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After what feels like forever, the trucks suddenly peel out, and the attackers escape. Liam’s men take a few more shots, but the explosive noise stops as quickly as it started, and I’m left with ringing ears and a pounding headache.
The next time I look up, Liam’s in the car, and Sean’s up front behind the wheel.
“Get her home,” Liam says, pulling me into his lap. “Let me look at you.”
“I’m fine. I’m okay. What happened?”
“Ambush. We’re lucky these SUVs are military-grade. Otherwise we would’ve been crushed in that ramming attempt.” He gently touches the cuts on my head. “You need a doctor.”
“I’m fine. Really, I’m fine.” Cold realization spikes into my chest. He’s already making a phone call. Liam will never let me around his business again, any bit of freedom I might’ve won by proving how helpful I can be just evaporated in a storm of bullets.
The doctor’s a thin middle-aged man that doesn’t ask any questions. He looks me over, makes sure I don’t have a concussion, and applies gauze to my cuts. “They don’t need stitches,” he says to Liam as if I’m not in the room. “Head wounds tend to bleed, they’re very dramatic. I cleaned any excess glass out and she should be fine.”
“Thank you, doctor. You’re sure she’s okay? She’s pregnant and I want to make sure the baby’s not in danger.”
Something warm suffuses me. I like the way Liam’s worried about the baby, even if he’s fussing a little too much. There’s a tenderness to his tone, a softness that I hadn’t seen from him until now.
“We can do some more tests to monitor the baby’s condition, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem.” The doctor frowns at me. “Do you have an OB?”
“Er, uh, not yet, uh—” I stammer, feeling foolish, but this baby thing only just happened and I’m barely past processing.
“She’s using my family doctor,” Liam says. “I’ll provide her name.”
“All right.” The doctor closes his kit. “Keep the wounds clean. If you experience any lightheadedness, any dizziness, any spotting or bleeding, you reach out to my personal phone. Understood?”
“Thank you, doctor.” Liam leads him from the room.
I’ve never felt like such a child before in my life, but it’s also kind of comforting. Liam wants to take care of me. He’s looking out for my health in his own way, which I can appreciate, even if it’s not something I ever wanted.
I curl up on the couch in sweats, staring at the fireplace crackling away. When Liam returns, he sits down at my feet, and takes them into his lap.
He says nothing at first, only begins to give me a foot rub. I watch him work, stare at his fingernails covered in dirt, at the stains on his clothes. Some of that might be blood. Some might even be his own. He hasn’t complained once, and didn’t even bother letting the doctor look him over, only insisted that I get checked out thoroughly.
“What happened?” I finally ask. “I mean, how did that happen? I’m still trying to piece it all together.”
“Rustik,” he says, closing his eyes. “I don’t know if he was aware you’d be there or not, but I’m guessing he was gunning for both of us.”
“How?” I feel cold and empty. Liam tried to warn me away, and I just had to get involved anyway.
“Jonny, most likely. I don’t know why Rustik killed him, but I suppose it was to send a message. Do not take my calls. Do not speak with me.”
“Could it have been someone in your organization?” I ask, trying to find any alternate suggestions. If it really was Jonny, then I sort of got the old man killed. Though he’d deserve it since he betrayed us to Rustik.
Liam glances at me. I can tell the question bothers him. “I’m looking into that.”
I sigh, leaning my head against the padded armrest. “What a nightmare.”
“The police are all over this. My contacts in the PPD are livid. They’re out for blood. Which means we need to lie low for a while.”
“How aren’t they coming after Rustik? He’s the one that started shooting. We were there trying to have a legitimate business meeting.”
“Rustik is much more entrenched in this city than I am. While I have connections, he currently has more. They’re protecting him. For now, at least. I suspect that won’t last long if he keeps shooting in broad daylight.”
Frustration oozes through me. I wish I could do something, but I’m totally helpless, and there’s no way in hell Liam’s ever going to let me get anywhere near the action anymore. So much for renovating and decorating his office.
“I didn’t do this,” I say, watching his reaction. “It’s not my fault. Right? It’s not my fault? I mean, I was just trying to set up a meeting with the guy. I didn’t want him to get killed. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”
