Page 71 of Trick's Trap

“I would wipe those tears,” the voice said. “The entire staff watches you closely. You have to hold it together long enough to get out of the hotel. Make sure no one stops you.”

Shuddering, Tahlia took one step toward the door. Then she took another, barely able to feel her own feet.

She scrubbed her face with her sleeve, holding the phone to her chest as she reached the couch.

Maggie and Peyton were huddled behind it. Peyton had her arms wrapped around Maggie’s neck. The latter was sobbing, her hands pressed against her mouth to keep the noise trapped inside.

Peyton’s eyes were wide and filled with fire. But Tahlia knew she wasn’t angry at her.

“Don’t go,” she mouthed.

“I have to,” Tahlia whispered back, her heart shattering into a billion pieces as she flipped the phone over to show them the screen.

Then she opened the door to the hallway, stepping out as the feed from the camera faded to black.

She didn’t look back.

The penthouse elevatorwas taking an eternity to arrive. Tahlia held the phone as if it were contaminated with the plague, but she couldn’t afford to drop it. She knew the man was listening.

Perhaps he was bluffing. He could have some fancy laser pointed at Patrick, and not a gun.

You know it’s real.And if there was room for doubt, she couldn’t take the risk. Weak-kneed, she counted, willing the elevator to speed up.

Thankfully, it was empty. Stepping inside, she waited for more instruction, but the voice from the speaker was silent.

“Hold up.”

Starting violently, Tahlia spun around. Liam stopped the elevators doors from closing. He joined her, his attention on the papers he was holding.

The carriage began to descend.

Tahlia kept her eyes on the floor, her body alternating from hot to cold and back again. She was praying Liam wouldn’t notice her.

“What’s wrong?”

Flinching, her eyes flew to him. Liam was frowning. She plastered a smile on her face. “Nothing.”

The lines around his mouth deepened. She could see the suspicion growing in his eyes.

“Are you sure? You’re pale.”

She shook her head. “I’m fine.”

His eyes narrowed. He crossed his arms and raised a thick dark eyebrow at her. “Then why are your eyes red?”

Damn it.

“Allergies?” She didn’t mean to make it sound like a question.

His face softened. “Is it your family?”

Crap. Why did Liam have to be so perceptive all of a sudden? He was usually too wrapped up in work to pay her any mind.

“I talked to Peyton,” she blurted.

Liam straightened and dropped his arms. “What did she say?” he asked, his dark eyes flaring.

Wow. She hadn’t anticipated such an intense reaction. Liam was…eager. The man may not have been capable of returning Peyton’s feelings, but she was important to him. Very important.

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