to Brock about a site visit tomorrow. And it’s time for marketing to start putting together the early preview plans.”
The head of my area, Lisa, nodded. She was a tiny, intimidating woman of about sixty, with a perfect, ash-blonde bob haircut. “I can do a visit tomorrow. Abigail can come and take notes.”
“Oh, I’m out of the office tomorrow,” Abigail said.
“I’m sure Penn can fill in,” Liam said.
My head shot up as he said my alias. He was looking at me, and everyone else turned to do the same.
“I’m sure Ms. Channing will be happy to attend,” Lisa said.
“Sure thing.” My burner phone buzzed. As the conversation moved on, I pulled it into my lap.
“Penn?” Abigail murmured. “He calls you by your first name? What exactly did you do to get him to sign that file?”
“Gave him a coffee. That’s it.” I decided not to mention knocking it all over him or seeing his bare chest. I looked at my phone in my lap and my pulse quickened.
There was a text from Nexus.
Meet in the coffee shop downstairs. 15 minutes.
As the meeting wound up, I breathed slowly and stayed relaxed. I didn’t have long to get downstairs.
As everyone started to rise, I collected my things.
“Penn?”
I turned and braced, but Liam still made every cell in my body sit up and take notice. “Yes?”
“I hope you’re okay with the site visit tomorrow.”
“Absolutely.”
“Great. Come by my office in the morning and we’ll drive over together.”
“Um, I can go with Lisa.”
“She lives in Brooklyn, so she’ll meet us there.”
Darn. “Sure. All right.”
“We’re going early. Seven AM.”
“Not a problem.”
His smile made that lean, aristocratic face even more gorgeous. “See you tomorrow.”
I hurried to the elevator, power walked across the lobby, then raced to the Busy Bean.
I pulled out my phone and tapped in a message.
I’m here.
People were coming and going from the coffee shop, and the baristas looked run off their feet. No one looked like a criminal mastermind.
They never did.
Some of the people I’d seen break the law were just greedy or desperate people who’d made bad choices. But others had normal faces hiding rotten hearts.
A woman with dyed black hair stopped beside me. Her eyes were blue, but they looked blank, cold.
“Be ready. You’ll receive an envelope in the next few days. For now, leave this for the target to find.”
She handed me a small note, then the woman was gone.
I dragged in a breath and headed back to the office.
Once I was inside the elevator, I opened the note.
Secrets never stay in the shadows.
My gut cramped. What trouble was Liam Kensington in?
Secrets Never Stay in the Shadows
Liam
Liam dodged the hit, ducked his attacker’s arm, and landed his own hard punch to the man’s side.
His attacker grunted and staggered.
“Jesus, Kensington, what’s with you today?” Mav grunted.
“He’s kicking your ass, Mav,” Zane called out across the indoor gym.
“He wants it more,” another deep voice, one lined with grit, said.
Straightening, Liam glanced at Zane and their trainer, Simeon. The older man was lean, a little mean, and had no qualms about putting the three of them through their paces.
He taught them Krav Maga, and regularly kicked all their asses. He claimed he’d been in the Israeli military, but Zane swore he was an ex-Mossad spy.
Mav grabbed his water bottle from the corner of the mats and chugged. Liam nabbed his towel and wiped his face.
“He seemed off last night at dinner, too.” Mav scowled.
“Dinner was excellent, though,” Zane said. “Monroe likes to bake, but she isn’t fond of cooking. She loved your Beef Wellington, Liam.”
Surprisingly, Monroe was fitting into their trio easily.
Zane was lucky. He’d found a woman who was down-to-earth, gorgeous, smart, and fun. And most importantly real.
“My father is getting married again,” Liam said.
“Hell,” Mav grunted.
Liam shrugged. “I looked up my new stepmother-to-be. She’s twenty-five.”
“God.” Zane shook his head. “Sorry, Liam.”
“But no doubt my father is in New York for more than just introducing his fiancée to his son,” Liam said.
“Money,” Mav grumbled, his voice holding an edge.
“My father will leave New York eventually.” Liam wiped the back of his neck. “He always does. And I’ll wait to see both his wedding and divorce in the society pages.”
Zane gripped Liam’s shoulder and squeezed.
“Let’s get together Friday night,” Mav said. “I got my hands on a bottle of thirty-seven-year-old Lagavulin, and it has our names on it.”
“Sounds great.” Liam glanced at his Patek Philippe. “Shit, I need to shower and get to the office. I have an early off-site meeting.” He smiled, thinking