Fighting With Light (The Coldwell Brothers #2)

10. Aelia

10

Aelia

“Can I leave now?”

Liam stares at me for a minute.

“I don’t know, Aelia, can you?”

The tension in the room is tight as I slide off the bed. Hesitating, I glance at his knives again and he catches me staring. I lift my chin and saunter past the knives into the bathroom.

I grimace at myself in the mirror. My mascara is smeared and my hair is all over the place, but the way Liam was looking at me, he didn’t even notice.

When I get home, I’m going to have to play this carefully. I’m sure questions will be asked about Bali, so I’m going to have to plant the seed that I met someone and it’s more than casual.

But I can’t let myself fall like I was for Liam. He’s charming, funny, and gorgeous with his tan skin, athletic body, and dirty blond hair bleached from the sun, and the way his body felt pressed against mine was…nothing short of overwhelming. It’s a good thing he has great timing because I think, for the first time, I was allowing myself to let go with someone I felt oddly safe with. That’s a first for me, and it’s part of the reason I wasn’t terrified out of my mind when I woke up tied to a bed.

Tears burn in my eyes as memories flood back. I take a deep breath and push them under the surface where they belong. It doesn’t help that I’ve been kidnapped, drugged, and tied up when I was a kid. I learned quickly that if you give them any emotion, they will use it against you.

With Liam, I wasn’t scared. I should have been, but I wasn’t. I’m also aware of how screwed up it is that I’m not that mad that he drugged me, even though it was just sleeping pills. I should’ve killed him or ran out of here and left Bali immediately. But I didn’t.

I’ve never pretended to be anything but screwed up because when you’re raised in a family like mine, there are certain things that don’t bother you anymore and leave scars no one can see. They can’t hear you screaming behind the pretty face and party girl attitude. Maybe that’s why I feel safe with Liam. I see him screaming behind his and I can’t help but wonder if I may have met my match.

What I didn’t tell Liam was that seeing someone for any longer than forty-eight hours means that it’s more than a hookup. I’m concerned that it will tip Dad off and then he’ll force the arranged marriage, and I can’t let that happen. I won’t marry a stranger. I get to decide that, not my father.

My brothers don’t seem to have a problem with it, but they also aren’t betrothed to a woman they know nothing about. I’m sure they will change their tune if Dad gets that far with them. Regardless, it’s not happening to me and Liam might just be able to help me with that. My father isn’t stupid. It might take him a couple of weeks to figure out that I’m serious with someone, and that will get him going, which makes me smile.

A knock on the door makes me jump. “Aelia, are you okay in there?”

I sigh, glancing at myself one more time, fixing the strands of dark hair. “Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.”

I finish my business and open the door. Glancing to my left, I notice the knives are gone. Liam is sitting at his desk, typing away on his computer. “I thought I was going to have to dive in after you.”

“Like Baywatch Bali edition.”

The corner of his mouth tips up and remains facing his computer screen.

“What time is it?” I ask.

He looks at the diver’s watch on his wrist.

“Seven,” he says.

I puff out a breath, reach for my phone, and send Ben a quick text so he won’t come running. “Do you want to get some breakfast?”

His fingers falter on the keyboard and I stand there feeling like an idiot. My chest feels tight and my eyes burn a little. Forcing my chin up, I blink the tears away because I’m beginning to think he really did play me. I’m well versed in spotting people like that, but it never felt that way with Liam. I don’t know how to feel about him, and I refuse to say heartbroken .

I break hearts, not the other way around.

The typing stops and he spins around in his chair. “Yeah, do you want to order room service?” Liam asks, looking at the spot I was in. I’m already across the room and he takes a second to realize I was walking out. “Oh, did you want to go instead?”

“Yeah,” I cough. “Room service is fine.”

He nods as an odd expression crosses his face. “Grab the menu, tell me what you want, and I’ll call it in.”

“Okay,” I rasp. I grab the menu from the mini bar and tell him what I want. When he orders, it sounds like he’s ordering food for six people instead of two.

“I’m going to go change while we wait for the food.”

“Do you…want me to go with you?” he asks carefully and I’m not sure how to answer. I’m aware he has no reason to trust me, but I know he needs proof. So this is step one. I am in this wholeheartedly; my father deserves what’s coming to him.

“No, that’s okay. It will just take a few minutes.”

He hesitates and leans back in his chair. “The key card is right there,” he says, pointing to the counter where he set mine. Glancing at my phone, still sitting on the bed, I decide to leave it there. I’m sure part of him thought maybe I would call someone for help. I won’t do that and not having a phone will show him I’m serious. Sure, I could call someone from the room, but he will just have to trust that I won’t.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a minute.”

He stares at me before spinning back around, and I force my feet to move through the door and to my villa.

When I get there, I take a drive-thru shower and remove my old makeup. Since I don’t know what we’re doing today, I opt for one of my black bikinis and a linen dress. I brush my hair out, leave my face bare, and high-tail it back to Liam’s.

Instead of knocking on the front door, I come around to the back and the door is already open, with the gauzy curtains blowing in the breeze. Liam isn’t in the room, but the bathroom door is closed.

My phone is still laying on the bed in the exact place I left it. I know he snooped on me, so I decide to do the same and walk over to the small closet and open it quietly. There are some nice clothes hanging on hangers, but the rest of it is board shorts, those moisture-wicking shorts he was wearing when we were rock climbing, tank tops, and t-shirts. He’s a simple guy. There’s a little dresser unit that hangs on the wall in the closet and I open one drawer, finding his underwear, a money clip thick with cash, and a couple of divers watches laying in the drawer. I slide out the next drawer and it’s more board shorts, which makes sense. He’s a professional surfer. Satisfied that there’s nothing hiding in here, I take a step back and close the door to the closet, hoping it doesn’t squeak.

“Find anything interesting?” Liam asks. I yelp and my heart leaps up my throat. He’s leaning against the side of the wall, arms crossed and a lazy grin on his face. He stays there waiting for an answer and I shake my head.

“You might find something in that drawer,” he says, pointing to the dresser below the TV hanging on the wall. “Oh wait, probably not. It’s a pair of jeans and climbing crap. But feel free to check it out if you’d like.”

My heart finally calms and I glare at him. He lifts his hands in surrender and goes back to his computer. “If you have a question, ask it, Aelia,” he says over his shoulder.

I stare at his backside, and he’s wearing a fresh pair of board shorts, with an unbuttoned linen shirt. His hair looks wet and the smell of body wash wafts out of the bathroom. “I figured I was returning the favor because I’m sure you snooped around my villa.”

He shrugs. “Looking and snooping are two different things. I didn’t actually open the drawers.”

“Well, I did. Deal with it.”

He chuckles and starts typing again. “Yes, ma’am,” he says .

“What are you doing over there?”

“Checking on some things,” he says cryptically.

“Liam, if we’re going to do this, you have to keep me in the loop.” He says nothing back and in the time I wait for him to clue me in, breakfast arrives.

Liam rolls the cart to the back patio and leaves it next to the two chairs. We help ourselves. As we eat, he won’t look at me and I don’t appreciate that.

“So, you’re into computers.”

“Yup,” he says, and takes a bite of his eggs.

“Why do you like computers?”

“If this is your attempt at small talk, please take us out of our misery and stop,” he says.

“Then stop being so standoffish,” I snap.

“Sorry, I…don’t know what to do with you now.”

My stomach feels weirdly light and kind of tight. “What does that mean?” I ask him.

“Well, the jig is up, the game is over.”

“I was a game ?“ I say, a little taken aback.

He shakes his head quickly. “No, wrong word, sorry. Mission?”

I scoff. “How is that any better?”

“It’s not. I…don’t know this feels different. I have to trust you and I’m not good at that. And I didn’t miss the fact you left your phone here when you left to change clothes. You’ll have to give me a second to, uh, adjust.”

I rub my fingers over my top lip, trying to hide my smile. “You don’t have a lot of girls that are friends, do you?”

He shrugs and takes a sip of coffee. “No, not really. Maybe the women surfers, but it’s not like we hang out much.”

I drop my chin on my knuckles and stare at him. “Do I make you nervous?”

“No,” he says, too fast for it to be the truth.

An idea springs into my head and I immediately know it’s a terrible. The tension, the attraction, the heady chemistry is unequivocal between us. I was ready to explore it last night and snap that thread. Liam had other ideas, but I can forgive if he can forget .

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asks.

“I’m thinking about how all of this is going to work.”

“If your dad watches you like you said he does, then we will have to be careful. Competitions can be five to ten days. Reporters are there, so you might be photographed, too.”

“I assumed as much. Ten days is a long time.”

“Well, we’re working with weather and the surf isn’t always conducive to competition, so then it has to be postponed,” he explains.

“I see, and where are you off to after we leave Bali?” I ask.

“Peniche, Portugal.”

I smile because if I wasn’t sure if this could work, I am now. “You’re in luck, Tarzan. Where do you think my father gets his guns?”

His eyes widen. “It’s kismet.” He pauses. “But I don’t think that was what you were going to say.”

I shift in my seat, nervous to suggest this. It’s not like I’ve done it before. It’s a bad idea…I shouldn’t. “So, when do you want to take notes or whatever you do with the computer?” I ask him, trying to steer the conversation away from what I originally had in mind. There are a lot of crazy things you’ve done, Aelia. I think this one could be the most destructive.

He looks out at the ocean and the large waves rising. “I was hoping to get out on the water for a bit. But this is more important. We can start now.”

“No, please, we have a few days. Plus, don’t you have more rock climbing excursions to lead?” He takes a drink of water. “Nope, my last excursion was with you. I wanted to take my last days here to get my head right for competition, but then…”

“I happened,” I finish for him.

He takes a long sip of water. “Yeah, you happened,” he says, looking me up and down. His hazel eyes drag over my body and it feels like a feather-light touch. I want more, but that’s a bad idea, right? You can’t mix business with pleasure. It will only end in heartbreak because even if I wanted him temporarily, I couldn’t have him. Our fathers may be partners, but we are on opposite sides. He’s good, I’m bad, that simple .

“You should uh—” I cough, trying to clear my throat of the tension. ”—catch some waves. I’ve got no place to be.” I want to slap myself in the face. I never stumble with my words.

“You sure?”

I nod because I can’t speak.

“Yeah, okay, I’ll just be out for a couple of hours,” he says.

“I’ll just lay out on the beach or at the pool.”

“I mean, you can come with me. We might as well get to know each other if we’re going to work together.” His hand runs through his hair. “If you want, of course.” I bite my lower lip and take a deep gulp of water.

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Why am I so damn nervous around him? Aelia, he tied you up and drugged you—be furious and reluctant. No. But this is insane, you are insane. Tell me something I don’t know.

Liam stands and gathers our plates, sets them back on the cart, and rolls it out to the front of his villa. A few minutes later, he loses his shirt and grabs his board, leaning against the wall of the villa. “Bring some water. It’s hot outside,” he says.

“Yeah okay.”

He purses his lips like he’s trying to decide if he can trust me and starts walking to the shore.

Unsure if I should jump to follow him, I take my time and leave my cover-up at his villa. I call the front desk, and they bring me some beach towels, the water I ordered, and an umbrella to shield me from the hot rays. My hands are full and I carefully make my way to the beach and set up.

Liam is already out on the water. He’s so far out, he looks small in the distance. After I get the umbrella angled right and my towel down, I sit down to watch the show.

He paddles quickly as he catches with the almost eight-foot swell. As the wave breaks, Liam drops into it and surfs down the length. He turns back and forth on his board. I don’t understand what the technicality of it is, but I’m enamored. It’s like he’s flying across the water as he rides it until it froths at the top and crashes into the shore. He drops onto his stomach on the board and turns around, paddling back out. I watch him dip below a cresting wave and then pop back up.

Over and over again, he looks so graceful and smooth as he and the board surf the water. I tried to take a picture, but he was moving too fast. Eventually, he makes his way back to shore and jogs up to me. I hand him a bottle of water and he nods his thanks as he chugs it. His chest moves up and down, trying to catch his breath, and I can’t yank my eyes away from him.

It doesn’t matter that I’m wearing my sunglasses. He knows I’m staring. Yet I don’t care if he knows. Butterflies swarm my stomach and I do my best to ignore the flutter. He makes everything flutter. He wiggles his board up right into the sand and then sits next to me under the umbrella, leaning back onto his elbows. Water droplets hit my skin, cooling with the touch, and I take a drink of water, needing to do something else.

“Have you ever surfed before?” he asks.

“I tried to learn when I was in Hawaii, but I couldn’t quite get the hang of it.” Something passes his eyes and then it’s gone. “Have you been to Hawaii?”

“Yep, surfed there not too long ago.”

I hum and look back out at the beautiful azure ocean. The waves are soothing and make my eyes drop. I barely slept, and I don’t think Liam got any.

“So I’ve been thinking,” Liam starts.

“This should be good.”

He angles his head at me and then back at the water. “You were going to say something earlier, but you changed the subject. So the whole time I was out on the water I was trying to figure out what you were trying to say, then I realized you probably want to lay out some level of ground rules between us since we will be working together. Which is fair, but we will need a plan. Are you okay traveling with me?” he asks.

My belly does that nervous flutter again.

“Yeah, yes,” I tell him.

“Don’t sound so excited, princess,” Liam says. His glistening face grins widely at me and he tosses me a wink .

The butterfly wings brush my belly and I find it hard to breathe. I force a smile and tuck my hair behind my ear. “Oh, I’m just riddled with excitement.”

***

When we get back to Liam’s villa, we wash the sand off ourselves in the outdoor shower and order food. He grabs his laptop and sits across from me. “Tell me everything,” he commands.

So we sit there in the shade and I tell him all my family’s secrets. “I told you Dad gets guns from Portugal. His supplier is the father of a friend of mine. Once the Ferreira’s have them, they ship them directly to a port in Boston where we pick them up. The cocaine comes from the Marín cartel in Colombia and I don’t know much, but I know it can’t come to the States by boat because it crosses into territory in Miami.”

Liam’s fingers fly against the laptop. “Who is in Miami?” he asks.

“First, it’s not just Miami. It’s the whole Gulf Coast area. But, uh, a man named Bobby Buford runs Texas, Louisiana belongs to Malachi Dumas, and Miami belongs to Arturo Jimenez. Jimenez hates my father more than anyone else in the world, so if he catches wind that one of the Costa shipments is in his water, he will sink the boat or take the product. So Dad has to go up and around or by a private jet. It’s inconsistent on purpose.”

“Are the drugs on a semi-truck or in a car?” he asks.

“He does a few different things. I’ve seen it come in semis with shipments of fish on ice, but I think he has border patrol in Mexico paid off. I’ve also heard it’s put in with other things, like fresh flowers, cocoa, or I’ve even seen him pack it in cars that just got off the assembly lines.”

“Creative,” he mumbles.

“What are you typing?” I ask him.

He doesn’t answer right away until he finishes. “I’m taking notes and I’m cross-checking what you tell me with what I already know. ”

I frown at that. “There’s no way you can cross-check that, Liam. It’s not tracked on computers.”

He rolls his eyes and reaches for his mineral water. “I know you don’t know a lot about me, but everything is on a computer these days. Even the mafia and drug shipments. Someone, somewhere, said or saw something. I just have to find it.”

Impressed, I ask him, “How in the world do you do that?”

“I could go into detail, but basically, I wrote a code that looks for specific criteria, and the information you’re giving me helps the code narrow down results. It’s going to find things from other organizations because of how it’s designed, but it’s a start.”

“But why do you need that when I’m telling you all of it?”

“I’m building a case, Aelia. We need evidence in order to do that. Text confirmations, video of a truck shipment, the feed from when something was waved forward over the border between Mexico and California, things like that.”

“So, you’re not going for RICO?” I ask. When you grow up in a mob family, you’re well aware of the big no-no word, RICO. In my mind, it would be the best route to go, but that’s assuming you’re just going after the Costa organization and that’s not the only goal.

“We’re going after my father, so though this information would work for a RICO indictment for your father, it won’t get us Congressman Coldwell. However, if I can find where my dad comes in with all of this, then it will be evidence enough to open an investigation,” he says.

“I mean, he meets with your dad all the time. How is that not enough?” I ask.

Liam winces at that. “Unfortunately, being seen with an assumed leader of a large mob family and actually showing wrongdoing are two different things.”

“That sucks,” I mutter.

“Yes, it does. That’s why I want all the information I can get.”

I take a deep breath. I’m a ratto , I know that. But it’s worth it, and if everything goes well, my brothers won’t keep me from Mom. “I need to make something clear, Liam. The goal with this information is to hurt your father and mine, not my entire family. I realize you don’t agree with what the Costas do. I don’t like it either, but they are my family.”

His jaw ticks and he looks out at the ocean again. “I know. Like you said earlier, I’m not here to take down the organization, just two people.”

“Good. So, the guns, I forgot to tell you, I think Dad pays off the Coast Guard or someone at the shipping yard. I’m not positive on that.”

“That could be the connection,” Liam says, fingers flying across the keyboard.

I search my mind for any other information, but I can’t think of it at the moment. Mobs may be illegal enterprises, but there is a successful way to run them. It has to be organized like a multi-million dollar company in order for it to all work. I know a lot, but I don’t know it all. “Okay, I think that should get me the criteria I need to run this program. Hopefully, it will find something linking your dad and mine.”

“What will you do with all the information when you do?”

Sadness clouds his features for a moment and my heart leaps. “Liam,” I whisper.

“No, it’s not what you’re thinking. I just hope it doesn’t somehow pull my mom into things. We were with my dad until I was about thirteen and we know he was involved with the Costas well before then. I just…I have to make sure my mom is safe.”

Understanding exactly how that feels, I nod and leave it at that.

“I haven’t slept for a while, so I’m going to take a nap,” he says, shutting his laptop. I stand, not sure what to do. Liam has occupied every waking hour since I’ve stepped foot on this island. “I can take you to a temple towards the top of the volcano later, if you want.”

I smile. “Why are you being like this?” I ask him. It’s confusing.

“Like what?” he asks.

“As if you’re interested in me,” I mutter.

He chuckles and rubs his chin. “Despite what you may think, I can be nice without having the goal to get in your pants. ”

I huff. “Okay then, that sounds fun.” My heart pitter patters in my chest. I should not be excited right now.

“Cool.”