“There’s my buddy. Have you missed me?” Bart cooed to the overly-excited dog. If Bart wasn’t careful, her ten-year-old dog with poor bladder control might pee all over him.
“Geez, do you suck up to everyone and everything, Mr. Politician,” Cassie teased, walking towards the kitchen. “Want a beer?”
“I suck with the best of ‘em, want me to show you in private?” he countered, winking. “Yeah, a beer sounds great,” he replied, walking towards Liv.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, flashing his winning smile. He was undeniably one of the best-looking men she’d ever met.
Liv stood, hugging him as he approached. “BS, you look dapper as ever. Only you can rock a stuffy old suit. We’ve got pizza if you’re hungry,” Liv offered.
“Oh, hell yes. You have no idea what the madness of political life is like and how nice it is to walk in here and just relax,” Bart responded, loosening his tie before grabbing a slice of pizza and taking a seat beside Liv.
Milo ran over and patiently waited at his feet. Liv had taught him not to interrupt people eating food, and he was an obedient dog if nothing else.
Cassie walked from the small kitchen carrying three beers and handed Liv and Bart theirs before popping the top on her can. Bart preferred craft beers to the cheap mountains adorning her selection, but hey, at least those mountains were blue. She didn’t mind if it was cheap, but it better be ice-cold. The great thing about Bart was he never complained or judged. He was as easy-going as they came.
“So, what’s this news about PRL that you need to talk to me about?” he asked around a mouthful of pizza.
Taking a deep breath, she prayed he would see this through her eyes instead of a governor’s perspective. “Okay, just listen to the whole story before you say anything,” she expressed and he nodded his agreement. And then she told him everything. Drugging Jim, discovering the other lab, and barely escaping without someone seeing her. She did, however, leave out the hot and heavy details about her and Lawson.
“I can’t believe this. All those shifters and you don’t even know if they were alive, or dead?” Bart asked, shaking his head in horror.
“I couldn’t tell but they weren’t moving. And I never saw the faces of the voices in the lab. I have no idea who is helping Jim,” she admitted.
“You’ve got balls for drugging the man, I’ll give you that. And you’re damn lucky he was still out when you went back to his office,” Cassie admitted then added, “but next time give the fucker a lethal dose.”
Liv had given her the full-blown run-down, sharing every sordid detail about his unwanted advances and what Liv had done by way of sexual favors for the asshole. Her loyal friend was ready to bury him alive.
When Liv went back to his office to return the key, he was still out cold. She grabbed her things and hauled ass before he woke. He called later, apologizing for falling asleep, blaming it on allergy medication. Of course, he insisted on a do-over. Yeah, in his fucking dreams!
Bart looked from Cassie to Liv then remarked, “Am I missing something?” Liv shot Cassie a death-stare, hoping she wouldn’t go there.
She didn’t want Bart knowing she had jerked off her boss to gain access to Lawson. He wouldn’t approve and might withhold his help.
“No, it’s nothing. Jim Jensen is a piece of shit, that’s all. Did Liv mention she has a thing for this Lawson guy?” Cassie replied, trying to change the subject but that was even worse.
Maybe she could divert back to the handjob incident and give the nauseating details of that fun night. It would be better than talking about her feelings toward Lawson.
Anger flashed across Bart’s face for a moment and he looked away from Liv, taking a long swig of his beer. He took a few more gulps before turning to meet her gaze.
“Please tell me she’s kidding. You can’t seriously be interested in that shifter,” Bart scoffed, practically growling.
Liv glanced to Cassie who shrugged her shoulders innocently. Looking back to Bart, she answered, “She’s yanking your chain. Don’t pay attention to her ramblings.”
Bart sighed, and Liv couldn’t tell if it was relief or frustration, but the scowl left his face and he seemed to relax again. “So what do you need from me?” he asked genuinely.
“Well, a couple of things have crossed my mind. Is there any way to bring charges against Jim? Bring this to the media maybe?” Liv suggested.
What Jim was doing had to be against the law. As much as she didn’t want to be unemployed, she couldn’t bear the thought of torturing and possibly killing shifters. There had to be laws protecting them.
“You mentioned that you didn’t get any pictures, right?” Bart pointed out.
“That’s true but isn’t my testimony enough to warrant a search?”
“You would think so but not necessarily. Liv, I told you before, Jim is an influential member of this city and he has friends in very high places. I think it’s time you consider finding another job. If what you say is true, you need to get as far away from PRL as possible. The sooner, the better,” he declared.
“I can’t just leave Lawson at Jim’s mercy. He doesn’t deserve to die. He has a family, too, ya know. We have to get him out of that place if we can’t shut it down altogether,” Liv implored.
There was no way in hell she was leaving without Lawson. She would fight an army of Jims if she had to.
“And, how do you expect to do that, Liv? According to you, he’s in a secure area of the building, chained to a wall,” Bart pointed out as he finished his beer and set it on her coffee table.
Milo was at his feet, wagging his curly tail, hoping for attention, but Bart didn’t pay him any attention, too focused on the matter at hand.
“I don’t know. Maybe Cass can crash the system long enough for us to get him out of there,” Liv suggested, even though she knew that was a longshot.
“Oh, hell, yeah! Now we’re talking. I’m in!” Cassie cried out, clearly excited about the challenge.
Bart instantly shook his head disapprovingly. “I don’t like it. I see this backfiring and all three of us in jail. Liv, I can’t be a part of this, and I highly recommend you don’t go there,” he pleaded, reaching over to grab Liv’s hand. “What you’re willing to risk…this shifter isn’t worth it.”
He was dead wrong. Lawson was worth it. That and so much more.
“I can’t believe you’d say his life doesn’t matter. He is a constituent of yours, after all. I’m going to pretend your head isn’t up your ass. Now, let me and Cassie worry about the escape plan. I agree you shouldn’t be involved and the less you know, the better. But…there’s one more issue that maybe you can help with,” Liv hedged, biting her lip nervously.
“Uh, oh, I don’t like that face. Go ahead, lay it on me,” Bart offered, narrowing his eyes as he waited.
“Lawson is going to need a place he can go. A safe haven, so to speak. He certainly can’t go back to his hometown. I’m sure they’ll search for him there. I know you have several properties…” she proposed, watching his reaction as she asked her ex-boyfriend to harbor a hunted shifter.
Bart placed his face in his hands and sat quietly. Liv was positive he was going to refuse. Even she doubted her plan’s success. He was the governor of the state, for God’s sake. What was she thinking asking him to become involved? Guilt and determination battled in her mind but in the end, Lawson didn’t deserve his current predicament. He had done nothing wrong.
Finally, Bart looked up, meeting Liv’s gaze. “I’ll help. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Liv,” he admitted with a slight smile. Relief washed through her system and she reached over, hugging his neck.
“You’re the best! I don’t know what I’d do without you,” she confessed and meant every word. He had always been there for her and she depended on that. Maybe too much, she acknowledged.
“I’m probably going to regret this but what the hell, right? You only live once,” he spouted, getting to his feet after rubbing
Milo’s ears.
“You’re not leaving, are you?” Liv asked, concerned he was more upset than he was letting on.
“Yeah, I need to make a few calls on this. I’ll let you know when I have the details. Plus, sounds like you two have some hacking to do. I can’t deny knowledge if I’m in the room listening. I’ll leave those shenanigans to the two of you but cover your tracks,” he said, reaching out a hand to Liv.
She accepted and allowed him to pull her into an embrace. He held her for several moments, squeezing tightly, but said nothing. When he pulled away, he laid a gentle hand on her cheek and searched her eyes.
“I mean it. You’d better be careful. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you,” Bart conveyed then leaned down, placing a tender kiss to Liv’s lips.
Warm, soft, and sweet, just the way she remembered.
Stunned, Liv froze in place as Bart turned and left, closing the door behind him. Turning to Cassie, her friend’s brown eyes were wide as saucers.
“Wow, that even curled my toes. What’s going on with Romeo?” she inquired.
“I have no idea. Just concerned, maybe?”
“More like love, girlfriend. Damn, I want someone to look at me that way,” she remarked, grabbing another slice of pizza. She had practically eaten the entire pie by herself.
Shaking her head, Live said, “I’ll grab us some beers and we’ll get down to business.”
Liv walked to the kitchen, grabbed two more beers, still in shock. She didn’t know what to make of the kiss and wasn’t sure how she felt about it. She would never want to destroy the close friendship they shared by tampering with another intimate relationship. They had their shot and it failed. She didn’t see a reason for going down that road again.
Not to mention, a certain shifter had captured her heart.
The click of the door handle jolted Lawson from his sleep. The room was dark, compliments of the lab’s automatic lighting system. Lemony-sugar assaulted his senses and his anxiety evaporated like rain hitting hot asphalt on a summer day.
The curvy silhouette standing in the doorway told him it was his red-headed vixen. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Liv since she left his room to return Jim’s entry key. Jumping from the mattress on the floor, he walked as far as the metal links would allow.
“Come here,” Lawson murmured, and she heeded his command.
Seconds later, she was melting into his arms. It felt so natural holding this female. His deprived body responded with vigor.
Wrapping arms around her waist, he quickly found the lips that had haunted his dreams. Lips that in his fantasy, had been kissing the steel rod now twitching in his pants. Slamming his lips to hers, he devoured her mouth. She was the air he needed to breathe, and he’d been suffocating without her. Fuck, he was addicted.
Tangling tongues, his hands quickly roamed her body as their breaths turned hot and heavy. She clutched his neck tightly as he explored her mouth. She sucked his lip, and he growled, biting hers in return. His body ached to show her shifter sex and he pulled her against his straining cock.
Pulling away, Liv panted, “Now, it’s my turn to throw some cold water. I have to go home right after I grab my laptop from the lab. But first, I have something for you,” she murmured, reaching behind her back and fumbling for a moment before she grabbed Lawson’s hand, placing something inside his palm. It was a cell phone.
“I want you to call your sister. Tell her I’m getting you out of here and taking you somewhere safe,” she stated, and even in the darkness, he could see her green eyes blazing with excitement.
“Are you sure? How? When?” he asked, his mind was whirling.
She had promised to get him out but he had doubts. He knew it wouldn’t be easy and she would have her hands full if she were determined to go up against Jim. He was a conniving fucker who didn’t play by the rules.
“Very soon. Hopefully in the next couple days. My friend that I told you about, the governor, is working on the location and my neighbor, Cassie, is going to breach the security system so I can get you out.”
Lawson listened as she went over the details of her escape plan. He couldn’t believe how much she was willing to do on his behalf. She had done so much already, but wanted to do more.
“What about the others here?” He wanted to free them all, but he especially needed to know if his dad and brother were trapped here. He wouldn’t leave without them.
“I’ve thought about that, too. I’m hoping to take all of you. If that means me quitting this job and finding another, so be it. After you’re safe, I hope to get the authorities to bring charges against my boss, so I’ll probably be unemployed when this blows up. I just want you out of here,” she breathed, close enough he could feel the warm puff against his neck.
Claiming her lips again, his hope blossomed. It felt like an old friend returning from a very long trip. He desperately wanted to believe he was getting out of this hole of misery. Could this small human pull off such bravery? He never would’ve thought his rescue would come down to the tiny female who possessed the largest heart he’d ever encountered.
“Now, call Hannah and tell her you’re coming home,” she murmured against his mouth.
Home. The word had never sounded so sweet.
Chapter 12
I’m dying here, how much longer?” Liv blurted into the cell phone.
The waiting game was killing her. She could only imagine what her lip looked like, she thought, as the taste of copper filled her mouth. She could hear Cassie typing away on the other end of the phone. Liv had left her friend at her house to dog-sit Milo since she had no idea how long this night might last.
“Not much longer,” came her friend’s reply. “Are the exterior lights still on around the building?”
Liv glanced to the front area of PRL. It was almost eleven and was pitch black except for the scattered spotlights accenting trees, a metal sculpture along the sidewalk, as well as, the double doors at the entrance.
“Yes,” she answered as she continued watching from the RV in the parking lot.
She still couldn’t believe she was sitting behind the wheel of the vast monstrosity. She drove it around for a few hours, adjusting to driving the beast. Long as she didn’t need to back up, turn, or parallel park, she was golden. Straight ahead was her mission for this venture.
Bart had come through once again when she realized she would need something to carry all her passengers after the rescue. His list of connections was never-ending, and after he had made a quick call, he’d rented an RV in the next breath. Feeling doubly-efficient for covering her bases, she could only hope and pray the shifters in the lab were alive because from what she’d seen, it was doubtful. Shaking off those negative thoughts, she focused on the task ahead.
Their plan was going to work. Failure wasn’t an option.
“Okay, as soon as you see them go off, that’s your cue. I don’t know for sure how long you will have, but hopefully it will be plenty of time for you to get in and do what you need to do. Did you remember a flashlight?” Cassie asked.
Cassie was another friend Liv was eternally grateful to have. She was the mastermind behind this electronic override. Liv didn’t know the first thing about hacking into someone’s computer, let alone, shutting down a corporation’s security system. But Cassie fiddled around with Liv’s laptop and her work files and, half an hour later, felt confident she could get in and do the job. Liv was very impressed and changed her nickname from heartbreaker to infiltrator.
“Check.” Liv knew once the power was shut down, it would be impossible to maneuver through the building without it.
“Shouldn’t be much longer now. Please call me as soon as you’re on your way to Bart’s property. Be careful, love ya,” Cassie spouted.
“I will. Love you, too,” Liv replied then ended the call.
Nervousness assailed and her hands began shaking uncontrollably. What was she thinking? Why had she freely offered to do this? So m
any things could go wrong, and a lot of people could die, including herself.
Fisting her hands, she took several deep breaths. She could not lose her shit now. This was it, her only opportunity. Lawson was counting on her, and she refused to let him down.
Looking down, she chuckled over her getup. She would pass for a cat burglar. Unsure of proper dress for breaking and entering, she had gone for the black-from-head-to-toe approach. Sneakers, jeans, and tank top, all black. Even donned a black baseball cap, making her feel like a total gangster. The only problem was she was so scared she thought she might hurl.
Opening the driver door, she stepped down from the RV, placing her cell phone in her back pocket while tightening her grip on the flashlight. Come on, lights. Go out, she thought, as she bounced on the heels of her feet. Adrenaline pumped through her system as her heart pounded so hard she could feel it in her throat.
Suddenly, the area around the building went black as the night sky. Cue to run, she told herself, but her feet remained cemented in place. After several attempts, she finally managed to force movement and took a few steps. Her body responded with another jolt of anxious energy. Sprinting to the entrance, she almost turned around to go back and grab her entry key then remembered she should be able to open the door without it.
Pulling the handle when she reached the glass door, it gave way and opened. So far, so good.
As she stepped inside, blackness assailed her. She didn’t realize it would be this dark. She couldn’t even see her hand in front of her face. Willing away her panic, she pushed the button on the flashlight, her hands shaking as a beam of white light blasted a pathway down the hall. Sweat dripped down her spine and a hoard of worms came to life in her stomach.
As she headed straight for Lawson’s room, she listened for any unusual sounds. Nothing. It was eerily quiet in the building, and she hoped that was a good thing. This late at night there should only be the security guard, or guards, on duty. Lawson would detain whoever tried to prevent them from leaving.
When she opened the door to the hallway leading to his room and shined her flashlight, she was surprised to see Lawson’s illuminated frame standing several yards in front of her.
20 Shades of Shifters_A Paranormal Romance Collection Page 42