Page 18 of No More Lies

They stopped right outside the door, so he could still see Megan who happily munched on her pancakes.

“I’m really happy you came this morning,” he said softly, not wanting to push things.

“Me, too.”

He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips; she smiled.

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong? You seemed upset by the text message.”

“No, it just brought me back to reality, that’s all.”

He pushed a strand of hair off her face. “We need to change that reality.” God, she was beautiful. Ten years and she still looked the same as the day they met. Except the tiredness in her eyes. “We still need to talk.”

She nodded. “I know and I promise we will. I love you.”

His heart melted to hear her say it again. They loved each other, so whatever was going on they would find a way through it.

“I love you, too, Angel.”

“I have to go, Steve, but I’ll do my best to get home for dinner.”

“Well in that case, maybe I’ll cook.”

She smiled. “I’d like that.” She kissed him gently on the mouth before walking to her car.

Fuck, he loved her, so damn much. But that uneasy feeling in his gut was getting stronger. She was holding out on him about something. He knew it. And it was starting to scare the shit out of him.

Chapter 6

Volkov paced in his hotel room. He wanted an update from his lawyer. Everything had to be perfect for his plan to work. He’d been advised Mrs. Williams continued to ask about Arnold Janssen, even after he’d told her to forget him. He wasn't used to people not doing what he told them. His father had been much softer with employees. Since he’d taken over, he’d replaced most of the board and was now running things his way. The Russian way. Mrs. Willliams needed to be reminded she worked for him, and to do as she was told.

His house in LA had already been sold and he’d been living in a hotel for the past couple of months. With the hearing getting closer, he’d been using an alias to check in, not wanting his whereabouts known to anyone, just in case his plan to get custody of his daughter caused problems. He cancelled his cellphone, using burners instead, and paid cash for everything.

One of his men had been tailing Mrs. Williams for weeks now. A little insurance should his lovely lawyer do anything to jeopardize the hearing or his business. Mr. Williams was deployed, so it seemed he had nothing to worry about on that front. Diane being married to a Navy man had been a risk when allowing her to handle this case, but Sydney Michaels had assured him she took attorney-client privilege seriously, and her husband was hardly ever around. His men had verified Diane, and her husband spent very little time together. He’d tried to find out more about Steve Williams, but the man’s file was sealed. All he knew was he was a petty officer in the Navy. He could have asked one of his contacts in the Navy, but he didn’t want his push to find out more, bringing any unwanted attention. Steve Williams was just a sailor and no threat to him or his plans.

The hearing was five days away and his case was the only thing Mrs. Williams should be focused on. He’d sent her a text message, demanding she come and meet him. The woman needed a reminder of her priorities. There was no room for error if his plan was to be successful.

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