Page 55 of Arranged Devotion
“She called you, didn’t she?”
“Not exactly. Got word to me though. How long have you been here?”
“Since I got out of work.”
“Jesus, Regan. You could call me next time. I get texting too, believe it or not.”
“I know. I know. I just—“ I drop my eyes to the envelope before nudging it toward him. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to do this.”
He considers it, head cocked. “What’s this?”
“I had a visitor earlier today. Max Baranov.”
His chin snaps up. His eyes meet mine, sharp and serious. “Are you sure? Max Baranov? Where were you? What did he say? Did he fucking touch you?”
“No, no, he just talked to me and gave me that envelope.” I’m surprised by the sudden intensity of his anger. I didn’t expect that at all.
“Max is fucking dangerous, Regan. I’m serious, if you ever see him again, you get up and you run. I don’t care if it seems wild. You see him, yourun, do you understand?”
I bite my thumb hard to keep myself from whimpering. Terror strikes me like an icepick between my eyes. “It’s fine. I’m fine. Nothing happened.”
“Jesus fuck. Max Baranov.” Liam turns the envelope toward him. “What did that psychopath want?”
“He told me to give that to my dad. And he told me not to go to the Whelans with it.”
Liam’s frown deepens. “You know he meant me, right?”
“I had a feeling.”
“Shit.”
“I think… I’m pretty sure… that’s what Kieren stole.”
He holds my eyes and says nothing. I wish I could read what he’s thinking right now. My heart hammers and I don’t know where I stand with this man, my future husband, a total stranger I slept with twice in a fit of near-insanity, the exact kind of man I grew up all my life staying far away from, and now it feels like my life’s in his hands. Or maybe the life of my family.
Then he tucks the documents under his arm. “I’ll hold on to these.”
“What are you going to do with them?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Shouldn’t your boss see it?”
“He will.” He weighs something in his head. “But if I do that and Finn reacts the way I think he’s going to react, our Russian friends will be very unhappy with you.”
I shiver and look down at the table, thinking about that cold, creepy asshole Max. “Pretty sure that doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.”
He puts the folder down and reaches across the table. It’s fast and firm. He grabs my wrist hard, tugging me forward, the tableedge pressing into my midsection. My mouth opens in surprise and my heart staggers as he meets me halfway, his mouth crushing into mine.
I’m too surprised to pull away. His lips taste exactly like I remember. I stay there, edge painfully jutting into my ribs, his fingers digging into my wrist bones, his tongue in my mouth, and I’m thinking, I don’t want this to stop, and that’s terrifying. That’s worse than not wanting it at all.
It’s over too soon. He releases me and sweeps from the table, the folder shoved under his arm. I watch him go, dazed, not sure what the hell happened.
What am I doing, risking everything on a man like Liam?
I don’t know the guy. He could easily sell me out and destroy my father, all to further some agenda I don’t even know about.
