They then embraced and for a good minute they cried. “Oh no, you messed up your makeup,” said Melanie as she swiped Remi’s black mascara stained cheeks. She laughed it off while running to the bathroom to fix it. As she cleaned her face and did a little reapplying, Melanie asked if she needed a ride to the hotel, but Remi declined and said she was just about to call a taxi. Melanie then pleaded that she really wanted to make amends after their fight. Remi told her the pleading was unnecessary, and that she would gladly take the ride.
The moment Liam turned his truck into the apartment complex parking lot, it was as if he never left. In fact, the spot he used to park in was unoccupied, so he pulled right in. It felt good to be back in Philadelphia, and as soon as he stepped inside of the building, there was a comfortable, familiar feeling that overwhelmed him, even more so, as he strolled down the seventh-floor hallway. And when he reached Remi’s apartment door, the temptation to knock was intense, but since he didn’t know if she was even there, and also that he was in desperate need of a long, hot shower, he decided to wait. Liam then took the few short steps to his place, and as soon as he entered, he dropped his bag and glanced into the kitchen where he noticed the mess all over the counter. He then moved to the unlit living room where he tripped over something on the floor. “What the?” he yelled, as he peered down. It was a pair of pink fuzzy slippers. He instantly grinned, knowing they could only belong to one person. He then spotted a gray hoodie draped over the arm of the couch and with his curiosity piqued, the game of eye-spy Remi’s things began. Which led him to the bathroom, where on the left side of the sink, in a ceramic mug was a mint green toothbrush along with a partially used tube of toothpaste. On the right side, a small thin comb, a round brush, a can of extra-hold hairspray, and a few metal hair clips. He then opened the shower curtain and spotted a half-emptied bottle of strawberry shampoo, along with the matching conditioner, a bar of oatmeal-based soap, one can of sensitive skin shaving cream, and a single pink and white razor. It was obvious she had made herself at home. He smirked, suddenly feeling as if he just might not be public enemy number one after all.
Before exiting, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Not having shaved for over a week and forgoing a haircut for close to a month, he looked almost unrecognizable. A huge departure from the usual clean-cut version, he had completely deviated from the norm by allowing himself to lighten up a tiny bit. Deciding to take that shower, he retrieved his bags from the living room, removed what he needed then blindly tossed them into the darkened bedroom. Next, he quickly stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the shower, where he leaned up against the tiled wall and allowed the hot water to pound his tired body. While savoring the soothing effect from the heat, he found himself staring at Remi’s shampoo. Within a minute, he twisted off the cap and sniffed the bottle. He started laughing at how utterly ridiculous that action was. But the sweet fragrance sent him tumbling down memory lane. Not that he needed a physical reminder to place Remi into his psyche, cause she was always there. Whether it was worrying about her or just wondering what she was doing, he couldn’t get rid of her even if he tried.
After forcing himself to wash and get out, he wandered into the bedroom, and the moment he turned on the light, he spied various articles of clothing scattered around. And on the nightstand, was a can of baby powder scented antiperspirant, a leather makeup bag, cotton swabs, and vanilla-scented body lotion. Liam laughed at how much stuff she had, and how it seemed as if she were living there. Just then, he recognized his black Cornell t-shirt lying atop a pile of clothes. He moved in for a closer look and realized Remi must have worn it along with the fact she evidently peeked inside of the drawers. However, Liam wasn’t remotely mad. Instead, he gave her a pass for just being inquisitive. Though her wearing the shirt was far more fascinating, which he didn’t mind her doing, he just wondered what prompted it. While he continued to ponder, he headed out to the kitchen, where he was pleasantly surprised to find a fully stocked refrigerator. There was an assortment of drinks, fruits, vegetables, and leftover Chinese food. All he could do was grin as he closed the door and that’s when he saw a colorful flyer lying on top of the counter. He picked it up and read it. The benefit’s date and time were at that exact moment, which was more than likely where Remi was. His first thought was to go there, but then just as quickly thought it had been over a month with minimal contact. She might not appreciate him just showing up unannounced. So, he nixed the idea and headed back to the bedroom to put some clothes on. But while in there, he looked inside the closet to see which suit would be best, if he decided to go.
The fundraiser was in full swing, and Charles managed to slip in unnoticed. He stood off in a corner, hovering all the while remaining inconspicuous. Just waiting for the perfect time to engage Remi in a little conversation. He watched Olivia mingle with the crowd of patrons, while Remi manned the silent auction table. He had to admit, Denton was right about Remi scoring that cushy job under false pretenses. Which meant Remi was far from innocent, in spite of how she appeared. She lied for Liam, which spoke volumes. The more Charles thought about it, the more he realized, it wasn’t just Liam protecting her, it was her doing the same for him. Having known Liam for a couple of years, his relationship with Remi was completely out of character. Recalling their earlier conversations on how to keep emotions in check. Charles had always been impressed by Liam’s ability to pull that off. Especially being a young, great-looking man, who had women practically throwing themselves at him, Liam managed to stay cold and reserved. And though he knew Liam hated dealing with hostages, it didn’t stop him. The whole Remi situation was confusing at best. It brought to mind Liam’s past dalliances with some exceptionally gorgeous women, and while a pretty petite spitfire, Remi didn’t seem to be in the same league as the women Liam usually hooked up with, but that said, even Charles found her to be irresistible. So much so, that getting the opportunity to be close to her without Liam around was absolutely delectable.
After a half an hour of waiting, Remi had left the table and was standing alone at the bar. Charles finally got his opening, but as he began the journey towards her, she started to walk away, so he followed. And just when he was about to make his connection, the plan was unceremoniously foiled. By none other than Liam, who had just entered the banquet room lobby. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Charles mumbled under his breath. Luckily, he was able to sneak off to the side, before being spotted. He then texted Denton:
Change of plan, Liam just showed up.
Right away he thought Liam must have some sort of radar and the second he sensed Remi was in danger, he comes flying in to save the day. Frustrated, Charles spied from afar, as he was about to watch his former protégé reconnect with the woman he once held hostage.
Liam stood by the auction table but was glancing at a booklet, when she returned to her post. “Can I help you?” Remi asked an elderly couple who were perusing the table. As soon as Liam heard her speak, he turned his head to see her standing there. Having not seen her in weeks, other than the brief television clip, he had forgotten just how undeniably beautiful she was in person. When the couple departed, Remi was alone, so Liam seized the moment to surprise her, which wasn’t difficult as she was engrossed in a bidding form. “Excuse me, Miss, I’d like to place a bid,” he said with his smooth baritone voice on full display. She immediately glanced up. Stunned to see him, standing right in front of her, she was uncharacteristically speechless. But once he flashed that unmistakable confident grin, she asked, “What would you like to bid on?”
“I don’t know yet, I’d like to check everything out first,” he replied still grinning. God, he looked great, she thought. All six foot three of him, his skin tanned, a deep bronze, while his hair bleached from the sun and no longer buzzed short. Dressed in a black fitted suit, with a white button down shirt minus a tie and the top two buttons lazily undone. He looked like he just stepped out of GQ magazine. He also appeared well rested, proving his travels had be
en kind to him. She just stared for a moment, prompting him to ask, “You okay?”
“Uh yeah, just shocked that you’re here.”
“You look nice,” he remarked, his hidden suave charm sneaking out. She sheepishly smiled. “So do you.”
With what then seemed like countless rounds of how are you and that’s good sentiments, Liam finally uttered, “Can we stop with the formal we hardly know each other banter?”
All he had to do was produce that killer smile, and miraculously any anger Remi might have still been harboring disappeared. Albeit temporarily. But at that moment, she couldn’t hide the elation of seeing him again. “What are you doing here?” she questioned, slowly strolling out from behind the table. He waited until she was standing beside him before replying, “Like I said earlier, I want to place a bid.”
She smirked while handing him a booklet. After he took it, he deliberately placed his hand on her left shoulder then leaned into her. With his lips just a half-inch from her right ear, so close in fact, she could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin, he whispered, “Did you really think I was only here for the auction?”
Remi, doing her best not to acknowledge the sudden closeness, quickly countered, “I honestly don’t know when it comes to you.”
With that, he pulled back and Liam’s infamous smug grin made an appearance, but he chose not to indulge her comment. Instead, he remarked on her hair’s longer layers. “Are you letting it grow out?”
She nodded as she shyly peeked up at him, marveling at the fact that he noticed her hairstyle, but it didn’t matter because she had a hard time concentrating on anything he was saying. Him being there felt surreal because she had begun to think he was never coming back. However, he was there now, in the flesh, and she knew this was no dream. “Excuse me, is it too late to place a bid?” asked a female patron, unknowingly interrupting their private conversation. Remi grudgingly stepped away from Liam and replied, “No there’s twenty minutes left.”
While the woman looked over the items, Remi realized that Liam had probably already been to his place, meaning he would have seen the mess. She reluctantly asked him, “Did you happen to stop by your apartment before coming here?”
He nodded and replied, “I did.”
She immediately declared, “I can explain.”
“No explanations needed, I’m glad you got some use out of it.”
“Yeah, but I kind of stayed there more than I think you thought I would,” she whispered. He assured her that he didn’t mind, but she stayed on the defensive. “I tried to keep the place neat, but the last few days, I got a little sloppy.”
“Remi—it’s fine.”
She released a long sigh, a visible sign of relief, though not fully convinced he was telling the truth. That said, she didn’t have time to dwell on it, as she still had work to do. An astute Liam excused himself so he wouldn’t be in her way, but he stayed nearby. Charles watched Liam linger, apparently waiting for Remi, but that wasn’t all he took away from their interaction. Any misgivings he and Mitchell might have had about Liam’s allegiance to Remi were put to rest the moment he witnessed their cozy reunion. It left little doubt that even in Liam’s absence those two remained tight, which also confirmed Mitchell’s suspicions that Remi was still very much Liam’s Achilles heel. Charles decided just to leave, as tonight was a huge bust.
As she waited for the auction to end, it suddenly dawned on her that she’d have to go back to her place. Having to gather up all of her things, especially being exhausted was a daunting thought. She dropped her shoulders and sighed, just as Liam snuck up behind her, asking, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I’m just beat.”
“Need a lift home?”
“Home,” she echoed in a less than thrilled tone. “Problem?” he questioned. Just then Olivia approached and boasted, “I think tonight was a great success.”
Remi agreed as Olivia quickly turned her attention to the extremely handsome man standing nearby. “And you are?”
“Liam—Matthews,” he revealed, shaking her hand. Olivia’s eyes grew wide as did her smile. “Oh, the one who helped retrieve my diamonds.”
He tentatively nodded, the whole time thinking if she only knew the real story.
“Well, it’s nice to finally be able to thank you and for looking out for my girl here,” she said, draping her arm around Remi’s shoulders.
“You’re welcome,” he said, smiling as he glanced at Remi. Olivia then suggested they head inside the banquet room to wrap things up. Remi went to follow, but Liam lightly tapped her shoulder, causing her to stop. “When you’re finished do you want a ride?”
And there it was, that pesky predictable paternal vibe, but boy did she miss him, so she’d let it slide this time, and gladly accepted his offer. He told her he’d wait for her out in the lobby. She nodded then pointed out that he hadn’t bid on anything yet. He handed her the booklet and winked. “I already donated to the foundation,” he said. “With a check.”
She mouthed, “Thank you,” then disappeared into the room. Fifteen minutes later, she emerged to find Liam cleaning off the auction table and placing the leftover booklets and pens into a large box. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said. He shrugged like it was no big deal, but she appreciated it nonetheless. He then pulled off the tablecloths and folded them. Once everything was packed up, he effortlessly carried the heavy box out front to where the limo was waiting. Two of Olivia’s other assistants joined them and were immediately smitten with Liam, especially as he helped load their boxes into the trunk of the vehicle. They couldn’t thank him enough, and one openly flirted with him. Remi just rolled her eyes but wasn’t surprised by the flirt or by his lack of reciprocation. When the two assistants left in a cab, Olivia thanked Liam, congratulated Remi on a job well done then she departed in the limo. Liam and Remi began strolling slowly towards the parking garage when he asked if she were cold. “You can have my suit jacket.”
“Thanks, but I’m okay.”
As soon as they entered the garage, Liam then asked if she were hungry.
She shrugged. “A little.”
He suggested they hit up a nearby diner. She nodded then as they approached the black Ford F-150, a huge smile swept across her face. Seeing the truck provided another reminder that Liam was in fact back. As he opened the passenger side door for her, she giggled. “This feels like déja vu.”
When he climbed into the driver’s side, he asked, “Is that good or bad?”
“Well, for the most part, my being inside here has been good, except the night I was a drunken slob.”
She started to laugh, but a serious Liam did not instead he politely corrected her, “You were never a drunken slob.”
“Au contraire, that night I gave away all my secrets and shamelessly flirted with you.”
He grinned. “Okay, I’ll give you that, but you’re far from a slob.”
A few seconds later, he playfully added, “Oh wait, except for your shit all over my apartment.”
“Hah, I knew it bothered you that I left your place a mess!”
The cutest grin adorned his face, almost boyish, and being in his truck, with him brought Remi back to a happy place. Even when she didn’t know who he was, the familiarity of it was comforting. When they got to the diner, Remi couldn’t help but keep staring at the man she still considered to be somewhat of an enigma. She just hoped he didn’t notice her gawking. After they chose a booth and sat across from one another, Liam looked over a menu, trying to decide what he wanted. While he did, Remi sneaked another peek at him, but this time, he caught her. “What?”
Embarrassed, she replied, “I still can’t believe you’re here.”
“I wasn’t gone that long.”
Remi thought, long enough, but was trying extremely hard not to come off as needy. Thankfully, a waitress came over to take their order. Liam motioned for Remi to go first, who ordered a bacon, egg, and cheese on a lightly toasted plain bagel. “And fo
r you sir?” she asked. “I’ll have the same, but with home fries,” he replied. After the waitress had walked away, Liam asked Remi if things had been good. “For the most part,” she said with slight apprehension, tipping him off something was going on. “Everything okay with the job?” he questioned.
“Oh yeah, I love it!”
He was pleased to hear that, because above all else, he just wanted her to be happy. “Are you still seeing Dr. Layton?”
“Yes,” she replied with slight snide.
“I was just asking,” he said defensively.
She smiled, unable to hold onto resentment. He then inquired, “Anything new with the investigation?”
“Funny you should ask,” she said, lowering her eyes for a moment.
“Why’s that?”
“The day I did my television interview, Detective Weston and that FBI agent questioned me about my memory, the vault, the heist, and Tom,” she explained. “And…” she added but then hesitated.
“And what?”
“And—you.”
“What did they want to know?”
“Where you were and that they wanted to talk with you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” he questioned, sounding vaguely annoyed.
“Uh, we weren’t exactly communicating while you were traipsing all over the country,” she responded, unable to curb the bitterness. A sudden chill cast upon them and Liam sensed that though she was glad to see him, she hadn’t forgiven him for leaving.
“They informed me that they had some leads but didn’t elaborate.”
UNMASKED: Sequel to Behind the Mask Page 9