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“One of our men found her in an abandoned apartment. I’m sorry, Liv. She’s dead.”
“How did she die?”
“It was an overdose.”
Liv tried to summon up grief, but her only emotion was relief. She squeezed Sean’s hands. “Ok.”
He tilted his head and studied her. “Ok? Not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that.”
With a sigh, Liv shrugged. “The last time I saw my mother, she was screaming at me because I wouldn’t give her money. I knew if I did that it would go right to buying more drugs. When Amelia was still alive, I tried to get both of them help, but that is something you can’t force on a person. They have to want to get better. I don’t think my mother ever wanted anything but to escape reality. I’ve grieved the mother I never had for a long time. Knowing that she is finally at peace is probably the only closure I’ll get.”
“I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “I’ve lived my whole life not being important enough to the ones I loved. I can’t do that again. Today you choose your job and keeping secrets over me. If we are going to be together, I need to know that will never happen again. Maybe it’s selfish and unrealistic, but I deserve to be the most important thing in someone’s life, and I want that someone to be you.” Knowing that it was fear for his mother that had made him leave softened the sting a bit, but not completely.
“I love you.” His words woke up the tiny flame of hope in her chest. “The whole time we were driving away, I knew I’d made the wrong choice. I love you, Liv.”
She laughed, joy filling her heart. “You said that already.”
“It is worth saying twice. But more than that, I cherish you. I respect you. I adore you. If you give me a chance, I will make you the center of my world and do my best to never let you doubt how I feel again.”
The almost frantic need she saw in his gaze for her to believe him allowed her to finally feel safe enough to return his declaration. “I love you too.”
Their kiss sealed the pact between them. It was a joining of their two souls, never to be parted again. In life nothing was perfect, but Liv had faith that theirs would be a love that lasted. She’d made her case and won his heart forever.
Chapter15
Epilogue - Sean
Sean leaned against the door of Marcus’ office with a smile. Liv was bent over, her ass beautifully outlined by her slacks with her hands on his desk as she argued with his friend over their newest case. If anyone had asked him a month ago if he would be put into the role of indulgent boyfriend, he would have laughed them out of the room. Yet here he was standing back, remaining silent while she tore into the CIO of Echelon Protection over obtaining the most recent technology.
The things he wanted to do to her while she was bent over like that. When they got home, he would take advantage of her pent up frustration and make sure she worked it out in a way that was pleasurable to them both. The next morning, they would leave for fourteen days of sun, sand, and dirty fun. The last month had been a nightmare of interviews and legal struggles with various law enforcement agencies who wanted the identity of the ‘source’ of the files.
To Hassick’s credit, he hadn’t given up Liv’s name even to his superiors. That decision had cost him his job. As a show of appreciation, Sean had hired him to work as an investigator along with Liv at Echelon, and the man was now making double what he’d made at the DEA. Now that everything was as settled as it could be, he planned to fulfill his promise to her of a real vacation.
“With the way you’re staring at our newest employee, I think you should revisit our fraternization policy.”
Sean shook his head at Austin as he walked towards him from down the hall. “We don’t have a fraternization policy.”
His friend paused and looked thoughtful. “Good to know.”
“Something you need to tell me?”
“Nope.” Austin winked and shouted over his shoulder. “Hey Liv! Your man is ogling your ass.”
She turned and her face quickly went from frustration to mischief. “Can you blame him? It is a great ass.” The imp wiggled her hips to emphasize her point.
Sean stalked over to her and picked her up, giving the beautiful butt a smack. “And it’s mine.”
They kissed, ignoring their audience as they lost themselves in the magic that was the connection between them. How the hell had he gotten so lucky? Liv leaned back and laughed.
“I’m trying to work here.” Her tone said clearly she didn’t mind the interruption.
“No. You are banging your head against an unmovable wall.”
Marcus sighed. “I don’t know if I appreciate that comparison or not.”
Liv wiggled out of his hold and straightened her clothing. “Marcus needs to get laid.”
