“Just like that.”
“Come on, Constance. Be real! You wouldn’t have given me a second glance that night if you knew I was Serena Dembrinsky’s husband.”
“No, I wouldn’t have.”
“Exactly, so I couldn’t tell you. And I know you think I’m some worthless cheater, but it’s not like that. I swear! About a year before I met you, I was sent undercover. My division had been surveilling the Dembrinskys for years.”
“Watching them for what?” I frown.
“We’d suspected Maxium for embezzlement, fraud, and Mafia affiliation. He’d been using the hospital as a front to move money. Grant funding went missing, corners were being cut, which ultimately led to the death of several patients.”
“I’ve been there for a long time, Liam. Patients die every day. How do you know it was due to Maxium?”
“Well, we didn’t for a while. A tip came in from a member of their finance team about the missing funds. Before a formal testimony could be given, that person went missing and was found dead weeks later. We needed another way to get close to them. At the time, Serena was a hot mess and all over the media for reckless drinking and partying. If it was one thing anyone knew about Maxium, it’s that he loved his daughter. Every other attempt to infiltrate his group was a bust. But I was confident we were taking the wrong approach. It took a bit of discussion, but my captain approved sending me under. I was to run into Serena at a club, get close to her, and hopefully make her fall in love with me.”
As I listen to Liam, my head spins. I try to wrap my mind around this new information, but it’s all overwhelming.
“She did, and after a year I’d finally gotten close enough that Maxium welcomed me like a son. I somehow cleaned up Serena’s act. The partying slowed, and she wasn’t making a fool of her father in the news anymore. But dating her wasn’t enough. He pushed for us to get engaged, but I refused. Claiming I wasn’t ready. A part of my cover was that I was unemployed, working odd jobs to make a little cash. So I told him that while I loved his daughter, I couldn’t marry her when I’m not financially capable of providing for her. I’d hoped it would have ended it there, but it didn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Maxium liked me, and Serena loved me. So, he promised if I married and continue to make her happy, I’d never have to worry about money. That he appreciates a man who wants to do and make more to give those he loves a better life. We’d soon be family, and as family we stick together.”
“He employed you?” I interrupt.
“Yes. No real title. But I served as a Marine before joining the FBI and had many useful skills that he found interesting. I became head of security for Maxium, monitoring threats. That spilled over into the hospital as I was responsible for increasing cyber protections there. I never really stepped foot in the hospital before. Only during charity events that required Serena’s appearance.”
“The charity gala.” I recall so much about that evening but can’t place seeing Serena’s face. “She wasn’t there, though.”
“No, not that night. She was vacationing with a few girlfriends, so I went instead.”
I nod.
“I didn’t want to marry her. Because I never loved her and I…” He stops short and straightens his posture.
“You what?”
“I only wanted to get married once and to the love of my life. But Captain didn’t want to pass up on this opportunity. I’d be closer than anyone ever has to Maxium, and refusing to take him up on his offer could have meant tanking the operation. Besides, I was using a fake name, so I wouldn’t really be married.”
When he finishes, I quietly direct my attention out the window. He watches me like he’s waiting for me to say something. He wanted me to know. Now I do, and honestly, I don’t feel any better about the situation. No matter how you spin it, he was with her for six years. It’s nearly impossible to spend that much time with someone you’re supposed to be married to, for real or for the job, and not feel something. He still left me and went home to her. Both her heart and mine broke when we learned about each other. And my life was still uprooted. I don’t know what he wants me to say, but all I feel now is more exhausted.
Things were already awkward between us, and after his confession and my lack of response, that awkwardness increased. For the last couple of hours, we rode in complete silence. He’d try to make small talk, but I just wasn’t having it and eventually dozed off.
My sleep is broken by the swaying of the car. I open my eyes to see Liam coaxing the vehicle back into our lane. I look over at him as he shakes his head. Dark circles and heavy eyelids let’s me know he’s tired.
“How much sleep did you get?” I ask, realizing I hadn’t seen him get any since he dragged me from my apartment.
“I’m fine,” he says, though his body tells a different story. His head jerks forward, but he quickly regains composure.
I lean over and peek at the dashboard. We’ll be needing gas soon. Pushing my elbows into the seat, I peer at the approaching sign. “Get off at this exit.”
“Why?”
“We need gas, and you need sleep.”
“I said I’m okay.”
“No…you’re not, and I’d like to not end up dead on the side of the road because you fell asleep at the wheel. Now pull over.”
He clears his throat and merges on to the exit. A quarter mile down, he turns into the fuel station and up to a pump. I reach in the back for my purse and pop my door open.
Liam grabs my wrist. “You can’t use your cards.”
“I have cash. Not a lot, but it should at least get us to where we’re going. You don’t keep cash?”
“Some. In my duffle,” he adds tiredly.
“Okay, we can use that for food when we get to Escape.” I exit the car and head inside.
The car door closes behind me, and I turn to find Liam following suit. I choose not to question it, figuring he either wants to be sure I’m safe or needs to use the bathroom. A bell sounds off, announcing our entrance to the clerk at the register. She greets us with a half-smile and returns to the book she’s reading. Liam finds the restroom, and I decide to head in myself. We both exit at once; he goes back to the pump and I scour the aisles for snacks before going to pay.
“Will that be all for you, miss?” the redheaded clerk asks.
“And thirty on eight, please.”
She nods. I peek out the window, signaling to Liam that it is okay to fill up the tank. He throws me a thumbs-up and pushes a few buttons on the machine. As he does, I tap my fingers against the counter while the clerk takes her time ringing up each item. I glance around the store, looking for nothing in particular, to keep from awkwardly staring at her face. The TV behind her flickers, grabbing my attention, so I narrow my sights as she bags my items. The volume is low, but a bold caption dance across the screen. My heartbeat plummets to my core, and my mouth instantly goes dry. Rooted in place, I blink rapidly, trying to process what I'm seeing. She places the last item into the plastic bag and slides it to me. I’m so distracted, I barely notice her slipping the money from my hand.