Page 47 of Claiming My Cocky Boss

Derek swallowed hard, his beer untouched in his hand. His eyes darted between me and Liam, searching for some kind of escape. But there wasn’t one.

“Look, man,” Derek started, his voice cracking. “I can explain.”

Liam didn’t say anything; he just sat back, arms crossed, waiting for him to continue.

Derek let out a shaky breath. “I didn’t mean for it to get out of hand. It started small—just a little extra here and there, youknow? I thought... I thought I could fix it before anyone noticed. I didn’t think you would miss it.”

Liam’s jaw tightened, but he kept his voice level. “Well, I did miss it. So how were you planning to fix it?”

Derek massaged his temples, his whole body sagging like the weight of what he’d done was finally crashing down on him. “I’ve been... I’ve been having some problems. With gambling. It started small, but then I couldn’t keep up, and I thought if I just skimmed a bit off the top, I’d win it back, and no one would be the wiser.”

Liam shook his head slowly, his disappointment clear. “Derek, you could’ve come to me. We’ve been friends for years. I would’ve helped you. Instead, you stole from me. From Edgewater. You even poked fun at me for trying to do the investigation myself.”

Derek’s voice cracked, his guilt written all over his face. “I know, man. I know. I’m sorry. I messed up. Big time.”

I could feel the weight of the room pressing down, thick and heavy. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Liam leaned forward, his voice firm but measured. “Here’s the deal. I’m not going to press charges. But you’re going to fix this. First, you’re getting help—professional help—for the gambling. Second, you’re going to pay back every penny you took, and you’ll need to make amends with the company.”

Derek nodded quickly, his relief palpable. “I’ll do it. I swear, Liam. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“And,” Liam added, “you’ll hire an independent accountant to take over Riverstone’s financials. Mia can help you with that.”

Derek glanced at me, the shame evident in his eyes, but he nodded. “Okay.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. “There’s something else. Here’s a check I took while you were in the hospital. I’m really sorry, man. I never had the nerve to cash it... I wasn’t that desperate—yet. And here’s your sparekey.” He fished the key out and laid both items on the coffee table.

“Thanks for telling me,” Liam said quietly.

He glanced at me, and I could see the relief in his eyes. We’d gotten through the hardest part. Now, it was time to move forward.

Liam gave Derek a firm pat on the back before he turned to leave. “I’ll stay in touch, man.”

Derek nodded quietly, then climbed into his car and drove away.

After he left, the cabin seemed eerily quiet. The tension that had hung over us all day had finally lifted, but in its place was a strange calm. I leaned back against the kitchen counter, watching Liam stare out the window, his arms crossed and jaw tight.

I knew he was processing everything. Confronting Derek had taken a toll on him—it wasn’t easy facing a friend’s betrayal. But he’d handled it with grace, offering a solution instead of revenge. That was one of the things I admired about him: his ability to stay level-headed, even when his emotions were running high.

"You okay?" I asked softly, moving closer.

Liam nodded, though the weariness in his eyes told me everything I needed to know. “Yeah, just... glad it’s over. For now, at least.”

I reached out, gently wrapping my arm around his waist. “You did the right thing, Liam. Derek needed to hear the truth, and you gave him a chance to make things right.”

He sighed, his gaze still fixed on the window. “I just hope he follows through.”

“He will,” I said, with a hopeful tone. “You gave him a lifeline. Now it’s up to him to take it.”

Liam turned to face me then, a small, grateful smile dawning over his features. “And now we’ve got more to handle. Riverstone’s finances... that’s going to be a huge job.”

I raised an eyebrow, teasing. “Oh? And who’s we, exactly?”

Liam chuckled, the tension easing from his face as he pulled me into his arms. “You, of course. You didn’t think you’d just sit back and let me handle all this alone, did you?”

I tilted my head, pretending to consider. “Well, I’m not an accountant, so I’m not sure how helpful I can be with all this bookkeeping.”

He grinned, leaning down to kiss the top of my head. “No, you’re not. But you sure as hell can hire and oversee them. You’ve got the brains, the intuition. You’ve already uncovered more in a few days than anyone else did in months… including me.”

His words wrapped around me like a comforting blanket, igniting a newfound confidence within me. The idea of delving into the intricate world of hospital finances and navigating complex business deals had seemed beyond my reach. Yet, as Liam's unwavering support enveloped me, those daunting tasks began to morph into exciting challenges waiting to be conquered.

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