Tease (Tease 1)

I fumbled through my pocket for my phone. It was still on silent from visiting Mom, and there were twelve missed calls: Pete, Max, Jake, Nic, and the rest were unknown numbers that I wasn’t game enough to call back. Nothing from Mia.

I called Mia. Her phone went right to voicemail. I dialed Nic.

“Liam?”

“Have you heard from Mia?” I demanded.

“What? No. Liam, you’re on the news—”

“I know. I know, Nic,” I sighed. Walking over to the sofa, I slumped down. “Mia’s gone. Fuck, Nic. Everything is fucked.”

“Stay there. We’ll come over. I’ll drop the kids off at Jake’s mom’s house.”

Curled up on the sofa, all I wanted to do was sleep. And constantly try calling Mia. Her phone was on, but it rang out. Seven voicemails later—each one more frantic than the last—and I still had no response.

Please let me explain. Please, Mia.

I stared at the screen of my phone, waiting for any response, any glimmer of hope that she might be willing to listen to me. Nothing.

“Coop! It’s Nic. I’m coming inside.”

I listened to the sound of the key turning in the lock. Sitting up, I managed a smile as Nic and Jake walked into the room.

Nic rushed over, sinking onto the sofa beside me. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured, grabbing my hand.

“Why? You didn’t do anything. I fucked this all up pretty good on my own.”

“Coop, you were doing what you were doing to help Mom.”

“Was I?” I snapped. “Or was it to help myself? Come off it, Nic. Every time we see Mom she’s more confused, more scared. How selfish am I to want to extend that kind of life for her, just so I can put off the pain of losing her?”

Nic’s eyes welled with tears. “Don’t talk like that. You’ve always taken care of her. And me. You love us. That’s why you’re doing this. You’re not selfish.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. It is what it is. I can’t quit.” I shrugged and stood up. I walked over to the balcony window and stared out. “Can I use your phone? I have to call people, and call me paranoid, but I don’t want to risk the chance that someone has hacked my phone. I don’t want to dump any more of my clients in the shit.”

Nic nodded and handed me her phone. I slid open the sliding door and stepped outside.

After calling Amalie, Delaney, Brittany—who wasn’t the least bit concerned and even tried to book me for another evening—I felt a bit better. None of them seemed overly concerned about being outed. The only reason Beth had been revealed was because she had been seen with me. I’d been cautious about protecting the privacy of my other clients, and they never booked a room in their own names.

I walked back inside to see that Jake had made me a coffee, which I accepted gratefully.

“So, Bethany Masters?” He winked at me.

For the first time in days, I laughed. “Yeah. She’s actually a really nice girl.”

“I bet.” Jake grinned.

Nic whacked him over the head.

“What was that for?”

“I think you know,” she replied frostily.

Jake laughed and shook his head. “It bothers you that much that I can appreciate an attractive celebrity?” he guffawed.

“When my brother is fucking said celebrity, yes,” she snapped.

Chapter Twenty-Five