Chapter 8 - Dani
I don’t trust this feeling, and at this point, I don’t trust myself.
Things are far more complicated now than they had been when I first woke up. Even though Liam is keeping me here, when I look at him, I don’t see someone who wants to hurt me.
I’ve tried to find the cruelty, since that would make this easier to define and easier to reject. Something that would let me think without a doubt that he’s dangerous, and I need to get out of here regardless of what it costs.
But it’s not there, or if it is, it’s buried too deep for me to see, and that makes this worse.
Now, I’m stuck in this space where I don’t know what he is, be it a captor, protector, or a straight-up liar. He could be all of the above, but none of this sits right with me.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I stare at my hands and turn them over in my mind for what feels like the hundredth time.
I want to leave, and I know I need to. That part hasn’t changed.
Every instinct I have tells me I should be out there, calling the police, tracking down real answers, and doing something other than sitting in this house like some guest who isn’t allowed to leave. That part alone is enough of an indicator that I’m not entirely safe regardless of what he says.
But then the other thought that I don’t want to admit holds weight and comes creeping in again.
What if he’s right?
What if going out there means stepping right back into something I don’t understand, and what if those people aren’t done? They’ve already taken my dad from me; I don’t need to be their next victim.
My stomach twists as I struggle to understand where any of this might take me. I don’t know how big this is, who’s involved, or what happens to people who get in their way.
That’s what keeps me here. That, and Liam.
Not because I trust him, but because he’s the only one who’s given me anything that even resembles the truth so far. At least, what has felt like the truth.
He knows things, and even if he wasn’t entirely open about everything, he told me more than I expected him to, which was certainly better than nothing.
He said he’s working behind the scenes, and while I don’t know what that means or if it’s enough, it’s something. Right now, I can only hope it’s true.
I exhale slowly and push myself off the bed before I lose my mind, feeling the need to stretch my legs.
The bedroom feels smaller tonight, like it’s somehow quieter than usual, and the sudden change in my schedule has thrown me off.
I’m used to clocking in at the bookstore and seeing people in and out every day.
When I wasn’t there, I’d get my fair share of phone calls from Dad, or I’d be with him for as long as possible.
Sitting around while Liam goes out to do whatever he does, waiting for any scrap of news he might have for me, is completely out of my norm.
If what Liam said was true, and my dad really is gone, then my boss would be the only person wondering where I am, and that thought weighs down on me with immeasurable force.
Given how I have no idea where my phone is, it’s not like I could receive his texts or calls anyway.
For now, I’m stuck here in a place that isn’t mine, hanging onto the words of a man I don’t even know. The fact that he doesn’t seem like a complete monster is the one thing keeping me intact.
Annoyed and restless, I pass through the door and wander down the hall of Liam’s suspiciously nice place.
He hasn’t told me what he does for work, but given what he said about trying to track down the people responsible for the fraud trail, I imagine he’s some kind of private investigator or something. I heard they make good money.
Pushing the thought aside, I focus on the only thing I seem to be able to handle on my own these days—I need water. It’s something completely harmless and doesn’t require permission, fortunately.
So I step out into the hallway, moving through the dimly lit space as most of the lights are either low or off, with shadows stretching across the walls. I don’t even know how late it is, but I don’t expect anyone to be up.
That assumption lasts about three seconds…just long enough for me to hear voices coming from the entryway, near the kitchen.
I assume it’s just Liam at first, but then I catch a slightly different tone, and I freeze. There’s someone else here.
My pulse picks up slightly as I take a quiet step closer, stopping just before the corner where the hallway opens up into the main space.
I know I shouldn’t listen since this isn’t my house or my life, but I can’t help it with how clear their voices are now.
“…the returning shipment has been delayed,” the other voice says with a kind of measured air similar to Liam’s. This one sounds more forceful. “They were flagged at the border, and Mikhail’s not happy about it.”
I frown slightly.
Shipment? What would a private investigator need shipments for?
My fingers curl lightly against the wall as I lean just enough to catch a glimpse of two figures standing near the kitchen. Liam has his back facing the island, head dipped slightly as the other stands nearby with his arms crossed, just as tall.
“I’ll deal with Mikhail,” Liam replies. His tone is different now, like his domineering edge has been smoothed down to a more subservient one, but not any less intimidating.
“Yeah?” the other man says, unimpressed. “Because last I checked, it’s not just him you need to worry about. Several others have been asking why the border agents weren’t tipped off like they were supposed to be, and when I tried to ask you myself, you didn’t pick up.”
There’s an oppressive pause between them, then Liam mutters, “There must’ve been some kind of miscommunication, but I said I’ll handle it, and I mean to, even if I have to go there myself.”
I catch the jagged edge in Liam’s voice now, but the other man doesn’t back down.
“You’ve been saying that a lot lately,” he adds, obviously reaching his last nerve with whatever’s going on. “You’re handling things, managing this and that. Meanwhile, shipments are late, our units aren’t coordinating like they used to, and you’ve been off the grid more than usual.”
My brows furrow as I listen, struggling to understand how any of this fits into Liam’s life, or what this other man is getting at.
“I know,” Liam admits, sounding like he’s trying to save face. “I have other matters taking up my time right now.”
“Since when does that come before the family?” the other man shoots back. “Your priorities are usually where they should be, so why the change?”
Family…so that’s what this man is to him.
Something twists in my gut as pieces gradually form together in my mind, even if I don’t have the full picture yet.
This sounds bigger than some simple business. If they’re talking about units of people, then this is something organized, not just a man working to uncover shady individuals.
Pressing myself flatter against the wall, my heart beats faster now.
“You don’t need to worry about my priorities,” Liam says, voice dropping further. “Everything that needs to get done will get done.”
“What, on your time? That’s not how this works,” the other man snaps. “We all carry weight. You don’t just get to decide you’re doing your own thing while the rest of us pick up the slack.”
“I’m well aware,” Liam says finally. “I’m not dropping anything. You know me better than that.”
The other man pauses like he’s considering that point, then he huffs an irritated breath. “I’m serious. Whatever you’ve got going on, you need to figure it out before it starts bleeding into our operations.”
“It won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
It sounds like the other wants to argue, but he scrubs a hand down his face and lowers his voice. “Just don’t make me clean up something you could’ve avoided.”
Aside from his annoyance, concern surrounds his words and gives me the feeling that this is more than just business. This is personal, and I hate that I don’t understand any of it.
After more tense silence, Liam breaks it. “Are we done?”
“For now,” the other man replies. “But don’t forget about our meeting tomorrow. I’m counting on you to be there, Nikolai. Non-negotiable.”
Everything in me stills as that name registers, narrowing everything down to this very moment.
Nikolai?
Not Liam…Nikolai.
The man said it clear as day, leaving no room for doubt.
His name isn’t even Liam. He lied even about that, so what else has he lied about?
As the questions start stacking up, my heart slams against my ribs, and I’m moving before I can fully process it.
Stepping out from the hallway, the movement is sudden enough that both of them turn instantly, and two pairs of eyes land on me with immediate focus.
One I know, and one I don’t.
The stranger stands there, tall and looming, yet composed, and his expression sharpens as he takes me in. It’s like I can see the gears turning in his head, trying to work out why I’m here, and who I am.
But it’s Liam, or Nikolai, that I focus on.
For the first time since I’ve known him, he looks caught, and I don’t let it get past me.
Before he can stop it, guilt floods his features, letting me know without a doubt that I’ve just stepped into something I wasn’t supposed to see. Something he’s been keeping from me, and something far bigger than I thought.
Fear creeps back in, reminding me at once that I don’t know this man, or what any of this means for me. I don’t know what they’re planning, or what I’m supposed to do.
Now, I’m not just confused, but completely in over my head.