by Nora Ash
“They’re checking the perimeter as we speak and will set up before everyone starts arriving,” Perkinson said, with an air of importance that had me biting my lip until I tasted blood to keep from eye rolling. “I’ll best get ‘round back to set up and see the girls. I’ll catch up with you later, Miss Waits.”
I managed to force my cheeks into another smile when he turned his attention back to me. “Sure thing, Mr. Perkinson. I’ll do the last rounds out here.”
The next hour or so was so hectic I barely had time to breathe. There was a reason I hadn’t gone into event planning after university, and it wasn’t just because you apparently risked hosting launch parties with more naked breasts than a maternity ward. Only the knowledge that Liam had promised to show up kept me from going crazy while the hundreds of guests filed into the warehouse as I dashed around, making sure the serving girls had the right amount of vodka in every glass, the pole dancers had chalk readily available, and the loo was stocked with toilet paper.
It was well past Perkinson’s speech before I finally had a moment to myself. I staggered into the main room, which was now filled with smartly dressed men and women, jazz and the classiest strippers London had to offer. I waved over a topless waitress and snatched a shot glass filled with Perk Vodka from her tray.
“Thanks,” I said. “And sorry, again, about the, eh, uniform.”
She smiled. It wasn’t the first time I’d apologized to the female staff I’d hired for this event. “You would be surprised how many of these gigs I’ve had. Men and breasts—they’re really just big babies. Tips are great, though.”
I laughed, feeling a bit better about it. She had a point. As I looked out across my venue, it was quite obvious that a rather large section of the male attendants were pretty much hypnotized by the amount of feminine beauty on display. “I bet. Thanks again for the vodka.”
She winked and headed off with the tray toward a cluster of middle-aged men, and I wandered off looking for Liam.
It didn’t take me long to find him—his flaming red hair lit up like a beacon by one of the tables in the center of the room. When I got closer, I frowned as I recognized Gregory Perkinson by the table, too. There was an older man sat between them and four broad-shouldered, muscular men hung around behind. They looked like the kind of hired muscle a Bond villain would employ, and I had the vague thought that Perkinson was taking his theme a touch too far. But mainly, I was just shocked that it looked like Liam knew him.
I possibly shouldn’t have been. I knew very little about Liam’s social life, but he had said he owned some nightclubs. Of course a guy like Perkinson would know nightclub owners.
“Liam—” My smiling approach to the table was abruptly intercepted when one of the big goons behind him put a massive hand on my shoulder, effectively stopping me mid-step.
“That’s far enough, little lady,” the hired muscle grumbled.
I stared up at him, mouth open in shock just as Liam and the two other men by the table turned around at the disturbance.
“You better get your hand off me right now,” I hissed, my outrage at being manhandled by some bodyguard for hire at an event I’d planned swiftly overtaking the shock of it all. “I’m the damn event planner, you moron!”
The big goon cast a glance to his side at Liam—who was staring at me with wide eyes.
“Audrey?” His voice was rough in that way it got when he was holding back emotion, and despite my anger, I felt myself flush with happiness. He’d sounded about the same when I’d opened the door wearing my little black dress last week, and I’d picked out the violet gown I was wearing tonight hoping for a similar reaction.
“Hey. I didn’t realize you knew my client, Mr. Perkinson.” I batted the goon’s hand off and brushed my fingers across Liam’s shoulder in silent greeting before I turned to the third man and held out my hand. “I’m Audrey Waits, the event planner. Pleased to meet you.”
He smiled widely at me and got up from his chair. “So I see. You’ve done a marvelous job, my dear. I’m Perkinson senior—Gregory’s my son. And you know young Steel?”
“Yeah, we’re… together.” It was still too odd to call him my boyfriend. I’d been too busy with the launch to see him since that night on top of St. Paul’s Cathedral, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that we were together now.
Liam got up from his seat and put his hand on my shoulder, nodding at the bodyguard who’d stopped me. “Come, love, let’s get some fresh air.”
“Okay.” I smiled at the two Perkinsons, happy that I’d get a bit of alone time with Liam before I’d have to get back into the fray. “If you’ll excuse us for a moment. Everything’s running smoothly, but I'll be back in in ten minutes.”
Gregory looked miffed, but when he opened his mouth to say something, his father cut him off: “Ah, young love. You go enjoy your girl, Steel. We can always talk business later.”
Business? I frowned at the cool, calculating look in the elder Perkinson’s eyes as he looked me over, but Liam’s warm hand on my shoulder pulled my attention away. I guess it wasn’t too surprising that Perkinson senior gave me the creeps—he’d supposedly raised his pig of a son, after all.
Liam led me through the throng of people with a hand on the small of my back, out through the carpet-lined hallway, past the toilets, and toward the side exit. Only when we were outside in the cool air did he stop.
“I’ve missed you,” I said as I turned toward him, wrapped my arms around his neck, and pressed my lips to his. It’d almost been a full week since he told me he loved me, and I’d ached for his touch in the days that’d followed.
Liam seemed to freeze for a moment, his lips stiff and immobile against mine. But then, as if he suddenly came back to himself, he let out a soft groan and kissed me back so tenderly, it made my heart flutter. His arms came up to rest around my waist, letting me feel his protective strength underneath the expensive-looking suit. His kiss was so different from last we parted, like he was reacquainting himself with my taste, and yet entirely the same, the way he moaned with want for every brush of our lips against each other.
“I’ve missed you too,” he whispered hoarsely in between kisses. “So fucking much.”
I moaned happily, my thoughts beginning to flicker in the direction of finding somewhere private for a quickie, when Liam pulled back with a suddenness as if some sort of spell had been broken.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Audrey?” he said, his face so serious it made me blink. “The Perkinsons are bad men.”
I snorted. “Yeah, no kidding. It’s not like I loved putting on an event that involved ordering spare nipple tassels, but I kinda had to. I like being able to pay rent and all.”
“He’s your nightmare client,” he said, as if it was a complete revelation. “Fuck, Audrey, if I’d known…”
I shrugged. “Not much to do about it. Hopefully I won’t have to work with him after tonight, though. Hey, how do you know him and his dad?”
Liam released me with one hand and rubbed it over his face. “No, you don’t understand— Fuck! Okay, this is what we’re going to do. Wait here for me. I’ll make your excuses, say you’ve come down with something, and then I’ll take you home.”
I frowned, pulling back from him. “What? No. I can’t leave now, I’ll get fired. What are you so worked up about anyway? I’ve made it this far, I can handle a few more hours.”
He brushed his hand against my cheek so gently then, and my protests died at the way he looked at me, with devotion and regret so pained it took my breath away. I didn’t understand why he was so upset, but that look in his eyes was impossible to argue with.
“Trust me, love. Just this once.”
Dazedly, I nodded.
He touched his fingertips to my cheek again. “I’ll be back in a moment. Wait for me here. Don’t go anywhere without me, okay?”
I stared silently at his retreating back before he disappeared in through the side door, leaving me alone among the par
ked cars next to the old warehouse. His absence left an odd sort of chill that surpassed the mild evening breeze. I shuddered and folded my arms across my midriff at the prickling awareness against my skin. Something was obviously not right, the way Liam was acting, but for the life of me I couldn’t understand what had him so on edge.
But I trusted him, and right now, that was all that mattered.
“Audrey!”
I jolted at the sound of my name and peered out among the parked cars. Liam’s flaming hair and smiling face came into view just as he rounded a parked Audi.
“My God, woman. You look fucking fantastic.”
I stared at him as he crossed the last few meters of tarmac and wrapped his arms around my body, instantly shielding me against the chill.
“I’m really sorry I’m late. I hope you saw my text—I had to run a last-minute errand.” The ginger man bent and pressed a kiss to my stunned lips, teasing his tongue across them before he realized I wasn’t responding properly. “Love, is something the matter?” His smile was gone once more, replaced by a concerned frown.
“You—how did you get around there?” I blurted, too confused by his magical appearance at the exact opposite way he’d disappeared only moments before to ask what the hell he meant by being late.
His frown eased a little, a teasing smirk slipping over his devious lips. “I drove, love. You doing okay? Need me to help you with some stress relief? I’m sure we can pull a quickie in my backseat before this nightmare client of yours misses you.”
“W-what? Didn’t you just…?” What the hell had happened to his apparent rush to get me out of there not moments ago?
My question got cut short when the back door opened once again—and Liam stepped out.
24
Audrey
The man by the door looked up and our eyes met—and his entire body gave an odd sort of jolt.
I stared at him for two long seconds before I looked up at the man who still had his arms around me. They were identical.
“L-Liam?” I whispered.
It was an odd sort of sensation—like I was halfway floating above my own body, looking down at myself and the two men who looked so much alike that for a moment I thought I was seeing double.
The man whose grasp I was in turned halfway to see what I’d spotted—and froze, the color in his faze draining.
“Louis?” the redhead by the door asked, his brows locked in a frown that suggested he, too, wasn’t quite comprehending the situation. “What are you—” His eyes slid over me again, and his voice broke off.
“W-what… what’s going on?” I didn’t recognize my own voice—it was too high-pitched and tense. Louis. Not Liam. Louis.
It was the sound of that name—the name that wasn’t Liam—that finally made it click.
“You’re twins.” Numbly, I fumbled for his hand. He let me lift it up so I could see his thumb. His scarless thumb. I’d known something was off about his explanation at the time, but I’d brushed it off. Because I’d trusted him, and I’d never thought…
“You’re twins,” I said again. The numb shock in my chest threatened to crack and crumble away when hot, painful understanding lanced through my abdomen like a knife. They’d… shared me? Taken turns. Like I was a damn amusement ride.
Never bothering to tell me I was losing my heart to someone who wasn’t real.
“Audrey…” It was the man without a scar—Louis. He reached for my cheek, but I backed away from him. From both of them. I stuck my finger up between us like a weapon and pointed it first at him, and then at Liam by the door.
“Don’t you dare say my name!” It came out in an angry hiss, even though everything inside of me was agony from the monumental sense of loss and betrayal. None of it had been real. “You’ve had your fun, you sick bastards. I never want to see either of you ever again, you hear?”
“Audrey.” This time it was Liam. He took a couple of steps toward us, his face drawn with tension. “Listen to me—”
“No!” I screeched. “No! I am done, you hear? No more bullshit excuses! I’m done! What kind of sick perverts are you? I loved you, you sick pricks! I loved you, and you let me! Whatever you have to say, I don’t want to hear it! Leave me alone!”
When I spun around and ran into the parking lot to find my car, neither of them followed.
“I don’t know what to say, Audrey. You left your client’s event not even halfway through—we’re lucky Mr. Perkinson isn’t leaving Caslik. What were you thinking?” Lennard Blue, my department manager, looked at me through his half-moon glasses with a nearly paternal disappointment as I did my best not to cower from the other side of his imposing desk.
“I’m really sorry, Mr. Blue. I think it was food poisoning.” I managed to keep my voice even, despite the pang of pain even the mention of last Friday brought with it. I’d cried pretty much non-stop throughout the weekend, so at least I knew I looked as crappy as someone who’d had food poisoning for the past few days. It was only the threat of losing my job if I didn’t show up that somehow made me able to crawl into work Monday morning—where I’d promptly been called into Mr. Blue’s office.
“You know there’s no excuse when it comes to this important a client. I’m sorry, but I’ll have to place you on probation for the next three months. You could have cost the company a lot of money.” Mr. Blue leaned back in his comfortable-looking leather chair and steepled his fingers. “Don’t make any more mistakes, or you’ll be having a very serious chat with HR.”
“But, sir,” I protested, shocked by the severity of my punishment. I’d expected a stern talking-to, but probation? The event had gone smoothly, despite my disappearance halfway through. “I couldn’t—”
“That’s enough, Audrey,” he interrupted me. “You’re very lucky you’re not looking at a dismissal notice.”
If I hadn’t felt so completely crushed already, I’m not sure I would have been able to rein in my outrage at the injustice of it all, but as it was I only just managed to hold back the tears as I nodded silently and left Mr. Blue’s office.
Eileen waited for me with a cup of freshly made tea in our shared office. She’d heard—as had the rest of the office—about my meeting with the head honcho. At the sight of me, her comforting smile fell. “Was it that bad?”
“I’m on probation,” I croaked as I sank down in front of my computer.
“What? That’s ridiculous! Clement Smith fobbed off his last client’s meeting to get a damn pedicure, and it cost them hundreds of thousands. He just got told not to do it again!”
I sniffled into my mug and shrugged half-heartedly. “Smith’s a senior account manager. There’re different rules, I guess.”
“Screw that, Audrey! No one works as hard as you, and you’ve been here nearly as long. They can’t do this to you.”
I don’t know if it was Eileen’s outrage on my behalf that finally cracked the thin shield I’d pulled up around me to be able to make it into work today, but suddenly, I couldn’t hold it together anymore. With a loud sob, I surrendered to the tears.
“Oh, honey.” Eileen got off her chair and hurried to my side to wrap her arms around my shoulders. “It’s going to be okay. It’s just a dumb job.”
“I-it’s noh-ot!” I sobbed into her shoulder. “It-it’s Liam, too.”
“Liam? What now? I thought it was going well between you two, the way you’ve been beaming this past week.”
“I thought so too,” I sobbed. And then I told her the whole, humiliating story, from how I’d taken him home to see my family to climbing St. Paul’s Cathedral and falling in love with what turned out to be a couple of twins who’d just been having some fun on my expense.
“Really? Twins?” Something about Eileen’s tone was way too excited. I gave her a baleful look before I blew my nose, and she replied with an apologetic grimace. “Sorry, I know you’re hurting, honey. It’s just… are you sure it was just a game to them? It sounds like they really liked you, too. Maybe they just
didn’t know how to suggest—”
“Stop it, Eileen,” I sniffled. “This isn’t some weird fetish porn, okay? It’s my life, and I let them ruin it because I’m so pathetically needy and stupid. I actually thought—I thought I’d met the one. As if life is a damn romance novel.”
My friend patted my hair and sighed. “I know it sucks, sweety. It’ll get better soon, I promise.”
It didn’t. By the time Friday rolled around, I was still as miserable as ever. I couldn’t even escape into my work as I’d always done when something got me down, because every moment at the office was just another reminder of how unfair my probation was—and the instance that had brought it down upon me.
I was so lost in my own misery that it wasn’t until I got off the subway on my way home that I realized I was being followed.
There was something about his reaction when I turned my head and caught the stranger’s gaze that made all the small hairs on my body stand on end—something in his cool eyes and the way he quickly averted them when he realized I’d noticed him.
My heart sped up to double its regular pace, kicking my lizard brain into hyper drive as I realized he’d been there since I left work. He’d been outside my office, had followed me across the park and down the Tube, always just outside my field of vision, but close enough that the instincts currently screaming in my head knew it wasn’t just a coincidence.
Making a snap decision, I got out of the line to the bus and jogged the few yards to the taxi ramp, quickly hailing a cab. Whoever he was and whatever he wanted, I wasn’t about to find out.
I slumped back against the backseat of the taxi as the driver pulled out into the traffic, throwing my stalker a last look out the window. He looked visibly irritated as he watched me drive off.
Nothing about him had seemed even remotely familiar—he had the sort of bland face most people wouldn’t notice in a crowd, thinning hair, and was wearing a trench coat and carrying a leather briefcase. Nothing about him had stood out in London’s busy business quarter or on the Tube.