CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Piper finished tying her shoe laces and stood, uncertainty swirling inside her. Going to her hometown, the epicenter of danger dogging her, seemed foolish. Barone’s henchmen were everywhere in Hartman. She and Liam wouldn’t be able to walk anywhere without tripping over at least one of them. Being spied upon while they were in town made her skin crawl.
The upcoming trip didn’t intimidate Liam and Simon and made Piper wonder about their missions. Did they walk into similar danger all the time?
She thought about Liam’s actions on Highway 18. He made himself a target to free her from the kidnappers. Were his actions out of character because she was involved?
Stupid question. Liam wouldn’t shy away from danger. He was a protector at heart. His professional skill set highlighted his willingness to do the hard job of protecting his teammates by pulling the trigger and taking a life. How many people would fire that shot, knowing the results? Not many. Liam McCoy was one of the strongest men she knew, inside and out, and she was blessed that he wanted to be part of her life.
She grabbed her purse and walked into the living room where Liam and the others discussed options.
“How do you feel?” Matt asked.
Ever the medic. “Better. Have you spoken to Delilah?”
His eyes lit at the mention of his wife. “She and Molly have the shop covered.”
“Molly is working there now?”
“She is Delilah’s bodyguard.”
Piper blinked. “Bodyguard?” She shifted her attention to Liam. “Did I miss something while I showered?”
He held out a hand. “Come sit with me while I explain.”
Oh, boy. That didn’t sound good. She took his hand.
“I’ll keep watch from the balcony while you talk,” Trent said. He gave a hand signal to the others and the rest of Bravo exited the suite, leaving Liam and Piper alone.
“Tell me what happened.”
Liam pressed a tender kiss to the back of her hand. “Zane called.”
“What did he say?”
“The man in Wicks who asked you on a date is Jared Spencer, the Marine I told you about. Z confirmed his identity with the security footage from Wicks.”
Cold chills surged over her skin. The man with a grudge against Liam had tried to pick her up. Why? “Molly is working at Wicks in case Jared tries to hurt Delilah.”
“That’s right. The other wives of Bravo and Durango also have operatives with them for protection.”
“Why did Jared want to take me out?”
“Using you to draw me out.”
She nudged him with her shoulder. “Good thing I turned him down.” Piper expected him to at least smile at her teasing.
Instead, he captured her mouth in a hot, deep kiss. Whew! The man could kiss. She was fast becoming addicted to his arms holding her tight against his chest and his mouth on hers.
When Liam lifted his head, he said, “I would have hunted Spencer down and killed him if he touched you.”
One look and Piper knew he wasn’t joking. She stroked his stubble-roughened cheek with the fingertips of one hand. “For your sake, I’m glad that wasn’t necessary.” He had too many deaths on his conscience. There would be more, she knew. A hazard of the job. If he wasn’t excellent in his work, the members of Bravo wouldn’t make it home from a mission.
He stared. “I believe you mean that.”
“Good because I do mean it.”
“You’re more concerned with how this affects me than the impact on you.”
“This surprises you?”
“You don’t know the number of women who asked me how many people I killed in my military career and then with Fortress. You haven’t.”
“Why would I? You protect the public and your teammates. All I care about is how it affects you.”
“Doing my job means I’ll bring danger right to your doorstep.”
“Teach me how to protect myself and you.”
“Are you sure you want to be involved with me, Piper? You have to be sure because the more time I spend with you, the harder I’m falling for you.”
Piper stared, heart hammering against her rib cage. Did that mean what she thought? “You’re falling in love with me?”
“Hard and fast.”
“Liam.” How could she respond without giving away the secret she’d hidden in her heart for months?
“I won’t walk away unless you tell me you don’t feel the same.” His lips curved. “Even if you do say it, I’ll do everything in my power to change your mind. I’ll use every skill in my arsenal to convince you to give me a chance to win your heart. Be sure, Sunshine.”
Piper leaned in and kissed Liam, her arms circling his neck. After a long series of increasingly deep kisses, she looked into his eyes and took the gamble of a lifetime. “I’ve been sure for months.”
Liam’s eyes lit and he drew in a shuddering breath. “Thank you for trusting me. I’ll guard that gift, and treasure your heart with every breath.”
She might be falling in love with him but that didn’t mean Piper had forgotten what she suffered at Gavin’s hands. Where Gavin’s rejection hurt, Liam’s would devastate her. “Where do we go from here?”
“Forward, one step at a time. We enjoy our courtship. I want to warn off other men in Otter Creek so they won’t attempt to steal you from me. Will I rush you to make a deeper commitment?” Liam shook his head. “The pace is yours to set. More than anything, I want you to trust me with your whole self, including your heart.”
“That might take months.”
He brushed his lips over hers. “Snipers are known for their patience,” he murmured. “I’m excellent at my job.”
She fanned her face. “I think the temperature rose by fifty degrees in here.”
Liam chuckled.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Anything. I’ll answer if I can.”
“During your phone call to Zane, he mentioned IDs. What did he mean?”
His expression sobered. “Preparing for the worst-case scenario.”
“Which is?”
Liam kissed the back of her hand and threaded their fingers together. “Are you sure you want to know the truth?”
“Always. Holding back information because of your job I’ll accept. I can handle difficult news.”
A slow nod. “I asked Zane to prepare alternate IDs in case Gavin didn’t give us enough information to take down Barone and we aren’t able to find what we need to finish the job.”
A ball of ice formed in her stomach. “Why would we need alternate IDs?”
“Barone has a long reach. If we can’t dismantle his organization, we’ll have to go on the run.”
“You can’t be serious. This isn’t a movie. We’re talking about running from Barone for the remainder of our lives. Constantly looking over our shoulders, worried one of Barone’s thugs is after us.” Dismayed at the prospect, Piper shook her head in denial.
“It’s a choice between living or dying.”
“This is crazy. I don’t know anything about Barone or his business operations. I left Hartman in my rearview mirror, Liam. I won’t go back and take up my old life. I like where I live and what I’ve become. When I look at myself in the mirror each morning, I’m not embarrassed by the choices of the woman staring back at me.”
“Barone thinks you know information dangerous to him and his empire. That’s enough to send his goons after you. If he believes you have enough evidence to put him in prison, he won’t stop until you’re dead. Our safety may come down to two choices. Run or put a bullet in Barone’s head or heart.”
Feeling sick inside, Piper shook her head again. “This is my problem. You can’t give up your life and go on the run with me. Think of your family. You’d never see them again. I can’t do that to you or them.”
His hands curved around her upper arms. “I refuse to let you go alone. You’re not trained for it. If running is our only option, I’ll keep you alive.”
“But at what cost? No, Liam. The price is too high.”
His hands squeezed. “I made my choice. I choose you.”
“What about your family? You can’t give them up. I don’t have family who will miss me.” Pain shot through her heart at the thought of her uncle’s possible betrayal. If their suspicions proved true, she had no blood kin who would wonder at her absence except the uncle who raised her and might have set criminals on her trail.
Liam smiled. “My mother plans to ask Maddox to send her into hiding with us. She thinks my sister, Marissa, will also go into the Fortress version of witness protection, too.”
“Liam.” Tears trickled down her cheeks.
He brushed the tears away. “I’m falling in love with you, Piper Reece. I won’t give you up. Whatever comes, we’ll handle together. You’re not alone anymore.”
The hotel phone rang. Liam frowned and answered it. After a brief conversation with the front desk, he turned to Piper. “The package I’ve been expecting arrived a few minutes ago. I’ll take a quick shower and go get it. Do everything Trent tells you to do.”
“Go. I’ll make more tea and help Trent keep watch on the balcony.”
He looked through the glass in the French doors. “Sit on the right side. You’ll be less visible.” Liam dropped a quick kiss on her lips and went into the bedroom.
Piper filled her tea mug and joined Trent, sitting where Liam suggested. Since the solid brick wall blocked most of the view, she understood why he’d chosen that location.
Trent glanced at her over his shoulder before facing outward again. “You okay?”
“Did you know he’s considering going into witness protection with me?”
“I’d do the same if Grace’s life were on the line. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my wife.”
“Liam and I aren’t married.”
“Yet,” came the soft reply.
A host of butterflies took flight in her stomach. “Yet,” she agreed with an equally soft voice. “I’m afraid, Trent.”
Another look over his shoulder. “You have reason to be. Liam won’t let anything happen to you.”
“At the risk of his own safety.”
“It’s how we operate, Piper. The safety of those we care about is our first priority.”
“I’m beginning to understand what that means. I don’t want him to give up the life he’s built.”
“Not your choice.”
“How do I stop him?”
“You don’t. All of us will work together to find the evidence necessary to toss Barone in jail. That’s the only way to prevent you from having to disappear.”
They remained silent while Trent remained alert for trouble and Piper sipped her tea. By the time her mug was empty, Liam had returned with a package.
He crouched by Piper’s chair and drew out a watch, a bracelet, a pair of earrings, and a necklace.
Piper smiled. Daisies.
“Fortress has five designs to choose from. I thought this set would suit you the best. Daisies are bright and full of life, like you.” Liam strapped the watch on her wrist, then the bracelet, and necklace. He handed her the earrings.
When she was finished fastening them, Piper took a minute to admire the bracelet on her wrist. “This is perfect, Liam. Thank you.”
“Now that I know Jared is nosing around, it’s important that you wear these all the time. If you’re ever taken from me again, I’ll be able to find you.”
“Do the other Bravo wives have the special jewelry?”
“They do,” Trent answered. “Sasha, Delilah, and Grace chose different sets.”
“How does Zane know which woman is in trouble if all the jewelry has GPS signal capability?”
“Each set assigned to the wives and girlfriends has a unique electronic signature.”
“Where are the rest of your teammates?”
“Scouting the area, looking for anything out of the ordinary and keeping their eyes open for Brandy.”
A heavy knock sounded on the suite door.
Between one heartbeat and the next, Piper was on her feet and hurrying to her bedroom, Liam’s hand clasped around hers. Trent strode to the door, weapon in hand.
He peered through the peephole and turned with a scowl on his face. “Cops.”
Piper’s breath caught. Were the police about to arrest her and Liam?