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He barely acknowledged me throughout dinner, and I sank farther and farther into my seat, gulping down the wine as if the bottom of my glass held all the answers. A bottom I’d never get to since Nim kept pouring more with a wink as soon as I was half empty.
I sighed in relief when Liam’s phone rang and he excused himself. Gabriel and Jude disappeared shortly after.
Freya leaned back in her seat with a sigh, patting her belly. “I don’t think I can move. Dessert was too much.” Turning to me, she eyed my half-eaten sundae. “Want to watch a movie?”
“Sure. Sounds good.” I pushed my sundae her way. “Want to finish my dessert?”
Freya grinned and dove in. Gunner excused himself, and I stood up as well. “Meet in the theater room?”
She nodded, engrossed in worshipping my ice cream.
I hastened my steps, hoping to catch Gunner. “Gunner,” I called when I saw him about to disappear behind a corner. “Can I talk to you?”
He stopped, studying me with his intense gaze.
I swear the guy can read minds.
“Sure. What’s up?”
“I want to go home.”
He nodded, not looking surprised. “I gathered that. But not sure the Olysseses agree.”
“I don’t need them to agree. I need you to put in a security system at my apartment. I’m not a prisoner, and I need to get back to my life.”
Putting his hands on his hips, he looked at the ceiling, muttering something under his breath that sounded a lot like “Stubborn females are going to put me in an early grave.”
“I guess there’s no way to change your mind?” he asked after a moment.
“None. I need to go home. I’m nobody important. The fire and Harold were a fluke.”
Gunner sighed. “You’re as close to the family as you can get without marrying into it. If they’re ready to take out Constantine, then they won’t hesitate to use you to get to them. Don’t underestimate your value.”
I blinked at him, definitely not having visions of Liam waiting for me at the altar. Or me walking down in a champagne princess gown with a long train. And I certainly wasn’t thinking of the pretty flowers I’d be holding—pink peonies, white roses, and baby’s breath. And that was exactly the reason I had to get out of here. Whatever it was I felt for Liam wasn’t healthy.
Pushing my visions of a wedding that would never happen to the darkest corner of my mind, I put my hands on my hips. “Will you help me?” Pulling myself up taller, I locked eyes with him. “You should know I’ll go home either way.” But I’d feel a lot better about my decision if I knew my apartment was secured.
Gunner shook his head, and I knew I had him. “I’m going to regret this, but I’ll send someone out there tomorrow. Give me three days.”
My body sagged in relief. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.” He held up his hand when I tried to protest. “No, really. Don’t mention it. Especially not to Liam. They’ll be mad enough as it is. No need to announce anything before it’s actually happened.”
And with that ominous statement, he left, muttering curses under his breath. But my last encounter with Liam had strengthened my resolve to get back home.
I was a poster child for bad decisions, and Liam had “wrong way, turn back” written all over him.
10
Liam
The door creaked open, and I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Dad had been as restless as me. And for the past three nights, he’d come into my study to sneak a glass of scotch.
Studying the dark backyard, I swirled the amber liquid in my glass. “Still can’t sleep?”
“Not sure I’ll be able to sleep until we catch the asshole who did this to me.”
The clinking of ice on glass sounded behind me, and then Dad stepped up next to me. There wasn’t much to see outside besides the pool; the rest of the property was hidden in inky darkness.
