Page 87 of Desperate Measures
Dad and my uncles took Liam back to that study for an hour after I’d finished talking to him, which gave me just enough time to catch everyone up.
Afterwards, my father proposed a toast in mine and Liam’s honor and announced he would be hosting a wedding reception with my mother for the two of us in six months.
I was so moved, I cried, and being the awesome Dad that he was, he teared up too.
“Okay, no more crying. Everyone, raise your glass of punch and let’s get to partying!” Aunt Meredith had shouted, breaking up all our sappy displays.
Thank God.
The rest of the night was spent drinking and dancing, and if my handsome husband swayed me until we stood directly beneath several sprigs of mistletoe Aunt Mer had the decorators strategically hang from the ceiling in the ballroom, let’s just say I was more than happy to kiss his delicious lips.
Only the snarled “enough” shouted from across the room in a booming voice laced with hints of an old Russian accent pulled us apart. Giggling, we spent the rest of the night sneaking kisses in dark corners, and instead of staying like I’d planned, Liam had a driver take us home.
“So I can fuck you properly and not in a house full of men you happen to be related to who are scarier than me.”
The exquisite soreness between my legs reminded me that we spent the weekend doing exactly that. I sighed and clacked away on my keyboard, replying to correspondence I’d ignored all weekend.
I thought I’d ruined everything by confessing my love for my husband, but it turned out to be the best decision ever.
It was a little difficult concentrating on work, and Liam gave up about an hour ago, kissing me silly before announcing he was going to Connor’s office to finish what he was doing.
“I can’t think with you so close to me,” he whispered before he left.
“Maybe I should get my own office?” I asked, not really wanting to disturb him when I knew how busy he was.
“No way. It’ll be fine. Oh, Mrs. Finley is coming with me, though. I need her to translate for us,” he said and kissed my temple before he left.
God, I loved when he did that.
He was always petting and caressing me, kissing my head or neck. It was like the second he admitted his feelings, he couldn’t stop showing it. And I loved it. I loved every second of it.
I had to admit I’d been surprised when he told me sweet old Mrs. Finley spoke a dozen languages and was able to read and write in all of them. I could curse in Russian and Italian, but that was about it. Though Liam promised to teach me some of the Irish Gaelic phrases he used so often when we were being intimate.
Someone knocked as I finished up an email to an applicant for Clint’s old position. The woman applying looked fantastic on paper, and I was hoping to schedule an in person interview for as soon as possible.
“Come in,” I said distractedly.
I looked up and gasped when half a dozen men in head to toe black with masks covering their faces rushed towards me. Before I could scream, someone had their arm around my neck.
“Say goodnight, bitch,” he hissed.
I struggled for one second before I felt a pinch in my neck. Heat flooded my system, and my last thought was of Liam before the whole world went black.
* * *
Iwoke up some time later in a dark, dank room with my hands and ankles tied to a chair.
My head ached, and my mouth was dry. I couldn’t be sure how many minutes or hours had passed. But I knew it was likely the latter since I was so damn thirsty.
The door opened with a creak and a slam and a couple of the same armed men in black who took me filed inside.
Only this time, they weren’t alone.
“Oh, Little Wolf, if only Liam hadn’t gotten so caught up in you, this wouldn’t have had to happen.”
Fear spiraled up my spine, and I struggled to hold my head up, but the pain was so great, and my vision was a little blurry.
“Margaret?”