She smiled brightly as they walked in, but he could hear the disapproval in her voice. “Lee, it’s so good to see you. It’s been such a long time. I really expected you to come around sooner.” Her British accent was every bit as perfect as Ian’s had been. Liam often thought that they were a group of people who could have been actors had they not been so bloody good at killing. “You must be Avery.”
Avery held out her hand, politely shaking Eve’s. She was an inch or two shorter than Eve and even dressed for work, she couldn’t match Eve’s flair for fashion. There was always something askew about Avery whether it was a button she’d missed or a little tear in her skirt. She was perfectly imperfect, and it just made him want to stay close to her so she never felt the need to change.
“Nice to meet you.” She glanced around the lobby. “It looks so normal.”
Eve laughed, her face lighting up. “Oh, that is a lovely thought. If only the whole world was normal. I think you’ll find we have a slightly different version of normal from most people. Come along, dear. Lee has your clothes set out for you. I’ll help you. I don’t suppose you’ve worn a corset before, have you?”
Her eyes went wide. “No.”
Eve winked at her. “Then I’ll definitely have to help you. I’ll give you a little advice. Breathe now while you can.” She started to lead Avery toward the women’s dressing room. Her blonde head turned slightly back toward him. “I’ll show Avery around. Lee, dear, I believe you’ll find Ian is waiting to have a word with you.”
He nodded. He could bet Ian was waiting. Ian would be up in his office, sitting behind his temporary desk and ready for to dress Liam down. Ian could be very formal in his own odd way. Liam had seen it happen before, though if Ian tried that Three Stooges routine he often ran on Adam, he would find out Liam hit back.
Liam walked through the door to the men’s locker room. Ian could wait.
Except Ian wasn’t where he was supposed to be. He was pacing the floor of the locker room, already dressed in leathers. Black leather covered his legs and a vest sat on his massive chest.
When he turned, he looked almost human. “Li, I need to talk to you.”
Fuck all. Ian looked worried. What the hell was going on? Liam could pretend to not quite understand or he could get right to the heart of the matter. He never had been one to prevaricate. He looked Ian right in the eye. “Did you or did you not run the op that got my brother killed?”
Ian stared right back. “I did and I didn’t.”
Liam groaned. “I’m not playing games. I want the truth.”
“I’m not playing games either, but I’m starting to suspect someone is playing them with us. There are too many coincidences. Those files were buried. Weston shouldn’t have been able to find them.”
“So you’re pissed that Weston got through your wall of protection?”
“Li, I didn’t cover the op up. The Agency did, and I didn’t even know they had buried the evidence until a few days ago. Honestly, I’ve always known we would have this conversation. I’ve been avoiding it for years.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s a lot you don’t know, and honestly I didn’t think you needed to know. It was done. And it was a time in my life I don’t particularly want to remember.”
“Because of your wife?”
Ian’s face tightened. “Yes. Charlotte is a part of my life better left buried.”
“Did you kill her?” He really wasn’t sure he wanted the answer to that question.
“Yes and no.”
Liam was ready to punch a wall. “Fuck it, Ian, will you give me a bloody straight answer? I’m sick of this. I’m thinking about walking out of here right now and taking Avery with me.”
“Don’t you fucking threaten me,” Ian snarled.
“Ian, calm down. We talked about this.” Alex was sitting in the corner, still in his sweats and a T-shirt.
Liam ran a hand across his hair. If Alex had been a snake, he could have bitten him several times. Liam was losing it. “I didn’t see you.”
Alex gave Liam a little half smile. “Sorry. I’m here to make sure you two don’t beat each other down.”
“Like you could stop us,” Ian snarled back.
Liam was with Ian on this one. He was starting to think a beat down might be in order. Beating the fuck out of Ian just might make him feel better.
“In that case, I’m here to call the match. Adam and Jake have a hundred riding on it. Jake thinks Ian will kill you, but Adam is counting on the fact that you’re awfully mean.” Alex sat back, waiting on the outcome.
“Does everyone know but me?” That was his fear. He was on the outside again. He was the one who didn’t fit.
Ian slapped at one of the lockers, the sound reverberating through the room. “No. Alex is the only person on the team who even knew I had ever been married. Adam and Jake and Eve just think I’m talking to you about the fact that you’ve been an asshole for four days and you’re jeopardizing this op.”
Ian hadn’t told his brother? “What about Sean?”
“My brother has enough problems with me as it is. Even back then, Sean had a love-hate relationship with me. Knowing about Charlie would have put him firmly in the hate camp, more than likely.”