Page 95 of Relentless

Movement drew attention. If their tail found the tunnel and walked inside, Liam didn’t want to give away his position. Both he and Piper were dressed in dark clothes. The follower’s vision would take a few seconds to adjust to the sudden dimness, seconds Liam could use to take action to protect Piper.

Liam followed the stranger’s progress through the small gaps in the bushes. Instead of entering the tunnel, the stranger stood, turning this way, then that, searching for signs of their passage.

More swearing. A moment later, a voice drifted their direction. “Yeah, it’s me. I lost them.” A pause. “How should I know? They’re walking around the museum at the old Hartman place. Looks like she’s showing her man around town.” Another pause. “I think it’s a waste of time, but you’re the boss. I’ll let you know when they come out again.”

Piper’s breath caught.

Liam glanced at her as the stranger’s footsteps indicated he was leaving. “What is it?” he whispered.

“I know him.”

His eyebrows rose. “Who is he?”

“Well, I don’t know his name, but I know who he works for. Matteo Barone. He works with the estate’s security team.”

A good indication of who wanted the information Gavin left for Piper. Liam wasn’t surprised. He held her close and waited five more minutes in silence before he believed it was safe for them to resume their journey to the botanical gardens.

“Let’s go before he comes back.” He’d prefer to retrieve the package or whatever Gavin had left and walk out of the museum estate the way they came in. Otherwise, they’d raise the other man’s suspicions. Speculating that they’d retrieved a package from Gavin was one thing. Confirming that fact by acting out of the norm was stupid.

Clasping Piper’s hand, Liam walked toward the far end of the tunnel where the trees and brush thinned and winter sunlight filtered through the leaves. When they neared the open space of the botanical gardens, he held up his fist in a silent order for Piper to wait until he was sure it was safe for her to move into the open. She stopped at the edge of the clearing.

Relieved he didn’t have to explain his actions when the need for silence was imperative, Liam walked a few feet from the foliage and scanned the area for signs someone had anticipated their plans and waited for them. He let his gaze scour the shadows and landscape. Nothing out of place and he didn’t feel the weight of someone’s gaze on him.

Satisfied Piper was reasonably safe, he turned and held out his hand to her. She threaded her fingers through his. “Where to now?”

“This way.” She led him toward a path to the right. The walkway wound through lush gardens dressed for winter.

He’d always thought gardens were dormant during the winter months. This part of Alabama, though, seemed to have mild winters because the gardens were vibrant and alive with color. Liam frowned, eying the blooming flowers on both sides of the path. Mums, maybe. What he knew about flowers would fill a bullet casing.

A few minutes later, the path curved and Liam saw a gazebo fifteen feet ahead. “The gazebo?”

“The bench along the rock wall behind the gazebo.”

When Piper began to hurry, Liam held her back. “We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves. We’re supposed to be enjoying our time together while you show me your favorite places in Hartman. Moving fast draws the eye. We can’t be in a hurry.”

“I want this over with so we can go home, Liam.” As she slowed at a more sedate walking pace, Piper smiled at him. “I have a wedding to plan.”

“I like the sound of that. How long will I have to wait before I slide a wedding band on your finger?”

“You mentioned the spring. I was thinking April. I’d love to marry you in an outdoor ceremony with glorious flowers blooming everywhere.”

He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand. Five months. He would deal. “Sounds perfect.”

Liam urged her to sit on the bench beside him. “Let’s wait to see if we have company before retrieving the package.”

“How long do we wait?”

“Until I’m sure you’re safe. Tell me about the botanical gardens. How long have they been here?”

While Piper told him about the history of the gardens, Liam scanned the area, looking for anything out of place, for movement that caught his eye. He waited for his own senses to tell him they were being watched. At the ten-minute mark, he said. “Let me take your picture. Sit where you can reach the package. I’ll use my body to block you from view in case we have an observer that I’ve missed.”

Piper moved to the opposite end of the bench and turned at an angle to smile at Liam.

His heart skipped a beat. Man, she was gorgeous. All he wanted to do was drag her close and kiss her until she forgot her own name. Liam pulled out his phone and tapped his camera app. “You’re beautiful, Piper.”

Her smile widened and her face lit. “There’s that charm again.”

He chuckled and snapped her picture. “Where’s the hiding place?”

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