He gestures to the bag by the door. “Your clothes?”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak in case I make myself look any more pathetic. He slings the strap over his shoulder. “I’ll take care of it.”
I force a smile, trying to cover the awkwardness. It’s obvious I’m willing… and his body seems to be, too. So why is he leaving?
“You’re turning out to be a handy guy to have around,” I tease, not wanting to end the night like this.
He grins. “I am, aren’t I?” The door cracks open.
“I should get your number.”
He lifts a brow, and I curse the heat rising in my cheeks again.
“In case we need to communicate or something about…”
Liev chuckles and holds out his hand. I hurry to retrieve my phone and unlock it. He types for a minute with a smirk. Suspicious, I glance down and see that he’s added himself to my contacts as “best friend”.
“Best friend?”
“Definitely.” He laughs, and my body eases a little. “I’m going to be bored. I need friends.”
“I’m not sure if that feels like a threat or a promise.”
He grins. “I’ll give you time to decide.
“So… friends?” I ignore the disappointment in my stomach.
“Friends.” A devilish smile crosses his face, and he lifts a hand to flip me off. “Night, Seraphina.”
“Night,” I smirk, lifting my middle finger back at him. Even after the door closes, I hear his laughter all the way down the hall.
7
LIEV
No one questions me when I walk into Koval Industries later that day. I don’t wear a badge, but I give a curt nod to the security guards at the front of the building and those positioned around the lobby. Technically I’m head of security, but once the protocols were in place I’m rarely needed on site. Alex’s life has toned down since he met Madison.
I take the elevator up to the executive floor. Alex’s assistant isn’t at her desk, so I push into his office without knocking. Even though it’s Saturday, I know he’ll be here. It’s Madison’s turn to host ‘ladies day’ for her friends, and he always stays away from his house until it’s safe to return.
Alex looks up from his laptop, vaguely irritated. “Please don’t tell me you have another emergency. I’m exhausted. Jax was up at the crack of dawn. I’m on very little sleep and more inclined to put a bullet between your eyes than deal with any more drama today.”
“Nice to see you, too.”
He scowls. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”
“I know.” I close the door behind me and lean against it. “Had a few things to wrap up before going on my sabbatical. Any word yet?”
“No, I doubt anyone will notice anything until he misses a meeting. Might be hours.” Alex sits back in his chair. His gaze sharpens. “How are you going to handle it with your mother?”
I grunt. “Don’t know.”
“You’ll figure something out.” He studies me for a beat. “You look like you didn’t sleep.”
“I didn’t.”
“Because of the girl?” he asks lightly. I don’t react fast enough, and that’s enough for him to scent blood in the water. “Who is she?”
I glare at him. “No one.”
