Page 42 of Liam (The Valeur Billionaires #4)

Chapter Twenty-Six

LIAM

T he first thing I notice when I step into my kitchen is the smell. It’s not the lingering aroma of this morning’s coffee or the faint scent of lemon from the cleaning service. It’s something metallic, sharp.

I freeze, my hand still on the light switch, as my eyes adjust to the dim glow reflecting off the windows. That’s when I see him—a figure leaning casually against my counter as if he belongs here. But the glint of metal in his hand tells a different story.

“Hello, Liam,” the intruder says, his voice as cold as the barrel of the gun he’s pointing at me. “It’s time we had a chat about your father’s sins.”

My mind races, cataloging details even as adrenaline surges through my system. Male, about my height, lean build. Face obscured by a mask. The gun—a Glock, if I’m not mistaken. And that voice... There’s something familiar about it, something that tugs at the edges of my memory.

“You have me at a disadvantage,” I say, keeping my tone level. “Care to introduce yourself?”

He chuckles, the sound devoid of any real humor. “Oh, you know who I am. Or at least, you should. After all, I’ve been right under your nose for months now.”

And then it clicks. The voice, the posture, the way he holds himself—it’s all achingly familiar. “Arlo,” I breathe, the name tasting like ash in my mouth.

“ Ding ding ding ,” he mocks, pushing off from the counter. “Give the man a prize. Though Arlo’s not my real name, of course. It’s Elias. Elias Nort. Ring any bells? I think you connected the dots by now. Am I right?”

Elias Nort. No. This can’t be happening.

“How did you get in here?” I ask, buying time as I assess my options. The security system should have... Oh God. He knew exactly when Marcus won’t be here. He was following me.

Elias waves the gun. “Well, let’s say your sister made that remarkably easy. It’s amazing what people will share when they’re in love.”

Rage boils up inside me at the mention of Cora. This bastard used her, played with her emotions, all to get to us. To me. “If you’ve hurt her?—”

“Relax,” Elias cuts me off. “Your precious sister is fine. Unharmed. For now, at least.”

The threat hangs in the air between us, heavy and ominous. I take a careful step forward, hands raised. “Whatever you think you know about my father?—”

“I don’t think, Liam. I know .” Elias’s voice hardens, all pretense of civility dropping away. “I know he murdered my father in cold blood. I know he used his money and influence to cover it up. And I know that your entire family has been living off the profits of his crime for years.”

I shake my head, desperation clawing at my throat. “It’s not that simple. There are things you don’t understand.”

“Oh, I understand perfectly,” Elias snarls, advancing on me. “I understand your father is a murderer. I understand that your family is complicit. And I understand that it’s time for all of you to pay.”

I see the tension in his arm for a split second before he moves. I lunge forward, grabbing for the gun. We grapple, our bodies slamming into the kitchen island. Pain explodes in my side as I hit the edge, but I don’t let go. Can’t let go.

Elias is strong, fueled by years of hatred and resentment. But I’m fighting for more than my life—I’m fighting for my family, for my sister, for Aleria, for everything I love.

We spin, crashing into the refrigerator. Magnets and photos scatter across the floor, a kaleidoscope of memories under our feet.

I get a hand on the gun, trying to wrench it from his grip. Elias snarls, slamming his forehead into my face. Stars explode behind my eyes, pain lancing through my skull. But I hold on, knowing if I lose my grip now, it’s over.

We’re both panting, locked in a deadly dance. The gun between us is a constant threat, a hair-trigger away from ending it all. One slip, one moment of weakness, and?—

The sound of a knock on the door freezes us both.

“Liam?” Aleria’s voice calls out from behind the door, bright and beautiful and terrifyingly unaware of the danger on the other side. “I got those pastries you like,” she calls out. “The ones from that little bakery?”

God, please. Not her. Anyone but her.

Elias uses my moment of distraction. In one fluid motion, he twists, breaking my hold. Pain explodes in my wrist as he wrenches it back, forcing me to my knees. The gun now points at my head, his control complete.

His mouth curves into a menacing smile as he leans in. “Well, well,” he sneers, his voice a low, venomous whisper, his breath hot against my skin. “Look who’s come knocking. Pretty little thing, isn’t she?”

I can’t stop the panic that surges through me. “She has nothing to do with this, Elias. She’s not a Valeur,” I say, my voice low, desperate. “Let her go.”

His smile widens, enjoying my fear, savoring the power he holds. “Oh, I know exactly who she is. And I don’t really care.” He cocks his head, pretending to consider. “But you know what? I’m feeling generous tonight.”

He presses the gun into my back, reminding me of the cold, hard reality I can’t escape.

“So, here’s how this is going to go,” Elias continues. “I’ll give you one shot to save her. You get rid of her—now. And make sure she doesn’t return.”

My blood runs cold at his words. “Get rid of her?”

Elias’s grin widens, a cruel glint in his eyes. “Yes. If she leaves now, I’ll spare her.”

I feel sick, but Elias isn’t done.

“And remember, if you try to warn her, if you so much as hint that something’s wrong...” He lets the words hang, his grin widening as the threat settles in .

“I’ll put a bullet in her pretty little head, and then I’ll put one in yours.”

The weight of his demand sinks in, and my stomach churns.

My mind races, desperately seeking a way out of this nightmare. But with Elias’s gun against my spine and Aleria so close, so vulnerable, I have no choice. I have to save her.

“Do we have an understanding?” Elias asks, his voice dripping with false sweetness.

“Fine,” I say, my voice sounding like it’s coming from someone else. “I’ll do it. Just leave her out of this.”

“Good,” he says, shoving me toward the door. “Now tell her to leave. And Liam? Make it convincing. Your performance determines whether she walks away alive.”

I nod, bile rising in my throat.

I can’t let her die because of me. I need to make her leave. My chest tightens as I take a step toward the door, each movement heavy and deliberate, like I’m walking toward an executioner’s block.

“Liam?” Aleria calls again, concern creeping into her voice. “I know you're home.”

I clench my fists, trying to keep my hands from shaking. God, what can I possibly say?

I take a deep breath, wincing at the sharp pain in my ribs. I run a hand through my hair, hoping to erase signs of the struggle. There’s no time to check my appearance or clean up. I can only hope I look normal enough not to raise Aleria’s suspicions.

I reach for the door handle, its cold surface biting into my palm. I force a smile and pull the door open, careful not to open it too wide .

The sight of her—standing there in the hallway, her bright smile and soft eyes searching mine—almost makes me break.

“Hey,” she says, her face lighting up, but her smile falters when she sees me. “Are you okay? You seem off. Why are you holding the door like that?”

“Aleria. Hi. I wasn’t expecting you.”

Elias’s gun digs into my back, a silent reminder of what’s at stake. I have to make her leave. I have to protect her.

Aleria’s frown deepens. “Can I come in?”

“No!” I say, too quickly. I take a breath, trying to steady myself. “No, I’m busy.”

Her smile drops completely. “Busy? With what?”

Elias’s breath is on my neck, the gun steady against my spine. “Just busy. Please, you need to leave.”

She narrows her eyes, trying to peek around me. “Do you have someone in there?”

“What? No, of course not.”

“Then let me in.” She takes a step forward. “I’ll wait until you’re not busy.”

I block her view as she tries to look past me again, my heart stopping as I realize how close she is to seeing the gun now aimed at her through the crack in the door.

“You need to go,” I demand, my voice harsh with fear.

“No.” Her chin lifts with that stubborn determination I usually love. “Something’s wrong. You’re acting strange. Let me help.”

“It’s not working between us, Aleria.”

“What?” She blinks, looking surprised by the sudden shift. “What are you talking about?”

“Us. This relationship.”

“No. You promised me you wouldn’t do this again. You promised to be honest with me, not push me away when things get hard.”

Elias shifts behind me, growing impatient. The gun inches closer to the gap in the door.

“Please,” I whisper, trying one last time to make her leave before I have to destroy everything. “Just go.”

“No.” She plants her feet firmly. “Not until you tell me what’s really going on. We can figure this out together, remember? That’s what you said. That’s what you promised.”

Elias’s finger tightens on the trigger through the crack, and my blood turns to ice. There’s no other choice.

God, how I want to pull her into my arms, to tell her everything, to beg for her help. But I can’t. I can’t. I won’t risk her life.

“This isn’t working, Aleria,” I say again, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. “We’re not right for each other. We're like a proton and an electron. When we get too close, the intensity is undeniable, but eventually, it forces us apart.”

She takes a step back, shock written across her beautiful face. “Liam, what are you talking about? Yesterday you said?—”

“I know what I said,” I interrupt, hating myself with every word. “But I’ve been thinking... You don’t trust me. You’re always pushing for more, for answers I can’t give you. And I can’t do this anymore.”

“Liam,” Aleria says, her voice small and hurt. “This doesn’t make any sense. Let me in. We can talk about this.”

I shake my head, feeling Elias’s impatience radiating behind me. “There’s nothing to talk about. It’s over, Aleria.”

Tears well up in her eyes, and it takes everything in me not to break. I try to convey the danger through my gaze, silently begging her to understand.

For a moment, there’s a flicker of understanding in her eyes. But then it’s gone, replaced by a pain so deep it takes my breath away.

“I don’t understand,” she whispers. “Liam, please. Whatever’s wrong, we can fix it. Together. Don’t run again. You promised you wouldn’t.”

The gun digs deeper into my back, a silent warning. I steel myself for the final blow, knowing it will destroy us both.

“I don’t love you. Never did. I was just having fun.”

The words burn like acid, tearing out of me in jagged pieces, each one a brutal lie. Her face crumples in confusion, in pain. It’s a look that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

“You’re lying.” She shakes her head, voice trembling. “You’re lying. You don’t mean that.”

“I do.” I force the words out, even though they shred every part of me. “I was finishing what I started back in college. It was a game for me, Aleria. Nothing more.”

Her breath hitches, a tear slipping free despite her effort to hold it back. “A game?” Her voice cracks, disbelief etched in every syllable. “You’re saying this was all just a joke to you? After everything…?”

I swallow the urge to pull her inside, to shield her from the hell behind this door. But Elias shifts behind me, the threat of violence hanging thick in the air.

“You need to leave. Now.”

“Why are you doing this?” Her voice is stronger now, a mix of desperation and disbelief. “Yesterday, you said we could build a future together. Was that a lie, too? Or are you just scared? ”

I look away, unable to meet her eyes, as I force the final dagger in. “I never meant it, Aleria. You’re a conquest. I don’t love you, and I don’t want you. It’s over.”

The silence between us stretches impossibly long, her stunned expression cutting deeper than any wound. She searches my face like she’s looking for the man she knew, the one who held her with such tenderness. But all she sees is the monster I’ve become at this moment.

“Fine,” she says, her voice a broken whisper. “If that’s what you want.”

She takes a shaky step back, her tears glistening in the dim light.

And before I can even blink, she turns and walks away, each step echoing like a death knell in my chest. I want to call her back, to scream that it’s all a lie, that I love her more than anything in this world. But I don’t. I can’t.

I watch her disappear, and only when she’s gone do I close the door, sagging against it as my world falls apart.