12. Chapter 12
~LIAM~
“ I have to go off property for a couple of hours.”
Baxter and I are in HQ. It’s been twenty-four hours since I had sex with Ellie, and I’m not sure that I’ve recovered yet.
I know for sure I’ll never get her out of my system. Even if I was with her for fifty years—which I won’t be—it wouldn’t be enough time.
“We have things under control here,” Baxter says. “I’ll let you know if there are any issues, but it’s been nice and quiet since the princess arrived.”
“I know it’s unusual. I’m glad she’s been able to stay on the down-low and avoid the media. I’ll see you soon.”
I didn’t tell Ellie, or anyone else for that matter, where I’m going today. When I got the call this morning from Zack King, asking me to come help him with something at the Lazy K Ranch, I didn’t have to think twice.
I admire Zack, and he’s a soldier. Or a former one, anyway. All he has to do is say the word, and I’ll help him in any way I can.
The drive out to the ranch takes about twenty minutes. Summer is in full bloom here in Northwest Montana, so I roll down the windows and enjoy the warm weather. I don’t know what Zack needs from me today, but maybe it’ll be a good way to get a certain princess off my mind for a little while.
I turn off the highway and onto the driveway for the ranch. Zack gave me instructions to follow the road past the old farmhouse to the house his brother, Josh, built almost a decade ago.
The drive isn’t paved, but it’s well maintained and free from ruts and potholes. I park in front of Josh’s house in time to see Zack’s son, Seth, come out of the house with a black Lab on his heels.
“Hey, Seth. You probably don’t remember me. I’m Liam, an old friend of your dad’s.”
“Oh, hey. Yeah, Dad said you’d be coming over. He and Uncle Josh are inside. You can go on in.”
“You’re not staying?”
He flashes a smile that looks just like his father’s and uncle’s, who happen to be identical twins.
“Nah, I’m interning up in Glacier Park for the summer. I’m getting college credit for it, too.”
“Good for you. Zack mentioned the other night that you’re going into environmental science.”
“That’s right. I’m an outdoorsy kind of guy. Today, I get to hunt for bear scat and figure out what they’re eating.”
“Watch out for the bears while you’re at it.”
Seth nods and smiles down at his dog. “Sorry, Thor. Dogs aren’t allowed to come to work with me.”
Thor rolls onto his back, legs in the air for a good rub. His tongue lolls out of his mouth.
Seth scratches the dog’s belly, then gestures for him to follow me.
“Go on with Liam, boy.”
“Come on.” I pat my leg, and the friendly dog immediately hurries over to me. “I’ll take good care of him.”
“Have a good day. See you around.”
Seth waves and hops into his late-model Ford F150, then takes off down the drive.
The last time I saw him, he was just a kid, not even a teenager yet.
And now he’s in college.
I shake my head, feeling damn old as I knock on the door.
“You live here! You don’t have to knock on th—” A petite blonde opens the door and then smiles sheepishly. “Sorry. Thought you were Seth. I’m Cara, Josh’s wife.”
“Liam.” I hold out my hand for hers, and she shakes it, then steps back to welcome me inside. “Are Zack and Josh around?”
“They’re out back,” she says with a nod. “Zack tried to get Seth to stay, but he’s too busy looking at bear poop in the Park to hang out with the likes of us. The little kids are hanging out with the grandparents this week.”
She’s chatting away, leading me through the open house to the kitchen.
“Which, I admit, has been nice and quiet, and it’s freed up the guys to get some serious work done. You know, running a ranch this size is a full-time job.”
“Do you work here?” I ask, completely mesmerized by her. She’s friendly, adorable, and just…likeable. I can see why Josh snatched her up.
“Oh, no. We want the ranch to be successful.” She winks and reaches into the fridge for two bottles of water and passes one to me. “I’m a teacher here in Cunningham Falls. So I’m off for the summer.”
“Oh, nice.”
“And you’re the head of security for the royal family?”
She watches me with curious blue eyes.
“Here in Montana, yes.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m surprised our paths haven’t crossed before.”
“I only spent summers here when I was a kid.”
“Are you harassing my help?”
We turn at the sound of Zack’s voice.
“I’m just getting to know him,” Cara says, already walking out of the room. “It’s called being friendly, Zack. You should try it sometime.”
“I’m fucking friendly,” Zack mutters. “Hey, man, thanks for coming over. I’m sorry for the third degree from a certain annoying sister-in-law.”
“I heard that,” Cara calls from down the hall where she disappeared.
“I wasn’t whispering,” Zack calls back with a grin. “I love to harass that woman. We’re out back. Follow me.”
We walk through a sliding glass door to a deck. Josh is sitting at an outdoor table with a laptop open, his face in a scowl.
“So, what’s going on, guys?” I ask.
“We have fucking poachers,” Josh snarls. “It’s not even hunting season, and some asshole keeps coming onto our property to kill animals.”
“They’ve got elk and moose so far,” Zack adds.
“Do you have cameras?”
“No,” Josh says, shaking his head. “We found the carcasses. The fucker took their heads for trophies.”
I feel my blood begin to heat. Poachers are the lowest of the low. There are laws surrounding hunting for reasons, and what this jerk is doing includes trespassing.
“How can I help?”
“We’re going to invest in one hell of a security system.” Zack’s voice is grim. “With cameras. And we need your help with what to get, who to have install it, all of that shit.”
“Your operation out here is big. I’m surprised you didn’t do this years ago.”
“We have some cameras set up on the far side of the property, but we can’t get to it quickly. We’ve kept things fairly simple. Hell,” Josh says, standing to pace the deck. “We’ve survived wolves and other predators before this. But humans, poachers , are a whole new arena.”
I nod, understanding perfectly. “A new threat means new security measures. How many acres do you have?”
“Fifty thousand, give or take,” Zack says.
“That’s a lot of ground to cover. What’s your budget?”
“Whatever it takes to get the job done,” Zack says. “How much did it cost to outfit the royals’ place on the lake?”
“Four million dollars,” I reply without missing a beat.
“Okay, that might be a bit high.” Josh rubs the back of his neck.
“I can get you set up on a great system for half a million.”
“Jesus,” Zack mutters. “I want to punch this fucker in the face. He’s costing us a fortune.”
“Remember last summer when we had that asshole vandalize the fence on the north pasture?” Josh asks his brother. “It’ll be worth the investment.”
“People suck,” Zack mutters.
“Oh, you have no idea how strongly I agree,” I reply. “And if you’re running into issues with vandalism on top of the poaching, it’s worth the investment. Not to mention, you’ll be able to keep tabs on livestock, as well.”
“Good point,” Josh says. “And the parents. We have our parents and our aunt and uncle in little houses a couple of miles from here. A camera pointing that way will help us keep tabs on them, too.”
“Mom’s not going to love being spied on,” Zack says.
“The cameras won’t record inside the homes,” I remind them, “just on the outside of them. So, in case someone gets their car stuck, or if there’s wildlife hanging around that you don’t want there, you’ll be able to see it.”
“Mom came face to face with a mountain lion last winter,” Josh says. “Okay, we’re in. Who do we need to call for this?”
“You called him.” I smile and take out my phone, sending messages to my contacts. “I can have this all taken care of and up and running in a week.”
“Damn, you’re fast.”
“This is what I do. Do you think the royal family would be willing to wait a month to have their security put into place? Not likely. We can move on this, and maybe have a poacher on video by the end of next week.”
“Awesome. Thanks, Liam.” Josh shakes my hand. “I’d better go move some money so we can pay for this little investment. Zack, I’m headed out with the hands this afternoon to check the fences.”
Zack nods, and we watch Josh pick up his laptop and head inside.
“I’ll go get this in the works right away.” I shift from foot to foot, suddenly feeling unsure of my next moves.
“Appreciate it,” the other man says. “What else is on your mind?”
“What do you mean?”
He lifts a brow. “I wasn’t born yesterday. You have something going on in your head. Might as well talk about it.”
I cross my ankle over my opposite knee and sigh heavily.
“How did you manage to go through all the fucked-up things you did in the Army and then come out of it with this normal life? A wife and kids.”
He blinks, thinking it over. “I fucked up a lot, I’m not going to lie. When Seth was little, I was a shitty dad. I was never home. And his mom was a piece of shit, too. Thank God she dropped him off here, and Josh and Cara took care of him until I came home.”
“But you got it together.”
“Eventually.” He scratches his head and looks out at the horses grazing in the pasture. “Jillian is the best thing to ever happen in my life, and that’s a bold statement for a man who has several kids. I love my kids, Liam. And I think that as I get older, I’m getting better at being a dad. But Jilly saved me from myself. When you’ve seen the shit we’ve seen, the worst of mankind, the death…”
His eyes find mine, and I nod silently.
“You carry it with you. It never really goes away, Liam. I wish I could tell you otherwise, but it would be a lie. I still dream.”
I feel my eyes widen in surprise.
“Not as often as I used to, but they’re there. It helped to talk to Jillian about it, to let her in. Because all I was doing on my own was letting it rot me from the inside out.”
I swallow hard. Jesus, I can identify with every single word.
“And the trust issues?” He shakes his head and whistles through his teeth. “I was a bastard when it came to trust, and that was partly due to the Army, and partly because of the piece of trash I’d been married to. I didn’t think I deserved Jilly, to tell you the truth.”
I look down at my hands.
“You don’t either.”
“She’s a fucking princess. ” I drag my hands through my hair. “Of course, I don’t deserve her.”
“Is that what she says?”
“No.”
“Look, this is none of my business, but you look like you could use some advice.”
“Yeah.” I lean in, ready to soak up every word Zack has to say.
“Don’t fuck up.”
I blink. “That’s it?”
“It’s the best advice you’ll get. I don’t know what to tell you about your relationship with Eleanor. But I remember the mess I made with Jilly. I hurt her, and the thought of it kills me. She didn’t do anything wrong, and I was too messed up in my head to not get in my own way. Do you care about her?”
The thought of Ellie’s sweet smile, her laugh, and her smart wit crosses my mind. I can’t even think about how incredible she is naked and writhing beneath me.
I don’t want to embarrass myself.
“Yeah, I care about her. But I already fucked up, Zack. I’m falling for a client. She’s my job.”
“You’re a man, not a fucking robot. Is she in danger because you can’t keep it in your pants?”
“No.” Fuck that. Her safety is my priority. “But she’s only here for a couple more weeks. Then she goes back to London and all of her responsibilities there, and I’m still here in Montana.”
“So, this is a short-term fling?”
Just the thought of that sets my teeth on edge. “It’s supposed to be.”
“But you don’t want it to be.”
“I can’t see a future for me with the royal family. I’m not just a commoner, I’m also a fucked-up dude who’s seen more death and destruction than any one person should. I’m full of scars.”
“We all have scars,” he says quietly. “Even your princess. We just wear them differently. And, for the record, wounds don’t make you unworthy of love. If she’s who you love, no matter her family tree, you don’t give up on that. Trust me. You’ll regret it forever if you do.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Thanks, man.”
“Anytime. You’re always welcome here, Liam. And thanks for the help with the security issue. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime,” I say, echoing his sentiment. “I’m happy to help. I’d better get back.”
I feel lighter since talking things out with Zack, and when I return to the lake house, I’m eager to find Ellie and kiss the fuck out of her.
But first, I have to check in with my guys.
I walk into HQ and find Baxter sitting at the video feed table with Aaron, the kid I fired weeks ago.
“What’s going on?”
“I just came by because I forgot a jacket here,” Aaron says. “Baxter and I were just shooting the shit.”
“All right, well, have a good one.”
I move to walk away, but Aaron stops me.
“Wait. Liam, I want to apologize. I know better than to fall asleep on the job. You took me on here, and I messed up the opportunity. I’m truly sorry. I’d like to prove to you that I can do better.”
“I’m going to check on something outside,” Baxter says and excuses himself from the room. I know that it was most likely Baxter who gave Aaron the idea of this speech.
“I need to know that I can trust you. We’re not just dealing with an average security job here, man. We’re protecting lives. ”
“I know.” He swallows hard and looks at me with hopeful eyes. “I understand that totally, and I know I can do a good job here, Liam.”
I nod once. “You can have your job back—on a probationary basis. One mess up, and you’re out.”
His face lights up as if I just told him he won a million dollars. “Yes! Thank you. When is my first shift?”
“Tomorrow night. Be here at six.”
“Yes, sir.”
He hurries out of the building, and Baxter comes back in.
“Must have hired him back, huh?”
“I did. I hope I don’t regret it.”
“Me, too. I’m the one who encouraged him to ask you.”
“You just gave up Hawaii money,” I remind him, making him wince.
“I know. But the kid needs to eat. I think he’ll pull his head out of his ass.”
“I hope so. Where’s Eleanor?”
“In the boathouse.”
I nod and move to the door.
“Hey, boss?”
“Yeah?” I turn back to Baxter.
“Be careful there, okay?”
I narrow my eyes. “What are you saying?”
“Nothing. Just be careful.”
I leave without another word and walk down to the boathouse. So, Baxter figured it out. It doesn’t surprise me since the man’s as smart as they come.
He’s also discreet.
I key in the code to the door of the boathouse and walk inside without knocking.
Not that she’d be able to hear me if I did. She has the music blaring through the apartment, and I can’t help but smile at her music choice.
I didn’t take her for a Neil Diamond fan. As Sweet Caroline blasts through the building, I climb the stairs and come to a stop.
There, in the kitchen, Ellie dances around the island, wearing a little sleeveless sundress. She’s chopping vegetables and tossing them into a bowl as she sings along to the song.
“So good! So good!” She does a little spin and then shoves her hand into an oven mitt and opens the door, only to have smoke billowing out around her. “Oh, blast it! Bollocks. I followed the directions to the letter.”
She pulls out a pan and sets it on the counter, then opens the window above the sink. What used to be in the pan, I have no idea.
It’s a black brick now.
Ellie lowers her head to her hands and kneads her temples.
“Now, I have to start over. He won’t want to eat burned pork chops.”
“No, he probably won’t.”
Her head whips up at my voice, and she scrunches up her nose adorably.
“Surprise?” She shrugs her shoulders. “I tried to make you dinner, but it seems to have backfired. The salad should still be good unless it spontaneously combusts there on the counter, which really wouldn’t surprise me at this point.”
“What were you making?”
“Pork chops with apple compote and salad. Oh, and scalloped potatoes. Shite! The potatoes!”
She whirls back to the oven and groans.
“They didn’t survive either. Looks like it’s just salad.”
“I could order a pizza, and we can have both.”
She smiles over at me, and I feel it all the way to my toes.
“It’s a date.”