Chapter 19
Nineteen
Liam
I woke up to the pale morning light filtering through the blinds, my body still sluggish from sleep. I squinted at the clock—barely 7 AM—but something felt off. My mind, usually sharp the moment I opened my eyes, was still heavy like I was forgetting something important.
I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, planning to check for messages and maybe snooze for a few more minutes. But as soon as I unlocked the screen, another text from Mia popped up.
My heart stuttered in my chest.
MIA: Please contact me ASAP. I definitely found something unusual in the files you gave me to review. It's big, but I need your help to make sense of it. I miss you!!
For a second, I just stared at the message, trying to make sense of it. Something unusual? Big? I sat up quickly, my mind kicking into high gear as adrenaline coursed through me. Mia didn't scare easily, and if she was spooked enough to send a message like that, it wasn't just nothing.
I dialed her number without a second thought with the phone pressed tight to my ear. The ringing felt like it dragged on forever before she picked up.
"Liam?" Her voice was shaky, and that hit me hard. Mia never sounded scared.
"What happened? What did you find?" I asked, trying to keep the edge out of my voice. My chest was already tight, my pulse hammering in my ears.
"I was going through the files," she said quickly, her words tumbling out. "There are payments—big ones—that don't make sense. It looks like Riverstone Children's Hospital has been funneling cash through a company called Golden Rock Consulting. But the work they're being paid for doesn't add up. It feels like... something's really wrong. And... I found some emails from Derek that don't look good."
My jaw clenched. Golden Rock. That was Derek's connection, no doubt about it. "And you think Derek's involved?"
"I don't know," she admitted, her voice dropping. "But it's bad, Liam. Really bad. I... I didn't even go to work today because I couldn't stop thinking about it."
Hearing the fear in her voice made something twist in my gut. Mia was never one to back down from anything, so if she was rattled, I knew I had to act fast. She shouldn't have to deal with this on her own, not after I'd dragged her into this mess.
"I'm sorry," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "This is my fault. I should've seen this coming." My mind was already racing, thinking about how to handle the situation. "I'm coming to Cedar Cove. I'm in Dallas right now, but I'll be there in a few hours. Just hang tight."
"Liam..." Her voice was quieter now, almost a whisper. "Please hurry."
The raw edge of fear in her tone made my chest tighten even more. "I will. I'm leaving now. Don't do anything until I get there."
"I won't. I just... I need you here."
"I'm coming, Mia. I promise." I ended the call and stared down at the phone for a beat, my mind still spinning. Golden Rock Consulting. Derek. Of course, it was him. This had his name written all over it, and he had a key to my cabin.
And now Mia was caught in the middle of it. I swore under my breath, already on my feet and grabbing clothes from the dresser. I'd fix this. I didn't care what it took—I'd get to her and make sure she was safe.
Getting dressed was a blur, with Mia's voice still ringing in my ears, full of fear. It twisted in my gut relentlessly. My jet was unavailable due to maintenance, so I grabbed only the essentials—phone, keys, wallet—and bolted. There was no time for the elevator, so I took the stairs two at a time. My head was buzzing with guilt and worry. This was on me. I should have never involved Mia with my mess, but now she was stuck, probably sitting at home, poring over those files and scared out of her mind.
Hitting the garage, I slid into the Lamborghini, the leather seat wrapping around me. I fired up the engine, its roar cutting through the tension for a second, but it wasn't enough. Mia was out there, waiting, probably terrified, and I couldn't waste another damn minute.
The tires screeched as I punched the gas and flew out of the garage. There was no time for traffic. So I took the backroads, cutting through Dallas like a man on a mission. Nothing mattered but getting to Mia as fast as possible.
The countryside blurred past me, but I barely noticed. My foot was heavy on the accelerator, and the speedometer was inching higher. Normally, I'd be more cautious, especially with the cops patrolling out here. But today, I didn't give a damn. If I got pulled over, so be it. I'd pay the ticket later. I just needed to get to Mia as quickly as possible.
My mind kept replaying her voice, that tremor in it. Mia was tough—hell, she wasn't scared of anything, at least not easily. That's what made this worse. If she was shaken, I knew it had to be bad. Really bad.
And it was Derek. Of course, it was him. He always had a way of worming himself into everything. I should've known he'd try something like this, but I'd been too focused on other things—focused on Mia, on my feelings for her. And now look where that got her—wrapped up in a scheme I should've seen coming a mile away.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles turning white. I wasn't just pissed at Derek; I was pissed at myself. I should've been on top of this. No doubt Mia was sitting there thinking I'd be able to explain all this away, but the truth was, I didn't have all the answers yet. I could piece things together based on what she said—the payments, Golden Rock Consulting—but I wouldn't know the full picture until I saw the files myself.
Derek had been a good friend for years. I just hoped Mia had only seen part of the picture and that once the rest came out, Derek would be cleared from suspicion.
Whatever happened, though, I'd make it right. I'd protect Mia from whatever fallout this mess created. I always did things my way, and I'd fix this my way, too. Nobody messed with the people I cared about. And I cared about Mia. More than I'd ever wanted to admit.
The skyline of Cedar Cove finally came into view as I rounded the last bend. My pulse quickened as I pushed the car harder. I didn't slow down until I pulled through the park's gate. Finally, my tires skidded slightly as I came to a halt in front of her cabin.
I'd barely put the car in park before I jumped out and made a beeline for her door. My heart was pounding, not just from the drive but from the thought of seeing Mia. She was in there, probably pacing, her mind running a million miles an hour, just like mine.
I knocked once—barely a tap—before the door swung open. There she was, beautiful Mia, eyes wide and filled with something between relief and fear. Seeing her like that hit me harder than I expected. I'd been so focused on getting to her, the facts, and what I needed to do, but seeing her, knowing she'd been scared, made it all real.
Without thinking, I pulled her into my arms, her body folding into mine like she belonged there. I could feel her trembling, her breath quick and shallow against my chest. I held her tighter as if that would make everything okay.
"I'm here," I murmured into her hair. "I've got you."
For a second, she didn't say anything. She just held onto me like I was the only thing keeping her grounded. I could feel her heartbeat, rapid and unsteady, and it made something tighten in my chest.
Finally, she pulled back just enough to look up at me, her eyes searching my face. "I didn't know you'd make it this fast."
"I promised I would be here," I murmured, my voice gentle and soothing. "You don't have to worry about anything now."
"Are you sure?" She furrowed her brow, her fingertips lightly tracing over my arm.
Gently, I lifted her chin so our eyes met. "I'm more worried about you. That's all that matters."
Her expression softened, but I could still see the weight of everything pressing on her. The files, the fear, and Derek's possible involvement were all hanging between us, and we both knew it. But for now, I just wanted her to know I was here.
"I... I didn't know what to do," she admitted. "When I saw those numbers, I realized something was wrong, and I couldn't think straight."
"You did the right thing by letting me know." I ran a hand down my face, glancing toward the living room, where papers were scattered across the coffee table. "Let's go over what you found. I need to see it."
We moved inside and sat on the couch. Mia had her laptop open and a pile of papers spread out across the coffee table. She looked uneasy like she didn't even know where to start. I leaned back, trying to shake off the rush from the drive, but the tension in the room made it hard to relax.
"This is what I found," she started, her voice tight. "There are transactions—big ones—that don't add up. Payments to Golden Rock Consulting, but there's barely any work done for it. The money just... disappears."
I frowned, leaning forward to look at the screen. My jaw tightened when I saw Derek's name pop up multiple times in the emails. He was all over this.
"Derek's name is everywhere," she continued, her fingers trembling as she scrolled through the files. "It looks like he's tied to all of it. But... Liam..."
Her voice trailed off, and I knew where this was going before she even said it.
She swallowed hard, finally looking up at me. "Are you involved in this? Are you trying to shift the blame onto someone else? I just... I have to know."
The question hit me hard. My gut twisted, but I didn't flinch. I reached for her hand, pulling her closer, needing her to see the truth in my eyes.
"Why the hell would I steal from my own company?" I asked, keeping my voice steady. "Mia, if I wanted to cheat the system, I wouldn't need to set up some shell company to funnel cash. I could just cook the books and hide a few million here or there. I've been running Edgewater for years. If I wanted to skim off the top, I wouldn't be sloppy about it."
Her brows furrowed as she listened like she was still processing everything. "But..."
"I'm not a thief, Mia," I cut in, my tone firm. "I built Edgewater from nothing. Why would I throw it all away for a couple of cheap scams? If anyone's guilty here, it looks like it's Derek. He's the one pulling the strings, not me. And if it's true, it will make me very sad."
She looked down at our hands, her fingers tangled with mine. The doubt in her expression started to soften, but I could still see the conflict in her eyes. "I... I didn't know what to think. I was scared, and I didn't know who to trust."
I let out a slow breath, pulling her even closer until her forehead rested against mine. "I get it," I murmured. "But you can trust me. I'd never put you in a position like this if I had something to hide. You're the one person I never want to lie to, Mia."
She closed her eyes, her breath shuddering out as she let the words sink in. "Okay. I believe you."
For a second, we just sat there in silence. The tension that had been gnawing at both of us slowly started to ease. I could feel her relaxing against me, her body leaning into mine as if she'd finally found solid ground.
But then she quietly said, "What will you do about Derek?"
I rubbed my temples. "I'm going to handle him. Don't worry. He's not getting away with this, even if he is a friend. I promise you that."
A sudden knock at the door shattered the moment, and Mia's grip on my leg tightened.
"I wonder who that is?"
"Hell, if I know," I muttered, standing up, the calm we'd just found evaporating.
Mia moved quickly to the door, her hand hesitating on the knob before she finally opened it. Standing there was a man I didn't recognize, but the look on her face told me everything I needed to know—this wasn't good.
"Hello, Frank," she whispered.
The man at the door had a grim expression. "I'm sorry, Mia. We've got a problem. You've been using the park's system for personal reasons... I called an emergency meeting with the board. According to the rules, we don't have a choice. We have to let you go. I'm honestly sorry."
Mia's breath hitched, and for a moment, she stood frozen. The silence that followed hit hard, like a blow to the chest.
"I... I understand," Mia said quietly. "I did use the park's system earlier this morning."
Frank sighed and gave a small nod. "Yes. It's all on video. The board agreed to pay you for your remaining vacation days." His eyes flicked toward me, his expression darkening. "Just make sure you're not getting yourself caught up in something bigger than you realize." He patted her shoulder. "Again, Mia. I'm really sorry. We will miss you."
Frank turned and walked away, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.
Mia broke down, covering her face as sobs wracked her body. I gently took her hands, guiding her to the couch and pulling her onto my lap. "Mia, I love you," I said softly. "You have nothing to worry about. Everything's going to be alright."
She sniffled, looking up at me. "You promise?"
I nodded, smiling down at her. "You heard me. Have I ever broken a promise to you?"
She cuddled closer. "No. Not yet."