Page 60 of Tempting Devil

“He also asked about Samuel’s death,” I continued when he didn’t embellish further.

“He did?”

“He said they may have uncovered some new evidence about what happened to him. To Samuel,” I clarified.

“Did he say what this evidence was?”

“Only that it was an ongoing investigation,” I replied coolly, a complete juxtaposition to Liam’s unease. “Which is why I wanted to ask you. See if you knew anything more.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down in several more hard swallows, his expression becoming paler by the second.

“Sorry to say I don’t. But if I hear anything, I’ll be sure to let you know. What did you say this detective’s name was?”

I squinted, pretending to wrack my brain.

“I can’t remember. You know how bad I am at remembering names.”

“Right.”

He ran his fingers through his hair for what seemed like the tenth time, then cleared his throat.

“Well, I’ll let you get back to your evening. I’m behind on work after everything that’s happened, but I wanted to stop by. Make sure you were okay. That we were okay. Maybe we can have a movie night sometime soon when life slows down a bit.”

“I’d like that.”

“Me, too.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss on my cheek.

It took everything inside me to keep my cool. But I somehow managed to mask my emotions as if my life depended on it.

In a way, it did.

When Liam finally pulled back and started down the stairs, I rushed inside. His retreating voice sounded from the other side of the door and I moved toward the bay windows, watching him hurry toward his car with his cell glued to his ear, his posture rigid.

I held my breath, straining to listen to what he was saying over the clicking of Ollie’s nails against the hardwood floor. I gestured for my dog to come to me, and he eagerly obeyed, allowing me to make out Liam’s side of the conversation through the slight opening in my window.

“I’m flying out there tonight,” Liam barked into his phone. “We have a problem. Some detective called Ginny and is asking what happened to Sam. You need to fix this. I am not going down for his murder.”

When he reached his luxury SUV and looked back at my house, I quickly ducked down, not so much as breathing until I heard the familiar sound of his car rumbling down the street.

The reality of everything Liam just confirmed instantly sank in, shattering my world into a million pieces. Liam really did it. He planned to kill his best friend and business partner, then conspired with James and Alton to cover it up.

And being the trusting, naïve girl I’d always been, I never suspected him. In fact, I invited him into my bed. All along, I was sleeping with the person who’d taken away the man I loved.

My entire body shook uncontrollably as my sobs overtook me, a heart-wrenching wail echoing in the house. Sensing my distress, Ollie whimpered beside me, trying to offer comfort in any way he could.

“He did it, buddy,” I managed to choke out. “The bastard really did it.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Imogene

The first rays of morning light filtered through my bedroom window as I stared at the ceiling with weary eyes. After a sleepless night spent replaying every moment of the past several months over and over again, the patterns and swirls on the surface had become etched into my memory.

Exhaustion consumed me, but that did little to dull the ache in my chest. Every time I closed my eyes,I saw Liam’s stare. His smile. His deception.

And I fell for it. Allowed him to comfort me after Samuel was presumed dead. Then, on those nights when the pain was too unbearable, I invited him into my bed. He pretended to still mourn his best friend when, all along, he was the reason Samuel was gone.

It sickened me to think how blind I’d been. How trusting I’d been. And he used that trust against me, to the point that I was nearly killed in a dark alley because of him. I would have been if Gideon hadn’t intervened.

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