LITMIR.BIZ

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to twist his body and shoulder most of the impact, but they both went down with a humph.

      He groaned as his muscles recovered from the jolt. “Maura?”

      She sprawled on top of him not moving.

      “Hey!” He held on to her and struggled to sit up despite his awkward position, and about a hundred-thirty pounds of extra weight piled on top of him. “Are you okay?”

      She mumbled something that sounded like words but didn’t make much sense.

      Her long hair hung down in her face, but at least she was alive. “What are you doing back here? Why aren’t you at Dan’s house? The police think—”

      Her chest rose and fell on heavy breaths as she stared at him. “Do you welcome everyone that way?”

      Liam shook his head, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Who he was seeing. “What the hell is going on?”

      “That tackle wasn’t as bad as the fire, but close.”

      “You’re supposed to be dead.” Not the brightest conversation starter ever, but he figured it got the job done.

      Confusion cleared from her eyes. “Well, I’m not.”

      He gave her a little squeeze then shifted her to the side and off his injured leg as gently as possible. He took a long look at her. He rarely saw her despite his relationship with Dan. When he did, Liam was struck by a beautiful woman with a round face and big chocolate-brown eyes. Curvy, with shiny hair and wide smile.

      Now she had cuts on her hands and face. A bruise colored her cheek. Her clothes hung loose as if she showered and threw on someone else’s tee and pants.

      “Let’s try my first question again. Are you okay?” he asked.

      “I was, until about three seconds ago when you pummeled me.”

      “Thought you were a burglar.”

      She brushed her hands up and down her arms. “You have an interesting way of protecting your property.”

      She had no idea what he was capable of. “I don’t understand what’s going on. Dan thinks you’re dead. Everyone does.”

      “Can we go inside?”

      It was a cool April day and she was dressed for summer, but the weather was just about the last thing on his mind. “Explain first.”

      “Inside.” She glanced around and then leaned in to whisper. “Please.”

      No way could he fight that scared look on her face. He struggled to his feet and held a hand down to help her up. Her fingers felt like ice against his skin. “You could have gone in.”

      “You have enough security here for a small city.” She nodded toward the alarm panel. “Without the code, I wasn’t about to risk it. I didn’t want the police to come.”

      “Why?”

      She dropped his hand. “I’ll explain once we get inside. Promise.”

      The fence and tall trees gave them privacy, but the way she chewed on her lower lip suggested she didn’t feel all that safe. Paranoid and hunted—words he never would have used to describe her before. But they worked now. She’d aged before his eyes.

      It was official. He had no idea what was going on. That wasn’t exactly a new sensation where Maura was concerned, but this wasn’t about her fancy job and impressive book smarts. This was a common-sense matter of talking to the police. Seemed simple to him.

      “Let’s go.” When he reached over to guide her to the door with a hand at her back, she flinched. The reaction surprised him. Ticked him off, too. “Are you afraid of me now?”

      The taunt came more from habit than anything else. She had been avoiding him for so long that he expected her to do nothing else.

      Her chin lifted. “Of course not.”

      He noticed she cradled her right arm and immediately regretted the verbal battle. He knew that protective maneuver. It probably meant injury. When he asked all of the other questions swimming in his mind, he’d ask that one, too. But for now, he wanted her talking. The faster they did that, the faster he could call Dan and save his friend’s liver from the pickling it had been subjected to for the last few hours.

      “Where have you been?” Liam asked.

      “Hiding.”

      After a quick set of punches on the keypad, Liam opened the door and motioned for her to step inside. He expected her to walk through the kitchen to his family room and curl up on the couch. Instead, she hunkered down on the bar stool and stared at his fridge.

      He tried to assess her mood and failed. “Are you hurt?”

      She rubbed her arm. Probably didn’t even realize she did it. “Sore, but otherwise okay.”

      “How about hungry?”

      “No.”

      He roamed around his kitchen looking for a way to keep his hands busy. “Thirsty?”

      “Just some water, please.”

      He grabbed a bottle and twisted off the cap before setting it in front of her. “Yeah, I hear dying can be dehydrating.”

      She treated him to a slight smile then. “That’s what they say.”

      His patience picked that moment to expire. He went from being supportive to being frustrated. The latter emotion he knew well in conjunction with Maura. “Look, I’m all for small talk but why don’t we skip to the part where you explain what’s going on?”

      She took a long drink, drawing out the silence, then picked at the bottle’s label. “There was an explosion.”

      “I know that much.”

      She frowned at him. “Let me finish.”

      With the shock gone, all he had left was the churning anger in his gut. “Your brother is sitting at his house drinking himself into a black oblivion while he mourns your death. So, forgive me if I’m confused why you’re here and not there. Why you’re anywhere, for that matter.”

      Pain flashed across her face. “Dan.”

      “Yeah, Maura. Dan.” Liam leaned down on his elbows until they were face-to-face. “You’re not the type who would let her brother worry for no reason. What is this?”

      “I was in the building when it exploded.” She lifted her hand to stop him when he tried to butt in. “I … saw something.”

      “What?”

      “Dr. Hammer.”

      Yeah, him. “I’m sorry about that, Maura.”

      All emotion left her face. “For what?”

      “You wanted to work for someone like Dr. Hammer for years and then achieved it. I know it meant a lot to you to get that job.” Liam stumbled over his words. He’d never been good at this emotional connection stuff. “This must be hard. You know, for you.”

      Her mouth dropped open. “What are you talking about?”

      “Your boss.”

      “Yeah, and?”

      “Haven’t you read a paper or seen the news?”

      She pointed to the purple blotch on her cheek. “I’ve been busy.”

      Doing what was the question. The same one Liam wanted to ask, but he’d ease up for now. “Your boss is gone.”

      “As in?”

      Oh, man. Why did he have to be the one to break this news? “The usual definition, I’m afraid.”

      “I still don’t know what that means.” Her tone got testier the

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