Page 86 of Liam
“I’m okay.” He nodded toward the windows. “They installing today?”
Nylah sighed. And by the look on Courtney’s face, she didn’t miss his avoidance tactic, either. She didn’t call him out on it, though. She turned to watch the contractors at work. “Yeah. I’m so grateful for them squeezing us in. Thank God Jason weaved some kind of contractor magic.”
Jason slid an arm around her waist. “I’ll always weave my magic for you.”
“Anything we can do to help?” Nylah asked.
“Not today. But after we patch the bullet holes, I was going to ask you, El, and Vi to come over to help me paint. Maybe we could order some pizza. Drink some cider.”
Nylah grinned. “I wouldn’t turn down a pizza and cider night.”
“Great.”
Jason frowned at Courtney. “Girls’ night?”
She rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of humor there. “I guess you can come too.”
Jason opened his mouth to respond but stopped when his gaze caught on something behind Nylah. She turned to see a blue Honda parking at the curb across the street. Violet was in the back, and Eleanor was behind the wheel.
It was the person in the passenger seat, however, who had Nylah’s heart thumping…Carlson.
“What’s he doing here?” Jason asked through gritted teeth before anyone else could.
Carlson climbed out of the car, his gaze never leaving Liam and Jason. He crossed the road with so much anger on his face that Liam grabbed her arm and pushed her behind him. Jason did the same with Courtney.
Eleanor rushed forward to try to stop him, but he shook her off and kept walking.
“What the hell was that?” Carlson shouted, shoving Liam in the chest. Liam didn’t move an inch. “You tell the fuckingFBIto take me in for questioning? That I’m trying tokillyou?”
“Pierce, stop it! You said you wouldn’t do this.” Eleanor tried to pull him away, but again, he extracted his arm.
Violet stood back, worry on her face, arms wrapped around her waist.
“Someone knew where Nylah was sitting in that café before the shooting,” Liam said quietly. “Right down to the exact booth. The timing matched when you left.”
“So you just assumed it was me with no other evidence?”
“No.” Jason stepped closer. “Notwith no other evidence. Nylah saw the face of a man at the engagement party shooting—andyoudidn’t bother getting a description when she offered one. You also didn’t ask her to identify whether he was one of the assholes who’d died.”
Carlson’s eyes rounded and his lips snapped shut. It took a moment for him to speak. “Because everyone who was therediddie. It would have been a waste of time. It was more important to question you guys—you had more information than her.”
“You’re wrong,” Liam said between gritted teeth. “That assholelived. And seeing his face is the reason she’s been a target this whole goddamn time.”
Some of the color leached from Carlson’s face.
Nylah frowned, wondering for the first time if it really had just been a big mistake on his part. Maybe he couldn’t be bothered with the paperwork. Or he’d just been in such a rush to question the guys, he’d disregarded her.
“I didn’t know,” he said quietly.
Liam’s hands fisted, watching the guy like he was studying for a lie. “Now you do.”
Carlson stepped back, scowl firmly etched on his face. Without another word, he turned and stalked back to the car.
“Pierce!” Eleanor called. She cringed, turning back to them. “Sorry. I came to check on the shop. He asked to come, and I made him promise not to do anything like this if he saw any of you.”
“It’s okay, El,” Courtney said softly, stepping up beside Jason.
“You’re in a tough position,” Nylah added.
