by Martha Woods
Brown eyes bore into him and for a second he thought that she could see through his lie. But she smiled and nodded. “It took me a while to figure out the nature of the writing. You were right. They were ancient texts, very ancient actually. Sumerian to be exact.”
Liam stared at her blankly. “Okay.” Her words meant little to him. “I think I’ve heard the word before.” He shrugged. “I never paid much attention to history class and all that.”
Farah grinned. “There was an ancient civilization by the name of Sumer. It is said to be the first urban civilization in Mesopotamia. But I’m sure you’re not interested in all of that. You want to know what the writing on that arrow means.”
Liam nodded. “Yes.”
“Simply put, the writing means ‘destroyer of evil.’ I consulted with a cousin of mine who is very good with ancient languages.”
Liam continued to stare at her. Destroyer of evil? He wasn’t evil. Why would anyone want to destroy him? Sure, he was a wolf in the business world, but none of his rivals had ever tried to take him out before. He suppressed the alarm that rose inside of him. Deep down he knew what was going on. He didn’t want to admit it but it was staring him right in the face. A hunter was in Boulder Junction. He would have to warn the pack and every other shifter in the region. Bile rose in his throat. That meant confronting his old man; something he had been pushing back for weeks because he still hadn’t made up his mind about becoming leader of their pack.
Chapter 4
Skylar put on a bright smile and held up a cup of coffee as soon as Liam stepped out of his bedroom. “Good morning, Mr. Conway.”
Liam came to an abrupt halt. His brows shot up and he grunted in response. Taking the cup of coffee, he murmured. “Thanks and you don’t have to wait at my door.”
“You’re welcome and I know you always go downstairs first thing for a cup of coffee. Farah told me. That’s why I brought you the coffee to save you the trip. It’s black and strong, one sugar, just the way you like it.” She beamed at him.
Liam eyed her. “Are you always so bright?”
Her smile stayed in place. “I suppose I am. If you don’t like it, I can tone down.”
His head tilted to the side as he studied her. Skylar’s toes curled in her shoes. Was his gaze always so intense? Or maybe she was just on edge because she was fighting the urge not to drool over her new boss. Did the man have to look so good, so early? He was dressed to work from home and his hair was still damp from his shower. That stubborn lock of hair was hanging over his left eye again and her fingers itched to sweep it out of the way.
“Don’t change on my account,” he said gruffly and walked off.
Skylar’s smile fell a notch. Clearly he wasn’t a morning person. It was okay, a lot of people weren’t. She followed him to a closed door which turned out to be his office. He stopped in front of a massive oak desk and turned to her. The sudden stop took her off guard and she bumped into him. He steadied her along with hand that held the mug of hot liquid and muttered a curse.
“You know, Ms. Moore, being my personal assistant doesn’t mean that you have to physically attach yourself to me.”
Skylar’s face paled and then turned bright pink in a matter of seconds. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Conway. I wasn’t-” She stopped when she saw humor shining in his eyes and a ghost of a smile on his mouth. Letting out a breath, she smiled. “I’m not the most graceful person in the world.”
“I can see that.” He motioned to a chair in front of his desk. “There was no official interview so I figured we could discuss a few terms this morning. Have a seat.”
She sat and watched him walk around to his winged-back chair. She couldn’t help noticing the easy grace with which his large body moved. She blinked, deciding that if she was going to last longer than the one week trial period, she would have to kill the attraction she felt to Liam or at least dampen it.
He sat and continued. “I’ll make it quick. I have work piled up that we need to get started on.”
“Of course.”
“Number one, your salary. I pay twenty five dollars per hour. Is that okay with you?”
Skylar’s eyes widened. She did a quick mental calculation. Was it okay? It was freaking awesome! Her eyes narrowed. That was almost double the average hourly rate for a PA. “That sounds great. What’s the catch?”
Liam smirked. “Smart woman. The only catch is my demand on your time. I will try my best to give you a regular eight or nine hour day and six days a week but you will end up working crazy hours some days for sure. Also, I will want you to travel with me on occasion. I think it’s only fair to compensate you for your lack of a decent social life while you’re under my employ.”
Her lips lifted. “Well, in that case, I agree. I don’t need a social life anyway.” She had bills to pay and, quite possibly, she might end up having to dig her father out of his gambling debts as well. So she would work around the clock with Liam if need be.
Liam looked like he wanted to comment but he didn’t. “Medical benefits also come with the job along with paid vacations, sick leave, and bonuses, assuming that you are still here next week, that is.”
Skylar reminded herself to keep her mouth closed or it would drop to the lovely blue carpet. Liam Conway sure was generous. Well, from what she had garnered during her research of her boss last night, he could afford it. He was a billionaire and was making more every day. She shrugged. “I will do my best to please you, Mr. Conway.”
Something flickered in his eyes and they seemed to darken but it disappeared before she could identify what it was. Did his gaze drop to her mouth or was it just her imagination? It had to have been all in her head.
“You can call me Liam.”
She smiled. “Liam. You can call me Skylar or Sky if you like.”
“Because of your eyes?”
“I beg your pardon?” She glanced at him, confused.
He cleared his throat lightly and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Does the shortened version of your name have anything to with the color of your eyes?”
Her heart constricted. “My mother started calling me Sky when I was a baby. She always said looking into my eyes was like looking at the sky.” She sucked in a breath and averted her gaze, willing her eyes not to fill with tears.
Liam allowed his gaze to roam her face before she looked back at him. “She was right.” When her wide eyes met his he said, “Let’s get to work.”
Skylar blinked. “S-sure.” Okay, she definitely didn’t imagine his sort of compliment. Her heart fluttered before her subconscious kicked in. Easy girl, he didn’t mean anything by it.
“First, what do you know about me and my business ventures, Sky?”
She hid a smile, satisfied with his use of her nickname. That was a good sign, right? “You are a self-made billionaire. You take your work seriously and your business is all about real estate. Oh, and you recently began buying out companies, revamping them, and selling them for hefty prices.”
He nodded. “Good, you did your homework.”
She grinned and pulled her chair closer. Catching a whiff of his masculine scent, she stifled a groan. Ignoring her attraction to Liam was going to take great effort. Somehow, she managed to stay focused.
By the end of the day, she had his daily schedule for the next few weeks organized. Being in his company for hours, she also learned more about his personality and preferences. He wasn’t much of a talker and he liked his space. So she made a mental note to try her best to be as quiet as possible. She snorted inwardly‒ she knew her quietness wouldn’t last long.
* * *
Liam eyed Sky from beneath his lashes. She was curled up on his couch, focusing intently on his laptop screen. She had slipped off her shoes and her red toenails peeked out from under her pants. Her hair had come free of its bounds over the course of the day and the silky, blonde curtain of hair framed her face. Realizing that he was staring, he shook his head and glanced at the time. It was well past
nine pm.
“I didn’t realize it was so late. You can retire for the night.”
She glanced up and rubbed her eyes tiredly. “Oh, no I can work a little longer. I’m almost finished sorting through your emails.”
“Sky, stop. I don’t even remember seeing you eat anything.”
“I went downstairs for lunch while you were video conferencing with your business associates.”
He frowned. “That was six hours ago.”
“Mhmm.” She returned her attention to her task.
Rolling his eyes he got up. “For goodness sake, I know this a probationary period but I don’t want you to kill yourself trying to prove that you can do the job, Sky.”
“I’m fine. Really.”
“Don’t you want to go and call your family and friends in Miami?”
She glanced up and there was no missing the sadness in her eyes. He had seen it before. But like the last time, she quickly covered it up with a smile.
“I can make calls tomorrow.”
He sighed. “Well, I’m done working for the night and so are you. Let’s go.”
Her eyes flew back to him and they widened as she realized that he was heading toward the door. “Oh, okay. Just let me shut this down.”
He heard her soft footsteps behind him as he headed down the stairs. “You should eat something. I’m sure Farah retired for the night so feel free to help yourself.”
“Thanks. Can I get you anything?”
He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned, forcing her to stop. Standing on the step, she eye to eye with him. “No, I’m heading out.”
“Oh. So um, how did I do today? Any feedback will help me to be better tomorrow.”
Liam shoved down the smile that threatened to break through his serious demeanor at the hopeful look on her face. “Maybe I should wait until the end of the one week to give any feedback.”
Her face fell and then she smiled. “Are you teasing me, Liam?”
He drew in a breath. Hearing her call his name did something to his insides. “Maybe.”
“Who knew you were capable of teasing?”
“I’m full of surprises.” Was he bantering? He never bantered. “Anyway, I should get going.”
She opened her mouth and closed it. He knew she was about to ask where he was off to at that time of night. He was glad she didn’t bother. He hated when people questioned him and he sure as hell didn’t want to talk about where he was going.
“Have a good night,” she said.
He wouldn’t. “You too. See you tomorrow.”
He could feel her eyes on his back as he walked out the door.
* * *
Heaving a sigh, Liam trudged toward the clearing of trees. There were cabin-like houses scattered about and the scent of wolves permeated the air. He shifted back into his human form and pulled the clothes from the small sack that had been tied around his neck.
Fully dressed, he squared his shoulders and marched toward the biggest cabin. It was the home he had grown up in. He should be happy to return home, most people were. But he couldn’t be, not when he knew he had his father to contend with. Since moving back to Boulder Junction, he’d only been to his childhood home twice and both occasions had been to see his mother and brothers - well, one of them, since the other seemed to hate him.
As he approached the cabin, wolves appeared from behind trees and bushes. They towered over him and he stopped to deliver a nod in greeting. They all lowered their heads out of respect for the future alpha of their pack, a title he was trying his hardest to avoid. He reached out a hand to affectionately rub the nose of a brown and white wolf that crouched before him. Liam smiled. It was his youngest brother Michael, the only one who didn’t see him leaving to make his own path in a life as a betrayal to the pack. Michael was carefree, loving, and accepting like their mother, and his only ally.
“Hey, kid.”
The wolf huffed and growled. Michael never appreciated being called kid. Liam chuckled and continued toward the cabin. He mentally prepared himself to take in the sight of his ill mother who was visibly withering away, and to deal with his father’s lecture on family duties.
The door opened before he reached the porch. A broad shouldered man, almost the same height as him, stared at him with cool disdain. Green eyes much like his own narrowed. “What brings you by?”
Liam sighed and pushed past his brother. “I’m here to see Father, Lucas. Where is he?” He didn’t have time for his younger brother’s pettiness.
“What are you here to see him about? What, have you decided to take on your responsibilities?”
The resentment in his brother’s tone normally would have hurt, but not tonight. There were more important matters to deal with than his fractured relationship with his immature sibling. If there was indeed a hunter in town, they were all in danger.
“How about you mind your business and get out of my way before I have to kick your ass, Lucas?” A growl rumbled deep in his chest and his eyes glowed yellowed, as he tried to hold on to his temper.
Lucas sneered and stood down. He knew without a doubt that Liam could easily take him down. He watched with something akin to hatred in his eyes as Liam passed him and exited the living room. When he entered the kitchen, he stopped.
“Mom, what the hell are you doing?” He rushed toward her, taking the cup she held in her hand. “You should be lying down.”
“Liam, my darling. I didn’t know you were stopping by tonight. What a pleasant surprise.” She swatted at his hands while he gently pushed her toward a chair. “Stop fussing, I’m not dead yet,” she said with a chuckle.
His jaw clenched. “Please don’t joke about your death, Mom.”
Leah sighed. “I was just getting some water, dear. I was going to go right back to bed.”
Liam studied his mother’s pale features. She looked like a slight breeze would topple her over. “Couldn’t Dad have gotten it for you? Or Lucas or Michael?”
He was tempted to pick her up and take her home with him, where he could hire a private nurse; where she could get better care. The middle of the woods amongst a pack of wolves was no place for a woman suffering from stage five brain cancer. He had offered many times to take her away, but she insisted that her place was here with her husband and her pack.
Swallowing a curse, he poured the water into the glass and placed it in her hand. She smiled up at him and took a few sips. “Oh, my sweet boy, you were always so gentle and caring growing up -”
“And those qualities will have to go when he takes on leadership of this pack.”
Liam stiffened at the sound of the gruff voice. It was the voice that had reprimanded him many times for not being a true wolf. His father, Isaac, stood in the doorway. He was a towering figure with cold green eyes staring at Liam. There was a time when he was intimidated by the old man. Now that he was older and just as imposing as his father, he regarded him with indifference.
“Good night to you too, Dad.”
“Stop treating your mother like a child. The exercise will do her good.”
Liam shoved down the urge to throttle his ignorant parent. Isaac had always detested weakness and Leah needing assistance in her ill state was considered weak. His wolf snarled inside of him as his anger mounted. Taking several deep breaths, he reminded himself that he wasn’t there to fight with anyone.
“There’s a hunter in town,” he blurted out. There, he said it. Now he could leave.
“What?” Isaac straightened, his eyes flashing with menace.
“You heard me, Dad. So I suggest you reign in the pack until he or she skips town. I just came to issue the warning.”
“How do you know this?” Isaac growled.
“Oh, you know. The hunter tried to kill me with an arrow made of pure silver, that’s all,” Liam murmured sarcastically.
Leah gasped and Liam immediately cursed his insensitivity. He should have taken the conversation outside. “I’m fine, Mom. It was no big deal.
”
Isaac was silent as he contemplated what he’d just heard. Liam took the opportunity to escape. He took his mother’s hand. “Come on, Mom. Let me help you to bed before I go.”
Liam held on to a frail Leah as she climbed into bed. He stared down at her with a frown. “Come and stay with me.” He knew what she would say but he had to try again. Maybe, by some miracle, she would see reason and accept.
Leah smiled and rubbed his much larger hand gently. “You know I can’t leave your father, Liam. He would see me leaving as a betrayal.”
“Just like he saw me leaving as a betrayal.”
She averted her gaze, taking on an aura of despair. “Why did you leave, Liam? You are his oldest son. You knew you were next in line to lead out pack.”
Liam gritted his teeth. He’d never quite explained to his mother his reason for leaving because he knew she wouldn’t understand his need for freedom and independence.
“Why I left no long matters, Mom. Years have passed and I’m back now.”
“But you refuse to take your place as alpha.”
“I didn’t come back to be accepted back into the pack, much less lead it. I came back for you.” When he’d gotten that phone call from his father two months ago, he hadn’t hesitated to come back home. If his mother only had months to live, he would put aside his pride and resentment of pack life and run home. “I came because you asked me to.”
“Yes, my dear Liam, so you could fix your relationship with your father and Lucas and so you could look out for my baby, Michael. I wanted us all to be together again… a happy family.”
“Mom -”
Liam grunted and closed his mouth. He was about to tell her that they had never been a happy family. The dysfunction had nearly driven him insane. Seeing his father’s treatment of his mother had bothered him, not to mention how he treated his children. There had been no gentleness, no display of love, no real parenting on his part. Isaac had children out of duty, to procreate and strength the pack, and that was what he expected of all the males. Females were seen as nothing more than breeding machines. He wanted no part of such a ridiculous and archaic government. Unfortunately, most wolf shifters refused to let go of the old ways.
