Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
Emily observed her brother from across the dinner table, amazed by how well he seemed to be getting along with Liam. She’d honestly never seen Jake react so positively to a guy she’d hung out with before.
Apparently, Liam’s charm extended to everyone, even her tough-as-nails brother. It was mind-boggling.
Liam had come bearing wedding gifts. A thick travel guide to Australia, along with a copy of the DVD Crocodile Dundee. She was pretty sure the other present was a gag gift.
“Are there really snakes, spiders, and crocodiles everywhere in Australia?” Alexa asked.
“Oh, we get a bad rap for that kind of stuff. You’re going to Melbourne, not the outback.” Liam waved a dismissive hand.
“Well, any advice?” Alexa leaned forward a touch.
“Thongs are flip-flops, not G-strings,” he answered while glimpsing Emily out of the corner of his eye.
She’d been wearing a pink thong the night of the wedding last Saturday, and she was sure her cheeks now matched the color as he continued to list off a few other signature Aussie terms.
“And just don’t go around asking for shrimp on the barbie,” he added, “or you’ll look like a bloody tourist.”
“No?” Alexa asked with a smile and reached for her wine.
They were sitting on the outdoor patio of an Irish pub not far from Emily’s rental. The weather was far too amazing to be pent up inside.
“We don’t call ’em shrimp. They’re prawns. And we usually boil the suckers not barbecue them.”
“Well,” Alexa began, “I still think you’re being modest about the snakes and spiders.”
“I’ve got your back when we’re there,” Jake said. “Although, I might be jumping into her arms if I see a friggen snake.”
“Or a spider.” She nudged Jake in the side. “I swear, I’m not sure if I’ve ever heard a man scream so loud at the sight of one.”
Jake held both palms up. “She’s leaving out the part where it was actually a tarantula and in my sock drawer at our hotel.”
Alexa chuckled.
“He made you check out right after, didn’t he?” Emily asked.
“Oh yeah.” Alexa reached for the bottle of wine on the table and offered her some.
“I think one glass is enough for me tonight.” They had to sign the papers later, and so, she’d behave herself.
Of course, part of her almost wanted an excuse not to sign.
But why put off the inevitable?
Besides, Liam was drinking soda, so apparently, his mind was set on officially ending things between them tonight. His playful texting banter threw her for a loop, though.
Too bad they couldn’t have sex one more time before they broke things off so she’d have a few memories to save away.
“You’re vibrating,” she announced a moment later and pointed toward Liam’s jeans.
When his gaze met hers as he retrieved it, he smiled—the kind of smile that read: Yeah, I know you’re thinking dirty thoughts about me.
He tucked the phone back into his pocket after studying the ID.
“Not going to answer?” she asked.
“I never answer a number I don’t know.”
Guess Owen was right.
He leaned back in his chair and focused on her brother. “How’s work in the private sector?”
“You know how it is, right? It has its benefits but makes things tricky when you don’t have the entire government behind you for ops.”
“Not having a helo or QRF on standby is a pain in the ass.”
Jake smiled at Liam’s words and took a drink of beer. “I heard rumors Scott and Scott may rebrand. Is that true?”
Really? She was surprised Sam hadn’t mentioned the news. Well, unless she didn’t know it yet herself.
“You remember Luke Scott?” Liam asked, and Jake nodded. “His wife’s family is famous, and Luke thinks it might be better for the agency. You know, draw some attention away from him by changing the company name.”
“You guys have been expanding like wildfire,” Alexa commented.
“Heard the same about your business,” Liam responded. “Maybe we’ll work together someday.”
Yeah, that’d be weird.
“You also work with Wyatt Pierson, don’t you?” Jake asked.
She caught sight of Liam sitting taller in his seat.
“Isn’t he from London originally?” Alexa looked to Liam for an answer.
“Yeah,” Liam replied. “He got his citizenship through marriage when he was eighteen.”
“Well, I was just gonna say he single-handedly saved my ass and a bunch of other Marines back in Iraq ten years ago. He was on overwatch while my guys cleared houses in Baghdad.” Jake finished his drink, and Alexa reached for his hand.
“A guy nearly took me out, but Pierson double-tapped him just in time.”
“He’s one of the best snipers on the damn planet,” Liam said in a low voice.
“Yeah, and word is so are you,” Jake pointed out.
She couldn’t take her eyes off Liam, and he casually shrugged away the compliment.
“I think I need to powder my nose,” Alexa said, and when Emily managed to tear her eyes away from a very stoic Liam, Alexa was cocking her head, a silent request for Emily to come with her.
“Aw, babe, didn’t they teach you to be a bit more subtle in spy school?” Jake’s lips spread into a grin.
“Smart arse.” Alexa stood. “You coming?”
“Yeah.” Emily quickly rose. “Be back.”
Alexa hooked her arm with Emily’s, and they went inside the pub. “So, he’s gorgeous. How long have you two been shagging?”
Emily nearly stumbled in her heels. “What?”
“Oh, come on, the way you’ve been looking at him all night, and the hot looks he’s been shooting your way . . . you must be having sex.”
“We’re friends,” she said once in the bathroom. “That’s all it is.”
Alexa met her eyes in the mirror over the counter. “If you truly aren’t shagging you will be soon. I promise.”
“I don’t want to—”
“Emily, you’re a horrible liar!” Alexa turned and leaned her hip against the counter. She placed both hands on Emily’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “You’ve been through a lot, I know, but I have a good feeling about this one.”
“His nickname is Ladies-Man-Liam.” Something that had apparently suited her fine after doing shots of tequila in Vegas. “He’s probably really good in bed, and maybe I’d love to know just how good, but—”
“But what? At least have some fun with the guy. You know, some hot, sweaty sex.”
“Alexa,” she said with a chuckle.
“But seriously, Jake’s practically ready to ask Liam to marry you, just so they can be brothers.”
Yeah, about that. “He’s charming, that’s all.”
Alexa released her hold of her shoulders. “And he’s Australian, Em.”
“Okay, well, your accent sounds almost the same to me,” she said with a smile. “Very sexy.”
“And your brother’s Southern accent is hot to me, so I’m betting Liam feels the same about you.”
“What’s gotten into you? Marriage making you crazy? You going to start singing Disney songs to the birds?”
Alexa waved a hand in the air. “Maybe I’m still feeling a bit high on life right now, and I’m so looking forward to this vacation. I don’t know. I just want you to be as happy as I am.”
“And I appreciate that.”
Liam was hot, but his humor was going to be her undoing. A guy that could make her laugh—how long had it been since someone had been able to do that, even with a text?
“Give him a chance is all I’m saying. He might surprise you.” She was quiet for a moment. “Not all guys are like your ex-fiancé. They won’t—”
“I know,” Emily whispered. “We, uh, better get back out there.” She hugged her. “I’m glad to have you as a sister,” she added, leaving before her mascara started running.
She caught sight of Liam and Jake at the bar inside the pub when she exited the bathroom.
“Are they doing shots?” Alexa asked as they closed in on them at the bar.
“It’s a celebratory thing.” Jake gave Alexa a shot, and Liam’s eyes connected with Emily as he handed her the clear liquid.
“Just one.” Shots got them into the Vegas mess in the first place.
“Cheers,” Jake said as they all clinked their glasses together.
After downing the shots, they made their way to the outside table, but Alexa remained standing.
“We have an early drive.” She reached for the gifts. “We should get going.”
“Oh, so soon?” Emily widened her eyes Alexa’s way, knowing exactly what she was up to.
“I trust you’ll get Emily home okay?” Jake reached for Liam’s hand.
“Of course. And congratulations again. Be careful when you head Down Under.”
“Thanks, brother.”
Oh, God. Technically you are kind of brothers now, right? Maybe he meant brothers-in-arms. Of course, he did. Damn it.
Jake kissed her on the cheek. “Love you, Sis. I’ll call you when we’re back in London.”
“Have an amazing time. Good luck with Mom and Dad.” She hugged Alexa goodbye next, and then seconds stretched to minutes once she was alone with Liam. “So.”
They remained standing alongside their table, Liam with his hands tucked into his back pockets. “Ready to roll?”
No. She looked skyward, willing herself to find the right answer, and then sputtered, “Yes.”
“What’s wrong?” Emily asked when Liam stuck his arm out in front of her, bringing her to a halt on the sidewalk. She pivoted to find Liam’s focus dead set on a black town car on the road off to their right.
“You have a tail. Same car was parked outside your place last night now that I think about it. He was parked near the pub earlier, too.”
“It’s not a tail. But how do you remember that? You were pretty drunk last night.”
“It’s my job to remember details. Preferable to be sober, though.” He jerked his thumb toward the car. “If it’s not a tail, care to explain why this guy’s following you?”
She didn’t need him going all overprotective on her, but she owed him the truth, she supposed. “He’s my bodyguard.”
“And why do you have a bodyguard?”
“Just a precaution because of a case I’m working on. Well, possibly working.” She started walking again, expecting him to follow suit.
“Oh . . . kay.” He dragged out the word, unconvinced. “Is this normal in your line of work?”
“No, but I really can’t say more about it.” Her gaze slid to the side to observe him as they walked. “If anyone should know about needing to keep secrets it’s you.”
“You know I’m not going to just let this go.”
“Well, you don’t need to worry about me.” They stopped at the crosswalk, waiting for their turn. “So, um, why is remembering details part of your job?”
“Being a sniper isn’t just about shooting.”
She quirked a brow and eyed him, waiting for him to explain further.
He lifted his chin, signaling the walk sign had popped up. “When I was back in sniper school the part of the program most recruits struggled with was called stalking.”
“‘Stalking’? Yeah, you’re going to have to unwrap that lingo and expand it for me.”
“Capturing locations and scenes perfectly in your mind. Intelligence gathering. You know, relaying intel back to headquarters to help take down the bad guys. But the memorizing stuff can be brutal.”
“But not for you?” She was intrigued. Another new piece of the puzzle that was Liam. And for some reason, this had her jonesing to learn even more about him.
He stopped walking and faced her. “Not sure if there’s truly such a thing as a photographic memory, but since I was a kid, I could pretty much look at something and remember it. Not permanently, but long enough so I could pass my exams in primary,” he said with a smile.
“Yeah, teachers must’ve had a love-hate relationship with you.” She matched his smile with one of her own, and then looked over at the building to their left. “Oh, is this your hotel?”
He nodded.
“Well, you don’t need to walk me the rest of the way. I’ve got the bodyguard. Remember?”
His smile dissolved. “Well, the papers are back at your place.”
“Papers?”
She wasn’t sure if there’d ever been a time in her life when she felt like her mind was empty. Just a bunch of negative space.
But there was always a first time. And that time was now.
“The it-never-really-happened papers.”
Shit. “Right.” She wet her lips, ready to start walking again, but Liam had shifted toward the street, and his body went completely still.
“What are you doing here?” Liam started toward a blond man who looked eerily similar to him. “I don’t know how you found me, but you need to go.”
“Liam, please.” There was a desperation to the man’s voice. A gritty plea.
Emily stood awkwardly off to the side of the hotel entrance, watching the scene unfold, even though she felt like it should’ve been a private moment.
“Mum told you where I was staying?”
Emily clutched her purse strap, hugging her bag close to her body to try and kill some of the nerves.
“Please, I came all the way here to try and make things right. With the baby coming, we want—”
“Go back home.” Liam turned away from him, catching Emily’s eyes in the process. A dark look crossed his face.
Regret. Sadness. She wasn’t sure. Maybe both.
“Yeah, run,” the guy snapped. “That’s what you’re good at.”
“Don’t you dare,” Liam rasped in a hard voice as he spun back around. “You’re my brother. You’re supposed to be on my side.” His voice elevated as obvious anger radiated to the surface. “You may have won over Jesse and Greyson. And Mum and Dad. But I can’t forgive you for what you did.”
His brother was quiet for a moment. “Liam, we need to make this right.”
She wanted to do something, to help him somehow, but she stood frozen in place, simply watching. It was a family issue, what could she possibly do or say?
“You married her, Brandon.” Liam’s hand curled into a fist at his side. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
She replayed Liam’s words in her head, barely noticing her bodyguard now closing in on her location, probably worried a fight was about to break out.
“You chose the Navy over her. And I—” He paused. “It was years later. We never . . .” His brother’s voice trailed off as he stepped back. “I thought you’d want to know you’re gonna have a nephew. But I guess I was wrong.” He turned and went around to the driver’s side of a nearby parked Audi.
“You should leave, Miss Summers.” Her bodyguard, Hugh, reached for her arm. Liam spun around at that moment, his eyes landing on Hugh.
“What are you doing?” Liam crossed the space between them to get to her.
“He’s my bodyguard,” she quickly replied, worried Liam would misdirect his anger onto Hugh.
“You okay, ma’am?” Hugh kept his focus on Liam, his hand still protectively wrapped around her bicep.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” she said, never losing hold of Liam’s eyes.
“Can you see that she gets home okay?” he asked, defeat in his voice.
“Of course,” Hugh answered, and her heart stuttered.
“What about—”
Liam massaged his right temple as if a headache stirred. “I can’t do this right now. I’m so sorry.”