by Rosanna Leo
“Hon,” said Rod, grinning. “Don’t be so dramatic. Have a seat. We’d like you to stay. Besides, we recently received a big donation and are planning on setting up a couple of new groups. I’m not just being a sentimental sap when I say we need you.”
Emotion bubbled inside her. Kate hadn’t lost her friends after all and the streak of relief that shot through her made her feel ten years younger.
Unfortunately it did nothing to fill the other gaping hole inside her.
Lisa dropped her off at her apartment that night. Kate waved, turned and sighed. The idea of facing another night alone, without Liam, had her skin bristling. It had been three weeks since she walked away from him and her heart still cried out for him, still wanted him.
Was it right? She wasn’t sure anymore.
She just needed to get over this dreadful hump. She still felt his eyes on her everywhere she went. Every so often at Percolate, she’d see a businessman open the door and her heart would leap, only to realize it wasn’t him. Whenever she spotted a black Escalade, she fought the urge to wave. She swore she smelled his cologne everywhere, as if he haunted her like a ghost. It both unnerved and thrilled her.
She started up the metal staircase leading to her unit when a noise distracted her.
Peering into the darkness of the backyard, she waited for his wraith to float toward her. Seeing nothing, feeling silly, she took another step.
She had to stop imagining Liam everywhere. At some point, she had to stop looking over her shoulder, hoping he’d appear. It did nothing to help the precious sense of sanity she so cherished.
Sanity. Right now she’d give her right arm for a huge helping of insanity and the chance to hear Liam say he loved her again.
She climbed up the remaining steps and shoved her key into the lock, giving it a hard turn. Once inside, she locked the door behind her, turned on the lights and threw her purse on the couch. On a mission, she went straight into the kitchen and yanked open the freezer door.
No freaking ice cream. Not even a tablespoon’s worth clinging to the lid of an old tub.
She wasn’t sure she could make it through the night without some Chunky Monkey.
As she wondered about the hours of the corner store, she resolved to rectify her frozen dairy situation. If she hurried, she might still make it and get back in time for some choice reruns on TV. Sighing, she picked up her purse and keys again and headed to the door. She whipped it open.
Hugo Vaughan stood there, grinning.
Before she could scream or slam the door, he forced his way inside and put a beefy hand over her open mouth, shutting the door behind them.
“Thanks for letting me in, Red. I didn’t want to put a shoulder to the door. You know, with my bursitis and all.” He looked her up and down. “Lookin’ good, Red. You know, I’ve missed you. Your dad’s debt might be settled, but I seem to recall we still have some unfinished business.”
God, he reeked of alcohol. Hopefully he was drunk enough that she could find a way out of this. She clawed at the hand over her mouth, trying to cry out.
“Uh uh, Red. Be a good girl and shut the fuck up.” He backed her up to the couch and forced her down. She could bite down on his hand, but was afraid of how he might retaliate. A cruel hand tugged at her neckline, ripping at her shirt, and he licked at her neck.
He uncovered her mouth so he could plunge his tongue in. It was too much. She couldn’t let this happen. Hadn’t she already lost enough? She would not sacrifice her dignity as well.
She bit down. Hard. Vaughan roared in pain and she gave him a shove. “Get the fuck off me, you filthy bastard,” she screamed. She wriggled under him, desperate to bring her knees in contact with his nuts.
Despite being drunk, Vaughan managed to keep her pinned down, his weight crushing her. Clearly, he had done this before. The alcohol may have impaired his judgment, but it hadn’t affected his reflexes. He evaded her every squirming attempt at a kick.
He rose up over her, blood dripping down his chin and smiled. “Have your bruises healed yet, bitch? I can give you some new ones.” He lifted one hand, poised to strike, and Kate closed her eyes.
At first she thought she heard the sound of his fist cracking against her skull, only she’d felt nothing. Then she opened her eyes and realized the door had been kicked in.
Liam. For real, not the fantasy who’d obsessed her every waking and sleeping thought.
Liam ran forward and pounced on the loan shark dragging him away. He landed three good punches, his furious words punctuating his movements.
“Fuck. You. Asshole.”
By the time he raised his arm for another punch, Detective Baxter and another officer stormed in. They separated Liam and Vaughan. Detective Baxter aimed a furious look at Liam while the other officer pinned Vaughan to the ground and cuffed him.
“What did I tell you about letting us handle this?”
Liam didn’t answer. He just glared at Vaughan, his fists clenched.
The detectives dragged Vaughan outside, reading him his rights, leaving Liam alone with Kate.
For a time neither said a word. He looked so different. He looked like the man who had taken her to Franky’s, wearing worn jeans and a black T-shirt, full of rugged appeal. Only tonight he looked disheveled, the dark circles under his eyes told her he hadn’t been sleeping. His knuckles were covered in Vaughan’s blood.
“How did you…?”
“I put out the word I wanted information on Vaughan. Wade got a tip tonight. Someone at the Golden Nugget recognized him, drunk as a skunk. Bragging about scoring big with a fancy pearl necklace. He made comments about visiting a certain redhead who’d gotten away from him before.” His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. “I called the cops. I just didn’t tell them I was already on my way over.”
He’d been watching out for her this whole time. God, it sounded as if he had an entire network of casino spies looking out for her.
Liam’s blue eyes were marred by red. “Did he hurt you?”
“Not really. Thanks to you.” She paused, her throat thick and painful. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask how he’d been.
“Don’t. Just don’t. I’m…I’m glad you’re okay.” And without another word, he left her apartment.
When she gave her statement to the police, Liam didn’t stick around. He didn’t call the rest of the night and neither did she. How could she? What could she say?
When her head hit her pillow late that night, her eyes remained wide open, glued to the dark ceiling. She knew the haunted look on Liam’s face would keep her up all night long.
A week later at Percolate, Cynthia walked into the break room, huffing mad. “Jesus. If Fred tells me one more time to smile at those goddamn customers, I will shove a bottle of caramel syrup into his mouth. I don’t care if he is the new manager. I know my goddamn job.”
Kate grinned. “Be patient with the newbies.”
“Says the other newbie.” Cynthia grabbed a copy of the local paper and thumbed through it while Kate had her egg salad sandwich on nutritionally-poor white bread.
To hell with gluten-free. Since seeing Liam, her emotions had been all over the place, and she’d eaten whatever the hell she’d goddamn wanted. If someone offered a Twinkie/bacon sandwich, she’d wolf it down and ask for seconds.
“Wow,” Cynthia said, laying the newspaper on the table. “He really did it.”
“Who did what?”
“You know,” she said, snapping her tattooed fingers, searching for a name. “Hot stuff who owns those casinos. Liam Boyle.”
What? “Doyle. It’s Liam Doyle.”
“That’s it!”
“What’s he done, Cynthia?”
She peered at Kate. “Where’ve you been? It’s been all over the local headlines.”
“What. Has. He. Done?”
“He’s sold all his casinos.” Cynthia made a face. “Fuck me, Kate. You’re in a weird mood. Weirder than usual.”
Kate felt all the blood drain from her face. “What?”
“Hadn’t you heard? He’s been talking to some rich Russian who owns those hot new clubs in New York, Champagne and Liberty. I think he’s Russian. I would totally let that dude fuck me, too.”
As Cynthia prattled on about rumors of Markov being connected to the Russian mob, Kate dropped her sandwich and pushed away from the table.
“Shit. You look like you’ve seen Amy Winehouse’s ghost.”
She stood and whipped off her apron, looking around nervously. “Can you tell Fred I can’t finish my shift? There’s something I have to do.”
“Sure thing, spaz lady. I’ll tell him you have feminine problems. That’ll give the kid hives.”
Kate raced out of the back room, unsure of what she was going to do, but knowing she had to do it.
Wade stood at the front entrance of Vice as she ran toward the door.
“Kate. Long time, no…whoa. Are you okay? Where’s the fire?”
“Is he here?”
“Liam? Yeah, he’s in his office.”
“Please. I need to see him.” She gulped for air. Even the run from the taxi bay had winded her. Sometimes the only thing worse than going on a health food diet was going off it again.
“Sure. I’ll take you.”
She didn’t bat an eye at the statues of naked goddesses or the flashing lights from the slots on the way to the elevator. Not even the goddamn ceiling of smoke made her blink. She remained focused, needing to see Liam. She just needed to know…
The door opened into his office, and there he was. Facing away from them, Liam stood at the window, looking out over the Strip. No suit today. Just a rumpled grey T-shirt and faded jeans. His hair seemed a bit longer in back, and from her angle, she spied a bit more beard growth on his jaw.
He still took her breath away, even with his face turned.
Wade called out. “Liam, you have a visitor.” He ushered her inside and stepped back into the elevator. As the door closed, he gave her a wink.
Liam turned. His lips parted with a breath. “Kate.”
Her heart hammered in her chest. In those torturous seconds, she wanted to fly into his arms. Her eyes watered. Before she could collect her thoughts, a huge sob wracked her chest.
Liam raced over. He grabbed her by the shoulders, holding her gently. “Baby, please don’t cry.”
“You sold them. Your casinos.”
“Yes. My pal Alex took them off my hands.”
“Why?”
His lips turned up on one side into a grin that made her belly ache. “I did it for you, Kate. I did it all for you.”
Kate pulled away. “But I didn’t want this! I didn’t want you to throw away your life for me, Liam. These casinos, you built them up from the ground. They’re part of you.” She crumpled to the carpet and buried her face in her hands.
He joined her on the carpet, sitting in front of her, and pried her hands from her wet face. “Kate, the casinos aren’t me. They’re bricks and mortar and poker chips. They’re illusion and dream.”
He tipped up her chin to make her look at him. His husky eyes no longer bore any hint of fatigue. He looked good. Refreshed. Sexy as hell.
“Look, I sold the casinos for a couple of reasons. I didn’t want you to worry, but I’ve been having some chest pains for a while.”
She stared at his chest, wishing she could see right through it to his heart, to see if it was pumping properly.
“My doctor says I’m okay, but too stressed. He’s been trying to get me to slow down for a while now, so I am. I let these casinos take over my life. Hell, I have a condo I never see. I’m always here.” He stroked her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. “My dad died of heart problems at a young age. I refuse to go down the same road.”
Okay, she could accept that reason.
“Secondly,” he continued, his deep voice making her feel better already. “Like I told you, I always felt bad about taking Shauna’s money to start my business. Well, I’ve decided I need to forgive her. That’s never been easy for me. So in order to finally let her go, I needed to put her money to better use. I’m very comfortable after the sale of the hotels, so I took the amount Shauna gave me and I donated it to New Horizons.”
“That was you? Rod told me about the donation, but I never dreamed... Liam, that was a lot of money.”
“It’s only the beginning. I want to support your group, Kate. It’s time I gave back. You were right. I ignored the problems under my own nose for too long. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against casinos, but I want to help the people whose lives have been impacted by them.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
Liam drew closer and pulled her onto his lap. “Then let me say a few more things.” He slid his arms around her waist and she wrapped her legs around his hips. “Kate, you told me I needed to hit rock bottom with Michelle. You were right, but that wasn’t my true rock bottom. Rock bottom was when I watched you walk away.”
“Oh, Liam, I’m so sorry.”
“No, don’t be. Turns out I have an addictive personality, and you were my addiction. I treated you like my own personal casino. It was too much, too soon. All of it, including the wild animal sex.” He grinned and the balls of his cheeks reddened. “Although I did enjoy that part.”
“It was okay,” Kate teased.
“Okay, she says.” Liam leaned in and teased her earlobe with his teeth. “I really want to start over and see if we can work our way back to the insane monkey sex.” She giggled and he danced his fingers under her shirt, smoothing them over her waist. “I do love you, Kate. I don’t want to fuck this up.”
“I love you, too.” She gave into temptation and brushed her lips over his neck and collarbone. “I was miserable without you.”
“Me too. Woman, you brought me to my knees. Ask Wade. I was a bear without you.”
Even as she laughed, she continued kissing him, letting her tongue trace the long lines of his neck.
Liam gripped her and pushed he back a bit. “Dammit, sugar. If you keep this up, you’ll be naked instead of letting me do the honorable thing.”
She licked her lips, savoring his taste. “And what would that be?”
He brushed his thumb over her wet lip, his gaze concentrated on her mouth. “I want to take you to dinner. Somewhere other than Vice. I want to discuss our future.”
“Our future?”
He smiled. “If there’s one thing I know, Kate, it’s that I’m never going to watch you walk away again. I did last time because I knew you needed a better man. I wanted to be a better man for you. But this time,” he said, his voice trembling with a low growl. “You’re mine.”
The hairs on her arms stood on end at his wonderfully-possessive tone.
“So,” he said, kissing her. “Where would you like to eat? I know some nice French restaurants, or maybe a Korean barbeque.”
Kate grinned. “How about pizza?”
Liam laughed. “I offer her swanky dining and she wants pizza. Doesn’t sound gluten-free.”
“Fuck gluten-free. Let’s get pizza.”
He folded her in his arms and buried his face in the crook of her neck. “Whatever makes you happy.”
Chapter Seventeen
An hour and a half later, Kate and Liam sat at the back of Massimo’s Pizza Parlor, polishing off the remains of a large double-cheese and pepperoni pizza. Liam sat back, stuffed, and smiled when Kate peeled the pepperonis off his discarded slice and popped them in her mouth. His cock hardened at the sight of that beautiful tongue licking her fingers with glee.
Damn. He so needed to see her naked again.
But business first. He needed to know they were o
n the same page before he could feel comfortable enough to lose himself in her sweet body. “So, full disclosure from now on?”
She gazed at him for a moment and then wiped her hands. “That would be awesome.”
He leaned forward and grabbed her hands, linking them with his own. “I’ve been seeing a therapist. He’s helping me comes to terms with my issues. My need to control my environment. You, Michelle, my work. God, even my choice of work. Do you know what one of the oldest sayings of the casino world is, Kate?”
She shook her head.
“‘The House always wins.’ That’s how I treated my life. I needed to be in charge to make up for the times I had no power.” He raised one of her hands and kissed it. “I’ve blamed myself for years for things over which I had no control. Including what happened to me while I was homeless.”
She squeezed his hand but didn’t say a word.
“I was hungry. I was cold. As a fourteen-year-old boy, I had to deal with big men who wanted to fuck me and women who wanted to buy me. To get by I lost my virginity way too young and learned it was a commodity. People were commodities. I was a commodity. It took me a long time to realize I was wrong.”
She tipped her head and gnawed on her bottom lip.
“But I was one of the lucky ones. I was smart enough to get off the streets. When I went back to Aunt Margaret’s, it was as someone who’d seen too much, someone who held grudges. I don’t want to be that person anymore.” He exhaled. “It’s still hard for me to share the details, but I’ve shared more with you than anyone else. Can you be patient with me?”
She nodded, her eyes welling up.
“Thank you.” He watched her for a moment, full of fascination and love. “There’s one more thing. I want to open a piano bar with you. A proper piano bar, all on its own. With you as the headliner.”
“I can’t accept that. I can’t let you buy me a bar to sing in.”
“I wouldn’t be. We’d be partners. You can invest as much as you like, but the papers will show we’re co-owners. Hearing you sing was the first thing to get me excited in a long time. Not opening Vice, but you. Your talent. I will walk you through every step of the process, but I want you to be my partner. There won’t be a single gaming device in the building, I promise.”