Edge of Midnight (McClouds & Friends #4)(116)

“We need to track down Charles Parrish,” Sean said. “Ivers’s contact with him is what touched off the hit man who attacked him.”

“Let’s leave for Endicott Falls tonight,” Liv said. “Then we can go see this guy first thing in the morning.”

Sean turned on her. “We? What’s this ‘we’ business? You’re staying right here. I thought we had an understanding.”

“Ah, no,” Liv said delicately. “I want to—”

“You are staying right here, and that is f*cking final.”

Everyone flinched. Davy cleared his throat. “Ah, could you guys maybe have this particular conversation in private?”

“Forget it, Liv.” Sean ignored his brother completely, still staring into her eyes. “Just get it out of your head.”

Nick broke in. “Weird, how they were all science geeks, huh? And all short on family. So sad to be all alone in the world.”

“The guy must have been licking his chops when he met Kev,” Davy said. “Crazy brilliant, no parents, no money. But he didn’t factor us in. Maybe Kev didn’t even tell him he had brothers.”

“Why should he factor us in?” Sean said. “McCloud boys are easy to manage. Just tell them their brother went bonkers, and they’ll fall right into line. Yes, sir. No, sir. Anything you say, sir.”

“Hey.” Davy’s face hardened with anger. “Cool it, punk.”

“I did,” Sean replied, his voice bitter. “I did cool it, and it was a bad call, Davy. I should have known. I should have stayed hot.”

“What difference does it make now?” Davy roared. “If we set it straight now or then? Kev’s gone. Timing is nothing to a dead man.”

“But I’m not dead,” Sean spat back. “I’ve been playing dead for fifteen years. I’m f*cking sick to death of it.”

Davy shot to his feet. Nick backed away from the bar, keeping a wary distance. “Watch it, boys,” Tam said, her voice a warning hiss.

“Stop it right now, both of you.” Liv’s voice was not loud, but its crystalline crispness sliced right through the red haze in the room.

Everyone looked at her, startled into silence. She glared at Sean.

“This carrying on is not useful,” she told him sternly. “Not to Kev, and not to you. Control yourself.”

Sean flinched. He got up, and stomped out of the room.

Davy just stared at Liv. “I’ve been lecturing that spaz since he was born,” he said. “How come I never get that kind of results?”

“Cunt power,” Tamara purred.

Nick snorted with smothered laughter. Tamara turned her tilted amber eyes on Liv. “Our business is concluded. If I were you, I’d go after him and remind him that you’re not wearing any panties. Turbocharged sex is so much more fun than a screaming argument. And men are so much more reasonable when they’ve just ejaculated. Try it.”

Liv felt her hackles rise. “You are out of line, Tam.”

Tam’s laughter was deep and throaty. “That’s high praise, for me.”

Liv slammed the door as she left the room. She was appalled with herself as she followed in Sean’s footsteps. And after her snarky little lecture to Sean too. She’d never slammed a door in her life.

She found him in the north tower, looking up at the last faint bit of twilight in the skylight above. His body radiated suppressed emotion.

She hesitated, intimidated, and forced her spine to stiffen. This hot-headed jerk was her man, and she’d be damned if she’d tippytoe around him like a scared little girl. That was no sort of life.

She slid her arms around his waist from behind. “Sean—”

“You’re staying right here,” he snarled.

“Ah, yes,” she murmued. “Right here. While Vadim Zhoglo and Daddy Novak with their testicle tongs comb the globe for my prickly hostess. Really safe, Sean.”

His muscles jerked under her hand. “It’s the best place I know of.”

“If you don’t want me to participate, I’ll just take my chances with the police. I’m sure they’ll be interested to know what we’ve been doing.”

He rounded on her with violent swiftness. “You can’t tell them what we did today. Not unless you want to read about Ivers and the Trung family in the obit pages. I promised them.”

“OK,” she said quietly. “I won’t tell anyone. Just let me go with you. I helped you today. And I could help again.”

“Oh, you helped. You fulfilled one of my fantasies. The Endicotts’ perfect china doll daughter, on her knees. Sucking my dick.”

She flinched, hurt clouding her mind, but something behind it whispered to her in a constant, steadying stream. Reminding her of the look in his eyes when he made love to her. The diamond in her ear. Intimacy like she’d never imagined it. He could throw up all the smoke screens he wanted, and she would see right through them.

“You can be as nasty and ugly as you like.” Her voice was small, but steady. “I won’t fall for it. Not a second time.”

“Oh no?”

“No. You’re in my head. You can’t lie to me. I know you, Sean.”

“You think so?” He backed her up to the wall. She stumbled as her high heels caught in the weave of the rug. Her back hit the wall.