felt no body, no lungs, no heartbeat. Just my inner self meeting those green eyes, naked and bare to his gaze.
Ring Ring!
I jerked in surprise. Even Liam moved in surprise at the sudden noise.
Pulling myself together, I looked around the desk dumbly for the source of the sound before realizing it was the telephone. My dad still had a landline attached for his office.
I looked at Liam. But who would be calling?
Standing close by, he nodded at me. I picked up the phone.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Sophia? Is this Sophia speaking?” a familiar voice asked.
I tried to place his voice in my mind. “Yes. Who is this?”
“Oh thank goodness. This is Harrison Dell.”
My eyebrows nearly shot up to my hairline in surprise. Harrison Dell, I mouthed to Liam but he waved a hand at me to keep talking.
“Harrison,” I said calmly. “It’s certainly a surprise to hear from you, I have to say.”
Harrison gave a nervous chuckle. “I’m sure it is,” he agreed. “But no more of a surprise than when I saw you at the Senator’s dinner last night.”
There was an odd accusatory tone to his voice as if I had pulled a mean prank on him last night by showing up.
“What can I do for you?” I asked.
“Well, I’m actually calling in hopes that I can do something for you.”
My heart skidded to a thud. Could this possibly mean what I thought it meant? Was this maybe a break in the case?
“Oh?” I answered casually, hoping not to give away anything in case he was referring to something completely different.
“Err…yes. But I don’t feel comfortable speaking about it over the phone. Would it be possible to meet in person?”
Oh now this did seem promising. Something that had to be said in person? It had to be about her parents’ murder.
“Of course. When were you thinking?”
“Are you available tomorrow lunch? Do you think you can make it into the city?”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. Did you want me to come by your office?”
“No!” Harrison nearly shouted. “No. Let me treat you to some decent food. Not some office trash.” I smiled knowing that any five star restaurant would send a hot meal over to his office as soon as he called. “Do you know the Lily Fifth?”
“One of my father’s favorite restaurants.”
“Yes, mine as well. Why don’t we meet there tomorrow at about one o’clock. Does that work for you?”
“That’s perfect.”
“Okay,” he said a little hesitantly. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow at noon then. Goodbye, Sophia.”
“Goodbye.”
I hung up the phone with a slight ringing still echoing in my ear. I looked up at Liam, an excited smile about to burst from my lips. “He wants to meet.”
His eyes darkened in pleasure
at this clear lead in our search for the killer. “You’re not going alone.”
I stop fighting the smile. “Wouldn’t dream of it, bro.”
Chapter Ten
“Has it occurred to you that all three might be in cahoots?” Liam asked, sitting lazily in the plush armchair in my room.
I stood next to my bed with a stack of clothes heaped on it. I pulled out another blouse and fitted it against my chest, gauging the look in the floor length mirror.
“Not until this very moment, to be honest,” I said. I wanted to look strong and capable but not overpowering. I didn’t want to give the impression that I was planning to do anything more than go to lunch with an old business acquaintance. I threw the blouse on the quickly growing reject pile on the other side of the bed.
“Why not?” he asked, his long legs spread before him as he watched me pick the right outfit.
“What would they stand to gain by being in cahoots?” I said, pulling up a floral print dress. I held it up against my body and immediately cringed my nose at it. It was too busy and too whimsical. I threw it aside.
“If I had not come back and Madewell Ltd had not made their expected 25% contribution then they would’ve sued for breach of contract. But that doesn’t mean Madewell will suddenly be dissolved and distributed three ways,” I continued, digging through the remaining pile of possible clothes. “No, that’s why this means the murderer had a more personal reason. Sure, after the Madewell family was offed, someone could start slowly dismantling the company, buying it up piece by piece. But did that really require murder?” I shook my head. “Something else is at play here.”
Now caught up in my own stream of thought, I couldn’t stop. “I would think a better way to go about this whole affair would’ve been to push a contract through with the alliance. All of us are now working together. Now if my dad had died then, then the other three could say they need to have temporary ownership over Madewell so that they could finish the contract. That temporary ownership could then be construed in all sorts of twisted and convoluted ways that would lead to the end of Madewell Ltd.” I shrugged as I looked over a green and white dress. “But I guess that would’ve taken more time than just murdering your competitor.”
I was so engrossed in my own thoughts that I hadn’t noticed Liam walking around the bed towards me. I nearly jumped when he suddenly cut into my line of vision, sitting on my bed blocking me from my clothes.
Would I ever get used to him? It was always so surreal to be caught in Liam’s gaze now. I almost felt as if I had double vision looking at him. He was both someone familiar and foreign at the same time. I could never look at him and not see the Liam I knew growing up.
And yet, this new green-eyed version was becoming more prominent. I was beginning to see this Liam first when I looked at him, with the old Liam echoing softly behind.
And this Liam was certainly a different man altogether. Well, not even a man, I reminded myself.
Sitting on the bed, his white button shirt creased in the front, revealing his hard chest. I could feel a slow heat work its way up my body as I followed the line up to his face. Hard, intense, focused eyes rested on me. His stubbled jawline rigid and sexy as hell.
With a flick of his wrist, he undid the buttons of my pajama top.
“Hey!” I said, grabbing both sides of my top and wrapping it tight around me. “What the hell—”
His fingers found their way up my pajama shorts. I could feel them teasing at my entrance, which was very obviously wet.
Liam never took his eyes off of me. “It’s still a wonder how small you are,” he murmured as he stroked me gently between my wet pussy lips. I bit back a moan, “and yet how bold and fearless you are.”
I felt as hot as if I were in a sauna. “I-I’m not bold,” I said breathlessly. I could hardly focus as his fingers only brought my body higher and higher towards an ultimate release.
Liam’s eyes creased a little. “Aren’t you? Not many would come back to their murderers, especially at the price of their souls.” His finger circled around my clit. “It’s quite extraordinary.”
“Maybe I’m just dumb,” I gasped, pleasure wracking my body. My knees shook from the onslaught of desire he was throwing at me.
Liam chuckled softly. His green eyes pierced me with an intimacy that made me feel more exposed than his fingers did. “I don’t think so,” he said softly, before pinching my clit hard.
I cried out. Heat swooped in and burned my body. I felt that ultimate peak of pleasure but before I could fall over the edge, Liam removed his hand. My body suddenly felt empty as it throbbed for its conclusion.
He gave a small jerk of his head towards the bed. “The black dress,” he said simply. “Wear the black one.” With that, he stood up and headed towards the door, leaving me panting and unfinished.
What the fuck.
I shook my head, knowing as soon as he left the room, I would have to finish the job myself even though it would be nowhere near as good. “That’s fucking cruel,” I said, wishing his thick fingers were still inside me.
His hand on the doorknob, I heard him softly chuckle again. “I’ve been known to be that,” he said simply before shutting the door behind me.
***
“Ah, Sophia.” Harrison Dell rose from his seat, his hands outreached towards her.
I smiled and stepped into the private dining room of Lily Fifth. It was one of the more premier restaurants in the financial district. But even amongst the premier, Harrison Dell was among the top and commanded a private room whenever dining.
“It’s good to see you again, Mr. Dell,” I said as I took his hands.
I felt confident in my black dress which flared out flatteringly around my hips and yet wasn’t too loud or demanding. Liam had been right, that jerk.
Harrison motioned to the table. “Oh please, call me Harrison. We’ve known each other too long for formality. If you’d like, we can—” He stopped short as he caught sight of Liam walking into the private room. Dressed in a charcoal gray suit jacket and a blindingly white shirt, Liam looked like he had walked right out of a magazine. Harrison’s large eyebrows furrowed in surprised annoyance. “I thought this would be a private meeting,” he said in a low voice to me.
I smiled blandly. “It is a private meeting,” I said. “Only family is present here.”
“Yes, but—”
I walked past him and took a seat. The table had only been set for two. Liam pulled a chair from one corner of the room and sat himself next to me. I looked up at Harrison pleasantly, waiting for him to take his seat.
Harrison seemed to fight the urge to protest some more before shrugging his shoulders and giving a forced chuckle. “Well you have to forgive my surprise,” he said as he took his seat. “If I remember correctly, you never had an interest in the family business.” Harrison nodded towards Liam. “That’s why your father pinned all his hopes on his precocious little daughter. So why the sudden appearance now?”
The note of suspicion wasn’t lost on either of us. Liam smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes, making the smile more of a threat than anything else. “Tragedy,” he answered simply. “It has a way of bringing a family together.”
Harrison’s eyes bulged a bit at his words but didn’t say anything. Instead he coughed and nodded. He motioned for a waiter to come take their order. Feeling too anxious to hear what Harrison had to say, I could barely bring myself to look at the menu. Seeming to sense my energy, Liam pulled the menu out of my hands and ordered for both of us. I sighed in relief although I noticed Harrison quirk an eyebrow.
“So I wonder if it would be bad form to ask…” Harrison trailed off before looking at her with an expectant look. “I mean, you can’t blame me for wondering exactly how you managed to…well, you know, survive.”
I took a sip of my water. Sitting up straight, I calmed my features into an expressionless smile. “I’m sure, Harrison. And I don’t blame you,” I said. Was he asking to see how his plan mig
ht’ve gone wrong? To see what goon to chew out and fire? “But unfortunately the police are currently investigating the murder and I’m under strict instructions not to discuss the case with anyone.” I could feel Liam smothering a smile at my lie. My heart skipped a beat. Was it just me or did that smile look a little like admiration? “So I’m afraid you’ll just have to use your imagination.”
Harrison smothered a clearly frustrated grimace. “Right,” he said. “Well then is business still an acceptable topic of conversation?” He gave a sharp laugh that was meant to break the mood but instead only added to it.
I smiled. “Of course. Business is always acceptable.”
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