Page 59 of Taken With Trouble

Liam escorts me along the edges of the ballroom as we continue to scan through faces. Several minutes later we find the Winthrops in the middle of a group of diplomats.

Liam angles us toward them. “Remember, you’re a ruthless agent delivering a criminal to repentance.”

Right. Okay. Callous agent. I’m good at that. So why am I nervous?

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Liam whispers, “I brought these for us.” He pulls a pair of handcuffs from his satchel.

And just like that, the nerves are gone, replaced by the annoyance that accompanies his existence. “I’m not handcuffing you while we’re at a gala.”

“I thought you’d enjoy the chance to lock me up?” He wiggles his brows.

“You and I both know those won’t hold you.”

“Was that a compliment?”

“No. It was the opposite. An honest person wouldn’t need them to begin with. They only belong on criminals, such as you.”

“Hmm.” He clenches his jaw, thinking. “Perhaps we have different views on which one of us is the criminal.”

My heart thuds against my ribcage. What is he getting at? What does he know? He can’t possibly know about my last partner. He’s trying to rattle me before an important meeting with influential people.

And it’s working.

“Just shut up and let me take care of this,” I say, locking his wrists in the cuffs that look like he stole them from a costume shop.

“Yes, ma’am.” He bows to me. Right as the Winthrops turn to look at us.

They are flanked on either side by men I assume are bodyguards, the one nearest me sporting a gun.

I stand straighter, acting the part, and grab Liam’s upper arm, which he flexes, repeatedly. Annoyingly.

“Liam?” The woman rushes forward, wrapping ‘the criminal’ in a hug.

I drop his arm, completely confused. I thought they hated him.

Liam meets my eye over the woman’s shoulder and winks.

So much for working together here. He played me. This is why he was so sure they didn’t kidnap his grandfather.

When Liam cannot bring his arms up to return the hug, Ms. Winthrop looks down at his hands then glares at me. “Get these off him; he did nothing wrong.”

“He’s wanted in four countries,” I say stiffly.

Her eyebrows rise, and she holds herself high like the important woman she is. “Not in this one. Besides, most of that was my daughter.” She waves her hands in the air. “Get these off. We must dance and catch up.”

My jaw clenches. Scarlettwasin on it. And the Winthrops knew. What is happening right now? Why didn’t they tell us?

They wanted her to be remembered as a wonderful person, not a thief.

Liam turns to me, with a barely concealed snicker as he holds up his wrists. I pinch the cuffs tighter and he grimaces. “I’m going to tie you up and use you as a pinata,” I hiss through my fake smile as I release him.

“As always, I look forward to our rendezvous of wills, Agent Cruz.” He smiles again before extending his arm to Ms. Winthrop.

I glare daggers at his back as he leads her to the dance floor.

“He was always good at making ladies mad,” someone says beside me.

I glance up to see a large man. Mr. Winthrop. He didn’t say a word to Liam. As I study him, I wonder if it’s because he doesn’t believe Liam is as innocent as Ms. Winthrop does.