Page 4 of Liam (The Valeur Billionaires #4)

Chapter Three

ALERIA

M y heart thunders in my chest, a staccato rhythm that matches the slow drip of water pooling around us as the sprinklers finally sputter to a halt.

Oh no. No, no, no. This is not attraction. It can’t be. It’s just proximity and adrenaline. And possibly heatstroke. Yes, definitely heatstroke. Do labs get heatstroke?

I attempt to push my soaked hair out of my face, only to tangle my fingers in the wild curls. Great. Now I probably look like a drowned poodle. Liam, on the other hand, seems to have mastered the art of looking good while drenched.

His expensive shirt clings to him in all the right places, like some sort of avant-garde fashion statement. It’s not fair.

“Well,” I blurt out, aiming for snark but landing somewhere between squeaky and flustered, “I hope you’re happy. You’ve now made your mark on my lab. Literally. With water. Everywhere.”

Smooth, Aleria. Real smooth.

Liam arches an eyebrow. “If I remember right, you’re the one who set off the sprinklers.”

“Only because of you.”

Liam’s lips curl into a smirk that sends my stomach into a series of complicated gymnastic routines. “Believe me, Dr. James, if I were trying to make my mark, you’d know it.”

Was that flirting? No, impossible. He probably uses that tone to order coffee. Or talk to his houseplants.

“You know,” Liam says, running a hand through his wet hair in a way that should be illegal, “most people would be eager to leave after being trapped and soaked.”

I snort, a most undignified sound that makes me wince.

“Well, most people don’t have research to salvage,” I retort, turning to my workstation to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks.

“But please, don’t let me keep you from your thrilling life of whatever it is you do. Counting money? Professional smirking?”

As I gather up soggy papers, the lab door unlocks with a click. Mia Chen, my lab mate and best friend, bursts in.

“I heard the alarm. Is everything okay?” she exclaims, her short frame occupying the doorway. “What in Einstein’s name happened here?” Mia’s eyes widen at the water still dripping from the ceiling.

“A minor mishap with the sprinklers,” I say, wringing out my lab coat. Then I remember my manners, or what’s left of them after this disaster. “Oh. Mia, this is Liam Valeur, CEO of Valeur Tech. Mr. Valeur, this is Dr. Mia Chen, my lab partner. ”

“And occasional disaster control specialist,” Mia adds with a pointed look at the sprinklers. Her eyes dart between us, no doubt noting my flushed face and Liam’s rigid posture. “Though apparently, I’m branching out to flood control.”

Liam offers a charming smile, somehow looking elegant despite being drenched. “Dr. Chen. A pleasure.” He glances at her workstation across the lab, where complex quantum calculations fill multiple screens. “I've read your papers on spectral analysis. Impressive work.”

“Thank you,” Mia says, her professional tone not quite hiding her surprise that the CEO of Valeur Tech reads physics papers. She shoots me a look that clearly says we’ll be talking about this later. “I hope you’re alright?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” Liam says, but I catch the edge in his voice. “Dr. James was just giving me a very thorough demonstration of your safety systems.”

“Let me go find some towels for you both.”

Liam shakes his head. “No need for that. It’s just water. I’ll dry off in no time.”

Mia raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure? You’re soaked.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” he assures her, that charming smile still in place. “Really, I promise. Just a little shower.”

“I could definitely use a towel,” I say.

Mia shoots me a sharp glare, her dark eyes narrowing behind stylish black-rimmed glasses, before turning back to Liam. “I hope everything has been satisfactory so far, despite the unexpected shower.”

“Oh, it’s been illuminating,” Liam replies, that infuriating smirk playing on his lips.

“Well, if by illuminating you mean completely drenched,” I mutter under my breath, “then yeah, it’s been a real splash. ”

Mia’s eyes dart to me, and I catch the slight twitch of her eyebrow as she tries to maintain her professional composure. “Dr. James,” she says through a forced smile, “I’m sure we can rectify the situation.”

Liam, of course, doesn’t miss a beat, turning that smirk up a notch. “Oh, no need, Dr. Chen. I’m finding this very refreshing .”

I roll my eyes so hard that they practically take a lap around my skull. “Careful, Mia. Keep complimenting him like that, and he’ll think the entire building’s sprinkler system was part of his personalized welcome package.”

Mia’s dark hair sways as she glances between us. Her slender fingers adjust her glasses as she speaks. “Aleria, can I have a word with you? In private?”

I follow her to the corner of the lab, already bracing myself for the lecture I know is coming.

“What the hell are you doing?” Mia whispers. “Do you have any idea how long we’ve been waiting for this investment opportunity? And now I find you two soaking wet and bickering like children in the middle of our lab?”

I open my mouth to defend myself, but Mia cuts me off.

“No, don’t even try to explain. I don’t care what he said or did.

This is Liam Valeur, for crying out loud.

The man who could single-handedly save or sink our entire project.

And you’re treating him like he’s some frat boy who spilled beer on your thesis! ”

The guilt sets in as I realize how my behavior must look from the outside. “Mia, I?—”

“Save it,” she interrupts. “Try to act like a professional for five minutes, okay? We need this to work out. You know LumiVera needs the money.” She takes a deep breath, composing herself.

“Now, I’m going to go do damage control.

You’re going to dry off and then join us with a smile on your face and not a single snarky comment. Got it?”

I nod, my chin dipping to my chest as Mia’s words sink in. The weight of her disappointment settles on my shoulders like a lead blanket. It’s not just my future that hangs on the line here. It’s also Mia’s. The other researchers working here.

My fingers fidget with the hem of my soaked lab coat, twisting the fabric as if I could wring out my shame along with the water.

As Mia turns back to Liam, her voice honeyed with apologies and professional charm, I risk a glance in their direction. A hot flush creeps up my neck, painting my cheeks with embarrassment.

She’s right, of course. I’ve allowed my personal feelings to derail what should have been a straightforward business meeting. Months of hard work, sleepless nights, and scientific breakthroughs, all jeopardized because I couldn’t keep my cool around a man in an expensive suit.

Straightening my shoulders, I vow to myself to do better, to be the professional I know I am.

Mia says, “Mr. Valeur, I sincerely apologize for this unfortunate incident. Perhaps we could refocus our attention on the ASTRA project? I believe you'll find the details quite compelling.”

“No need to apologize, Dr. Chen. I understand completely. Dr. James here thought the lab could use a good washing,” Liam says, his tone light but with an edge of challenge that sets my teeth on edge.

His eyes meet mine, daring me to respond, and my newly- made promise crumbles like a sandcastle in a tsunami. The words burst out before I can stop them.

“Oh, that's rich coming from you, Mr. I-Value-My-Bank-Account-More-Than-Human-Emotions,” I snap, years of hurt bubbling to the surface. “Tell me, do you calculate the ROI on every relationship or just the ones you plan to discard?”

“Aleria,” Mia whispers, her eyes wide with alarm. She tugs at my lab coat, trying to pull me back, but I shake her off.

Liam, undeterred, turns to Mia. His demeanor shifts, charm oozing from every pore as he cranks his charisma up to eleven. It’s like watching a snake charmer at work, and I hate how effective it is.

“Dr. Chen, maybe you can help settle something. You know Dr. James well, right?”

Mia's eyes ping-pong between us, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. Possibly on Mars. “I...uh…I guess,” she stammers.

“Then perhaps you can tell me if she’s always this grumpy or if it’s just my charming presence bringing it out in her.”

“Grumpy?” I spit out, my voice rising despite my best efforts to remain calm. “I’m not grumpy.”

Mia winces, but I’m too fired up to care. The words pour out of me, fueled by frustration and a need to prove him wrong.

“Some of us have actual jobs, Valeur. Not everyone gets to jet off to Monaco on a whim or throw parties for fun. But by all means, lecture me on social graces from your private jet.”

Mia clears her throat. “Aleria, maybe we should focus on the ASTRA presentation?—”

“You’re right,” Liam cuts in, his voice calm. “Some people work. Others...” His eyes drift to my emergency cot. “Live at work. There’s a difference.”

“Okay!” Mia steps between us, her smile strained. “Mr. Valeur, would you like to see our latest test results? They’re quite promising.”

The way he looks at me, all controlled power and challenge, makes my skin tingle. “At least I’m doing something meaningful with my life. Not just throwing parties to impress shallow socialites.”

“Aleria,” Mia warns, but her voice seems distant. The air between Liam and me feels charged, electric.

I pause, a cruel smirk tugging at my lips. “Tell me, Liam, do you still run the moment it gets real?”

The words hang in the air between us, sharp and venomous.

I see them land and watch as Liam’s jaw tightens and his eyes flash with something that looks like pain.

For a moment, I want to take it back. But then I remember all the nights I cried, all the years I spent trying to prove my worth, and the regret evaporates.

“You think you’ve got me all figured out, don’t you?” He steps closer, and the lab feels too small, too warm. “Must be nice up there on your moral high ground. Tell me, when’s the last time you even went on a date?”