Alex ignored her. Rage that simmered under the surface exploded. “Don’t you ever do that again! You think you can ruin my reputation and get me fired…think again.”
Livi didn’t flinch. She was fed up. “I’ll do as I please. You are ruining your reputation on your own. You don’t need me to help.” She stepped closer. “And one more thing…you can’t bully me like you bully your dancers.” She left the room before Alex had the chance to walk out on her.
Then Livi stormed through the academy and went outside. She paced the sidewalk before calling Caleb. She needed a drink and dinner—and she needed Caleb. She trusted him, and she wanted protection—or, at least, someone to defend her.
Chapter 8
Caleb had plenty to keep him busy at Black Swan, although Livi wasn’t far from his mind. He couldn’t deny how he felt, but he wasn’t about to reveal that to her. It was more than pride, because he didn’t feel right about putting any pressure on her.
Livi had enough to deal with; she didn’t need Caleb as a distraction. He was supposed to be doing the opposite by keeping her safe. Plus, she had made it clear long ago that she didn’t want to be more than friends—but that didn’t stop Caleb from caring for her.
Hawke was in his office, so Caleb rapped his knuckles on the door and went in. “Anything on the background of Alexei Baranov?”
“Jake has been working on it,” Hawke said, then motioned for Caleb to sit. “He has had an extra workload with Amanda on maternity leave.”
Jake was another teammate who had married; he’d fallen for a coworker. Caleb wouldn’t have suspected that Amanda would be the one. The two had argued incessantly before going undercover together.
That mission had changed the relationship. Amanda had gotten pregnant, which was wonderful in Jake’s eyes, because he had already bought the ring and planned to ask her to marry him. The wedding had been an intimate affair with close friends and family. The baby was due any minute, from what Caleb understood.
“I’m glad he fit that in, because the situation has escalated.”
“Yes, so I understand,” Hawke said. “Alex is an interesting case. We had a background workup on him, since he hired us for protection at the ballet. But there wasn’t any alarming information that turned up.”
“And now?”
“Jake dug deeper and learned that Alex has financial issues.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Caleb said.
“As artistic director, he manages the hiring, expenditures, and budget,” Hawke said. “He has to answer to the CEO, but not entirely. To some degree, he’s autonomous.”
“Then what’s he up to?”
“Alex isn’t frugal with money,” Hawke said. “He likes to spend big—and although there is more to learn about his activities, it appears that he has put the academy in a weakened financial condition.”
“What about the violence?”
“Alex is explosive,” Hawke said. “There are plenty of incidents to substantiate that. But not much on his record. The information is based on the opinion of others, and rumor. It’s known that he abuses his wife, yet she hasn’t filed a complaint.”
“The guy intimidates women,” Caleb said. “He needs to get nailed for his crimes, and I’m sure what we’ve found is the tip of the iceberg. It’s satisfying that Livi pressed charges. It will take more, but it’s a start.”
“About that…”
Caleb leaned on the desk. “Don’t tell me.”
“Yes, you’ve got it,” Hawke said. “I talked to Lonnie, and via police channels he got wind of what’s going on. It seems that Alex is off the hook. He convinced the DA to drop the charges for lack of evidence.”
Caleb’s blood boiled. “Damn, how can he get away with that?”
“It’s a matter of having the right connections,” Hawke said. “Alex has impressed some heavy hitters, and they pulled strings.”
“The dude must have a contact in government or the DA’s office,” Caleb said. “Even some corporate type would think twice about disregarding a witness account, particularly a witness who was military.”
“Alex claimed that he was trying to grab Livi before she fell, not push her.”
“My ass, he tried to grab her.” Caleb stood and paced behind the chair. “Alex is one heartless son of a bitch. He would have claimed innocence even if Livi had fallen to her death. He will answer for harming her. I’ll make sure of that.”
“I don’t doubt you,” Hawke said. “For now, I’d keep an eye on her. Alex might be feeling cocky, since he’s escaped his fate—for the moment.”
The rest of the day, Caleb was pissed. He couldn’t subdue the anger he harbored against Alex. Harming a woman was despicable; denying the crime made it worse. It was difficult to focus on the paperwork he had to catch up on. He kept reviewing the file on Alex, clicking through the information on his computer, as if hoping the facts might change.
Livi’s frantic call that afternoon made Caleb drop everything and go pick her up. Something had happened, and he was sure it was more bad news. He drove straight to the academy, ignoring speed limits, focused solely on her safety.
When Caleb arrived, Livi was waiting in front. He pulled along the curb, and she hopped in.
“What’s got you so riled up?”
“I’m furious with Alex, that’s all,” Livi said.
“That makes two of us.” Caleb took her to a new seafood spot he’d heard about. It had a raw bar with ceviche, shrimp cocktails, and other seafood dishes. A buddy had told him the place made good cocktails, since he’d taken a date there.
The place was dimly lit, with wood-paneled walls and dark leather booths. It was a good place to blow off some steam. Caleb and Livi took seats in a corner booth, then ordered drinks. He chose beer, and she picked a cocktail called Ladies’ Night. It was a mix of rum, pineapple, honey, and ginger beer.
“I need something with a kick,” Livi said.
“I can see that.” Caleb hoped that dinner would follow the cocktail, but Livi showed no sign of wanting to eat. He didn’t have to read body language to know that she was distraught. He hadn’t asked what had prompted her to call and figured that he’d find out soon enough.
“I didn’t know where else to turn,” Livi said. “I hope I didn’t interfere with your plans.”
“The only plan I have is protecting you,” Caleb said. “You can call anytime.”
The drinks arrived, so for a minute Livi sipped her cocktail. Then she took a deep breath. “Alex has pushed me too far.” She proceeded to fill him in on what had transpired that afternoon.
“That sucks,” Caleb said.
“To put it mildly,” Livi said. “I’m fed up. I have to push through and make the board see that Alex is a loser.”
“I doubt he’s feeling that way.”
“Why do you say that?” Livi said. “He’s been a pain for a while. But now that you mention it, he was awfully arrogant.”
Caleb hated to be the one to tell her. “The DA dropped the charges.”
“I guess I’m the last to know,” Livi said. “Now that sucks.”
Caleb couldn’t agree more. “Can Alex block your access to the board, or turn them against you?”
“He’d like to,” Livi said. “He thinks he’s all-powerful, that everyone bows to his commands.” She sipped her drink. “Sorry, I’m so ticked off right now.”
“No apology necessary,” Caleb said. “You’re being very reasonable, under the circumstances.”
“Yeah, right…reasonable,” Livi said. “And the worst of it is that I think that I might have another problem.”
“Related to Alex?”
Livi shook her head. “I don’t know, but it’s unlikely. It started before things blew up with Alex.”
“What did?”
Livi sighed then leaned against the leather seat. “I don’t understand why this is happening to me.” She described the phone call that Elena had handled, then mentioned that she thought it might have som
ething to do with being followed.
“You’re just telling me this now?”
“I didn’t think it was important,” Livi said. “Okay, that’s not true. I didn’t want to alarm you unnecessarily.”
“I want to know these things. I can deal with it, believe me. But only if you share what’s going on. It’s better to know sooner than later, so I can head off trouble.”
“But you don’t know who is doing it.”
“Not right now,” Caleb said. “I’ll have it tracked down. It’s too late to trace the call, but there are ways to gain insight. I’ll find out who is so curious about you.”
“I’ve been so rattled lately,” Livi said. “I could be imagining that I’m being watched.”
“I doubt it,” Caleb said. “You’re too sharp for that.”
“Well, if I’m so sharp, then why am I in so much trouble?”
“I’ll find out; I promise you.” Caleb was glad that Livi had called, and that she had enough faith in him to tell him about the crisis. The situation had worsened, and he didn’t like it one bit.
Livi ordered a drink refill and seemed to calm down. “It feels good to talk about it, and not to feel like I’m so alone.”
The conversation switched to other topics. Livi appeared to relax and share with him. Caleb wanted her to; he cared about her. He wanted her to feel safe, and he was determined to deal with the threats she faced. It seemed that Livi had more than one aggressor to fend off, but she wouldn’t be left to do that alone.
The evening veered away from danger and threats. Livi drank and laughed. She teased Caleb, and he began having a good time. He enjoyed her company more than he let on. After drinks, Livi ordered dinner, showing no sign of wanting to leave.
Caleb didn’t want Livi to go. He wished he could hold her in his arms and keep her close. He wished a lot of things, but that didn’t mean that any of it was going to happen. Over oysters and salmon tartare, the mood shifted.
Caleb touched her cheek. She smiled and leaned closer. The drinks, conversation, and intimate setting had bridged the gap. Dinner felt like a date, and Caleb’s body heated. He wanted Livi and couldn’t hide his desire.
Caleb sensed that a barrier had dissolved. He didn’t know when or how, except that Livi’s tone was sensual. She looked into his eyes, as though inviting him to come closer. The electricity between them was impossible to ignore.
On the way to Livi’s condo, Caleb was quiet. He had no problem making a move yet wasn’t entirely sure that he was reading the signs right. He was usually good with women, but not with Livi. He cared too much; that was the issue. He might be reading more into her friendliness than she intended.
When Caleb walked Livi to the door, he put his arm around her waist. He didn’t give her a chance to say goodnight, to turn him away. It was now or never. Resisting was no longer possible. He leaned down and kissed Livi’s sweet lips.
Caleb’s body responded to the thrill of her touch, so he pressed into the kiss. Livi kissed back, leaning into him. He had to get her inside; he wanted her so much and had waited too long. When he pulled away, Livi turned to unlock the door.
The light pressure of Livi’s hand pushed the door wide, and she looked up. “It’s open…”
Caleb put his arm in front of Livi. “I’ll go in first.”
The condo was a mess. The sofa was turned over, books tossed from the shelves, and a lamp broken on the tile. Caleb listened, but whoever had been there was gone—or hiding.
“Oh my God,” Livi said. “Someone broke in.”
“Stay behind me,” Caleb said. “I’m going to check the bedroom.” He scanned the area, looked in the closet and under the bed. When he was satisfied that the burglar had gone, he surveyed the damage.
“Why would anyone do this?”
“That’s what I’m wondering,” Caleb said. “Do you have anything valuable?”
Livi shook her head. “My possessions are only valuable to me. There is no reason anyone would want them.”
Caleb looked around. “Whoever did this was looking for something. I can tell by how methodical they were. This wasn’t a thief who hoped to pick up items to pawn. He went through your condo, room by room, looking in places a person might stash something.”
Livi walked around as if in a daze. “You’re right. The thief went through my desk, and my bedroom drawer.” She stepped into the kitchen. “Even the sugar bowl. Look…the top is broken.”
“What do you have that someone might be after?”
Livi’s eyes were wide. “Nothing. I can’t think of anything.” She seemed to flounder for an answer. “Could this be Alex harassing me? Is this how he defends his position…with more aggression?”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Caleb said. “Alex has a temper and blows up when pressed. But he doesn’t plan an attack. This isn’t his way. It’s the work of a professional.”
“How can you tell?”
“The guy got inside without damaging the door,” Caleb said. “He didn’t want to make the break-in obvious or attract attention. It’s a common skill to get past a lock, but the way he went through each room is telling.”
“What am I supposed to do now?”
Caleb wrapped his arms around Livi, and she leaned her head on his chest. “I’ll take care of this. We can’t touch anything until the police come and photograph. They will dust for prints, but I have a hunch they won’t find any.”
Livi’s eyes filled with tears. “I just feel so violated.”
“Once this is cleaned up, I’ll install a security system,” Caleb said.
“But I haven’t needed one.”
“You do now.”
Livi was shaken, and Caleb didn’t like the fear in her eyes. It wasn’t right that she felt hunted, continually in danger. Caleb considered Alex as a suspect but dismissed that idea. It didn’t make sense. What would Alex gain by searching Livi’s condo? What could he possibly want?
The break-in had been perpetrated by a criminal with intent. It was more likely connected to the caller prying into Livi’s personal finances and the unidentified stalkers. Yet Caleb had no clue what was behind all of that, or who had a motive to come after Livi.
While waiting for the police, Livi called Julie to be sure that she was okay. Clearly feeling vulnerable, she had wanted to ensure her daughter’s safety. It was a natural reaction, and a wise move. If a crook was after Livi, then anyone close to her might be at risk. Until Caleb had more information, he wouldn’t rule out any possibilities.
After Livi was secure, Caleb would talk to Hawke. There was more going on in Livi’s life than he’d thought. It was time to coordinate with the team and get this figured out before the enemy gained any more ground. It was up to Caleb to flesh out the aggressor and find out who was interested in Livi. A new threat had emerged, one he suspected was more dangerous than Alex.
Chapter 9
The phone was on speaker, so Caleb heard Julie’s voice. “Why are you calling so late, Mom?”
“I just want to be sure that you’re okay,” Livi said, her voice shaky. “I don’t want to upset you, but the condo was broken into.”
“What? Were you hurt?”
“No, honey,” Livi said. “I wasn’t home when it happened. I just discovered it. I have Caleb Rowe with me; he was a friend of your father’s.”
“Are the police there?”
“They are on the way,” Livi said. “It’s a disaster zone, but I’ll get things back in order. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
“I love you, Mom. I’m so sorry you have to go through that when I’m not there with you.”
“You’re where you need to be,” Livi said. “I’ll let you know more in the next few days, and what the police find out. I love you, honey.”
Livi stood and stepped through the debris on the floor. “There’s so much I haven’t told Julie, and now this.”
“Does she know about Alex?”
“No, I didn’t want to worry her,” Livi s
aid. “I’ve shared my plan to get a promotion, and Julie knows why that means so much to me—but that’s all. She needs to focus on school. I don’t want her getting any crazy ideas about coming home.”
It wasn’t long before the police arrived to take charge of the crime scene. They dusted for prints, but Caleb suspected they were only Livi’s or his. Once the officers had photographed and inspected the scene, Livi was told that she could put her things back where they belonged.
One officer walked through the condo with Livi, and Caleb followed. The officer wanted to know if anything had been stolen. After a thorough search, Livi confirmed that she didn’t find anything missing. “I told you, I don’t have anything of value. I don’t even have a TV or a stereo. I use the computer at work.”
“Well, it appears the burglar was looking for something,” the officer said. “Maybe he got scared off before he had a chance to find what he was after.”
“The way this place looks, I doubt he got scared off,” Caleb said. “He ransacked every room.”
“Yes, well…it’s difficult to say.” The officer headed toward the door. “At least you weren’t harmed. We’ll contact you if we learn more about the incident or get any leads on who did this.”
Caleb ushered the police out the door. He didn’t hold out hope that they would discover anything more about the break-in. And the way the condos were arranged, it was unlikely the neighbors saw anything. Overall, it was a smooth job. It puzzled him what the crook wanted, but he intended to find out.
Livi sagged into a chair. “What a night. Again, I’ve dragged you into my problems.”
“I came willingly,” Caleb said, then took her hands and pulled her up. “I refuse to leave you alone; you’ve been through enough.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I have room at my apartment,” Caleb said. “I can be sure that you’re safe and give you a chance to recover. You’re not going to clean all this up tonight.”
Livi looked into his eyes, and Caleb’s heart wrenched. He hated to see her so vulnerable.
“I promise, it will just be a secure place to stay,” Caleb said, but the feel of her soft lips was still on his mind. He thought Livi looked disappointed, like she’d hoped for more—but was sure he misread her reaction.
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