Vice Read online

  The worst part was knowing she’d wounded him. All he’d wanted was a bit of solace at a bad moment in his life, and she’d managed to rub salt in his wounds and make him feel like a worm. She didn’t think she could hate herself more, and didn’t understand why it should bother her so much.

  As soon as the eHarmony spokesman reaffirmed that he had the perfect match for her, she decided to call it a night. Dumping the remains of her gluttony in the sink, she made her way to the bathroom, then wandered back toward the kitchen to make sure her freezer door was closed tightly. Damn door had a tendency to pop open.

  It was then she noticed the open living room window. But the A/C was on, and she wouldn’t have left the window open. As the sinking feeling hit her soul, she turned and saw a figure in the room.

  He was no more than a dark shadow. But he was real, and he was big, and he was in her living room.

  He moved in front of her, his body a wall of black clothing. Before she could scream, he pinned her to the kitchen wall and grabbed her jaw.

  “Well, well.” His voice was like gravel and cigarettes. “Louis Callender’s kid. I can see the resemblance.”

  “Who the hell are you?” Kate managed to say.

  “Sorry, Red. I ask the questions here and you’d better answer. ” He looked her up and down, his iron grip locked on her face. “Now, be a good girl and hand over the money.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You are Louis’s kid?”

  “His name is on my birth certificate, if that’s what you mean.”

  The man eased his grip and caressed her cheek, making her want to vomit. “Well, Red, your daddy borrowed a lot of money from me. And it’s time to pay it back. With interest.”

  She would not cry. She would not cry, as terrified as this shit made her. “So talk to my father. It’s his problem, not mine.”

  The man angled his head. “Oh, I did talk to him, sweet cheeks. And he pointed me in your direction. I know old Louis doesn’t have a pot to piss in, but he said you’ve helped him before. So it’s your problem now, darlin’.”

  “What makes you think I have that kind of money just lying around?”

  The man’s measured movements made her think of a komodo dragon in a nature show. His beady eyes and thick limbs even resembled the predatory reptile. He slithered his hand from her cheek down to her neck, his touch light but ready to strike. “Well, you’ll just need to find it somewhere. Five grand. If you don’t come up with it, I might be forced to cash in another way.”

  She wanted to scream but the sound stuck in her throat. “Please…”

  He leaned in and breathed on her. “You know, you are very pretty.” He moved one large hand down her torso and loosened the tie on her robe, pulling until the two flaps opened. He gawked at her chest. “Very pretty. That’s why I won’t break anything tonight, but you might have a few bruises when I’m done. Something to remember me by.”

  She tried again to scream, but only succeeded in squeaking. She threw up her hands to protect herself. It was no good. Within seconds, his hands were on her shoulders and he’d shoved her against the wall. Reeling from the impact, she barely had time to recover before he hauled back and let his fist fly toward her face. Hard bone cracked and shards of lightning flashed in front of her. She fell to the floor.

  Somehow in her fall she’d finally managed a scream, but it sounded so far away.

  Somewhere in the foggy distance she thought she heard a man’s shout and someone banging down her door. In the eternity it took for her to raise her head, she saw her assailant race to the open window, hauling his body through to the fire escape. And then, a loud noise from the front door.

  “Kate!”

  Cradling her already swollen eye, she managed to prop herself up on her elbow to see better, sure she’d drifted into unconsciousness and a new dream world. There in her living room again, fists clenched, was Liam. With his lips stretched thin and his jaw ticking, he looked ready to murder her attacker. He sprinted to the fire escape window and lunged out the window in an attempt to grab the man. However, she could already hear him pounding down the fire escape steps.

  “Fuck!” Liam shouted. “Get back here, you fucked up piece of shit!” She flinched when she heard another bang, but realized it was just Liam slamming his hand against the wall.

  Shock and pain made her arms give out and she fell back to the floor. As agony claimed her body yet again, she closed her eyes. Within seconds, Liam’s arms supported her, gently sliding under her and picking her up. He carried her to her bedroom and laid her on her bed, cursing the entire way. When he set her down, he brought the flaps of her robe together and tied it, preserving her modesty.

  Even in her haze, that one small action made her heart skip a beat.

  She didn’t know why Liam had come back, but she was glad he was there. Too stunned by events, she didn’t have the wherewithal to question his sudden reappearance. She just lay back and closed her eyes as the mattress rushed up to cushion her.

  The bed dipped under his weight as he sat next to her. “Who the hell was that nasty fuck?” He touched a hand to her hair.

  Kate didn’t say a word and just enjoyed his gentle touch. Way better than a bath in chocolate sauce, so she imagined.

  “Don’t faint now.”

  His clear, forceful tone brought her back to reality. “I won’t. I just had no idea getting popped in the eye would hurt so much.” She cracked open her good eye. “I guess this’ll be my first shiner.”

  The paleness of Liam’s face made her wonder if he might lose consciousness instead. “Who was that man?”

  “A loan shark, I think. My dad borrowed money from him. A lot.”

  “And now he’s come after you?”

  “Seems that way.”

  More swearing. He stood and ran his hands through his hair.

  “Don’t go,” she said softly. Not again.

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Liam’s voice rose. “What if he comes back? We need to call the police.” He pulled his cellphone out.

  She touched his hand and his head snapped up, his gaze locked on her. “Please, Liam. Just give me a chance to breathe first.”

  He frowned, but put the phone away. “Okay, breathe.” He touched a hand to her brow, checking out her eye, grazing her skin softly so as not to hurt her. “I don’t suppose you have any frozen steaks in your freezer?”

  “Is that all you can think about? Food?” Wanting to cry, she’d made a joke instead. Maybe humor, as feeble as her attempt might be, would ward off the tears.

  He glared at her, as if angry she could kid under the circumstances. But then his mouth relaxed and his husky eyes glimmered. “You’re a piece of work, you know that?”

  “I wouldn’t argue the point tonight.”

  He brushed a hand over her head and sighed. “I’m going to raid your freezer for a bag of…gluten-free peas or whatever. Are you okay for a minute?”

  The waterworks threatened like a tsunami gathering momentum, but she blinked them away. “I’m sure I’ll even be okay for two or three.”

  With a look that suggested his desire to turn her over his knee, Liam stood and made his way into her kitchen. She couldn’t help but look at his ass, but then remembered she was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown and shouldn’t be noticing men’s rounded tushes at all. Especially not his.

  The pain in her head launched another assault on her, making her see stars. Or were they dancing pumpkin carriages? She wasn’t sure. She just wanted to close her eyes, take a lot of medication and forget the world for a few hours. Groaning, she held her head and turned into the pillow.

  As much as she’d always dreamed of being able to put her one jujitsu lesson to work, tonight was proof she’d never have a career in martial arts.

  She heard Liam’s footsteps return and opened
her eyes. Her pain must be written all over her face because he began cursing again. The man knew a few colorful words, probably from hanging around his casinos. He came bearing a bag of frozen peas, a glass of water, Tylenol and what looked like a clean, wet tea towel.

  He put the items on her bedside table and helped her sit up. “Here. Let me clean you up.”

  She reached for the tea towel. “I can do it.”

  The laser-like focus of his eyes resembled a lead dog sprinting forward on the Iditarod. “Kate Callender, you will sit still and let me help you. Understand?”

  She nodded, unsure if she was grateful or pissed off for his macho attitude. Grateful might be the better plan, given his current frame of mind. She could easily see how Liam had become such a powerful businessman. As thoughtful as he could be, he made it very clear when he wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.

  He opened the Tylenol bottle and popped a couple into her hand. As she swallowed the pills, he held the glass to her lips. Again, she wanted to argue and say she could manage a drink on her own, but she was embarrassed to admit she sort of liked this dynamic.

  He continued to stare at her lips as she drank, but he might have been staring at a puzzle whose last piece he couldn’t locate. After a few sips, he removed the glass and turned away.

  “Now,” he said, grabbing the tea towel. “Let me see if I can clean that cut. You’ll probably have a black eye from this. If I ever see that bastard again…”

  He didn’t say what he would do, but from the darkness in his eyes she knew it wouldn’t be good. She had no idea why Liam would be so upset about her being hurt. Sure, most guys would hate to see a woman battered, but there was something in his face that told of more than just general concern. Still, they barely knew each other, and just when they’d begun to get along, she’d managed to piss him off again. Although the set to his jaw certainly hinted at a possibility of him caring. Maybe a little.

  No, that punch must have made her loopy. He was only being nice.

  So why had he come back?

  He wrapped his hand in the wet towel and applied a soft pressure to the cuts on her brow. Shit, it hurt. Despite trying to appear strong, she let out a slight moan. As soon as she winced, he pulled his hand back. He sighed and continued gently, cleaning the blood from her brow. His fresh breath fanned over her, minty, despite drinking beer earlier, and his amazing cologne combined to enhance his already-intoxicating aura of manliness. She felt a little light-headed. Had he found the old prescription for Tylenol 3 in her medicine cabinet and fed her that, rather than the regular stuff?

  “There,” he said. “I think the worst of it’s gone.” He placed the towel on her bedside table, then ran his thumb over her forehead. The touch sent ripples of warmth through her, and she fought the urge to grab his hand and make him touch her properly.

  They stared at each other for an awkward amount of time and then Liam produced the bag of peas. “Lie down,” he urged. “I have to call the police. And I want my doctor to take a look at you.”

  “It’s really not necessary.”

  “Don’t even think of arguing with me.” He put the peas on her face. “Lie down and close your eyes.”

  Even though she felt she should protest further, she did as he asked. The cold vegetables numbed the tender areas around her eye. When she felt him move, she cracked open one eye. Liam had left the room but she could still see him as he stood just outside her bedroom. Facing away from her, he pulled out his cell phone. Broad shoulders gave way to a long, lean back, tapering down to a slim waist. He had the sort of body meant for embracing a woman. She knew this, and she hadn’t even seen him naked, even though he’d seen her. He was the sort of man who could make a woman feel secure, cherished.

  Even as those silly thoughts invaded her brain, the dancing pumpkin carriages rolled before her eyes again. She closed both her eyes and grabbed the hand of the imaginary footman. She boarded one of the carriages, waved at her invisible admirers like the princess of Crazytown, and drifted off into unconsciousness.

  Chapter Seven

  Near daybreak, Liam showed Dr. Chan to the door, thanking him for his assistance. Kate had put some proper clothes on, thank God, because if he had to see her on the couch in that fuzzy robe it would do him in.

  To think that bastard had seen her the same way, and hurt her…

  Now dressed in khaki shorts and a pink T-shirt, she seemed no less vulnerable. Staring out the window, curled up with her knees tucked up under her, she reminded him of a little girl. Her hair was still down from when he’d removed her elastic.

  She made for a sweet image, except for the circles of fatigue under her eyes and the darkening shiner.

  No wonder she was tired. He’d accompanied her to the police station where she’d poured through countless mug shots and had ID’d her attacker, a local loan shark named Hugo Vaughan. He’d managed to stay under the radar for years, but was known to police for roughing up his customers and getting a little too friendly with the ladies.

  Liam had confirmed the picture of Vaughan resembled the man he’d chased out of the apartment, although the loser had a shorter haircut than the one he sported in his mug shot. He’d held Kate’s hand while she’d recounted the incident several times and answered their questions, all of which just seemed to make her retreat into herself.

  Afterward, he’d brought her back to her apartment and had his physician give her a once-over. Nothing serious, thank God, but disturbing all the same.

  Now it was time for him to go and leave her alone for the night. Hell, it had already been morning for some time. Only he couldn’t seem to make his feet head out the door. He’d already walked away once, and that had made his stomach turn over with queasiness.

  After his time with her earlier, after seeing how her orgasm transformed his world, he couldn’t turn his back on her now. He still wanted her, even though she wasn’t sure what she wanted.

  Kate glanced at the clock. “Liam, thank you. For everything. It’s way past late. You should go home. You’ve done enough.”

  Had he? It didn’t feel that way. He never should have left her alone. He should have stayed, pride be damned. “How are you feeling?”

  “Numb.”

  He joined her on the couch, taking a moment to look around her living room, noting the lack of secure locks and cracked old window frames. “We need to get you to a more secure location.”

  She let out a giggle. “You sound like the dude on Hawaii 5-0.” She ran a finger over one of the red blooms on the chintz couch fabric.

  “I’m serious, Kate. You’re not safe here.”

  Once again, quiet fell over the room, long as a church service on Christmas Eve. Twice she was about to speak, but each time she said nothing. She simply took turns staring at her lap and staring at him, and he’d never felt more anxious.

  What the hell was happening here? This woman was destroying all his resolve. After her slip of the tongue, he’d decided to walk out the door and not turn back. Give her time to decide what she wanted. But he’d only managed to pace up and down her street for the better part of an hour, wondering if he could fix things between them. Sure, he’d come on really strong, but they’d both been caught up in the moment. He’d walk away, forgetting that he felt at home with her.

  Home.

  Hell, any sense of home he’d ever known had been skewed, but in being with Kate, in breathing the air around her, he’d finally felt it.

  He acknowledged he could have, should have, handled things better, but his desire had overwhelmed him. The moment he’d declared his intentions, he’d abandoned common sense, and became oblivious to the gentle rules of courtship. He’d only known red hot need. He’d returned, hoping to make things better, only to find that bastard Vaughan in Kate’s unit. He’d wanted to tear the big ape to pieces. But right now it was more important to help her.

&nbs
p; “Kate, you told the police your dad owes that man five thousand dollars.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll give you the money.”

  “No, you won’t. It’s my problem, not yours. And it’s not your fault my family tree is a diseased one.”

  “It’s a drop in the bucket for me. I want to.”

  “I said, no.” She narrowed her good eye and her warm hazel gaze frosted over, hardening her face.

  “But I want…”

  “You want, you want! Is that how you operate? By browbeating people to accept what you want? Well, I don’t work for you and I don’t have to listen to you. And I certainly don’t want you to give me money to pay off a crook.”

  “And if that shit tries to hurt you again?”

  “Look, Liam. I appreciate the gesture but all my life I’ve failed in distancing myself from my father’s addiction. I’ve fucked everything up and I need to be strong now. He’ll come up with the money. He always does. He may be down right now, but before you know it, he’ll be flashing the cash around again. I’ve seen it all before. And that man tonight was not the first person to demand money from me.”

  Liam had to close his gaping mouth. “You’ve had creditors come after you before?”

  “It’s not a big deal. They’ve shown up at my door many times. This was the first one to hit me, but others have made threats. They come to nothing. This guy will disappear like the rest once my father pays him back.”

  “And if he doesn’t?” He knew he sounded angry but he couldn’t help it.

  She didn’t reply.

  “Kate, talk to me.”

  She stared into the distance, as if recalling unhappy memories. When she spoke again, her voice was almost a whisper. “I don’t like going there. All my life, I’ve known my dad was no better than a thief and a cheat. But he’s never left me holding the ball. Sure, he’s played the blame game and begged for cash, but he’d never put me in real jeopardy.” Now she really did look like a little girl, one who still believed her dad would keep her safe, if only in this one, small way.