I paced around my office for hours after we had closed and everyone left but me. Liam never showed once today. He didn't call or text.
I started to think it was me. Maybe he didn't enjoy last night like I did. Maybe I wasn't his type in bed. Did he even have a type in bed?!
I racked my brain with all possible reason why he left and hasn't called until I remembered Robert.
Maybe Robert got to him too and told him something completely false. Or threatened his life and and now he's trying to stay away from me.
Then I thought, was Robert really capable of hurting someone? Was he capable of any of the things he was up to?
No, someone has to be helping him. He is paying someone to follow me.
Paranoia strikes at its all time high when I start thinking that he's paying someone in my staff, someone close to me, to do his dirty work.
I am now alert and on my toes. This office isn't safe anymore. It's not safe for me to speak or think freely any longer. I'm being watched and followed by God knows who.
I need to find Liam.
I grab my belongings and pull out my phone to type a text. I get in the elevator and start typing.
Liam. Please contact me as soon as you read this. I need your help and I have a funny feeling you know why. I'm a little worried that you haven't made any contact with me all day. Are you okay? Please let me lngkohrwfcj..'?"!!
I was walking out of my building when somebody grabbed me and drug me into an alley and I wasn't able to send or finish my text to Liam.
It was dark and no one could hear my muffled crys for help. The heavy breathing of my taker was all I could hear.
Was this Roberts doing as well? Cause if it is then he has gone too far. He can have my damn company for all I care but hiring people to kill me?! He's completely fallin off his rocker.
"Sshh!" The taker hissed.
I kept screaming into his hand and we stopped moving. Soon I was gently put up against a cold brick wall. The takers hand still covering my mouth.
"Sshh! Ash it's me." A familiar voice said.
I stopped screaming and he withdrew his hand.
"Liam?!" I asked in a high pitched voice.
"Yes." He answered.
My mouth hung open for a split second then I started to slap his arms in the dark.
"Enough enough!" He said a few seconds later.
I crossed my arms and looked away.
"What the hell Liam!?" I asked
"Look I'm sorry but I couldn't risk anyone seeing me and you together." He said in a low voice.
So my thoughts were right. Someone's threatened Liam to stay away from me.
"We need to go now." He said before I could speak.
"Go where?" I demanded.
"Leave this town." He replied.
"Woah. Wait a second. Why do we have to leave?!" I asked.
Liam grabbed my wrist and started pulling me away to walk with him.
"I'll explain later." He said.
I yanked my arm back to stop him.
"No!" I rose my voice.
"Ssshhh!" He said as he spun around and got in my face.
"No." I whispered. "I'm not going anywhere without an explanation. I want to know what you know." I said.
I could tell he had closed his eyes when he sucked in a deep breath.
"Trust me." His voice cracked. "You don't want to know what I know." He said then grabbed my wrist again.
"Liam, please. You're scaring me with all these secrets. What do you know? Why is it so important for me to leave." I asked.
He sighed and let go of my wrist.
"Ash, I promise to tell you everything but not until we are safely away from this town." He said a bit calmer, but I wasn't leaving without his explanation.
"No. I won't go." I said, standing my ground.
"Fine!" He said.
"You really want to know how your ex husband got those pictures? How he knew about us?!" Liam said a bit angry now but his voice was shaking as if he was nervous.
I bit my lip before answering him. "Yes."
I could tell he shook his head.
"Me." He said.
"Huh?" I was confused.
"He knew because...because of me." He said.
My eyes got wide and a gasp fell from my lips.
"What?!" I screeched.
"Your ex husband hired me to frame you. At first I was only supposed to dig up dirt on you and report back to him. Then at last minute, he changed the rules." He said and paused.
'T-to what?" My voice shook and tears where beginning to form.
"To make you fall for me. To convince you into letting me have my way with you and catching it all on camera." He admitted.
I let the tears fall and I had to out my hand over my mouth to hold in my horrified cries.
I had been used.
"But Ash.." He paused again. "I never meant to fall in love with you. I told Rob I wanted out and that I couldn't do it anymore. And that's why he showed up this morning. He forced me to leave your apartment. When he left I was waiting outside to kick his ass but he had me tranquilized. I woke up hours later tied to a chair in some abandon building where I over heard Rob and some other guys talking about their plan to kill you and taking your company without any judges or law getting involved. As soon as he set me free I came running hear to get you out of here. So please, come with me." He finished his story and I felt sick to my stomach.
What had I ever done to Robert to deserve this? He was sick and needed more mental help than I ever thought.
But I still wasn't going with Liam. He lied to me and made me fall for him. I couldn't trust him anymore because for all I knew, he wasn't even a Marine or had PTSD. I couldn't believe a word he said.
"No. I'm not going anywhere with you!" I yelled and turned to run away.
Heard footsteps behind me and before I could run full speed, I had been caught. Liam's arms wrapped around my waist. He pulled me to his chest with one arm while his other arm pulled away.
"I'm sorry." He whispered then a rag was placed over my face.
I was done for and I was knocked out.
Completely unaware of anything.