Page 56 of Captivated By You
He examined me and I saw the exact moment he realized I was still lying. Still hiding. But God, seeing Sophie be brave, letting her past out in the public, made me want to do the same. It was just…my past was something I’d rather handle myself.
And I would.
Soon.
“Okay, then.” He dropped his hands from my waist and stepped back, only disappointment swirling in his rich blue eyes.
I looked away, unable to hide the pain I knew would be reflected in mine.
“They’ll be here any minute. How about we go next door and wait for them so we can finalize everything?”
“Sure. I just need to grab my purse.”
“I’ll be next door.”
He left without saying another word, without a kiss or a smile. Soon, he’d understand everything, but until then, I wanted to be completely free of my past life, so I could come to him with nothing between us.
No contract. No ex-fiancé’s who refused to go away. No shame.
Just me.
I hoped like hell it would be enough for him.
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Sophie stood in the middle of a makeshift stage in one of the hotel’s conference rooms with Liam on one side of her and Kevin on the other. Both of the men’s eyes were narrowed, gazes flickering around the room as if they were trying to spot trouble.
I didn’t blame them.
Their parents were in the background, silent supporters and wearing looks of grief like Sophie’s ordeal had just happened yesterday, and not a decade ago. All of them wore the stress visible on their faces. And outside of Kevin, who obviously wasn’t related. They all looked like a family. A close one. When I met Liam’s mom, she embraced me in a hug, pressed her hands to my cheeks and smile. “Well, aren’t you just a sweet little thing. It’s lovely to meet you.”
Her husband had ushered her away and pulled me in for a bear hug. “Nice to meet you. Liam’s told us a lot about you.”
Sophie and Kevin followed, Kevin with a firm handshake, Sophie hesitant. Her eyes were rimmed red and swollen, showing she hadn’t slept much and had cried a lot.
The way Kevin didn’t take his arm from her lower back or her shoulder, rubbing her back constantly with support was endearing.
These people were sogood.
I liked them instantly.
But then we were ushered downstairs where Jordan had been busy all morning setting up a press conference in one of the meeting rooms. I was whisked away by Dustin and David, not knowing who was who, and I was standing at the back of the room, watching with a sea of reporters.
I wasn’t wearing my wig. No one there would recognize me, and when I’d tossed it on the bed before Liam had become so disappointed in me, I’d told him I wouldn’t need it. His pride in me evaporated when I lied. But I’d make it up to him. I’d die doing it.
From my view in the back, dressed in a simple black dress, surrounded by the security behemoths, I looked like a nobody. I could have been confused with a hotel server if I threw on a white apron they wore tied around their waists as they refilled water glasses and prepared coffee mugs.
But then it started. The conference, blinding flashes of light as Liam’s family took the stage and stole my breath with how absolutely handsome they were. And as Anne began speaking, somehow flying a redeye from New York to Kansas City to meet us there, she took over. And it was when Sophie began her story that an alert chimed on my phone.
“Excuse me,” I whispered to Dustin or David. “I have a phone call. I’ll step outside.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No,” I pressed my hand to his bicep. “I’ll be okay. And people knowing who I am doesn’t matter anymore.”
He frowned, and I’d obviously made no sense, but I did. At least to me. “The boss said to say close.”
“I’ll be three feet away with only a door between us,” I lied. My pulse started wildly bucking at my wrists and up my arms. My whole plan depended on me getting away from them. I hadn’t realized in the morning when I talked to Karen that they’d be with me. “You can even leave it open and I’ll scream if I need you. Liam’s security is more important anyway.”
