Page 35 of Liam
Just then, my phone buzzes. I fish it out of my purse, smiling when I see it’s Mia.
“Hello, fellow scientist extraordinaire,” I answer.
Mia’s laughter crackles through the speaker. “So, how was the conference? Did you dazzle them with your presentation?”
I snort, kicking my feet up onto the coffee table. “Close. I think I charmed them with my ability to trip over absolutely nothing.”
“Ah, the old Aleria special. Works every time.”
“Hey,” I protest, but I’m laughing too. “I’ll have you know I recovered gracefully. Only knocked over one poster presentation. But Liam saw everything.”
“A new personal best,” Mia teases. There’s a pause, and when she speaks again, her tone has shifted. “Hey, speaking of your bet with Mr. Moneybags, I heard something strange in the halls today.”
I straighten my posture, tension creeping into my muscles. Mia’s tone set off alarm bells in my head. “What do you mean?”
“You know Lucas Valeur? Liam’s older brother?” Mia lowers her voice. “I overheard some security guys talking. Someone keyed his car pretty badly not long ago.”
“That happens to rich people sometimes,” I say, though something about Mia’s tone makes my stomach clench.
“There’s more,” Mia continues. “The Valeurs have ramped up security lately. Private bodyguards everywhere. I saw Cora Valeur being escorted to her car yesterday like she was the president or something.”
I think about Liam’s bodyguard, always hovering nearby. I’d assumed it was just a rich person thing, but now...
“You should be careful,” Mia says. “Getting involved with the Valeurs might not be the safest choice right now.”
I chew my lip, my mind racing through a labyrinth of worst-case scenarios. Liam’s face flashes in my mind’s eye, his usual cocky grin replaced by a mask of worry. “I... I’m sure it’s fine. I mean, it’s only a bet, not like I’m dating the guy. But thanks for telling me, Mia.”
After we hang up, I can’t shake the uneasy feeling. I grab my laptop, fingers flying over the keys as I search for any information about the Valeurs.
There’s nothing. Well, nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual business reports, stock updates, and puff pieces about the illustrious Valeur family. A few gossip columns speculating about Lucas’s love life, but nothing even hinting at threats or danger.
“This doesn’t make sense,” I mutter, frowning at the screen. If someone was targeting the Valeurs, surely there’d be some trace of it online? A buried news article, a suspicious tweet, anything. But it’s like the whole internet has been scrubbed clean of any negative press about them.
I lean back, rubbing my temples. Could Mia’s information be wrong? Or is someone going to great lengths to keep this under wraps? Either way, the lack of evidence is almost more unsettling than finding proof of the threats.
“Liam’s bodyguard,” I murmur to myself, the pieces clicking. “I always thought it was just a rich person thing. But what if it’s more than that?”
The next morning, I’m practically floating as I approach the lab, replaying last night’s call with Jake, who asked me out on a third date. I’m going to win this bet, no doubt about it.
I push open the lab door. Mia’s already there, peering into a microscope with intense concentration.
“Morning, fellow science enthusiast,” I chirp, hanging up my coat.
Mia glances up, a knowing smirk on her face. “Someone’s in a good mood. Let me guess. Jake?”
A grin spreads across my face. “Is it that obvious? We were up late planning our date for tonight. He’s taking me to the new observatory that just opened. I’m so ready.”
Mia raises an eyebrow. “You know what happens on third dates, right?”
“Believe me, I’m aware,” I reply, lowering my voice conspiratorially. “I even went for a full body wax. It’s been a while, Mia. I’m practically a new woman.”
Mia snickers, but the sound dies quickly as she lifts her gaze over my shoulder, and her eyes widen.
“Dr. James.”
I spin around to find Liam, his expression unreadable. My heart does a traitorous little flip in my chest. “Oh, I didn’t see you there.”
“I trust you’re well-rested after the conference and ready for a productive day?” he says, voice cool and professional.
