Seeking Justice (13 page)

Chapter Eight

I
laugh as Leon swats at his cousin Tony with a bar towel. Tony’s too fast though and moves back out of the line of fire, grinning at me.

“You won’t be smiling if Mr. Justice sees you flirting with his employee.” Leon scowls at him.

Tony shrugs in a nonchalant manner. There’s no reason to be concerned, Mr. Justice is nowhere to be seen. It’s been over an hour since Liam left me here at the bar, warning me to stay put. I remind myself to inform him that I don’t stay on command.

I’ve probably had too much wine to drink, but Tony keeps refilling my glass. He zeroed in on me as soon as Liam left, right after telling Leon to keep an eye on me. I was a little annoyed at first but then amused. Would he keep me here by force?

I do venture over to speak with Shelly, one of the weekend hostesses whom Liam called in. She seems nice and says she needs the extra hours, which makes me feel better about her having to cover for me.

I return to the bar, and Tony immediately steps away from the two club members he was waiting on. Both women look at me and frown. Tony is a handsome devil and charming as all hell with his sexy accent and sparkling black eyes. I can understand how he’s probably a favorite around here with the female members. He told me he comes in to work for Liam a couple times a month, doing whatever Liam needs him to do at the time.

I feel a sudden tingling along the back of my neck. I know it’s Liam even before I turn to see him standing beside one of the pillars between the restaurant and the bar watching me.

Damn he’s gorgeous.
He stands with his legs braced apart, his arms crossed over his chest. With his shirt sleeves still rolled to his elbows¸ his muscular forearms make me feel weak remembering the strength in them. His dark hair is in its usual sexy disarray, making my fingers positively itch to pull at the silken strands. And even from across the room as I look into the most unbelievable blue eyes I’ve ever seen, I’m in danger of melting into a puddle right where I sit. A dull throb starts low in my belly.

The two women sitting across the bar from me wave to him. He looks their way, and then gives me a quick glance before moving across the room with that easy grace that causes the dull throb to turn into an all-out ache.

Tony leans in and taps his finger against the rim of my wine glass.

“I’m out of here in a couple hours. We could go see other bar, maybe dance,” he says in his thick accent.

I tear my gaze from Liam, who’s laughing with the women, to look up into Tony’s anxious eyes. He’s sweet, and I hope my being friendly with him hasn’t led to a misunderstanding.

“I’m sorry, Tony. Mr. Justice wants to speak with me that’s why I’ve been here, waiting for him.”

Tony looks disappointed for a moment, and then his face breaks out into a bright smile. “Soon we will go out. You won’t say no.”

I bite my lip. How do I do this? “Tony, I don’t think—”

“Miss Shaw, are you ready?”

I’m startled, not realizing Liam’s standing behind us.

“Mr. Justice,” Tony greets.

Liam shakes Tony’s hand. “How’s it going Tony?” Liam grips my elbow and draws me up from the bar stool.

“It goes good, Mr. Justice.”

As Liam leads me away, I glance back to see Tony’s confused expression.

“I can’t leave you alone, for two minutes,” Liam mutters, looking down at me from the corner of his eye.

I huff a soft breath. “Two minutes?” I give him a raised eyebrow.

He leans down, his mouth close to my ear. “I was in the security office, darlin’. I could see you on a monitor,” he says softly. I blush slightly and feel warm from the idea of him spying on me.

“Like a peeping pervert?”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment and then he’s laughing out loud.

We garner several glances as he leads me from the bar through the restaurant to the door going out into the hallway. I’m surprised when he directs me to the security office.

“Right this way, Miss Shaw.” He opens the door and gestures for me to precede him.

He stands in the doorway, and I breathe in his intoxicating scent as I brush past him. My reaction to his nearness makes me tense all over. I chance a look up, and he gives me a cursory glance. I’m at once nervous, wondering why we’re here.

I’ve never been in the security room, and I look around with interest. Mike Bowen sits before a wall of monitors and glances up to give me a nod. I’ve seen plenty of cameras located around Justice House, and here is proof of surveillance coverage for every room. Including the bar.

My gaze immediately settles on one monitor, in particular.

The space the surveillance camera is covering is an extensive area. Is the location upstairs? It almost resembles a—dungeon. The walls appear as if they are stone, and the lighting is subdued, flickering light coming from wall sconces. There seem to be several activities going on around the large room, but my attention centers on one. There’s no volume, thank goodness as the visual alone is enough. I’m not sure that if I were able to hear the woman’s screams, I’d be any more alarmed by the scene than I am. She’s tied, naked, to a large wooden cross while a man stands behind her wielding a wicked looking whip. And she is definitely screaming.

Holy shit!

I feel the air suck right out of my lungs. I look at Liam, and he’s watching me intently.

“Miss Shaw.” Mike draws my attention as he reaches over and hits a button on his console of buttons and switches. Every monitor goes blank, save for one. He taps another button, and I appear on the screen. As he taps, I see myself from different angles as I walk down a long hallway, carrying a tray with glasses and champagne. It’s evident that I’m looking for a particular room, and when a dark-haired man steps out into the hallway and nearly collides with me, Mike freezes the frame. Looking up he asks, “Have you ever seen this man before?”

I take a deep breathe. I wonder what Liam is thinking. “No.”

“Are you sure? Look carefully.”

“I am positive. I already looked at him when we were in the hallway. I’ve never seen that man before.”

Mike’s gaze holds mine for a moment longer and then he reaches to flip a switch, and we watch the scene from earlier that day replay. He again stops the video when I reach the room, glancing nervously at the stranger.

Both men remain silent, and then Mike asks, “Miss Shaw, why did the man in the hallway make you uncomfortable?” He looks up expectantly at me.

I frown and then shrug. “I’m not sure why… he just did. Sorry, I wish I could be more specific.” I remember thinking at the time that I couldn’t pinpoint my unease about the man.

He glances over at Liam.

“Cait.” I look at Liam. He stands with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall. “Did you read the employee manual that Holly gave you when you first hired on?”

“Yes.”

“And did you read the part that states if anyone says or does anything to make you feel uncomfortable, you are to report them?” He holds my gaze with that piercing blue stare of his.

Crap.
I think I’m in trouble again. However, this time, Liam holds some of the blame. It’s not as if he gave me any time to report anything. I don’t really want to talk about it in front of Mike, though.

“Yes,” I say softly.

He continues to hold my gaze, and then he sighs heavily. Pushing away from the wall he walks toward the door.

“Keep checking, Mike.” He glances over at me. “Let’s go.” He holds the door open and then follows me out into the hallway.

“Liam—”

“Not here,” he says firmly.

As soon as we enter his office, he heads to his liquor cabinet and pours a drink. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“No thank you.”

He sits on the couch and pats the spot beside him. “Have a seat.”

I sit but not right beside him. He quirks his eyebrow before taking a sip of his drink. “Would you care for a water? I keep bottles in the mini-fridge, help yourself.”

“I’m fine thank you.”

He crosses a leg over the other at the knee angling his body toward mine. Stretching his arm along the top of the couch, his intense gaze settles on me.

We sit for several minutes with him watching me. Finally, I decide to bring up the episode with the stranger upstairs, ending the nerve-racking silence.

“Liam, I didn’t get a chance to think about reporting that man. I had just come down from upstairs when you… then when we were in here… I… ”

Liam doesn’t say a thing he just continues his unrelenting regard.

“You didn’t… give me a chance to explain,” I say softly. I know he’s seen the rest of the surveillance footage and now knows, at least in part, Miranda’s neglect in telling him about the man. I venture another glance to find him still watching me.

He takes a sip of his drink and then places the glass on the small table that sits in front of the couch.

“How many lovers have you had?”

“What?” I manage to gasp out.

“I want to know how many men you’ve slept with.” His arm still lies across the back of the couch, but now his arm’s bent at the elbow, his chin resting on his hand while one of his long fingers strokes his bottom lip.

I look away. “One.” My face heats with my blush.

For several moments, he doesn’t say anything else, and I try hard not to squirm under his scrutiny.

“And what did your lover do for you that you enjoyed?”

I huff. “What?” Why is he asking me this? What would he think about me asking how many women he’s slept with? That’s probably a staggering amount. I sigh inwardly.

“I don’t like repeating myself, Caitlyn.” His hand drops from his face. “Now answer the question.”

I flush again and look away. “Nothing.”

“Excuse me?” I look back to see his frown.

“It’s okay for
me
to repeat
myself
?”

He cocks his head and raises an eyebrow. “Your smart mouth is going to get you into trouble with me, darlin’,” he drawls softly.

My breath catches at his tone. His eyes hold mine, intimidating me further.

“He wasn’t… I don’t think of him as my lover.” I lick my lips in nervousness. “He was my first boyfriend and… ” Shit, this is embarrassing.

Liam moves suddenly. Gripping my arm, he pulls me over settling me on his lap. My stomach is set aflutter as I absorb his scent.

When I meet his gaze, he smooth’s my hair behind my shoulder and gives me a small smile, his eyes staring into mine.

“I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” I sound breathless, and I can’t look away from his stunning eyes. “I shouldn’t have slept with him just because he was pressuring me, and all my friends were doing the deed.”

A slightly amused, puzzled expression crosses Liam’s face.

“I know, lame reason to have sex… and it wasn’t that good. I mean, neither one of us knew what we were doing. And it didn’t get any better over time.” I take a deep breath. I’m not sure why I’m explaining this to him, probably because I’m nervous. “I finally realized he wasn’t what I wanted… or needed,” I say softly. “I… I wanted the all-consuming passion where you can’t keep your hands off each other. Where you need, the other person like you need your next breath.” I blush, looking down.
Shut up, Cait.
A nervous laugh escapes my lips. “Did I mention I was only nineteen?”

“Cait.”

I look up, and he smiles, his eyes alight with humor. “I was apologizing… for not letting you explain earlier.”

“Oh.” I gasp.
Oh!
Oh, shit! I bring my hands up to my mouth. In retrospect, I should have done that sooner. As my embarrassment grows, I move my hands up to cover my face wanting to be anywhere, but sitting here on his lap.

Liam laughs a deep full laugh and pulls my hands away from my face.

Damn it… why does my brain stop functioning around this man? I dramatically drop my upper body backward over the arm of the couch.
Floor open up and swallow me now.

When his fingers stroke down across my chest, my breath catches, and my attention immediately centers on those long fingers. I raise my head.

There’s a small frown between his brows, and those blue, blue eyes take on a sudden fervent gleam. His arm goes under my shoulders lifting me up to meet his mouth as he brings his down on mine, sucking and nipping at my lips. I reach up to run my fingertips over the soft stubble on his jaw. He deepens the kiss, and I turn more fully into him, my fingers skimming his sideburn and then back along his jawline. Arms tighten around me as his large hand fists in my hair, his kiss becoming possessive and dominant. A shiver runs down my spine as raw need settles in my lower extremities.

His tongue is forceful as I return his kiss with equal fervor. Cupping my face, his fingers skim my jaw trailing down my neck. As he encircles my throat with his large hand, I feel the pulse in my neck flutter against his palm. When his hand moves down to mold firmly around my breast, I moan as he plucks at my nipple with his fingertips. His hand continues down flattening over my stomach, and my muscles jerk in response to his touch.

As the palm of his hand presses against my mound, I gasp against his mouth and moan loudly as hot desire pools in my belly.

“Shhhh,” he says against my lips.

His hand smooths up my thigh, under the skirt of my dress, and then he’s pulling my dress up and over my head. I try to sit up, but he pushes against my chest, pushing me back down until my head is resting on the arm of the couch, and my bottom rests on his lap. His hard erection throbs against my backside. My whole body is quivering as I lie there in my bra and panties, his eyes scorching my skin as they move over me.

Oh, I want this man.

He reaches down to stroke across my panties with the lightest touch, right over my sensitized clit. He does this repeatedly until I’m gasping with desire and arching up into his hand.

His eyes are blazing as they look into mine. “Are you ready for me to fuck you, Caitlyn?”

No one has ever spoken as crudely to me as he does, but it’s a complete turn on with Liam.

“Yes!” I gasp as he slides my panties aside and enters two long, thick fingers deep into my slick passage.

“You’re always so fucking wet for me,” he growls.

I buck hard against his hand, and the sudden pressure against my sex, against my clit, causes my back to arch pressing me more firmly onto his fingers. My legs stiffen, my body tightens, and I cry out with my release.

“Fuck!” Liam cries out hoarsely.

My body convulses as I climax, pulsing around his fingers still buried deep inside of me. He holds me tightly against his body as I shudder in the aftershocks of my orgasm.

Shit! That was…

Leaning over me, Liam smooth’s the hair off my forehead as he gazes down at me.

“Do you know what a fucking turn on that just was?” he laughs softly.

I’m embarrassed. He barely touched me, he must think…. I turn to hide my face against his stomach, deeply mortified by my reaction.

“Hey,” his deep voice takes on a gentleness I’ve never heard. It is incredibly sexy, and I feel an answer to his tone deep in my core. “Look at me, baby,” he commands in the same tone.