Authors: Rhonda Lee Carver
Liam felt a stab in his chest. Jealousy maybe? He wasn’t a green man, never had been, but seeing the woman he’d had outrageous sex with twenty-four hours ago being ogled by his men did something ridiculous to him. She’d emotionally kicked him while his dick was still hard so he couldn’t understand why his libido raged for more.
He became bone hard now.
Damn betrayal of his body
.
Before she entered, he buried his interest in the contents of a folder. He smelled her scent seconds before he heard her.
“Can I come in?” she asked.
Bringing his gaze upward, he warned his cock to behave. “Have you come to apologize?”
Her lips tightened. “I apologize for both of us being idiots. Is that good enough?”
Liam chose not to respond. “This a business visit?”
Closing the door first, she then went to his desk and slid on the corner. Seeing the dark circles under her eyes and the paleness of her complexion, he knew she’d slept like he had—like hell. “What’s wrong?” He leaned elbows onto his desk.
There was a moment’s hesitation as she gnawed her bottom lip. She finally said, “I received a letter this morning.”
“A letter?” he asked.
Reaching into her back pocket, she pulled out a white envelope. “It was in my mail box. There’s no postage stamp.” She poked the corner of the envelope.
“Can I see it?” He started to grab it, but she jerked it away.
She dropped her hand, with the letter, into her lap. “I…I don’t know.” She licked her lips.
He narrowed his eyes. “You came here for me to see the letter, right? Who is it from?”
“It was hard coming here. I spent most of the morning debating if this was a good idea.” Her soft voice was a bit shaky.
“Because you don’t trust me?” His stomach turned.
Her gaze came up and connected with his. “No, that’s not the reason.”
“Then what is it? You didn’t hesitate in calling me any other time.” He didn’t like seeing her nervous reluctance and had a feeling she had something to say that could make this case easier or harder. “I need to know everything so I can help you. Any piece, no matter how small, could prove important.”
Getting up, she moved to the armed chair in front of the desk and sat down. She slid the envelope to him. He took it, lifted the flap and carefully pulled out the paper from inside. Using his letter opener, he smoothed the plain white paper and set his penholder on the edge to keep it from closing. He read the words…
I know about you and the Mayor. No one in this town wants a hussy dirtying their clean streets. Leave now or I’ll make sure people know what secret you buried.
Liam read it a second time, then a third, until he absorbed the meaning. He looked at Holly. The grim set of her jaw spoke volumes. An acid taste burned the back of his throat and he had an urge to vomit. “Is there something you need to tell me?” When his knuckles ached, he realized he’d been clenching his hands into fists. He loosened them and gave a check of his emotions.
She slid her palms down her jeans. The air grew heavy. “You have to promise that you’ll listen to the entire story before you react.”
“I will, Holly.” No matter what, he’d have to respect her wishes.
“Okay then.” She cleared her throat. “Remember right after high school, I started working at Mayor Hartman’s office?”
He nodded. “You went over there a couple hours a week. You said he was helping you get into a good college.” He noticed the trembling in her hands, which in turn made his uneasiness grow.
“He seemed so nice. I mean, what man, a busy man, would take his time to show a teenager the ropes?”
He lifted one brow. The oxygen thinned. “Not many.”
“He was generous. He never showed me anything but kindness until—”
“Until?” The word raced from his mouth before he could stop it. He spread his palms onto the top of his desk, hoping to relax his tense muscles.
“It was cold that particular night. The lights were low and I could barely see to do the filing. I asked him if I could turn them up, and he told me no.” She stopped and moistened her lips. He could see the vulnerability in her expression, making her look like a teen again. The quivering in her hands turned to shaking. “The next thing I knew he was touching and kissing me.”
Oxygen depleted, it took all of Liam’s control not to react. He’d promised.
I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.
He turned the words repeatedly. He sucked up any strength he’d had in reserve. He listened with what he hoped was an expression of a man of the law, and not a past boyfriend who still cared. “Touching you?” The words actually hurt as he forced them between his lips. He had to know. Grabbing a pencil from the holder, he rolled it between his fingers.
She darted her glance around the room. He knew she couldn’t look at him while she revealed what had happened. Maybe he was glad. If he had to see into her eyes while she spoke, he may not be able to keep calm. His eyes involuntarily drifted to Officer Hartman who sat at his desk in the outer office. Mayor Hartman’s son. When Holly sighed, Liam brought his focus back on her. “He touched my breasts. I…I got scared and I pushed him away, but he didn’t want to take no for an answer.”
Liam went into auto-pilot. He pretended she was any other woman talking to him about forced touches and…the pencil snapped. Holly jerked. Stiffly, he threw it into the trashcan. “What else did he do? Did he—” He still couldn’t process the word, not when it had to do with Holly.
“No. He didn’t get any further because I kicked him and ran.”
“Where did you go?” he asked.
“I just drove,” she answered. “He called me on my cell and told me if I told anyone what had happened he’d ruin me. He’d tell everyone, including my grandma, that I’d come on to him as a way to get ahead and that I was nothing but a tramp.”
“That’s why you pushed me away.” Pain ripped through his chest. He’d blamed her for cheating when all along she was frightened. Pushing back his chair, he got up. He couldn’t sit any longer as anger sliced through him like a dull knife. It was a good thing Mayor Hartman was dead or his unkind demise would have been swift.
“I had to leave town. At the time, I thought it was best.”
Her mother had betrayed her. Hartman had deceived her. Liam hadn’t supported her when she’d needed him most. “You should have told me, Holly. I wouldn’t have let anything happen to you. Your grandmother would have believed you. She’d have seen that he got what he deserved.”
A tear escaped one corner of her eye and she swiped it. “And what would you have done? I bet something that would have gotten you arrested. I couldn’t allow that to happen. I also couldn’t let that man hurt my grandma. She’d been through enough with Vicki.”
“I’m sorry.” He swallowed back anger.
“You don’t owe me an apology. You had no idea.”
“I should have known something wasn’t right. I jumped to conclusions. You would have told me if I’d waited. I know you would have.” He paced the floor, wishing he had a release. He couldn’t even look at her because he was so disgusted with himself. “I knew you better than anyone. I refused to see the truth.”
“You can’t blame yourself.” He heard her get up and then her hand was on his arm. Bringing his gaze to her, she looked up at him with such vulnerability—he wanted to cry. How could she bring him to such emotion? “Mayor Hartman was the one to blame.”
Liam gritted his teeth. “The bastard deserved to have his neck wrung.”
“True, but it’s too late for that. I can’t allow what
he
did to haunt me any longer. I thought by coming here, to Raven, that I’d be free of any remaining guilt. The man’s dead. What more can he do to hurt me?” She stepped back, her glance went to the letter still on his desk. “Apparently someone knows about the incident. He must have told someone, the same person who wants me away from this town.”
Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly, he forced his muscles to relax. His mind needed cleared. To help Holly he must stay mentally strong. “Did
you
ever tell anyone?”
“No, I didn’t”
“Was anyone there, in his office, that night?”
“The place was empty. I’m sure,” she said.
“If he threatened you to keep you silent, would he tell anyone himself?” Frustration scoured through him. “There is a vital piece of the puzzle that is missing. I need to find it. I will, even if it’s the last thing I do.”
“I don’t think the Mayor would have ever told anyone, unless he admitted to his sin at death’s door.”
Liam huffed. “A man like Hartman never gave up his game, not even at his last breath.”
“Will we ever find any answers?” Bleakness passed over her eyes. “Things seem to be spiraling downward.”
“I have a feeling that the missing link is hiding in plain sight. We just need to figure out what it is.” He’d never felt more like an ass or a failure all at the same time. How could he ever show Holly just how sorry he was? All along he’d believed she’d left him, her family, and her home for selfish reasons.
He wouldn’t let her down again. Movement outside the window caught his attention. Hartman was getting a cup of coffee. “You do realize Officer Hartman is the man’s son,” Liam said as he stared at the young man.
“Yes, but Dante isn’t anything like his father.”
“The question is, would he know about the incident?” Liam scratched his chin. He’d hired Dante, but did he trust the man?
“I don’t think so. Where was he when the vandalism occurred at my house?” she asked.
“Working here in the office. I know for certain he was.”
“Then the answer is clear. He couldn’t be the missing link,” she said.
Liam dragged his gaze away from the outer room and back onto Holly. “Have you thought that leaving may be the solution?” The words felt like razor blades as they left his tongue.
Tendrils of hair fell around her face as she shook her head. “I’m staying. I’m sure where I belong. I read Grandma’s letter and she gave me an idea for the house. Actually, I came up with the idea myself when I was a kid.” Her eyes turned bright.
“Yeah? And what’s that idea?”
“I’m going to open a bed and breakfast.”
* * * *
Mentally and emotionally drained, Holly’s patience had long gone. Since she’d arrived back in Raven she hadn’t had a moment’s peace. Now her mother showed up on her doorstep again. Teeth bared and claws showing, Vicki didn’t even try to hide her frustration. Yet it didn’t seem directed toward the house any longer.
After leaving Liam’s office that morning, Holly had felt a slight release of worry and stress, but her mind still reeled. The last thing she wanted or needed tonight was her mother’s penchant for drama. Holly took a sip of her hot tea hoping it’d do more than warm her stomach.
“You seem tense,” Vicki said with an uplifted brow.
“Why are you here?” Holly asked.
“I didn’t like the way we left things at the diner. I thought we should try again.” Vicki’s slanted gaze made her appear devious.
“If you’ve come to convince me to hand over this house, I’ll tell you now that I’m not in the mood,” Holly said firmly.
“I’m here because we can’t have raw bones between us. We are mother and daughter.” Vicki smoothed the hem of her blouse. “I know I haven’t always been there for you and I’m sorry for that.”
“And you must understand that it’s hard for me to believe those words.”