Dungeon Games (Masters and Mercenaries #6.5)(46)

She shook her head. “You can’t have known. The records were sealed. They were sealed by the courts and then I buried them myself.”

“Unsealing records is my job. And you should know nothing ever stays buried. Talking to people is my job. Figuring out who the bad guy is and who the girl who got herself into trouble and was strong enough to get herself out—that’s me job, too.”

She clenched her fist to stop the fine tremble. If everyone knew, would they look at her differently? “Liam, it was bad.”

“Most drug addictions are. And the rate of people who fall off the wagon is high. You didn’t. As far as I can tell, you never went back after that last rehab.”

She took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm herself. She could sit around in a meeting and talk for hours, but talking about it to Li was different. “Five thousand four hundred and seventy-nine days sober. And I can’t forget to count the days. I do it every morning when I wake up. I shower and brush my teeth and I add another day to the calendar. I look in the mirror and make the decision to not use. Do you understand, Liam? I’m always one step away from falling off the edge.”

“Karina, we all are. You seem to think there’s something shameful about this. I admire you for getting up and choosing. Why on earth would you hide this?”

“Because I am ashamed. Liam, this is nothing to be proud of.”

He shook his head. “You’re wrong. You were a kid. You made some rough mistakes but then given what happened to you, I think I understand. You got yourself out. You have nothing, I mean nothing, to be ashamed of. I’m quite proud to call you my friend.”

If he kept this up, she was going to lose it. She took the only out she could see. “So I’m not getting canned?”

“Never,” Li promised. “But I’m telling you all this because Brighton knows about the sealed records. The f*cker forensics guy told him. Eve told me and I thought you should know. He didn’t tell Brighton what you’ve been arrested for, but I doubt it will take him too long to figure it out. Tell him.”

“I can’t.” Because if she did tell him, it would be the end. He might not run, but he would look at her differently. He was looking for a soft, sweet woman, not someone who had spent her youth in and out of foster homes. Not one who had escaped the pain by shoving a needle in her arm.

“Damn it. You’re in love with him.” Liam sighed. “I don’t know that’s such a good idea. Don’t get me wrong. I like Derek. He’s okay, but he’s very straight and narrow. He didn’t grow up the way the rest of us did. His mum and dad are still married. They still go to church and drag him there on holidays. His brother might have slept with Maia, but they still go to family functions together. Derek still goes to Sunday dinners with the f*cker. They’re very all-American. I don’t want him to break your heart, but you have to be honest with him. It’ll be better than him finding out some other way. I don’t think you have a thing to be ashamed of, but he might. Best to get it over with and know where you stand.”

But she was pretty sure where she would stand. “You’re making more out of this than you should, Li. I’m not in love with him. We’re just playing around. It’s nothing serious so let it go, please.”

Liam stood up and crossed the space between them, pulling her up and into a hug. “I’m glad to hear it.”

She hugged him back. He knew about her past and he didn’t hate her for it. Apparently everyone knew. She’d been hiding in her little closet but the door had been open and everyone was staring inside, likely wondering why she wouldn’t come out.

But the idea of Derek finding out? They were happy. Relatively so. Why couldn’t she just have her couple of weeks with him? She held on to Liam for a minute, taking comfort knowing he was still her friend.

“Are you done here, Karina?”

She nearly jumped out of Liam’s arms. Derek was staring at her with arctic eyes, every muscle in his body tense. She wasn’t exactly sure what to say. Defending herself seemed silly. Liam was her friend. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. She didn’t owe him explanations. “Yes.”

“Good, we need to get going. O’Donnell, do you have the files I requested?” Cold as ice. There was no mistaking it. He was pissed.

Liam nodded. “I sent them to you ten minutes ago. Eve is looking through them this afternoon. Hopefully we’ll have a couple of prospects Sean and I can look into.”

“See that you do. I want to get this done.” He turned and Karina was left watching his back as he walked away.

“If you need anything, you know where to come,” Liam said. “My and Avery’s door is always open.”

And that was a good thing, because it felt a little like Derek had slammed his closed.





Chapter Nine



Derek slammed the car door shut and looked up at Karina’s building. It was a piece of crap and he’d already had a talk with the super about getting the lights in the parking lot changed.

He was going to have to leave her soon and he wouldn’t have any right to even check in. She would be here all alone with no one to watch out for her. No one to hold her or make sure she was okay. He wouldn’t be able to do it because she wouldn’t let him. And he couldn’t stay involved in another relationship where he didn’t matter.