Page 16 of Married to Mischief

“The man following us is a treasure hunter I knew from university. If he finds out where I live, he’ll rob me blind.”

“A treasure hunter?” Not a psycho killer or drug lord. A small positive.

He nods. “You’re safe. I promise.”

I drop back against the pillows. This man. Life is an adventure with him for sure. “Wait, what about that place near the ocean you wanted to take me?”

He purses his lips. “We can go tomorrow.”

That pit in my stomach returns, filling me with guilt. He was so excited to take me there… and then I ruined it. I glance at the time. “It’s only five. We could still make it.”

“Are you sure?” he asks.

“Of course.”

My stomach lets out an unearthly groan and Liam laughs. “Why don’t we get you some real food, and then we will talk?”

“That would be delightful.”

We walk to the café on the bottom floor of the hotel.

I order a sandwich, then find a booth tucked in the corner of the room, far from the bright lights and constant chiming of the door.

“Here.” Liam hands me two aspirin and I down them eagerly.

Our food is served and I dive in like a lion finding its first meal in days.

Liam is motionless beside me.

“What?” I ask, with my mouth full of meat and cheese.

“I just love you.”

I narrow my eyes. “You’re being weird.”

“Can’t a man simply admire his woman?”

Well, that certainly hasn't been the case in my experience. But Liam has rewritten all the rules, all the lies I believed, and shown me a love so real and full I still struggle to comprehend it. My defenses slip and slide away, leaving me a pile of mush for this man.

My cheeks flame, but I play it off with a shrug. “And I too…enjoy your company.”

He laughs and takes a bite of his own sandwich.

Liam pulls out his phone. He sends a message and locks it, only to have it vibrate immediately. He angles it away from me as he continues to type, and the phone continues to buzz.

“Everything okay?” I ask around a mouthful of sandwich.

“What? Oh yeah, just a needy client.”

He doesn’t give this number to just anyone. This client must be important. I finish my sandwich while he continues to monitor his phone.

He kept doing that in the pub as well. Then we danced, and he carried me out. And I hit my head in the car when he went over the jump. It’s all coming back to me now.

The door to the shop bursts open.

“Liam Hawthorne!”

Liam jumps, flinging his latte at me.

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