Twenty

Claudia

 

 

 

I was officially more nervous than I had been in my entire life. More nervous than when FBI Agents showed up at my parents’ house, seizing it and arresting my father. More nervous than when I sat through a meeting with my father’s lawyer, Harrison’s dad, Edward, telling me everything I’d had, everything I’d thought was true had been either a lie or blatantly false and other than a trust fund, I was inheriting nothing. More nervous than when Edward had spelled out how indebted my father was to him, and how to make it up to him, my dad had promised Edward I’d marry his son.

All of it was taken from me and given to the estate that would pay bills my parents had wracked up in trying to keep up with the Joneses and Fitzgeralds and Montagues of Savannah when we were nothing more than a simple, middle-class Smith.

I hadn’t been honest with Liam when I told him I went to get coffee earlier. Obviously, I had. I had needed an excuse to leave the room and not be followed, but what I really did was returned one of Harrison’s phone calls.

Then I called Karen for help.

“Quit fidgeting,” Liam said, curling his hands on my shoulders. He’d stepped up behind me in the mirror and our gazes met in our reflection.

“I can’t help it. Your whole family is coming.”

He draped his hands to my stomach. “And they’ll like you, but I can also say that with what’s about to happen, they’ll barely notice you.”

My hands went to his. “Is Sophie sure she wants to do this? Is okay with you doing it?”

“We’ll get ahead of the information, the information will be public, and no one will have anything to hold over my head anymore.” He kissed my temple, lips lingering and his breath skating over my skin, heating me and doing delicious things to my lower stomach. “Then we can handle your crap and it’s all in our rearview.”

“Speaking of, I talked to Karen.”

I’d checked my phone while Liam had been in the shower, except to see a blank screen but to my surprise, I’d had three messages. Two from Karen. One from Harrison.

I skipped Harrison’s message and listened to Karen’s.

“What’d she call for?”

The lie tasted like sour milk as it bubbled up and out of my throat. “She just heard we’d left Anguilla. Wanted to talk to me about when we need to start worrying about paparazzi and us, restoring your image.”

“You said?”

“That I’d talk to you.”

His chest heaved and fell against my back and he dipped his head, settling it on my shoulder. “I think,” he murmured, turning his head and brushing his lips over my throat. “That it won’t really matter once today’s press conference is done. No one will care about me in a week or two so if you want, we can hunker down here, or wherever you want to go, and wait until someone else has an affair or a DUI or overdoses and then we’ll be fine.”

“Fine. Yeah, it will be.”

It wouldn’t. I had loose ends to tie up first, but two hours ago, Liam had told me that Sophie had decided she wanted to come clean and tell the press her story. She felt like Liam has had to hide it enough and with the assault charges, along with lingering suspicions of him raping a fan, she thought if she stood up and explained what happened to her and how he defended her, the public would instantly see him as a hero instead of a villain.

I was still doubtful. People who followed gossip rags were animals and slightly unhinged in their comments, willing to spew the vilest things without knowing any information.

But Anne had agreed it was the best way to spin everything, and in the end, it would make needing me unnecessary.

So would he keep me? The contract said he had to, but maybe he’d dump his monthly twenty-grand into my account and be on his way. Not that I cared about the money.

I cared about him. Last night, when he’d held me in bed and I woke up the same way, I realized how deeply I was falling in love with him. Liam Allistor had become my everything and even when he was angry or rude, he’d still taught me he was always looking out for me, protecting me.

I’d never had it and I wasn’t ready to let it go. Even though in four hours, I’d be hopping on a plane and he would be too busy at his press conference to know I’d left. I’d send him a text before my plane took off so he didn’t worry too much.

But would he miss me?

“You’re quiet. And still fidgeting.” To prove it, he took my hands that had been digging at my nails and held them in the mirror. “What’s got you so worked up besides meeting my parents and family?”

“Nothing. Just worried for you.”

He examined me and I saw the exact moment he realized I was still lying. Still hiding. But God, seeing Sophie be brave, letting her past out in the public, made me want to do the same. It was just…my past was something I’d rather handle myself.

And I would.

Soon.

“Okay, then.” He dropped his hands from my waist and stepped back, only disappointment swirling in his rich blue eyes.

I looked away, unable to hide the pain I knew would be reflected in mine.

“They’ll be here any minute. How about we go next door and wait for them so we can finalize everything?”

“Sure. I just need to grab my purse.”

“I’ll be next door.”

He left without saying another word, without a kiss or a smile. Soon, he’d understand everything, but until then, I wanted to be completely free of my past life, so I could come to him with nothing between us.

No contract. No ex-fiancé’s who refused to go away. No shame.

Just me.

I hoped like hell it would be enough for him.

 

 

***

 

 

Sophie stood in the middle of a makeshift stage in one of the hotel’s conference rooms with Liam on one side of her and Kevin on the other. Both of the men’s eyes were narrowed, gazes flickering around the room as if they were trying to spot trouble.

I didn’t blame them.

Their parents were in the background, silent supporters and wearing looks of grief like Sophie’s ordeal had just happened yesterday, and not a decade ago. All of them wore the stress visible on their faces. And outside of Kevin, who obviously wasn’t related. They all looked like a family. A close one. When I met Liam’s mom, she embraced me in a hug, pressed her hands to my cheeks and smile. “Well, aren’t you just a sweet little thing. It’s lovely to meet you.”

Her husband had ushered her away and pulled me in for a bear hug. “Nice to meet you. Liam’s told us a lot about you.”

Sophie and Kevin followed, Kevin with a firm handshake, Sophie hesitant. Her eyes were rimmed red and swollen, showing she hadn’t slept much and had cried a lot.

The way Kevin didn’t take his arm from her lower back or her shoulder, rubbing her back constantly with support was endearing.

These people were so good.

I liked them instantly.

But then we were ushered downstairs where Jordan had been busy all morning setting up a press conference in one of the meeting rooms. I was whisked away by Dustin and David, not knowing who was who, and I was standing at the back of the room, watching with a sea of reporters.

I wasn’t wearing my wig. No one there would recognize me, and when I’d tossed it on the bed before Liam had become so disappointed in me, I’d told him I wouldn’t need it. His pride in me evaporated when I lied. But I’d make it up to him. I’d die doing it.

From my view in the back, dressed in a simple black dress, surrounded by the security behemoths, I looked like a nobody. I could have been confused with a hotel server if I threw on a white apron they wore tied around their waists as they refilled water glasses and prepared coffee mugs.

But then it started. The conference, blinding flashes of light as Liam’s family took the stage and stole my breath with how absolutely handsome they were. And as Anne began speaking, somehow flying a redeye from New York to Kansas City to meet us there, she took over. And it was when Sophie began her story that an alert chimed on my phone.

“Excuse me,” I whispered to Dustin or David. “I have a phone call. I’ll step outside.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“No,” I pressed my hand to his bicep. “I’ll be okay. And people knowing who I am doesn’t matter anymore.”

He frowned, and I’d obviously made no sense, but I did. At least to me. “The boss said to say close.”

“I’ll be three feet away with only a door between us,” I lied. My pulse started wildly bucking at my wrists and up my arms. My whole plan depended on me getting away from them. I hadn’t realized in the morning when I talked to Karen that they’d be with me. “You can even leave it open and I’ll scream if I need you. Liam’s security is more important anyway.”

That must have made sense because although reluctantly, he nodded and turned toward the stage. “Door open.”

“Promise.”

In a flash, I zipped through a side door, knowing every eye, including Liam’s, would be riveted to Sophie and the way she so bravely, wobbling chin and teary eyes and all, stood in front of dozens of gossip magazines and recounted the night of her brutal rape.

I didn’t need to stop by the reception desk. Instead, I hurried outside and slid into the airport taxi I’d scheduled earlier after talking to Karen.

“Claudia Townsend?” the man asked, barely sparing me a glance. “Do you have any bags?”

“Nope. Just Me. And yes, I’m her.”

He took off, and at the last moment, I glanced through the back window as we turned around the circular fountain.

No one had followed me. No one was chasing me.

And even though it was what I wanted, I couldn’t help the ache in my chest or the tears that burned in my eyes, wondering if there would ever be, anyone who would do that for me.