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“Okay then,” I replied under my breath, and there was the slightest narrowing of his eyes, but it was gone so quickly that I thought maybe I was seeing things.
Climbing out of bed, I walked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth and my hair using the toiletries on the counter. I got dressed into my clothes from last night and when I was finally ready, I looked in the mirror and took a deep breath.
I was a top operative in the FBI. I was intelligent. I hadn’t gotten to where I was today without a tremendous amount of skill, and I was going to rely on that today.
I could fucking do this.
With a deep, confident breath, I walked out of the bathroom and joined Liam, who quickly led me downstairs out of the hotel where there was a car waiting for us.
The drive was quick, and when we pulled up in front of The Roasted Bean, he explained that the quaint coffee shop belonged to his mother. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as we entered, and Liam greeted the staff with an openly warm familiarity, like the lot of them were a part of his own family. The cozy ambiance and his kindhearted nature made it hard to believe that he was involved in the criminal world, and I found myself at least partially captivated by his openly sweet nature.
“Meet my mother, Irma,” he said, gesturing to the woman behind the counter. She had a warm smile and her eyes lit up as she took in the sight of me, and I smiled in return.
“Nice to meet you, dear,” she said, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt for getting her involved, too. She tilted her head, looking curiously from me to him like she was trying to see if there was something there.
“This is Kelsey,” he explained. Thankfully, he didn’t elaborate any further about where and when we’d met. “Now, my mother makes the best coffee on this side of Boston. What will you have?”
“I’d love a spiced chai latte,” I said after glancing over the menu on the counter quickly. A good chai latte could instantly make my day better, especially on a chilly fall day.
“I’ll have the usual, and give us some of your fresh baked muffins,” Liam asked, and his mother nodded, rushing behind the counter to help the barista who had already started our order.
In minutes, the two of us were seated at a table, sitting across from one other. I glanced over at him as he sipped his espresso, his gaze contemplative, and waited for him to speak first.
“I’d like you to tell me more about this abusive ex of yours,” he coaxed, and I swallowed hard.
Now’s the time to get your shit together.
I’d stayed awake a good while longer after he left last night, spending a good deal of time thinking about my story and I had it down pat.
“It all started a few years ago,” I began, my voice steady yet tinged with as much raw emotion as I could muster. “He was charming at first, but as time went on, he became controlling and violent. I had to get out. I left in the middle of the night and didn’t turn back.”
“Where is he now?”
“Back in Connecticut,” I answered quickly. “He’s a cop.”
I rushed to take a sip of my chai latte, the familiar taste washing across my tongue like a warm embrace.
Liam leaned forward, his eyes fixed on mine, betraying a mix of concern, sympathy, and something else much darker and more dangerous. “Kelsey, one day, when you’re ready, you’re going to tell me his name and I’ll see to it that he never touches you again.”
I nodded, swallowing hard at the unsaid threat.
His jaw tensed and his expression turned firm, “I’ve decided. You can stay here with me.”
I took a sip of my chai, feigning a moment of vulnerability. “Thank you for the offer, Liam, but I’ll figure things out on my own. I couldn’t ask for anything more from you than you’ve given me already…”
He leaned back, studying me with a thoughtful expression. “You’re stronger than you know, Kelsey, but sometimes, even the strongest person needs someone to lean on. Let me help you,” he coaxed.
I hesitated, my mind caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. “Liam, you’ve already been incredibly generous. I can’t?—”
“Enough,” he interjected, a touch of frustration in his tone. “You’re going to let me help you, and you’re going to start by staying with me so I can keep you safe. That’s final.”
“I couldn’t possibly—” I managed, and he shook his head. I opened my eyes wide as his expression darkened with warning. His eyes glinted with heat and all at once, the entire world narrowed down to me and him.
“Listen to me now,little girl.You’re going to move into my apartment with me . If you continue to fight me, I’m going to put you over my knee and spank your bare bottom bright red, and you’ll move in with me anyway after it’s all over,” he threatened, and I stopped short.
That was the second time in the span of two days that he’d warned me he was going to spank me.
I opened and closed my mouth, trying to come up with something to say, but every word of protest escaped me. A quiet gasp slipped free from my lips instead, and I fidgeted in my chair.
