Page 22 of Relentless

CHAPTER EIGHT

Liam’s mind filled with ugly possibilities wrapped in those few words. He didn’t have a problem taking on Barone’s crime syndicate but didn’t want Piper caught in the crossfire. “Did he set up another meet?”

“Gavin said he left information for me at our ski lodge. About twenty of us stayed at the Copper Ridge Ski Resort a month after Gavin and I became a couple. He called it our resort.”

Liam frowned, not liking the thought of Piper dating Gavin. “Isn’t that near Gatlinburg?”

She nodded. “It’s two hours outside of Knoxville.”

Still too close to Barone’s stronghold to suit Liam, especially considering he’d killed two of Barone’s henchmen. Were the two men in the morgue the only ones the syndicate boss sent after Gavin and Piper? “Gavin left the information and bolted?”

“That’s what his voice-mail message said.”

“Do you mind playing it for me?”

Piper tapped her phone screen and a man’s voice came from the speaker.

“Piper, why didn’t you meet me? Look, I know we didn’t part on good terms, but I need to get this information into the hands of someone I trust to do the right thing. I’m leaving everything I have on M in the crevice at the ski resort. You know the one. Do what you want with it. If you’re smart, you’ll burn it and run. Disappear and take on a new identity. I’m going underground to do that. I stashed money in a Swiss bank account. I’ll be fine. I won’t be breathing if I don’t disappear. I found out too much and now I’m a liability. I will always love you, Piper. Don’t forget me.”

Liam tightened his hold on Piper. “Do you know what he meant about leaving the information in the crevice at the resort?”

She nodded. “On one of the hikes we took around the resort, Gavin and I found a cave in the mountainside. Inside the cave was a deep crevice. He joked about it being deep enough to hide a body inside.” Piper shivered. “I told him that was a ghoulish thought. He just laughed and called me melodramatic. That cave was dank and creepy.”

“I’m not a fan of dank and creepy myself.” He eased her away enough to look into her eyes. “Can you describe where you found the cave?”

“Why?”

“Could be dangerous going to retrieve this information. I don’t want you exposed to more danger. Tell me where it is and I’ll go after it myself.”

“I appreciate you trying to protect me, Liam, but I have to go with you. I don’t remember enough details to describe where the cave is. There was more than one in the area. I have to do this. If there’s any chance to take down Barone and my uncle, I have to try.”

He’d been afraid of that. “We’ll find another way, one that doesn’t involve putting you at risk again. Fortress is in the information business. People owe us favors and I know two men who can hack into any database and mine for information. I want you safe.”

Piper cupped his face between her soft palms. “I’m already involved. Rock and his buddy came after me because they thought I had the information. If you’re right and Matteo sent them to retrieve it, the minions won’t quit until they have the information in their hands.”

He pressed his forehead against hers. “The only way to stop them is turn the information over to law enforcement.” He needed to talk to Maddox about going after Matteo’s organization.

“It won’t be enough.”

“I know.” If Matteo sent goons after Piper, he assumed she knew too much. Even if she gave the information to Barone, thugs would come after Piper until she was dead. Liam wouldn’t let that happen. If he had to take on the mob by himself, so be it. “I won’t let them hurt you again, Sunshine.”

He trailed the backs of his fingers down her unbruised cheek. “Are we driving to Copper Ridge Ski Resort today?”

“I’m going. I’m sure you have a ton of work waiting for you at PSI.”

Piper Reece was a stubborn woman. Despite her fear, she was still trying to protect him. “My teammates will cover the workload for me.”

“What if your team is deployed?”

Liam shook his head. “We’re off rotation for a month unless there’s an emergency. Besides, we’ll only be an hour away from Otter Creek.” He tapped her nose. “Give up. You aren’t doing this on your own. I’m trained to handle dangerous situations like this one. Trust me.”

Piper laid her hand over his heart, her touch possessive. Liam liked that. A lot. “All right. When do we leave?”

“Two hours. We need to stop at the police station first, then pack overnight bags.”

“The resort isn’t that far. We’ll be gone a few hours at most.”

“That’s the best-case scenario. In my line of work, we expect the worst. Pack enough for a couple of days.”

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