He’d only been fifteen years old when his life had changed forever. It had been like a lightning bolt striking out of a clear blue sky. Sixteen years ago, his father, Derry Kavanaugh, had gotten drunk out of his mind one hot summer night and caused a three-way crash, killing Kassim and Shada Itani—his new sister-in-law’s parents—along with Miriam Reyes, Natalie’s mother.
Liam knew from his older brother’s terse comments and his mother’s tight-lipped fury that the lawsuit, and hearings following the crash had been especially bitter and ugly.
This whole situation with Natalie made him uncomfortable…edgy. He’d rather sit across a desk from a hit man with a rap sheet that stretched all the way down Main Street than this smooth-voiced female whose life had been altered by his father’s crime.
“I’m very aware of the years of tension between my family and yours. There’s no need to be flippant. Perhaps you’re under the impression this is easy for me, Mr. Kavanaugh. If so, you’re mistaken.”
His eyebrows shot upward. A shard of steel had entered the cool silk of her voice. “So we’re back to Mr. Kavanaugh, huh?” He sighed and shifted in the undoubtedly expensive, but uncomfortable, straight-backed leather chair. He cast his gaze around the luxurious office, trying to discern any details that would help him to better comprehend this strange meeting and cool woman. “Look, do you suppose you could just get to the point? Why’d you call me?”
Seemingly of their own volition, his eyes flickered down again over her breasts when she inhaled.
“I’d like to hire you,” she said.
He raised an eyebrow. “Hire me? For what? I love my sister-in-law like crazy, but if Mari gave you the impression I’m up for spying on cheating boyfriends or roughing up someone who owes you money, she’s dead wrong. Besides, I’m on vacation.”
“I don’t want to hire you to rough up anyone.” He couldn’t fully make out her expression, but from the sound of her voice, she was frowning. “You’re a detective, aren’t you? I’d like to hire you to do some investigative work. It shouldn’t take much more than a few hours every day—probably less—and I understand you won’t start your new job until next month.”
“Oh, you’ve got it all figured out, do you?” he asked with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. “Do you mind if I ask just what it is you think I’m going to investigate?”
“The crash.”
A silence settled between them like hot, flowing lead. It seemed to burn her cheeks, but her gaze didn’t waver. She did start when Liam leaned forward suddenly, his elbows on his jeans-covered knees.
“The crash?” he clarified bluntly.
She nodded.
“Is this some kind of a joke?”
“No. I assure you I’m very serious. If you don’t take the job, I’ll hire another investigator.”
A bark of laughter erupted from his throat. “Maybe you were too young to realize it at the time, but the state police conducted a full investigation of the crash.”
“I know that.”
“Do you?” he asked sarcastically. “Then what is it that you expect me to investigate? What do you imagine I’ll find, exactly?”
“I want to know why he did it.”
He gaped at her. “Why who did what?”
“Your father. I want to know what was going through his head that night. I need to know.”
He’d been insulted by plenty of men in his day, but not in such a personal way, and never by a woman who probably weighed a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet. The fact that her voice never wavered, never trembled once, infuriated him.
“Do you really believe my father got in that car with the intention of causing a crash and killing all those people?”
She leaned forward, apparently affected by his low, dangerous tone. “No—”
“What, do you think he had some deep, dark suicidal and homicidal wish? Y
ou’d be better off hiring some crackpot psychiatrist if those are the type of crap answers you’re looking for.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you.”
“You’re doing a pretty great job of it, nonetheless,” he muttered through a clenched jaw. He stood, ignoring the fact that she started in alarm at his abrupt movement. “Look, I know what my father did to you and your family. My dad made the hugest, most horrible mistake of a lifetime. He paid for it with his life, and my family has paid for it every day since then. I know yours has, too. That doesn’t give you the right to ask me here and make nasty insinuations about his motivations. He was drunk. He caused an accident. End of story.”
“Are you sure about that?”