“I’m many things, Cora, but a liar isn’t one of them. I may keep things from you but not something like this. I don’t know if Alejandro knows of your connection to us but with the break-in and trying to access your computer, it’s a safe bet that he knows and is now coming after you.”
Cora scuffed. “Do you know how ridiculous you sound? People are coming after me. I do computer security, what reason would anyone have to come after me?”
“You have access to Alejandro’s bank accounts.”
“How do you know that?”
“Hound has been watching his accounts. He saw when a large amount got moved to the states. It took him a little bit longer to figure out who was protecting the money. I always knew you were good at security. It takes crazy skills to keep Hound out as long as you had.” Liam stood up and stepped in front of her. She still had doubt in her eyes. “With access to his accounts, you could take all his security away and leave him exposed to his enemies, and believe me he has many. He’s a wanted man in several countries.”
“I-” Cora’s eyes shuttered closed, and she laid her head back against the door frame. “I never knew.” It was the first hint of vulnerability he had heard from her. It broke his heart that he did this to her.
“I know. That’s why I’m telling you now.”
“Is he…” Cora licked her lips nervously. “Is he the one who held Hannah?”
Every instinct Liam had told him to lie. But he had told Cora he wasn’t a liar. He omitted or changed the subject, but he never outright ever lied to her. It may be a breach in security, but she had to know. “Yes,”
Tears pooled down her cheeks, and Liam pulled her into her arms. “I’ve been aiding a man who…Hannah will hate me when she finds out.”
“No,” he snapped at her and pulled back from her, so he could see her face. “Hannah could never hate you.”
“I’m protecting his money.” She said slowly as if he didn’t understand. He understood perfectly.
“Not anymore. Tell him you quit, and we’ll put you in hiding.”
“No, I refuse to hide from him.” Cora worried her lip then snapped her fingers after a moment. “I have it. I’ll lure him.”
A small v formed between his brows. “How?” He didn’t like her using herself as bait. He had seen the condition of Hannah after being at the hands of Alejandro. The last thing he wanted was for Cora to be within grasp of him.
“I have his contact information,” she said hopefully. “I can set up a meeting with him. When he shows up, you’ll get him.”
Alejandro hadn’t gotten as far in life as he had by being an idiot. “It’s too dangerous.”
Cora looked up at him crestfallen, and he felt like he had been kicked in the gut. He had taken that joy away from her. “But it’s a good plan.”
“It is,” he quickly assured her, “but Alejandro is sending men after you which means he knows you are connected to us. He’s having people watch your house. He’s not going to trust you to set up a meeting. He’ll know it’s a trap.”
“Then what do you suggest?” She huffed, her anger quickly returning.
“Since you refuse to leave, I’m going to stay here with you. When I can’t be here one of the guys will stay, or they can sleep out in their car or at Midas’s.”
“So, if they have to sleep in their cars or at Ben’s why can’t you?” Cora knew she sounded like a broken record by now. But he obviously wasn’t taking the hint she didn’t want him sleeping under her roof. She didn’t care what kind of threat was looming over her head.
Liam’s nostrils flared. He was getting irritated. “Because they don’t have a history with you. I want to stay close to you because they seem focused on your house, not Midas’s. You don’t like it, tough, but it doesn’t matter what you say, I’m not leaving.” To emphasize his point, Liam crossed his arms over his chest. The action caused his biceps to bulge, and Cora’s eyes drifted down to them. Her fingers itched to touch them. She remembered what it was like to feel them around her. Enfolding her. Protecting her.
Cora took a step back. “Fine, stay. Do whatever you want. You always have.” Cora marched out of the bedroom and raced to her room and slammed the door. She collapsed on her bed and buried the pillow over her head. She could do this. She could handle having Liam back in her life and temporarily in her home. She could pretend he wasn’t there. Simple.
~
The next day Cora was feeling refreshed. Last night she had been tired, and adrenaline had worn off. Now, she was feeling better. She would pretend Liam was not here and she would go about her day like she always did. She would shower, have coffee, then work at her computer. Nice normal day. After showering and getting dressed Cora walked past Liam’s room and saw the door opened. It didn’t surprise her. He had always been an early riser. She made her way down to her kitchen and smelled it before she saw it. The coffee had already been made. Her favorite coffee cup was sitting out with a single daisy in a vase next to it. So much for pretending he wasn’t here. Cora fixed her coffee and ignored the flower and went to her office.
If Cora thought it would be easy to pretend Liam wasn’t there she was mistaken. She found herself listening for when he came home, which had been shortly after she ran to her office to work. She had stared at a blank screen for thirty minutes until she heard the front door open. She had purposely left the curtains closed in her office, so she wouldn’t be
