Could the person after Hannah or his people have done this? He was the only threat that she knew of. She didn’t have any enemies. She worked in security. She didn’t know anyone. She didn’t even meet all her clients. Most she met online through a referral. If it was the trafficker after Hannah why would he try getting on her computer? She didn’t know anything about him. There was nothing on her computer worth stealing to a trafficker. None of this made any sense. Liam had kept trying to get a hold of her to tell her something important, but she had brushed him off. Did he know who broke into her house? There was only one way to find out, but she couldn’t say she was happy about it. She had hoped to be done with Liam, but it seemed that was not meant to be.
Cora sat down thinking she was going to be sick. How could she have the worst luck suddenly? She was sending the police on their way, after she gave her statement, when she heard a dispute on her front porch.
“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. This is a police matter.”
“Fuck that. Cora,” The man shouted.
Liam? What was he doing here?
Cora came around the corner and saw two police officers trying to send Liam away. He was starting to walk away when he saw her standing there. He turned back around and tried to force himself past them again. Knowing a fight would break out if she didn’t speak up soon Cora stepped out on the porch. “It’s okay. I know him. He can be here.”
Liam shrugged the hands off him and raced to Cora taking her in his arms. “What happened? Are you okay?”
His concern was sweet and Cora was thankful for the comfort he was giving her but she wouldn’t allow herself to get used to it.
“I’m fine. I came home from the grocery store and saw that the front door was cracked open. I immediately called the police.”
“Was anything missing?”
“No, but-” Cora looked around to see if anyone was listening to them before leaning towards Liam to whisper to him. “Someone tried to get on my computer.”
Liam looked down at her confused as if he didn’t understand the significance of her statement.
“I’ll explain later.” She waved it off. She wasn’t willing to admit she needed help at least to Liam but he needed to know that she thought the man after Hannah was behind her break-in.
Once everyone left, Cora led Liam to her computer and showed him the log-in attempts and the breaches to her security.
“I think the person after Hannah is responsible for this.” She watched Liam’s face for his reaction.
Liam turned his predatory eyes on her. “Why do you think that?” He asked with a guarded look. A look she knew all too well. He knew more than he was leading on.
“Hannah told me the man after her is a drug dealer and trafficker. You guys rescued her from him, and he killed your commander.” It was a watered down condensed version.
“Hannah was very forthcoming with details she wasn’t supposed to reveal,” Liam said evenly, but his hands were clenched at his sides.
“She probably didn’t know she was revealing something she wasn’t supposed to. It’s her life, Liam. She didn’t tell me anything about the mission. Only that you rescued her from him. That’s on Ben to explain to her about national security and all that.” Cora was quick to defend Hannah. It wasn’t like dating a military member came with a manual of the dos’ and don’ts of what you could and couldn’t say.
“I’ll have a talk with Midas. We can’t have Hannah saying the wrong thing to the wrong person.”
“Will you listen to yourself? Hannah doesn’t know anyone here but me. Who is she going to tell? The grocery clerk? It took her a month just to tell me what happened to her and how she came to meet you guys. I doubt she would start shouting it from the rooftops.”
“Some things are meant to be secret. Our job being one of them. She needs to learn that. Even when talking to you,” Liam said harshly.
“You would know all about secrets, wouldn’t you?”
Liam’s nostrils flared. His temper was rising, and soon they would be shouting at each other. It was an age-old argument between them. “I’m not going to rehash this with you, Cora. Everyone has secrets. Some more in-depth than others.”
“Bullshit, I don’t have secrets. I don’t take off at random hours of the day and disappear for days on end.” She was already shouting at him. Cora didn’t want to date him anymore, but it didn’t change the fact she wanted to know if this secret was worth losing her. Hadn’t she meant anything to him?
“It’s part of my job. I have to be ready at a moment’s notice sometimes.”
“I’m not talking about your job, and you know it.” Cora crossed her arms over her chest.
Liam hung his head in defeat. No one would ever win this argument. She wanted to know things he couldn’t tell her, and she wouldn’t give him another chance without knowing.
“You need to leave your house until this is over,” Liam told her, changing the subject.
Cora glared at Liam hating that as usual, he changed the subject. “I told Hannah the same thing I’m telling you. No.” She wouldn’t allow him to push her around. It didn’t matter who was after her.
“It’s not a request. This is a matter of life or death. This isn’t a joke. You have no idea what this man is capable of. I’ve seen the aftermath, and it’s
