Deceiving The Groom (5 page)

The noise of the diner dulled their voices but Geoff’s gaze didn’t miss a move Liam made. He absorbed every word the larger man spoke with absolute attentiveness, a spark flaring in his eyes every now and then that caused the bottom to fall out of Claire’s stomach.

Claire raised a french fry to her lips and bit slowly, her attention flickering between the two men.

Liam turned to her. “I can’t believe Lexi will be on her first school camp so soon. I don’t remember what it’s like not to have the little hurricane tearing up my house.”

The muscles on Geoff’s face lifted for a moment, the surge of glee only distinguishable to the cousin who knew him well. Claire’s heart did a back flip behind her ribs. Liam needed to stop talking about Lexi, stat. She wouldn’t let the girl fall into Geoff’s web.

“Liam, will you come away with me?”

Both pairs of eyes turned to Claire like she’d just lifted her top to the crowded diner.

“I mean, I need to go to Las Vegas for business…” Claire shifted under the scrutiny. “You know, bridal district and all.” She focused on Liam and brushed her fingers over the hand he rested on the booth table. “I thought you’d be busy with Lexi, but since you’ll be free… It would be really, really, wonderful if you could keep me company.”

Claire tried not to keep glancing at Geoff, who looked like he’d just scored the case of his career. Perhaps he had. Yes, she’d seen the opportunity and pounced. It moved their time line closer, not that Geoff had a problem with that. If he couldn’t control the triumph smarming up his face Liam would notice. Geoff appeared a sip of wine away from doing a full fist-pump.

Liam remained silent. Claire rubbed her lips together. Maybe he would say no and the whole scheme would fall down. Not that she would blame him, she’d avoided him since the day in his office. She held her breath. At least she’d taken Geoff’s devious mind off Lexi, and she could figure out this mess with Lexi well away from the scheming.

Liam turned his hand over and took her fingers in his. His eyes heated, once again aglow with that velvety warmth that made her blood temperature rise.

“Now there’s an offer too tempting to turn down.” His fingers squeezed hers softly. She gave Liam a small smile, yet for some reason she felt like crying. An approaching figure pulled Claire’s gaze from their clasped hands.

“You think you’re so darn clever…” The man yanked his cap from his head and slammed his hands down on the scarred wood of the diner table.

Fries and onion rings jumped off the plates. The room closed in on Claire like the walls of a cell. Her frantic gaze flicked to Geoff, who had gone eerily rigid. She looked back at the ruddy faced middle-aged speaker. His bulging gaze solely focused on Liam. The room became a busy diner once again. They had not been found out just yet.

“I refuse to sell my farm to you, so you buy the bank for the mortgage! You son of a bitch!”

The man leaned back and tugged on one strap of his overalls. The words rang familiar in Claire’s ears. She looked at Liam, the last shreds of her hope for him severing.

“You’re a thief. That’s what you are, Liam Channing,” he spat.

Claire gasped but it felt like the air was a bitter poison, its venom catching in her lungs. If she’d thought he’d changed, if she’d thought there was an explanation, this killed it. He was still the ruthless bastard he’d been the day he’d ruined her life.

Liam wiped his lips slowly with a napkin. He straightened and met the farmer’s gaze. The man took a small step back. The atmosphere centered around Liam, as though electricity snapped from him.  

“No, Mr. Graham. This is business.” Liam’s voice was clear in the now quiet diner. “Hopetown bank needs a buyer who can keep it afloat when the big banks move in, and I’m the only person in this town with the capital to do that.”

Liam slid to his feet. Every eye in the room fell on him. “The fact that you’ve failed to make your repayments, failed to meet your obligations, failed to realize opportunities that could have seen you restore your finances, the fact that you are in default, is not my doing. You have only yourself to blame.”

The farmer’s fists turned white by his sides, but he was red to the top of his balding head. A kettle fully boiled and ready to shoot its top into the ceiling.

“That the situation works to my advantage…well, I can’t say I’m sorry about that.”

Liam’s gaze leveled the man, dared him to explode and threatened to squelch him. Mr. Graham’s chest heaved but his gaze flickered around the room. Claire looked at the man, but held back her words. He was probably about the same age her dad had been when they’d lost the farm, right before his heart attack. Her fingernails dug into her palms.

He placed his hat back on his head and stormed from the diner. Liam sat back down and froze. “Claire, are you okay?”

Concern poured from his expression but Claire closed her eyes and turned away. Whoever this man was, he wasn’t the Liam she knew.

He was the monster she’d come to town to destroy.

“I’m sorry you had to see that. Did he frighten you?”

Claire shook her head and opened her eyes, looking at Geoff. “I’m fine, I just have a headache. Take me home please, Geoff.”

Liam reached for her and she forced her shoulders to relax, forced her gaze to meet his without burning holes through them. “Okay, I’ll talk to you later?”

Claire nodded. “Sure.”

Liam leaned down and kissed her. Claire swallowed, cursing the flutter that bloomed in her belly. Geoff stood and held out his hand to Claire. She took it, thankful for his steadying reassurance. Geoff nodded to Liam and said goodbye, then escorted Claire back to Mrs. Rose’s.

The moment the door to her room closed behind them, Claire gave way to sobs. Her chest shook, her muscles melted, and a broken noise squeezed from her. How could she have been so stupid, so easily taken in? She covered her face and hot tears wet her palms.

Geoff eased her into his arms, letting her head rest on his shoulder.

He stroked her back and lowered his mouth close to her ear. “See? That’s who he really is.” He brushed his hand over her hair. “He can’t be trusted. Don’t forget it, Claire. He’s just as ruthless now as he was then. He has no remorse. He doesn’t care who he hurts.” He shifted and looked down at her. “Are you ready now, are you ready to go through with it?”

Claire drew deep breaths, anger surging back up to smother the pain. She looked at Geoff and wiped the tears from her face roughly. “Just tell me what I need to do.”

Chapter Five

The city glittered and flashed outside the hotel windows. Its infectious energy impossible to ignore despite the heaviness in her chest.

Claire pressed her fingers to the window and rested her nose on the glass, looking straight down. Everything was going exactly to plan, except for one thing; her lust for revenge seem to lose potency every time she entertained the thought. Yet, still when she shut her eyes, she saw her father’s face the day they were evicted from their farm. The incident in the diner had torn the scab off that wound—and Liam was culpable.

There was no escaping that she needed the money to get Penny. And Penny trumped everything. She’d never give her up. There was always the hope that the business would provide the income. Who knew what contracts she would make with the interviews she had arranged over the weekend? But her business was dependent on Geoff and backing out would have him withdrawing his investment. He’d made sure of that in his loan agreement.

A knock sounded on the door. Claire backed away from the window but didn’t turn around. “Come in.”

The door open and clicked shut with a dull thud. “Enjoying Vegas?”

She should turn and face her cousin but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him. “It would be better if I didn’t hate myself so much for coming.”

“If it’s any consolation, I have some good news.” Geoff came and stood beside her at the windows, his hands in his pockets. “I have lined up three big buyers for you tomorrow. They loved what I showed them. Show them your samples and it could all start happening for you, Claire.”

Claire nodded but her head bowed.

“Don’t do this now. We’re so close.” He put his arm around her. “Just look at this. I have more good news.”

Geoff withdrew his arm and slid it to the inside pocket of his jacket. He held a small white card in front her face. Claire blinked as the small black letters came into focus.

Jefferson & McMillion

Family Attorneys at Law

He squeezed her shoulders. “See, it’s all falling into place. The best family lawyers in the country, and they’re yours. Not Mother’s, yours…”

Claire raised an unsteady hand and tugged the card from his fingers, holding it closer. Hope pounded through her veins, easing the bleakness.

“I have secured them for you. All you have to do is go through with this, get the funds and we get Penny.”

The best family attorneys in the country… Hope, real-tangible-hope.  God, she missed Penny so much it hurt.

A sound rustled on the other side of the door and Geoff’s arm fell away. Claire shoved the business card into the pocket of her skirt. She glanced at the door but no one emerged. “You should go. Liam will be here soon.”

“I’ll see you later. It will all be fine,” Geoff said before leaving.

Claire turned back to the windows and gazed out. This time she couldn’t seem to absorb the view. She hadn’t even explored the luxury room Liam had insisted on organizing. This was the chance she’d been waiting for. The chance to save Penny from the damage her aunt was causing. The door rattled and Claire turned.  Liam stepped in.

His gaze flickered over her and Claire forced the tension from her shoulders and smiled. Liam joined her at the window.

“Sorry, I’m late. You look serious.”

Claire smoothed the sides of her skirt. “No, just thinking about work. You said you had a business hold-up, did it work out?”

Liam’s smile tilted down at the corners. “Not yet, I’m expecting the concierge to deliver paper work. I’m sorry, more distractions.”

“It’s fine. I understand how important your work is to you.”

Important enough to ruin lives for apparently. Hopefully her words came off as understanding. The tension between them was thick enough without adding to it. They’d only had telephone conversations since the diner.

Liam gazed at Claire. “I’ll be ready by dinner.” He paused and brushed his knuckles across the skin on her arm.

“I’ve been looking forward to tonight…” The promise in his voice brought a flush to her neck.

A knock sounded on the door and Liam answered it, collecting a large envelope from the porter. Liam turned, holding the envelope in his hand. His eyes softened when he looked at her. “You seem exhausted, are you sure you’re up to going out tonight?”

He approached, and brushed back the blonde strands from her temple that escaped her ponytail. Claire touched the other side. She must look like hell. Part of her longed to say yes—she was too tired. That same part that wanted him to refuse to go out, and ruin Geoff’s plans.

If Liam touched her again, there was a good chance she wouldn’t be going through with anything. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’ll be fine.”

Liam stroked down the end of her ponytail then rested his palm on the small of her back. “You know, you’re beautiful when you’re tired.” His lips lowered to her cheekbone. “You look soft.” He pressed his mouth to her skin then lifted. “Sweet.”

Her muscles unclenched, itching to melt into him. She shouldn’t let him touch her. Everything seemed to blur when he touched her, but as always, she couldn’t seem to stop the pull towards him. “Don’t you have work to do?”

Liam tossed the envelope onto the small table next to them. “Business can wait a while.” He grasped her hips, fitting her pelvis against his, and gazed gown at her. Heat spread from his fingers to fill her core.

A shrill ring filled the room. Liam groaned. “I’ll leave it.”

Claire lurched out of his grasp and shook her head. “No it’s okay. Get it. You have business. I’d like a shower anyway.” She plucked a towel from the end of the hotel bed and fled to the bathroom.

Liam hung up the phone and poured himself a scotch from the mini-fridge. He hadn’t intended for the deal to go sour, but he’d had to take the hard line on this one. People who tried to cross him learned better of it fast. That was something he’d worked out early—you only let people get in one punch before you take them down. Eat or be eaten, that attitude had brought him out of nothing to what he had now.

One last call and Claire was all his. There’d be no more intrusions. Spending time with her was giving him a glimpse into what it might be like to have an adult relationship. Maybe relationships weren’t such a bad thing. Claire had a way of readjusting his perception. She might even be good for Lexi.

He threw back the scotch and took his suit from his case, sliding it from the plastic cover. One time with Claire hadn’t been enough. He’d just had had a taste, now he wanted to gorge.

He undressed then pulled his shirt on and did the first button. What was it about her? Not just beauty. It wasn’t even the she’d ruined him in bed. He remembered the way her face changed from one moment to the next as if there was so much running rampant underneath. There was more to Claire than she let on. He tugged his pants over his legs. He’d enjoy finding out.

The phone rang yet again and Liam picked it up. His lawyer. Time to end this and get to the fun part of the evening.

Streaming jets of water poured over Claire’s face, running into her eyes, over her lips and spurting onto her chest. She let it beat down and wished it could wash away so much more. Perhaps if her parents had lived she’d know if self-defeating personality disorder ran in the family. One touch and she’d been ready to melt all over him.
Again
.

Poor impulse control was what had landed her in bed with him the first time, and that one time had shaken her to pieces. She couldn’t take any more of Liam.

All the reasons drummed into her head about why they had to do this, why Liam
deserved
this paled in comparison to the way Liam made her feel.

Claire poured shampoo onto her hand and lathered her hair. She’d seen him with his niece, knew how he was with her. He wasn’t heartless—even if she’d seen his callousness with her own eyes. There had to be more to it. Claire tipped her head back and rinsed her hair under the steady stream. She hadn’t spoken to him about what happened at the diner. They’d certainly never spoken about what happened with her family. Surely, he had empathy. Surely, he didn’t do these things without compassion.

She stepped back and squeezed out her hair, then smothered it in conditioner. Could she really go through with this without even giving him a chance to explain? She ran a thick tooth comb through her wet hair.

Sure, talking about it could blow everything. She could be subtle. Regardless of what was at stake she had to be able to live with the decision. Claire finished her shower and blow dried her hair until it was glossy and gold. She took her time with her make-up, and slipped on a bright red dress she knew would get Liam’s full attention. In her experience, it was easier to get men to talk about things when they were distracted. Claire entered the bedroom, dressed ready for the challenge.

Liam’s back faced the room, his hand rested on the long window that stretched the length of the hotel suite. He held his cell phone to his ear.

“No, no more extensions. My decision is final.” His clipped tone was one Claire had not heard before.

She stepped further into the room.

“It’s done, we’re foreclosing.”

The contents of her stomach turned sour. No, he wasn’t doing this again. Thick bile churned in her belly.

“Well perhaps he should have thought of that before he failed to fulfill his obligations.”

Silence fell across the room as Liam listened to the response. The bile rose higher in her throat. She’d almost convinced herself he was not this man.

Wishful thinking. Stupid, wishful thinking.

Her shoes felt like twice their height as she walked to the kitchenette and extracted two scotch glasses.

“Goodbye, Peter.” Liam snapped his phone closed and pushed it roughly into his pocket. 

Claire’s eyelids drifted shut for a moment. Her fingers tightened on the glasses in her hand. She opened her eyes and set them down, moving to the bar fridge, taking two of the shot bottles and a tray of ice. The bar fridge was generously over stocked, thanks to Geoff. Unscrewing the tiny lids, she poured them both over the ice in one glass, and filled both glasses with chilled cola.

“Sorry about that, Claire.”

Her attention flickered up to him. Sorry? Was he really sorry?

“I promise no more interruptions tonight, but that little piece of business could not be avoided.”

His eyes were once again that warm brown that promised he was just as warm, just as sweet. Yet she’d just witnessed his true nature for herself. There could still be an explanation. “It sounded serious. Foreclosure?”

Claire moved towards Liam at the window. Her red dress swayed around her knees.

“Yes. Unfortunate, but an occupational hazard.”             

Liam’s gaze travelled over her moving frame. She felt it almost as powerfully as if they were hands that had reached out and smoothed over her.

“Business or residential?”

Liam tugged at the button on his shirt. “Sorry?”

“The foreclosure, was it for a business, or was it a residential home?” Claire’s voice sunk low.

A line squeezed between Liam’s brows. “What does it matter?”

Claire stood before him, meeting his eyes and watching him intently. “I just thought it must be hard. Foreclosing on someone’s home.”

Liam’s gaze remained even, not a flicker passed over his features. “I don’t feel sorry for foolish people who make poor decisions. I save my sympathies for those who deserve it.”

For those who deserve it… Like her father, Penny, her.

The ice clinked in the glasses in her hands, not half as cold as the chill sinking into her bones. It all became clear. She’d been inventing emotions where there were none.

Liam didn’t have feelings. He’d told her hadn’t he? He liked to keep sex separate from his life. Emotions separate. Just because she ignorantly felt something and he seemed to enjoy sleeping with her, didn’t mean she could expect more from him—like him actually possessing a soul.

She held a glass to Liam and he took it from her numb fingers. Bringing the glass to her lips she tasted the plain cola. She reached out with her free hand and took Liam’s silver tie into her palm and let it slide, stepping closer.

“You look very nice tonight, Liam. You scrub up well.”

Liam’s brow smoothed and a smile lit behind his eyes. His finger brushed under her spaghetti strap and he gave it a playful tweak. “Really, because you in red… You have no idea.” His voice drew silky.

Unwelcome heat thawed some of the chill from her bones. He leaned closer, his breath whispering against her skin. “So, what would you like to do tonight, Claire?”

Claire tilted her head back, her lips just a brush away from his. “Oh, I think I’m in the mood for a gamble.”