Page 22 of Liam
“Something like that.” He hesitates, scanning my face as if searching for something. “Will you be okay?”
The question catches me off guard. “I’ll be fine,” I say, forcing a smile. “Don’t worry about me.”
I watch as Liam disappears into the night. The playful glint in his eyes is gone, replaced by something colder, more urgent.
Something tells me Liam’s urgent matter might be more than just business.
Chapter Seven
ALERIA
Iunfold the slip of paper from the Team Unity Challenge bucket, its edges damp from the morning dew. Around me, employees from both Valeur Tech and LumiVera crowd the forest clearing, their name badges catching the sunlight filtering through the canopy.
It’s been three weeks since Valeur Tech invested in our research facility, and corporate's brilliant idea was to send us all on a wilderness retreat to “foster collaboration between partner companies.”
But the moment I see the name written in looping script, my stomach plummets like a rock thrown from a cliff.
No, no, no, I repeat, the words echoing in my mind like a desperate mantra.
Of course, it’s him. It’s always him.
My eyes dart across the forest clearing, scanning the faces of my coworkers until they lock with a pairof blue ones.
“Liam Valeur,” I read aloud, my voice trembling as I show my raffle note to the group.
Liam’s expression mirrors my dismay, his usual smirk replaced by a look of dawning horror. At that moment, we both know. This company's bonding activity has just morphed into a battle of wills more intense than any chemical reaction I’ve ever studied.
The retreat coordinator, Stephanie, claps her hands, her voice unnaturally cheerful. “Great! Now that everyone has their partners, let’s begin our first challenge.”
Liam approaches, his designer boots crunching on the fallen leaves. “Well, Dr. James,” he drawls, that infuriating smirk reasserting itself, “ready to follow my lead?”
I straighten my spine, channeling the rigidity of a carbon nanotube. “In your dreams, Valeur,” I retort, surprised by the steadiness in my voice. “Just try to keep up with my superior intellect.”
A movement in my peripheral vision catches my attention. “Why did you bring your bodyguard to a corporate team-building retreat? You think it’s dangerous out here?”
“Marcus goes where I go,” Liam shrugs as if having a personal security detail is as normal as carrying a cell phone.
“But why do you need a bodyguard?” The words tumble out before I can stop them. “I mean, I know you’re probably worth more than the GDP of a small country, but still, you never had one in college.”
Liam’s expression darkens for a moment, a shadow passing over his features. “I’m the CEO of Valeur Tech now. Wealthy people are targets, Dr. James. It’s just a fact of life.”
There’s something in his tone that suggests there’s more tothe story, but before I can press further, Stephanie’s voice rings out.
“Remember, this is about teamwork and trust-building. Have fun,” she says.
“I’d rather build a particle accelerator with duct tape and paperclips than trust you, Valeur,” I mumble.
Liam chuckles, the sound sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. “Come now, Dr. James. Where’s your sense of scientific inquiry? Think of this as an experiment in human behavior.”
“The only behavior I’m interested in studying is how quickly I can make you disappear,” I grumble, but there’s less venom in my words than I’d like.
Our first challenge looms before us—quite literally. A clue dangles from a high ledge, mocking us with its inaccessibility.
Liam eyes the ledge, then me, his gaze calculating. “I suppose I should give you a boost?” he suggests, a hint of challenge in his voice.
“Try not to enjoy this too much,” I mutter, stepping closer. “And if your hands wander, I’ll introduce them to the business end of a Bunsen burner.”
His hands encircle my waist, their warmth seeping through my clothes. As he lifts me, the ease with which he does so is unsettling. The play of muscles beneath his shirt, the strength coiled in his arms, becomes impossible to ignore.
