Page 41 of Orlando
“You’re okay,” Orlando reassured him.
“I don’t know about that.”
“Well, I do, and I promise that you’re fine.It’s over.”
Liam glanced at Orlando.“Are we sure it is?She’s still here.”
“She’s getting her orders to leave right now.You can breathe, Liam.She won’t ever try to hurt you again.”And if she did, she’d still have to pass through Orlando.Hopefully, Liam knew that.
“Hi,” Tex said as he held out his hand.He sounded as if they’d met in a bar or something instead of having interrupted Cynthia trying to kill Liam.“I’m Tex.”
Liam seemed puzzled, but he shook Tex’s hand.“Liam.”
“Oh, I know.I know all about you.”
“You do?”
“Well, when the council realized they might have made a mistake, they asked me to look into it.I compiled the second file.”
Liam glared.“And you couldn’t have done that sooner?”
Antagonizing another person who worked for the council probably wasn’t a good idea, but Orlando agreed with Liam.Couldn’t Tex have been faster?
* * * *
LIAM WAS ANGRY.HEdidn’t mean to take it out on Tex because, as far as Liam knew, the man had done nothing wrong, but he’d almost died.Hismatehad almost died.
He was glad they’d decided to bond.He would have known that something had happened to Orlando anyway because he was in the same room, but feeling how determined and proud Orlando was helped.Liam still wanted to scream, but his mate would defend him, no matter what.Liam wasn’t sure how he would manage to feel any better about what had happened today, but being alive helped.
Tex didn’t seem offended.He raised his hands and smiled, and while it was a little tense, Liam thought it was a good thing.He wasn’t up to dealing with someone else trying to kill him, thank you very much.
“I know, but I had to be sure,” Tex said.
“Looking into Liam can’t have taken that much time.It was obviously a mistake, Tex.”
“I agree that it was, but I have people to answer to.I have my own supervisors, and they wouldn’t have let me get away with being fast just because you’re my friend.I’m sorry it took too long, but it’s done now.Cynthia has been called off, and your mate is safe.”
Liam wassafe.Knowing that made his knees feel weak, and he was glad he was holding onto Orlando.He was going to have to let go eventually, but not yet.He wasn’t sure he’d be able to stay on his feet if he had to.
“What happened?”Orlando asked.“Did Cynthia’s supervisor really go with the first Liam Portman he found?”
“Pretty much.We’re investigating him, and he’s getting fired.This one mistake would’ve been enough, but things are pointing to it not being the first time he’s made this kind of mistake.”
Liam was horrified.“Have innocent people died because of him?”
“Luckily, it didn’t happen often, but I think that the answer to that question is yes.”
And Liam could’ve been the next.Knowing that made him want to puke.
“You win,” Cynthia said.
Liam tensed when he turned toward her.He half expected her to try to kill him again, but she’d put away both her phone and her knife.The knife that Liam had stabbed her with was nowhere to be seen.She was bleeding, both from her shoulder and her calf, but she didn’t seem to care.
“No one is winning this,” Orlando said.“I was just trying to keep my mate safe.”
“I know, and I don’t blame you for that.You know I didn’t want to hurt him.”
“I do, just like I know you had a choice.You didn’t have to follow your supervisor’s orders.”
