by Paula Cox
Ellis’ eyes dropped to the cup in his hand. Reluctantly, he reached over to set it down on the counter, looking chastened. Liana was unable to find triumph in the moment. The man’s life had been ruined, and there was only one way to get it back on track.
“Everyone, please take a seat,” Liana said. “Cliff and I have developed a plan that we think gives us our best chance of both ferreting Colin out and taking him down.”
“We’re listening,” said Amos, leaning casually against the back wall. “And for the record, I underestimated him too. He’s got tech skills that I can’t even fathom. He’s an expert.”
Liana smiled. “Thanks, Amos.”
“Hell, if we’re throwing in the underestimating towel,” Julian interjected. “I had no idea that the little asshole would be so vindictive.” He scowled. “I worked decades for men who would sooner kill than expose weakness. I should have been able to spot the signs.”
Liana glanced over at Ellis, who merely gave her an acknowledging nod. It was as much as she could hope to receive from him, and she’d take it.
“We know more about Colin now, though,” Cliff said. “And he made the same mistake. He underestimated us.”
Liana nodded. “Colin showed his cards too early. Now we know what it is that makes him tick, and we can use that against him.” She took a deep breath, trying to hold back the smile that threatened to spill out across her face. “So Cliff and I have decided to get married.”
Eyebrows rose all across the room. Julian was the first to speak.
“Either you two have gone off the deep end and are tying the knot because life is short and you’re in love, or you’ve got off another deep end and are going to use this marriage to draw out a psychopath.”
Cliff’s hand slipped around Liana’s and squeezed. “A bit of both,” Cliff said.
Liana’s heart fluttered. Maybe it was a crazy plan, but it didn’t feel crazy to her.
“So when Colin comes to your wedding, guns loaded, and releases several rounds into your wedding party,” Ellis drawled, “are you going to just write that off as collateral damage?”
“We’re not having a wedding party,” Liana shot back.
“Yet,” Cliff added.
Liana shot a sideways smile at him. Now wasn’t the time, but she wanted to kiss him.
“We’re just going to go to city hall. But what matters is that it will be public,” Liana said. “We won’t make any efforts to hide the marriage.”
“And what makes you think this will work?” Amos asked. “He must be a pretty smart guy. He’s able to hide his tracks online like I’ve never seen before. You don’t think he’ll catch on if you two have a runaway wedding?”
“No,” Cliff said. “He is smart, but his jealousy consumes him. It’s his greatest strength and his greatest weakness.”
Liana looked up at Cliff, studying the broad stroke of his jaw and his elegant poise. Her husband. He was going to be her husband! She couldn’t wait. Though she understood it achieved a purpose, they had no plans to annul the marriage afterward. Not any that they had discussed at least. But Liana was sure in her relationship. She was sure in Cliff. And if all went well, she was sure that she had an amazing life just waiting around the corner for her.
“You two are cute,” Julian observed.
Startled, Liana tore her gaze away from Cliff. Julian wore a knowing smile. She didn’t know much about the former gangster, but she liked him. He gave her hope. Hope that Cliff would be able to make it out of the mob. Hope that he wasn’t too far gone to live a life of peace.
It was one of the things Liana worried about sometimes with Cliff. She knew he’d done bad things. She knew his reasons for doing so hadn’t always aligned with the values he held now. That was fine with her. She just needed to know he would be okay with his conscience in a few years. Julian was walking proof that he would be.
“So after you two get married, are we supposed to take out an announcements section in the classifieds and wait to hear from Colin?” Ellis asked.
His attitude was improving, but at a glacial pace.
“Of course not,” Amos answered. “With the kind of bottomless resources Colin seems to be sporting, it will only be a matter of time until he finds out. I wouldn’t give it more than a few hours.”
Cliff nodded. “Exactly. And we want everyone to keep a safe distance once we’re married. For now, we need you as witnesses. Afterward, we need you to help protect us from afar.”
“We don’t want anyone walking into the line of fire,” Liana said. She looked at Ellis. “You’ve suffered enough already.”
“So you’re going to kill him?” Amos asked.
Cliff shook his head. “If possible, we’d like to avoid it.” He nodded toward Ellis. “Bringing in a big fish like Colin would probably be the exact push you’d need to get back on the force, wouldn’t it?”
Ellis shrugged. “If there’s evidence that he framed me, probably.”
“I’m in,” Julian said, drawing Liana’s attention to the other side of the room. “I’ll do whatever it takes to catch this bastard. He probably thinks retirement has made me soft.” Julian smiled. “He’s wrong.”
For the first time, Liana got a glimpse of the terrifying man Julian had been before the dilapidated mansion and the strain of old age. She saw an indefinable menace, one who would have looked at home among the most vicious of company. It sent a shiver down her spine.
“I’ll help too,” Amos said. “I don’t much care for having someone like Colin on the market. Sets up unreasonable expectations.”
Liana turned to Ellis, sending a pleading expression his way. His dark eyes surveyed her with stoic calm.
“Sure,” Ellis said. “Can’t possibly make things worse.”
It wasn’t the kind of enthusiasm she’d been hoping for, but she’d take it.
“We can’t thank you all enough,” Liana said. Her heart glowed, and not just from the pledge of aid from the group. Going forward with the plan meant she would be married to Cliff by the end of the day. Whether she was still alive seemed somehow unimportant.
Cliff squeezed Liana’s hand again. Had they been holding hands the whole time? How had she not noticed? She shuffled in closer to him smiled out at the ragtag assemblage.
Their plan was crazy, sure—but it just might work.
Chapter 32
They broke up the meeting just before noon. Cliff was pleased with the arrangements they made. He was even more pleased that he was getting married.
Sure, it wasn’t the romantic day he would have preferred to give Liana, but Cliff wouldn’t pretend that tying her to him so permanently would be a bad thing. She had transformed his life in the brief time she’d been in it. Before, his future had been murky at best. He probably would have ended up murdered or too deep into the crime world to recover. But now he had a ray of light to bring him onto the right path. And she shone so brightly that he would destroy anything that threatened to dull her.
Former friends included.
The rest of the group gave Liana and Cliff some space to talk before they all went down to the courthouse together. He pulled her into one of the dressing rooms and closed the door behind him. Liana raised an inquisitive brow.
“I’m not sure this is the time, Cliff.”
He chuckled and walked toward her, placing a hand on the side of her face. “What exactly are you not sure this is the time for?”
Liana looked around her. “I kind of figured you brought me in here for our last chance at some pre-marital sex,” she said. “Not that I don’t want to, but I just think—”
Cliff cut her off with a crushing kiss on the lips. She tensed for less than a second, then relaxed and melted forward into his arms. He supported her with his hands on her waist. Liana sighed against Cliff’s lips, and he smiled.
“I didn’t come in here to fuck you,” Cliff murmured. A jolt of electricity arched down to his cock at the thought. He glanced around at the sparse furniture, b
efore deciding they truly didn’t have that kind of time. He would enjoy her later when all of this was done
“What’d you bring me in here for?” Liana looked up at him through black, spidery lashes. Her lips tilted into a playful, dreamy grin.
“This is about what I’m going to do to you when all this is over,” he said.
Liana’s pupils dilated to a degree that had Cliff second-guessing whether they truly didn’t have time for a pre-courthouse screw. But he stayed focused. The last thing either of them needed was Cliff letting his guard drop and opening up both of them to threats.
“Go on,” Liana whispered. “Tell me what you’re going to do.” She arched her back, pressing her tits flat against his chest. Cliff was already hard as a rock, and the urge to take her grew with each passing second.
He leaned in close to her ear, letting his breath fan out over it. Liana’s breath caught in her throat.
“I’m going to wife the shit out of you,” Cliff growled. “We’re going to have another wedding. A big, white wedding. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life giving you everything you’ve ever wanted.”
Liana gasped. “That wasn’t what I was expecting you to say.”
Cliff pulled back and smirked down at her. “I know,” he said. “That was what made it fun.”
Liana chuckled. “Well, as long as we’re having fun still, I suppose we’re in a good place for this.”
“The wedding?”
“The facedown of the life-threatening psychopath, idiot,” Liana said, smacking Cliff on the chest. “We’ve been in a good spot for the wedding since the first time I clapped eyes on you.”
“You hated me when we first met,” Cliff challenged.
Liana’s bright green eyes flashed with mischief. “But I saw you before I ever talked to you.” She nibbled at her lower lip, sending more blood rushing between Cliff’s legs. “I remember catching your eye across the dance floor. You were the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.”
“Beautiful?” Cliff grinned cockily. “Just beautiful?”
“Anybody can be sexy,” Liana defended. “But it takes something else to look like you do. Like a piece of art.”
“I’ll take it.” Cliff wound his arms around her and pulled her to him by the waist. She bumped up against his erection, sending a wave of pleasure through him. Liana’s lips curled a little more.
“Aren’t you going to say something soppy about the first time you saw me?” Liana asked.
Cliff sighed, tipping his head back as if in thought. “I suppose I could tell you about all the filthy things that ran through my mind. Or I could tell you the one not-so-filthy thing.”
“I’ll take not-so-filthy thing for five hundred, Alex.”
Cliff looked back down at the small but ferocious woman in his arms. His heart beated in a steady thud against his rib cage.
“I’ll ignore your sassy comment in favor of elongating the moment,” Cliff said, giving her butt a quick squeeze.
Liana giggled, wiggling against him. Not that she wanted to escape. She never wanted to escape.
“My not-so-filthy thought was less of a thought and more of a realization,” Cliff said. He reached up and brushed his thumb along her lower lip. “After I saw you, it was like all the other women in the world turned to dust. There was only you. Only us.”
“And then you threatened to kill me,” Liana reminded.
“Well, it did throw a small wrench in my plan to bed you and never let you go when I thought you’d murdered my best friend.” Cliff shrugged. “But once we got over that section of stormy water…”
Liana snorted. “Once we got over that section of stormy water, I’m pretty sure I threatened to kill you on a daily basis. In my mind, if not out loud.”
“And that was how I knew you would always be the only woman I needed,” he replied. “And the only woman I wanted.”
Liana was silent. She looked up at Cliff with such a serene expression that he wondered what he had ever done to deserve the kind of woman who held heaven in her eyes. And he knew he would do anything and everything to keep her safe. Always, but especially today.
“I’m glad you stopped hating my guts,” Cliff said, voice deep and laden with emotion.
“I’m glad you stopped being as big of an asshole.” Liana winked.
“How do you know I’m not still just as big of an asshole?” Cliff pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. “Maybe you just got more used to it. Some sort of Stockholm Syndrome.”
“Please,” Liana said, tone flat. “If I had Stockholm Syndrome, I’d make up all sorts of excuses for your behavior and would tell myself that I could change you.”
“And you don’t?”
Liana shook her head. “Wouldn’t change you for the world. For anything. Even if it does annoy me that you have a tendency to brood.”
“All the best men brood.” Cliff leaned in a little closer. “Chicks dig it.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard such an undignified expression come out of your mouth,” Liana replied. “I just wish there was somebody else here to witness it.”
“Why’d you think I brought you somewhere out of the way?” Cliff replied, squeezing her. “If people knew I sometimes talked like that, it would ruin my street cred.”
Liana tipped her head back with laughter “Street cred? Did you actually just say street cred? Please let me start recording you.”
A heavy knock resounded on the door. Cliff and Liana both glanced toward it, resentful of having their moment disrupted.
“What?” Cliff barked.
It was Julian. “That Janelle girl called me. Said you were supposed to check in with her.”
Cliff swore under his breath. He’d gotten distracted. “Tell her everything is fine,” Cliff replied. “And that I apologize for my lapse in communication.”
“Sure.” There was a pause, but Cliff listened for the inevitable follow-up. “Are you two coming out anytime soon? You’re not married yet, you know.”
Liana covered her mouth with her hand, stifling a giggle. Cliff pinched her ass, wearing a grin of his own.
“Go wait by the stage doors,” Cliff instructed. His tone did nothing to indicate that he was smiling and left no room for argument. “We’ll join you momentarily.”
Julian’s footsteps faded away, and Cliff turned back to his woman. She was grinning maniacally.
“You’re going to be late for your own wedding,” she teased.
Cliff pressed one final, searing kiss to her lips. “Our wedding.”
“Our wedding,” Liana repeated. Her eyes danced in the dim light. A hazy warmth spread through Cliff as he looked at her. They were so close to this being over. So. Goddamn. Close.
“Should we get out there?” Liana asked.
Cliff backed away but kept hold of her hand. He squeezed it. “Let’s do it.”
They stepped out into the backstage area. Cliff caught Liana looking around as if committing every rope and pulley to memory. He understood. It had always been her dream to make it big on stage. Now she was so close to being a performer, and what happened today would likely mean the difference between reaching her dream and never reaching anything.
But they wouldn’t die today. Cliff wouldn’t allow it. If anyone were going to die, it would be Colin.
Julian, Ellis, and Amos had assembled near the stage door that led to a grimy alley behind the club. Julian relaxed against one of the walls while Amos and Ellis huddled near each other across from him. It was cold back here. They didn’t turn the heat on during the day.
“I’m surprised the club owner is letting you use this place,” Amos said. “No offense.”
“None taken,” Liana replied. “The last couple of clubs I’ve been to have played host to some unfortunate accidents. Including this one.”
Cliff rested a hand on her arm. “Those weren’t your fault.”
She shrugged. “Still. Valid question,” she said. “But the club owner was close to Peter, who help
ed us escape after last time. He wants revenge.”
“And the money didn’t hurt,” Cliff added with a slight smile.
“Shall we get this show on the road?” Julian rubbed his hands together. “If we’re going to be killed, I’d like to get it over with in a timely matter.”
Ellis stepped over to the windows, which were blocked out with heavy, black curtains. He pulled back the corner of one and peeked through. He made a humming noise in his throat.