If I thought about it too hard, this far away from her, I’d panic. Lash out. Go crazy. So, I’d set these thoughts aside for now. We could talk about it when the time came.
“Don’t work too hard.”
“Mmm…I won’t.” Her sleepy eyes raked up and down, taking in what she could see of me through the screen. “Look at you, ready to start your day. Handsome as ever, even on the wrong side of the globe.”
Another shot to the gut. Being admired by the woman I’d been taken with for so long affected me on a visceral level. Her words tangled in my veins, mixing with my affection for her.
“Thank you. I like when you say things like that.”
Her lips turned up in a pleased little grin. “And I like that my compliments make you feel good. I have a lot of them stored up for future use.”
“Give me another. I need it to make it through the meeting I have later.”
“Hmmm.” She rested her head on the back of the couch and tapped her chin. “Your ability to be cool and collected under pressure is so flipping admirable, but your best quality is the way you can set down your armor at the end of the day to be soft and vulnerable.”
God, I needed to kiss her. “Only with you, sweetheart.”
She shook her head. “No, I’ve seen you be sweet with Freddie, and I’ve heard your phone calls with Elise. You’re a very caring man, Elliot.” Her lips pressed together. “I made you blush.”
I scrubbed at my hot cheek. I didn’t have many tells. This one was out of my control, and I hated it. “I brought this on myself, didn’t I? I can’t take a compliment for shit—not when they’re coming from you. I’m going to keep coming back for more, though. I can’t get enough.”
“Then I’ll give you more.” She sucked on her bottom lip, her pretty eyes flitting over me. “Can I ask you something I’ve been wanting to know for months?”
“Anything.”
“You have to tell me the truth this time.”
“Absolutely.”
“Did you replace all the chairs on the executive floor just so you could buy me a new one?”
My throat grew tight, but there was no way to avoid answering like I had the first time. “Of course I did.”
“Oh, Elliot.” Her lashes fluttered as she sighed my name. “See what I mean? Even back then, before we were anything, you were taking care of me. I’m glad you finally let me see underneath it all.”
That was the thing. To me, there had never been a time before we were anything. But I’d embarrassed myself enough for one phone call. That confession could wait for another day.
While in Dubai, a few facts came to light about Liam Wick. The biggest one: that wasn’t his real name.
After he’d texted Catherine, making demands to see the baby he’d abandoned on his terms, I’d had my PI dig into his background—something I should have done a long time ago.
William van der Wyck was the second son of Australian energy magnate Edgar van der Wyck. Edgar had his fingers in many pies, including a new downtown waterfront project.
Liam wasn’t the traveling pauper he’d presented himself as to Catherine. He was in line to inherit billions without the responsibility of being the oldest son, which had enabled him to travel the world and playact as a lowly volunteer until he got bored and returned to the nest.
Good ol’ Liam hadn’t been cut off from his fortune like Catherine. His bank accounts were flush and growing fatter from interest every day.
And he’d stolen a few thousand from the mother of his child just because he could.
That piece of shit.
Fortunately for me, his assistant was most accommodating in setting up an appointment for me to speak with Liam when I dropped my name and mentioned I was looking to invest in Australian energy.
If Liam thought Catherine’s boss scheduling a meeting with him was suspicious, he didn’t show it in his enthusiastic greeting. As I shook his hand, I tried to find a resemblance to Josephine in him, but there was nothing I recognized. Joey had all of Catherine’s features and none of his.
I sat down in the chair across from him and waited for him to begin.
He grinned, his overly white teeth gleaming. “Elliot Levy, I was surprised to see your name on my calendar. What brings you down under?”
“I’m here to talk to you, William.” My brows lowered. “Do you ever go by Liam?”
“Sometimes. Honestly, I’ll answer to either. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”