Page 41 of Dangerous Affair (The Phoenix Three #2)

T wo weeks had passed since the arrest of Senator Charles Hanson, and the attention to his arrest and the illegal dumping was finally dying down.

It hadn’t taken long for reporters to ferret out that Quinn was a major part of the story, and Liam had spent every minute of that time by her side, protecting her from the vultures who wanted an exclusive from her.

They waited for her outside his condo, outside The Phoenix Three offices, followed her to the grocery store, and anywhere else she went, yelling their questions to her.

The one good thing to come out of all this, she’d postponed her trip to Ukraine, and it had been her idea, which was a relief. He hadn’t had to be the bad guy and convince her she wasn’t ready for that kind of trip.

She’d finally agreed to an interview with Felice Robertson, a reporter with a local Myrtle Beach television station. The big guys from the networks were mystified as to why she wouldn’t talk to one of them over a reporter no one outside of Myrtle Beach had heard of.

That’s my girl , he thought with considerable amusement when she announced her decision.

Never doing what one expected of her. He stood out of sight of the cameras in the studio, listening to her answer Robertson’s questions.

They’d been at it for twenty-five minutes now, and the interview was winding down.

He could tell Quinn was exhausted, and he was close to walking onto the set, picking her up, and carrying her out of there.

She hadn’t slept well since he’d brought her home, and he didn’t like the dark circles under her eyes that had been covered with makeup for this interview.

The first week, she’d had a nightmare every night, would wake up crying and struggling against the covers that were holding her prisoner.

Sometimes it was Jasper in her nightmare, sometimes the deputy, and once it was Senator Hanson.

The second week had been a little better.

She’d only had two nightmares. She was talking to a therapist, and that was helping.

His girl was strong, and he knew she’d fight her way back to herself and do it surprisingly fast. She had not only him, but her father, along with Grayson and Cooper and Harlow in her corner, all of them there for her.

His friends had welcomed her into their little family.

She was laughing again, and that was great progress.

“A question many are asking,” Robertson said, “is why would you risk your own life for people you don’t know?”

Liam smiled, knowing what her answer would be.

“How could I not?” Quinn said. “Children were getting sick. What kind of person would I be if I turned my back on that? Whether I personally knew those children or not didn’t matter.

The EPA has identified the children in Hope Corner who are sick, and they are receiving treatment. That’s what matters.”

“You brought down a powerful senator, a possible future vice president,” Robertson said. “That had to be—”

“He brought himself down. End of story.”

Liam wished that was the end of the story.

Hanson had a team of the best lawyers in the country working to get the charges dropped.

Sean had told them there was no way that was going to happen, even with all of Hanson’s expensive attorneys.

Quinn’s recording from when she was in his home was some of the Feds’ best evidence that Hanson was not only aware of the illegal dumping but of the kidnappings and the murder of Garrison’s cousin.

Quinn shook hands with the reporter, then headed his way, her eyes locked on his. He got the message. It was get me out of here. So he did.

* * *

“You were great,” Liam said after they finished watching Quinn’s interview, which the station had aired as a special report.

“I’m just glad it’s over.”

He didn’t tell her what they already knew. It wasn’t over yet. There would be a trial, and she would be the star witness, but that was likely years down the road, so for now, she was right. It was over.

“I think we should turn off the TV, put on some love music, dim the lights, and let me show you how special you are.” They sat in his recliner, her in front of him. He loved sitting like this, her back to his chest, his legs on the outside of hers. “Sound good?”

“Sounds like a perfect ending to this day.”

“Great. Why don’t you start with a bubble bath while I get everything ready, and then I’ll join you. I’ll bring you a glass of wine when I come.”

She turned and straddled. “Or we could just get it on right here.” She kissed him. “Right now.”

“Tempting, but no. I’m going to romance you tonight.” He patted her butt. “Go. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Hurry.” She was only a few steps from him when the doorbell rang. She stopped. “Are we expecting company?”

“Not that I know of. Probably a neighbor wanting to borrow something.”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting for you. Don’t be long, or I might start without you.” Knowing his eyes were on her backside, she slipped her shirt off and swung her hips as she walked away.

“You better not.” He almost followed her, but the doorbell rang again. Whoever was on the other side was only going to get about ten seconds of his time, long enough for him to tell them to get lost.

“I’m busy right…” Now. “Mom?”

“Of course, I’m your mom. Who else would look like me?”

“I… I wasn’t expecting you. What are you doing here? Does Dad know you’re here?” She had a few gray hairs now, but she was as pretty as she was the last time he saw her, ten years ago.

“Are you going to invite me in or just stand there?”

He snapped out of the shock at seeing her at his door and pulled his mom into his arms. “You’re really here.” He couldn’t wrap his mind around that. She’d wanted to meet secretly over the years, but he’d always been too afraid his father would find out and it wouldn’t go well for her.

“I really am, and so is your father.”

“What?” He leaned back and looked down at her. “Here now?” At her nod, Liam scanned the hallway but didn’t see him.

“Yes, he’s downstairs in the lobby. Your doorman is holding him hostage.”

“Hostage?” Maybe he was dreaming his mother was here and his father was a hostage because that was the only thing that made sense.

“Your doorman, Wilson, wanted to call up and tell you that you had guests, but I was afraid you would refuse to see us if you knew your father was here, too. So, I convinced him to let me come up if Patrick stayed with him until you gave permission for him to come up, too. Are you going to invite me in?”

“Of course. Sorry. This is just a surprise… A good one.” He smiled at her. “Really good.” He kept his arm around his mother as they walked inside.

“Do you need some money to buy furniture, son?” she said as she took in his living room and empty dining room.

He grinned. “I guess it looks like I might, but no. Quinn and I intend to go furniture shopping, but it’s been a little hectic lately.” They hadn’t been in a big hurry because Quinn had been quite happy sharing the recliner with him.

“Where is she? I want to meet in person this woman who saved those poor children.”

Right, Quinn was naked, waiting for him. “Let me tell her you’re here, then I’ll go down and rescue Dad.” He needed to get to her before she came looking for him, wearing nothing but a towel…or not even that.

“There you are,” she said when he came into the bathroom. “I thought you got lost.”

“I kind of did. My parents are here.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“You’re no more surprised than I am. Mom’s in the living room. I have to go downstairs and get my father.”

“They’re here here?” At his nod, she shot up and grabbed a towel. “I have to get dressed.”

“Like you better naked, but that’s probably a good idea.”

She grabbed his arm. “Are you okay, Liam?”

“I don’t know. I feel like I’m in a weird dream. I better go downstairs. Come out when you’re dressed.”

When he returned to the living room, his mother had his balcony door open and was looking out at the ocean. She turned and smiled when she heard him. “Who needs furniture when you have this view?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty awesome. Be right back.”

As he rode the elevator down, a hundred butterflies took flight in his stomach.

The last words between him and his father had been bitter, and he’d walked away angry and heartbroken.

He tried to think of what to say to his father for the first time in ten years, but nothing came to him. Not one word.

He reached the lobby and found his father leaning against Wilson’s desk as they talked.

Liam stopped and studied the man who’d said his son was dead to him.

Patrick O’Rourke hadn’t been an easy man to feel close to.

He was opinionated, demanding, intimidating, and never wrong.

But the man was his father, and in spite of the hurtful words hurled at him that day, Liam had missed him, had especially missed his mother, had missed being a part of a family.

He’d always felt he was owed an apology, but did that even matter anymore?

No, it didn’t, so he banished his hurt and approached the man who had the power to undead him. Would he? “Dad.” Damn that quiver in his voice.

Patrick O’Rourke stilled, then turned. “Son.”

Son. He hadn’t been a son since he was eighteen years old. His father’s gaze roamed over him, and Liam forced himself not to show that his nerves were a crackling live wire. He still didn’t know what to say, so he didn’t say anything more.

Patrick darted a glance at Wilson, then he lifted his chin toward the lobby seating. “Let’s go over there and talk for a minute.”

A minute? It was going to take longer than that to repair the damage that had been done, but again, he stayed mute as he followed his father to the chairs.

They sat facing each other, and Liam waited.

What would his father say? Express more of his disappointment in his son? Make excuses for the years of silence?

“I…ah, I’ve been following the news about Quinn Sullivan’s involvement in the arrest of Senator Hanson.” His father frowned. “Knew there was something untrustworthy about that man.”

“That’s what you want to talk about? The senator?” He couldn’t help the bitterness in his voice. He was expecting too much to think his father might apologize for the things he’d said.

“No.” His gaze softened slightly, a flicker of regret passing through his eyes.

“I wasn’t an easy father, Liam. I know that.

I pushed you because I believed in you, because I wanted you to be the best possible version of yourself.

I had thought you would step into my shoes one day.

Then when you said you were joining the military, well, I thought you were ruining your life. I was angry.”

Not an easy father? That was an understatement. “The kidnapping changed me. I tried to talk to you about it, but you told me to just get over it. To man up.”

“I did. But you were still a boy who’d gone through a terrible experience, and I was wrong. I’ve known that for some years now.”

“Yet you didn’t think to pick up the phone and call me?

To ask to see me? I called your office once, told your assistant I was your son.

I thought if I was the one to reach out, that it might be a step toward a reconciliation.

You told her you didn’t have a son. That was the day I gave up.

” Tears stung his eyes, and he glanced down at his feet to hide them from his father. His bare feet. He hadn’t put shoes on.

“Pride got in my way, son. Would you look at me?”

Liam lifted his eyes to his father’s. Let him see the tears swimming in his eyes. Let him see the hurt he’d lived with for ten years.

“I came here to say I’m sorry. I was wrong. Terribly wrong. I don’t expect you to instantly forgive me, but I’m hoping that this is a chance to start over. That you’ll give me a chance I know I don’t deserve.”

There were tears swimming in his father’s eyes, too, and that was jarring.

He’d never once seen Patrick O’Rourke humbled and even close to crying.

A part of Liam wanted to refuse the chance his father was asking for.

To get up and walk away. Let him see how it felt to be abandoned.

But the bigger part of him had longed to have his father back in his life, to rebuild what had been broken.

“I’m a firm believer in second chances,” he said, feeling the weight of years of hurt and resentment lift after saying those words.

“Thank you, son. You’ve grown into a man any father would be proud of.”

He never thought he’d hear his father say those words, and to finally hear them, well, he was close to losing it, which would embarrass both of them. Before that happened, he stood. “Let’s go upstairs so I can introduce you to Quinn.”

“I want to meet the girl who took down a powerful senator. Your mother told me that the two of you are together now.”

“So, you found out I secretly talk to her?”

His father chuckled. “I’ve always known, Lisa .”

Well, damn. “And she thought she was so clever having a book club friend named Lisa.”

He and his father looked at each other and shared the first laugh of what Liam hoped would be many more.

Later, as he and Quinn sat out on the deck with his parents, Liam leaned back in his chair and smiled at how Quinn had his father on the edge of his seat as she told him everything that had happened.

“Son, you’ve got an amazing woman here,” his father said when she finished.

He had his family back, including one special addition, and he smiled at her. “Believe me, Dad, I know it.”