Capture Me: Alpha Billionaire Romance (Hollywood Dreams) (21 page)

I reached across the center console of my Rover and squeezed her hand. When it took her a few moments to return it, I knew Dani’s arrest hit her harder than she’d let on.

“Even after I moved to New York City a few years back, Dani and I stayed close.” Tessa looked out the passenger window for a long moment. “For the last week or so, she’s been calling and hanging up. After everything happened, I’ve gone home as often as I could, but she doesn’t want to see me, not really.”

“Sounds like she doesn’t know what she needs.”

“I don’t either. There’s no way I could stay there every day. Not with all those memories. Between Mom’s decorative taste of modern-chic to Dad’s pet projects, everything there is, well, them. I’ve offered for her to stay with me in New York, but she won’t leave.”

“It’s probably harder on her than she’s admitting. You can’t force her.”

Tessa flipped her purse strap in her fingers again. “I know I should go easier on myself. I can’t control her and all that.”

I chuckled. “I see you’re giving my speech for me.”

“There has to be something I can do for her,” Tessa said. As I took the first exit out of New York, I could feel her gaze on me. “I know that you don’t like to talk about it, but anything you could tell me would be helpful.”

I glanced over. This wasn’t something I ever talked about. Something meaningful crossed her face but it was hard to tell exactly what it was in the dark. “What’s that look for?”

“I just—” She rubbed her palms together. “I’m sorry I asked, but I just need to know how to handle this. It’s not only about me. It’s Dani, too.”

Well, hell.
“My parents died in a helicopter accident.” The words spilled out. Tessa already knew that, but I hadn’t put it so bluntly . . . ever.

No one else needed to know what I’d been through. Maybe not until now. I reminded myself that I said I’d do damn near anything for Tessa. Telling her a little about me should be easy street compared to some things.
Should be
didn’t mean that was the case.

“So, what happened to your family . . . it was unexpected, too? How did you deal?”

“The hardest thing for me was being alone. I didn’t have a brother or sister going through the exact same thing I was.”

“See, that’s what I don’t get. She’s
choosing
to do it alone.”

“Her calling you means she wants to reach out. It might mean that she doesn’t know what to say. Or—” I paused, not really wanting to finish.

“Or what?”

Yeah, load of good that did me. There was no stopping Tessa from wanting to know something. Something I usually dodged, no problem.

But right now, helping her mattered more.

I just didn’t want to hurt her in the process. “Or she thinks you’ll judge her.” When Tessa sighed, I added, “I reacted worse than she did at first. I tested the limits. She’s doing it with ice cream. I found whatever extreme stunt I could find.” I was lucky I was still alive.

“If you had only seen our pool that day.”

“It’s what she needs to do. Doesn’t matter that she’s pushing you away. I was able to get over things because I had supportive friends and other family there for me. Like you are there for her. Just stay on it.” I squeezed her hand again. “Things get better. When you’re ready, put your efforts into something meaningful. I started my dream business.”

“The photography studio.”

I nodded. “It’s my way to give back for all they did for me.” After a time, I said, “I’ve helped you, right? I don’t just mean tonight. But in general.”

“You take my mind off things. Some distractions have been more enjoyable than others.” Her eyes grew big. “Not to say everything hasn’t been wonderful—”

I chuckled. “Don’t worry. I get what you mean.”

To make her feel better, and for a bit of my own pleasure, I trailed my fingers up along the inside of her thigh. Her moan told me I was definitely on the right track.

As I slid my hand higher, Tessa tensed in anticipation. The moment her head leaned back, just before I touched exactly where I wanted to, I squeezed her leg and pulled away.

She whimpered and I chuckled again, glad to be there for her even in times like this.

CHAPTER 35

Liam

The police station’s waiting room had enough places to sit for half the city. Given this was one of the more upscale towns in the Tri-state area, they had more money than they knew what to do with rather than ever expecting to fill them.

“Do you want this row of gray chairs, or that one?” I asked Tessa and she gave me the look I was going for.

“We should probably talk to someone before sitting down.”

I smacked her ass.

“Hey!” Her eyes widened as though saying,
Really? Here?

I gave her a look back to let her know I’d happily take her anywhere. Non-verbal communication had its own kind of thrill and it came so easily with Tessa.

The officer at the desk sat with a straight back in his swivel chair. Short-cropped hair told me he probably came to the force after serving the country. Good for him. He kept filling out reports and didn’t look up even as we clearly stood in his vision. Something told me he wasn’t trying to be rude, just on task.

“Hey, Phil,” Tessa said in a genuinely cheery voice as she propped her elbows on the counter.

I frowned and double checked that his badge only said ‘Landstorm.’

The man’s face transformed the moment he saw her. “Tessa. It’s good to see you.”

A non-verbal exchange went between them and I didn’t know if I should step back or step up to him.

“Phil, this is—”

“Liam,” I added, though I knew it wasn’t my name she’d forgotten.

She gave me a smile and I realized she didn’t know what we were. I’d never exactly been one for titles.

I put my arm around her. It wasn’t about what we were as long as we had this. As soon as it was only the two of us again, I’d be sure to show her.

“We brought your sister in tonight.”

“That’s why we’re here.”

The officer shook his head at himself. “Of course it is.”

She went easy on the guy. I wanted to tell him she certainly wasn’t there for him, but I wasn’t sure he noticed I was in the room. And I wasn’t someone who ever went unnoticed.

Hell, if I didn’t care so damn much for Tessa I’d tell her to flirt with him to get her sister out of here. Though I couldn’t see her leading someone on like that.

“What’s she in here for, anyway?”

I expected the guy to have to check some report but he rattled off the details of the arrest as if he’d brought her in himself.

“At 5:06pm, Officer Tisdale received a call from Mary’s Bakery on 3rd and—”

“Phil, you really don’t have to be so formal with me.”

He blushed and I stopped myself from groaning. Good thing I wasn’t in the habit of punching guys in jealousy. This would probably be the worst situation to be in if that was my thing.

“The owner, Mary, caught her stuffing muffins.” He swiveled one direction in his chair, then the other as he spoke. “Not as in putting things into the muffins, but as in putting them in her mouth and in a bag.”

Tessa gave him her easygoing laugh. “I’m following.”

“The owner told her to leave but she just kept eating.”

I remembered Tessa telling me about Dani ordering food and not paying for it, but outright stealing wasn’t something I’d expected. Tessa did say they were tight on money. Maybe their situation was worse than she’d been letting on.

Tessa rubbed her forehead and I could see her calculating the cost in her head.

I reached for my wallet. “How much were the damages?” The officer looked surprised I’d said anything, as if seeing me for the first time.

Tessa placed a hand on my arm. “Really, Liam, you don’t need to do that.”

Yes, I did. “How much?”

The officer shuffled his papers around but more out of nervousness rather than looking for any kind of figures or information. Finally, he looked up but didn’t meet either of our eyes.

Something wasn’t right.

“Is the shop owner pressing charges?” I asked, thinking we could still work something out. Though given my recent failure with my immigration status, Tessa turning up her flirting may be the only shot. Unless . . . “What if I was to make a donation to the officer’s fund; would that help clear up any misunderstanding?”

“I . . . uh . . . it’s more complicated than that.”

Though Tessa kept a pleasant look on her face, she pressed her palms on the counter in an effort to stay calm. “Go ahead.”

“When officers arrived, they noted that it was pretty clear she’d been drinking.” Tessa’s shoulders slumped as he continued. “The legal limit for her age is .02 BAC. Dani tested at .11 BAC. If it had been lower, maybe it could have been overlooked. But that’s considered intoxicated, even for an adult.”

Tessa stepped back, an unreadable look on her face. “Thanks, Phil. Give me a minute, okay?”

“Sure, sure. Sit anywhere.”

“I think I want to stand.”

Given the number of chairs, for Tessa’s sake, I kept myself from making a remark and guided her to the waiting area.

“She’ll need to be bailed out,” I said, “but like he said, it’s no longer simple. Given she’s over eighteen, it’ll probably stay on her record.”

Tessa rubbed her face. “I don’t know what to do for her. I know she’s grieving but things keep getting worse. She’s losing control and I keep bailing her out.”

“Tell me what you want to do.”

“She can stay here tonight.” Tessa readjusted her purse from one shoulder to the other. “I know you said that she needs to be around friends and family to get through all this, but we’re past that right now. She needs to know how it feels to be in jail to keep her out of it.”

“You sure?”

Tessa nodded. As she took my hand, the bracelet I got her sparkled under the lights. “Besides, I think we have some unfinished business.”

“I think you’re right.”

“My house?”

“Your house.” I started to lead her out but she stopped.

“Probably should let him know.”

“Officer Flirts-a-lot?” I nodded. “Better make it quick. We have to make up for lost time.”

Tessa’s eyes flashed and it thrilled me that her thoughts lined up with mine. “Oh, I plan to.”

CHAPTER 36

Tessa

I closed the front door and thought about how soon it might be that I shut it for the last time.

Then I switched my focus to Liam.

He could have easily said goodnight to me on his rooftop. Besides me having to take the train, there really wasn’t a reason for him to come all the way here.

And even then, if he wanted to be a gentleman, he could have called his car service.

But he didn’t. And he even offered to bail Dani out. What wasn’t there to not like about this man?

I shifted the cuff he gave me around my wrist. This really was too much but I couldn’t say no.

Not to him.

But really, what was there to say no to? Unless there was some big surprise I didn’t know about, the guy was pretty much perfect.

I wanted to kick myself for thinking such a thing. Usually, when someone put the word “perfect” with anything it was right before it all collapsed on them.

I had considered working for my dad to be the perfect job several times just before the world crumbled beneath my feet.

I didn’t want that to happen with Liam. Considering no one was the perfect person, maybe Liam was just perfect for me.

He couldn’t have come into my life at a better time. Other circumstances would have been nice, but like he said, having someone to lean on was everything. He’d definitely been there for me—when I needed a shoulder the most. Talking things out with him on the way up here made me want to be that much closer to him. He didn’t seem the type to unload, yet he did with me. I liked that he saw me as someone he could do that with.

Liam’s gaze roamed over the entryway. “So, this is where you grew up?”

“For the most part.” Standing under the main chandelier, I shifted the crystal vase to the center of the table. I couldn’t remember a time Mom didn’t keep whatever fresh flowers were in season there. After the funeral, I had put one of the arrangements we’d received in water, but now the vase stood empty.

The general feel between Mom’s decoration choices and Liam’s couldn’t be more different. Both had expensive taste, but where she preferred family comfort, Liam chose sleek. Both had appeal, and both made me feel right at home.

I wasn’t sure if my parents’ nature for the finer things was a good or bad thing. It’d help Dani and me when we sold what was here, but wanting to have all this probably pushed them both to spend in the first place.

I mentally slapped myself for not enjoying the moment. I had this gorgeous man to myself. If I wasn’t bailing Dani out of jail, we may as well enjoy the evening.