The Manhattan Encounter

by Addison Fox

  “Tell me what we know about Carrington.” Liam barked the order as he sped past the 72nd Street subway station, narrowly missing an early morning bus.

  Jack spoke first, his fingers flying over his phone screen. “One of Isabella’s partners on Daniel’s team for years. Son of a wealthy New York family, with money that goes back a few generations. Born with both a silver spoon and a condition. Nearly died four times before the age of three.”

  “High IQ but suffers from delusions.” Kenzi added the last, incorporating her own intel. She’d left Abby behind running queries through her search programs and Liam couldn’t help wishing his sister and her fiancé had stayed behind altogether.

  He didn’t need to be worrying about them while he went in after Isabella.

  Of course, he’d been tartly informed of the same in reverse from Kensington and he had no interest in wasting precious minutes arguing with her. The only good thing was that Jack was as invested in her safety as Liam was so he had backup.

  “Where are they now?” He hollered it and heard Campbell’s voice as Kenzi switched to speaker.

  “Still in the office. Carrington is armed but so far he’s kept it at his side.”

  “What else do I need to know?”

  “He’s rigged the doors with pressure sensors so he’ll know if anyone arrives. I’ve got a work-around but I need you to wait for my signal before you open the doors.”

  “You can’t disarm them now?” Liam swerved around another bus and ran a yellow turning red, ignoring the honk of several taxis that lit up the morning air.

  “We can’t risk tipping him off.” Campbell let out a low curse. “And we’ve got another problem.”

  “What?” Liam slammed on his brakes as he ran the SUV halfway up the curb, then threw the car into Park. “I don’t want to hear about problems. Fix it.”

  He left the car running and turned toward Jack. “You’ve got the feed.”

  Jack nodded and handed him a second small tablet, displaying a full visual feed of all the cameras Carrington thought he’d overridden in the facility.

  “Would you wait a damn minute!” Abstractly, he heard Campbell’s voice hollering in the background but Liam ignored him and grabbed the device from Jack.

  He kept his gaze on the screen as he wove his way through the large lawn that fronted the research facility. He could see Isabella in black-and-white. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

  His touchstone.

  He had to get to her.

  * * *

  “What happened to you?” She had tried repeatedly to get information from Daniel but he kept shushing her, his attention focused on Edward. “You’re alive. And you’re all right. It’s a miracle.”

  Isabella knew that wasn’t the whole truth—if her research findings were any indication, he wasn’t completely fine—but she wasn’t going to tip her hand just yet. She needed to lull them both as she tried to figure out what Daniel’s role had been in the attacks of the last few weeks.

  “Sweet reunion.”

  “It’s amazing.” She focused on Edward, pleased to see the gun still hung by his side. It didn’t calm her, per se, but it did give her hope all wasn’t completely lost. “What I can’t understand is why you’re hiding. This is miraculous news. What we’ve all worked so long for.”

  “Which you’ve ruined by going public.” Edward said.

  And now we’re getting somewhere. “How did I ruin anything?”

  “You took the research public. Gave it away. Put us in jeopardy. People get suspicious when men start rising from the dead.”

  Isabella knew there was something underneath Edward’s mania and panic, but she couldn’t place it. Why hide? “But you’re alive and well. And you didn’t rise from the dead, not really. You survived. Thrived with gene therapy. That’s what scientific research is about. What my work is all about.”

  “Not when it’s experimental! When it’s going to get people interested in knowing more. When it draws attention.” Anger exploded from Edward like a canon blast and her heart pounded in a fast clip against her rib cage.

  She’d overstepped. The gentle questions and scientific curiosity hadn’t paid quite the dividends she’d hoped but she continued to push. “But you’re living proof of the work. You’re both doing so well.”

  “Cured, damn it. We’re cured.” Edward’s hand shook, the gun waving at his side, his eyes darting between her and Daniel.

  She felt Daniel’s grip over her forearm, as if to still her in place. “We’ve been suffering some side effects. Things we never discovered in our test subjects.”

  “What test subjects?” Despite the threat of Edward’s shaking trigger finger, she needed to know what Daniel was talking about. “Who do you mean?”

  “The others.” Daniel shook his head, regret shimmering around him like heat rising off asphalt.

  “What others?” When neither man answered, the adrenaline that had carried through the door morphed, spiking into a nauseous cocktail in her stomach. “What others, Daniel?”

  Edward’s eyes continued their race between her and Daniel, his smile knowing as his gaze came to rest on Daniel. “That’s always bothered you, you sorry bastard. Hasn’t it?”

  “It was wrong.”

  “It was research! They died for something extraordinary.”

  Daniel’s voice quavered, every one of his long and pain-filled years carved into the lines of his face. “They had no idea. They were drafted without making the choice themselves.”

  “Cracked eggs to make our omelet. Nothing more.”

  The callous statement had her mouth dropping in shock. Isabella had pieced enough together to know they’d used human test subjects, but to be so cold-hearted about it? Like something out of Dr. Frankenstein’s lab, they’d both showed blatant disregard for human life.

  Life they were sworn to uphold as scientists.

  Daniel’s voice was a quiet whisper, his hands shaking as he stared down at the old linoleum floor. “I’m so sorry. So sorry.”

  Before she could ask Daniel what he meant, Edward’s eyes lit up and he reached for his phone. “He’s here.”

  * * *

  Campbell kept up a steady string of curses in the small earpiece Liam wore as he moved on toward the research building Isabella had pointed out on their last visit.

  “I told you there was more. You tripped one of Edward’s cameras.”

  “What? Where.”

  “Damn bugger.” Campbell added a few more choice expletives before he barked a few more orders. “Bastard rigged all the cameras, not just the ones in the building. You triggered an alarm as soon as you crossed into the research campus.”

  “So shut it down.”

  “It’s too late. He knows.”

  Liam didn’t wait for his brother to say anything further. He took off at a dead run.

  * * *

  Edward’s hands trembled, the gun waving madly off the end of his fingers. Isabella knew she didn’t have much time to convince him to calm down or change his mind on his obviously clear intent to kill her and Daniel so she played her last remaining card.

  “How are you feeling, Edward?”

  “I told you. I’m cured.” The gun shook harder but she saw a small spark of awareness flit through his gaze.

  “No you’re not.” Daniel’s voice was quiet, guilt and grief layered in every word. “You know you’re not and neither am I.”

  “We’re fine.”

  “The pain?” She pressed on, hoping like hell she could hold him off and keep him distracted. “It’s bad, isn’t it? I know why. I can show you where the problem is.”

  “Tell me.”

  “It’s in the nerve receptors. They’re deteriorating. I brought my notes with me. I...” She added a quav
er to her voice for good measure. “I can show you.”

  “Give them to me.”

  “Sit down with me and I’ll show you. It won’t make any sense if I don’t walk you through it.”

  Edward hesitated as he shifted from foot to foot, his gaze darting toward the door, then back at her. “No way.”

  “Then promise me you won’t hurt Liam. You said yourself he’s coming. He’s innocent. He’s not a part of this.”

  “Give me your notes.”

  “Promise me you won’t hurt him.”

  “You have no say!” Edward had the gun up, his shaking hand steadying as he took aim. “Give. Me. Your. Notes.”

  She opened her bag, the moment to bargain with him vanishing like quicksilver. “You won’t understand my notes.”

  “Try me. I deciphered your mess of notes from before, I can do it again. All it took was a bit of testing on some poor unfortunates who weren’t going to get better anyway.”

  She shuddered at the proof of what he’d done. Daniel’s hand tightened on her forearm once more and his words were a soft plea when he spoke. “I’m so sorry. For all of it.”

  The proof of her mentor’s guilt struck like a spear to the heart but the pain was nothing compared to the sight of Liam charging through the door, his gun drawn.

  Or Edward’s rising arms as he took aim.

  * * *

  Isabella screamed a warning but he didn’t need it. The “eyes” Campbell had provided had Liam aiming at her captor as he came through the door. Her gaze was focused on a small man, his gun in hand, but Liam had already taken aim, his motions all raw instinct and years of training.

  What he couldn’t stop was the reaction of the man sitting next to Isabella on an old cot.

  Daniel leaped toward the gunman. Bodies merged and collided as two gunshots fired in the small space. Liam had no way of holding back, the bullet already in motion. And he saw as it made contact with the small man’s head, slamming him back against the wall as the second man fell on top of him.

  “Daniel!” Isabella started for the bodies but Liam intercepted her, grabbing her close and pulling her back toward the door.

  “I need to see them.”

  “Isabella.” He kept dragging her, despite her protests and struggling form. “Wait. Please wait.”

  Jack and Kenzi ran toward them down the hall and Liam barked orders as he held a struggling Isabella. “Two men down. I don’t have confirmation on either of them.”

  His future brother-in-law moved into action, his gun in hand as he went through the door. Within moments Jack hollered an all-clear from the room.

  “You’re okay.” He dropped his gun to the ground and pulled Isabella close. “I didn’t think I’d get to you.”

  “I need to go in there.”

  “Give me a minute. Please. I need you right here. For just a minute, I need you here.” He ran his hands up and down her back, pleased when she finally stopped struggling. “Just right here. With me.”

  “You killed him. Edward.” She whispered against his chest, her shoulders quivering from the adrenaline and the hard sobs that racked her body. “He’s gone.”

  “He’s gone.”

  “And so is Daniel.”

  Liam glanced toward where his sister and future brother-in-law stood inside the door, Jack’s nod a silent acknowledgment of Isabella’s suspicions.

  “Yes.” He ran his hands over her face, savoring the soft skin of her cheek. “Why’d you do this without me?”

  Large tears spilled from her lashes but her voice was firm and strong when she spoke. “I love you. I couldn’t put you in danger. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you.”

  “So it was okay you did it to me? What if something had happened to you? I love you and I spent the last hour terrified I wouldn’t get here in time.”

  “It’s not the same. Not after Wayne and Aidan last night. Not after I knew what Edward wanted. I—” Realization dawned bright and vivid in her eyes. “You love me.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I thought you were afraid and scared and not ready and a loner.”

  “When did I say that?”

  “You didn’t.” She shook her head as more tears fell down her cheeks. “But I inferred from the data that’s what you meant.”

  He knew they’d nearly lost each other. Knew the events of the morning would live with both of them forever, but in that moment he couldn’t resist the sheer joy of teasing her. “What data?”

  “The data I collected from your behavior. The way you looked at me in the shower. That was fear in your eyes.”

  “It was.” The smile fell from his face and he knew he had to be honest.

  Had to face his fears once and for all.

  “I swore to myself I’d never love someone who could leave me. I’m stuck with my family but that was it. I was damned if I’d add anyone new.”

  “And?”

  “And I was damned. That’s just it. I’ve been living half my life. I keep everyone at arm’s length, thinking that will make me happy. Will keep the darkness at bay.”

  “And does it?”

  “No. All it means is that I sit in the dark.” He pulled her close once more, pressing his lips to her temple. Her wet cheek. Then on to her lips. “I love you. I want a life with you and I want to stand by you.”

  “I love you, Liam. With everything I am, I love you.”

  “Then can we make a promise to each other. Right here, right now?”

  “Anything.”

  His arms tightened around her as the reality of almost losing her washed through him once more in a hard wave. “Don’t ever run off without me again. There’s no problem that’s too big we can’t face it together.”

  “But—”

  “Ever. We’re partners. And we’re going to spend our lives together.”

  He saw that stubborn spark he loved so much light in the depths of her eyes. “I acted on the evidence I had. I needed to do this.”

  “Then your hypothesis was faulty.”

  “Now you’re a scientist?”

  “No. I’m a man in love. And I’m never letting you go.” He pressed his lips to hers and let the world fade away around them.

  She might have scientific fact on her side, but since there was no empirical evidence that could beat the power of love, Liam figured he had a fighting chance.

  Epilogue

  Alexander Steele’s bright blue gaze had morphed from tearful joy to calculating craftiness throughout the evening and Liam wasn’t sure which expression he enjoyed more.

  Wily old bastard.

  He’d even told Grandfather as much when the man had arrived for dinner, his hand locked firmly with Grandmother’s. Alexander had only chuckled, then whispered loudly to Liam’s grandmother, “See, Penelope. I told you everything would work out.”

  And so things had worked out.

  He wouldn’t have believed it, thinking back to that rain-soaked night at his grandparents’ townhome when he opened the door to let Isabella in. Couldn’t have known the shy woman on the other side of the door was the other half of his heart.

  Yet here they were, a month past her thorough briefing to the New York Times on her research, the inherent risks and how to keep the knowledge safe.

  And now they looked toward a future together.

  The box in his pocket felt like a boulder and he fought the urge to keep touching it so as not to tip anyone off to his plans. Although he’d worked hard over the last weeks to share more with his loved ones, there were some things a man wanted to keep to himself until the moment was right.

  Alexander stood at the head of the table, his gaze tearful once more, as he stared down the table at all of them. “My grandchildren.”

&
nbsp; Liam sat at the opposite head, Isabella on his right and she reached for his hand, entwining their fingers.

  “Your grandmother and I were there on the day each of you were born. We’ve watched you grow. And we’ve watched you all live through adversity. Nothing makes me happier than knowing you all have partners to travel through life with. To lighten the load. To create a family. To share all the richness that makes up the tapestry of our lives.”

  Liam’s fingers tightened on Isabella’s before he got to his feet. “A perfect segue, Grandfather.”

  “Is it?”

  “Your gift for proclamations is something I can always depend on.”

  He shot his grandfather a wink, pleased when the older man nodded, pride puffing out his chest. “By all means, then.”

  Liam turned toward Isabella, the box growing even heavier in his pocket. “It’s taken me a long time to truly realize the rare and wonderful gift I have in the people assembled around this table. You’ve given that to me. You’ve made me realize the importance of love and the value of family.”

  He pulled the box from his pocket and dropped to his knee beside her chair.

  “So I can think of no more fitting way to ask you to share your life with me than in front of the people who matter most to me in the world.”

  Love, bright and pure, shone from her eyes as she nodded, her hands settling on his chest. “Yes, Liam. I will share my life with you.”

  He flipped open the lid of the box, prepared to slip the ring on her finger when she pulled him close, her lips pressed to his. Stunned, he murmured against her lips. “Don’t you want to see your ring?”

  “Later.” She pressed her lips to his once more before he pulled back in confusion.

  “Isn’t that the way men are supposed to seal the deal? With the ring?”

  “My love.” Her hands rested on his shoulders and her eyes shone with love, bright as the richest emeralds. “Diamonds are nothing but compressed earth. Rare, yes, but still just a pretty rock. It’s love that’s the rarest of all. Infinitely precious. Far richer than any gem.”

  As their lips met once more the cheers of his family rose up around them. And as he kissed her with everything he was, Liam knew Isabella had the right of it.