Pacing back and forth, Skylar took deep, steadying breaths to stop herself from hyperventilation. “Okay Dad, slow down and tell me what happened.”

Not hearing from Andrew in over a month, she had taken it as a sign that everything was alright. He typically only called when he needed something. She had thought, hoped, that the entire debacle of whoever he owed money to had blown over. Apparently she was wrong because what she was hearing and having a hard time processing was sending her into a mental tailspin. And she couldn’t lose it in front of her boss and his rich friends.

Andrew let out a breath. “They have me, Sky. They forced me to call you. I told them you couldn’t help.”

She stopped pacing to massage her temple because a massive headache was imminent. “Who? Just give me a name. I can call the police.”

“No! They’ll kill me if you do. Honey, I’m sorry. I really screwed up this time. I didn’t mean to involve you in any of this, I swear.”

“How much do you owe?”

He took a few seconds to answer. “About twenty thousand.”

Skylar’s breath escaped in a whoosh. If she were the fainting type, she would have collapsed. “Are you fucking kidding me?” She didn’t use profanity much but the occasion called for it. “Dad?” There was a scuffle, the sickening sound of flesh connecting with flesh, and then silence. “Daddy?” The word came out as a terrified, thready whisper. “Hello?”

“You have two days.” A strange voice boomed through the speaker.

“W-wait, please don’t hurt him. I-I have a couple hundred dollars. I can give you that within two days and maybe we can work out some kind of payment plan,” she rushed out.

She had told herself she was through with her father’s bullshit, but she couldn’t allow some criminal to murder him.

There was chuckle and then, “A fast talker just like you’re father. I can’t wait to meet you, Sky. You’ll get a call in two days.”

She blanched. “W-wait, what are you going to do with my father?”

“Just wait for the call.” The call ended, leaving Skylar staring at the phone, not sure what to do next.

Her pulse rate had elevated and her vision blurred. Maybe it was from tears, she wasn’t quite sure in her numb state. On wooded legs, she moved to the darker corner of the balcony so that no one inside could witness her freaking out. The situation hit her full force. Criminals had her father and they were going to kill him, and then her if she didn’t come up with twenty thousand dollars. A hysterical laughter bubbled in her chest.

“Twenty thousand dollars, no pressure.” She swayed. For the first time in her life, she was going to faint. “I’m not going to faint. I’m not going to faint”. As she said the words, her knees buckled. She barely registered the arms that swept her up before she hit the ground.

Her eyes opened and for a moment her mind was blissfully blank. Then the events of the night came rushing back. Party. Dance with Liam that got her way too heated. Phone call. Criminals wanting to kill her old man. Finding out that she had to find a shit load of money if she wanted him to live. Passing out.

Skylar sucked in a breath. Did she miss anything? No, that pretty much summed up the night. She bolted upward and looked around frantically. Had she really fainted at the party and embarrassed both herself and Liam?

“Oh, God.”

“You’re awake. I was getting worried.”

Her head whipped to Liam who was standing by the floor to ceiling window. What was she doing in his hotel room? Jumping up, she rushed out, “Liam, I’m so sorry. Please don’t fire me. I don’t usually faint. Ever. I was just overwhelmed and -”

“Sky, sit before you fall down.” He walked toward her and picked up a liquor bottle on the center table. “Sit.” He poured brown liquid into a glass and handed it to her. “Drink this. You’re frighteningly pale.

Skylar plopped down and accepted the glass and took a few sips. She sputtered and coughed as the liquid burned a path down her throat. “What the hell is this?” Color spread into her cheeks and heat flooded her bloodstream.

He smiled, a real smile that reached his eyes. She didn’t see those often. “Sorry, I should have warned you. That was scotch and it worked. Your color is back,” he said with satisfaction.

She put the glass down and eyed it with disgust. “You like that stuff? It’s awful.” She was never much of a drinker.

He chuckled. “Not really, but it sure makes me feel better when I’m overwhelmed.” His expression turned serious. “What happened, Sky?”

She stared at him as he took a seat across from her. “Liam, please don’t fire me. Nothing like this will happen again. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you -”

“No one is getting fired, Sky. And no one saw anything?”

Her brows knitted. “Really? I’m assuming you had to carry me out.”

“No one saw a thing.”

She let out a nervous giggle. “What did you grab me and jump off the fourth floor balcony?”

“Would you believe me if I said yes?”

She frowned, even more confused. “Two jokes in one night. Somebody is on a roll.”

Liam’s lips twisted. “The important thing is I got you back here and you’re awake.”

She groaned. “Who knows what the people in the lobby must have thought.”

“I might have implied to a few concerned partiers that you had too much to drink.”

She groaned again and buried her face in her hands. Great, she would have to face some of those people when they checked out tomorrow. Liam’s face was lit with amusement and he looked much younger than his twenty-nine years.

“Are you ready to tell me what happened?” His jaw clenched. “That must have been some phone call.”

“It was some phone call, alright,” she mumbled. Standing up she said, “Look, Liam. Thank you for everything but it isn’t appropriate to share my personal problems with you. I should get back to my room. ”

He stood up. “Sky, if you’re in trouble let me help.”

“I’m not,” she said quickly. “I just -” she sighed. “Don’t feel like talking about it.”

“Fine, you can tell me tomorrow.”

“Liam -”

“I didn’t like seeing you distressed,” he admitted, softly. “I’m used to you smiling and being you.”

She froze and a smirk appeared on her face. “I’ve grown on you, have I?”

He grunted. “You can say that.”

Skylar nibbled her lower lip in attempt to keep down her smile, but the urge to smile disappeared as he kept moving closer. With a gulp, she whispered, “Liam, what are you -”

His mouth covered hers, taking her by surprise and stirring up a whirlwind of desire inside of her. She had dreamed of that moment many times. His lips moved tentatively, gauging her reaction. When she melted against him, his movements became sure, coaxing her mouth open. Skylar moaned when his tongue swept between her lips and her tongue darted forward to meet his. Her arms wound around his neck and his hands on her hips, pulling her closer.

Would they go any further? God, she hoped so. But her hope was crushed when he broke the kiss and stepped back, his breathing heavy. She stared at him wide-eyed and utterly disappointed.

“Liam -”

“I’m sorry, that shouldn’t have happened.”

“It’s okay. Really.”

His back was turned to her and his shoulders were stiff with tension. “You should go to your room.”

“But shouldn’t we talk about what just happened?”

“Just go,” he growled, making her jump.

Skylar glowered at his back before whirling around and marching from the room, slamming the door for good measure. How dare he speak to her like that? What was the man’s problem? First he was gentle and caring, then he was smoldering and passionate, and then he was literally banishing her from his presence.

She growled with frustration as she closed her room door. That passionate kiss had driven her problems from her mind temporarily and now they were back and she felt twice as miserable. She threw herself down on the luxurious hotel bed and burst into tears.