Page 43 of Seductive Desires

I bit my lip. “Yeah, every time except this time. This time he attacked me out in the open. I was in a freaking museum. I have no idea how he managed to empty the place so I couldn’t call for help.”

Liam pursed his lips. “Well, he showed his face in Seattle first too, remember? He didn’t come after you the first time you saw him or you wouldn’t have had time to call your friend. I’m betting it's the same now. He’s probably monitoring your apartment and he’s going to either follow the person who shows up there or wait for you.”

“So what’s the plan then?”

He stood, pacing the office. “This would be more simple if you weren’t so eager to keep this asshole alive.” When I gave him a blank look, he shrugged. “Fine. We need to gather evidence. And I don’t think you’re going to like how we have to do it.”

I dropped my gaze to my hands. “I need to go home, don’t I?”

“I’m afraid so. If we want him to be thrown in jail for a while, we have to prove it’s been happening for years and it’s getting dangerous. We can set up cameras at your apartment, get video evidence of him harassing you, but we also need the stuff from the past too. Now, I can probably get a hold of the restraining order from Seattle. If we can get ahold of the friend who you stayed with after you left home for a statement, that would help too.”

I shook my head. “I can’t do that.”

He sat back behind his desk, frowning at me. “Why not?”

“Because I’m not sure if she’s alive. Stephen said he killed everyone who had ever helped me.” I didn’t want to admit I’ve been too afraid to check. If he was telling the truth, that means an entire family died because of me. I don’t think I could live with myself if that turned out to be true. “What about Ben? Don’t you think getting those documents would tie me to his murder?”

He frowned. “I hadn’t thought of that. Have you ever looked it up, seen if you were in the system?” When I shook my head, he picked up his phone.

“Hey, I need you to look a few things up for me. I’ll email you but I need it right away.” While he talked on the phone, I felt myself spiral. This was all a bad idea. Stephen wasn’t someone to mess with. He probably already knows where I am and is just biding his time until I relax enough to leave. I should be focusing on where to go next. Maybe if I go international, it’ll help. They pay pretty well to teach English in some countries, don’t they?

“Alright, great. Thanks.” He hung up, his customary frown back in place. “Well, that’s strange.”

“What?”

“There is nothing about a murder in Seattle with any officer the year you mentioned.”

I drew my head back quickly. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, no murder was ever reported. The only report they have for that year is a suicide. Was Ben’s last name Carson?”

What the hell? There was no way that could be considered a suicide. “I don’t understand.”

“Well, if it was me, I probably would have hired a clean up crew. They would stage it to look like a suicide, alter reports that came in, the whole deal. If that’s the case, I think Stephen is working with someone. I find it unlikely that a mayor’s son is picking up these connections on his own. Did he ever have any shady friends?”

I shook my head slowly. I never paid much attention to my step siblings’ friends but none of them ever struck me as criminals. Mostly just upper class rich kids with too much money and not enough sense.

“Well, I’ll mention it to Dmitriy. He’s got a cousin who’s a great tracker. Vlad, I think. He moved here permanently just recently.” He typed out a quick text before focusing back on me. “I do have some good news though.”

I sucked in a breath. “They’re alive?”

When he nodded, I burst into tears. I knew there was always a possibility Stephen was lying to scare me, but I never had the guts to check for sure. Liam handed me a tissue box.

“The parents still live in the same city. The son moved to California about a year after you left. The girl lives in Nevada. All alive and accounted for. He was lying to you, Mariana, to scare you into not seeking help again.”

After the initial shock passed, fury replaced it. I am tired of this. Tired of living a half life, always looking over my shoulder. He may not have me physically, but he’s had control of me since I was a kid. I clenched my fists.

“Okay. So what’s next?”

“For now, I’m going to send a couple of my guys in to set up cameras. I’ll probably put in an application to move in for them so Stephen won’t think it’s related to you. They’ll sweep for anything inside, then they’ll set up. Once it’s good to go, we will drop you off close but not too close. If things go wrong, we don’t want him to know where your safe house is.” I nodded, my stomach twisting at the thought of the many ways things could go wrong. “But don’t worry. My guys will be in the building, and so will Dmitriy’s. We will only leave you alone with him long enough to get evidence, then we will pull you out. Sound good?”

I rubbed my palms on my jeans, nodding quickly. Liam’s face softened for a moment. “I know this is scary, Mariana, but you can do this. I’ve seen you training with James and this won’t be a surprise, you’ll know he’s coming.”

I swallowed hard, shaking out my hands. “I know. I just… the last time I tried standing up to him, someone died. So I have a request.” Liam raised an eyebrow at me. “Don’t tell Mateo. I doubt he’d be okay with this plan and I don’t want him getting involved. He needs to stay here, where he’s safe.”

Liam ran his hand along his jaw. He seemed to do it whenever he was thinking. “Are you sure? Keeping that kind of thing from your significant other could cause problems.”

“He’s not my boyfriend. And he’s too cavalier with his own life. I don’t want him involved.”

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