Read Online Liberty Begins (The Liberty Series) by Leigh James - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Leigh James
Tags: Book One
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a stall shower with ceramic tiles, and a huge gilded mirror. It was the nicest bathroom I had ever been into in my life. The soap smelled fantastic. Best of all was the fact that there were baskets full of new supplies on the vanity — toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, deodorant and some sort of organic cleansing wipe that probably cost a gazillion dollars and smelled like heaven. Nina would have known what it was. I used all of it and then fluffed my hair out. I felt infinitely better now that I had an empty bladder, clean teeth and organically wiped body parts. Now I just had to figure out what the hell was going on.
I didn’t look at the hostage on my way back. It was barely six am and I’d been glared at enough already for one day.
John was waiting for me, a patient smile on his face.
“Nice bathroom,” I said, sitting across from him so I wouldn’t touch him and get all warm, fuzzy and confused again. I had finally gotten my thoughts together.
“Don’t you want to sit here?” he asked, and patted the seat next to him. His eyes sparkled with mischief and he gave me a wicked smile. “It’s nice over here. I think you like it.”
I had to laugh at him. “Not yet,” I said, willing myself not to jump into his lap. “I have some stuff I need to figure out.”
He sighed, leaned back in his seat and looked resigned. His tie was off and the first two buttons of his shirt were undone. I could just glimpse the top of his tanned, muscular chest. I had to take a deep breath and close my eyes. I really needed to calm down. I was starting to lose it.
“Okay,” I said, clearing my throat, trying to clear my head. “I have three questions to start with: (1) Why is Cruz paying you to babysit his friend while his mouth is taped shut? (2) Who are you, really? and (3) Where are we, and how fast can we get back to Vegas? I have to work at four tomorrow.”
“Liberty is back to business, I see!” John laughed and rubbed his face, which was starting to show a little bit of scruff. Very hot scruff. I fought the urge to sit on my hands so I wouldn’t reach over and rub it.
“How about some coffee?” he said, and when I nodded, trying to recover myself, he waved towards the back and a young guy with spiky black hair stood up. “Corey, can you get us two coffees, please? And some food?” Corey nodded and headed for the back of the bus, past the bathroom, to what I assumed was the kitchen.
My stomach grumbled. Thank goodness there was food.
“Okay, back to your questions,” John said. “I’ll address them in order — I’m guessing you’ll appreciate that.” He mock-rolled his eyes at me and I had to laugh again. “Number one, our taped-up guest is named Darius, and he is no friend of Cruz’s. Cruz has retained my company’s services to take Darius back east, to see if we can acquire any interesting information from him. We are to await further instructions.”
I sat there with my brow furrowed. “You said you were in ‘acquisitions and repurposing,’” I said. “I don’t know what that means, but I remember you saying it. It intimidated me, but I didn’t think it had anything to do with kidnapping .”
“That’s exactly why I say acquisitions and repurposing! No one knows it includes kidnapping.” He smiled again, but noted my disapproving look. “To answer your second question: I am really named John. John Carter Quinn. I run Quinn and Son Enterprises, which is my father’s company, of which he is the President and CEO and I am the Vice President.”
“And?” I asked. “Your company does what?”
“Well, it was true what I told you — acquisitions and repurposing. We acquire assets, like Darius,” he said, jerking his thumb in the direction of the back, “and we repurpose them.”
Just then Corey showed up with a tray filled with large mugs of steaming coffee, cream, sugar, croissants, scones, bagels and cream cheese. My stomach howled and I felt a blush starting. Just
I didn’t look at the hostage on my way back. It was barely six am and I’d been glared at enough already for one day.
John was waiting for me, a patient smile on his face.
“Nice bathroom,” I said, sitting across from him so I wouldn’t touch him and get all warm, fuzzy and confused again. I had finally gotten my thoughts together.
“Don’t you want to sit here?” he asked, and patted the seat next to him. His eyes sparkled with mischief and he gave me a wicked smile. “It’s nice over here. I think you like it.”
I had to laugh at him. “Not yet,” I said, willing myself not to jump into his lap. “I have some stuff I need to figure out.”
He sighed, leaned back in his seat and looked resigned. His tie was off and the first two buttons of his shirt were undone. I could just glimpse the top of his tanned, muscular chest. I had to take a deep breath and close my eyes. I really needed to calm down. I was starting to lose it.
“Okay,” I said, clearing my throat, trying to clear my head. “I have three questions to start with: (1) Why is Cruz paying you to babysit his friend while his mouth is taped shut? (2) Who are you, really? and (3) Where are we, and how fast can we get back to Vegas? I have to work at four tomorrow.”
“Liberty is back to business, I see!” John laughed and rubbed his face, which was starting to show a little bit of scruff. Very hot scruff. I fought the urge to sit on my hands so I wouldn’t reach over and rub it.
“How about some coffee?” he said, and when I nodded, trying to recover myself, he waved towards the back and a young guy with spiky black hair stood up. “Corey, can you get us two coffees, please? And some food?” Corey nodded and headed for the back of the bus, past the bathroom, to what I assumed was the kitchen.
My stomach grumbled. Thank goodness there was food.
“Okay, back to your questions,” John said. “I’ll address them in order — I’m guessing you’ll appreciate that.” He mock-rolled his eyes at me and I had to laugh again. “Number one, our taped-up guest is named Darius, and he is no friend of Cruz’s. Cruz has retained my company’s services to take Darius back east, to see if we can acquire any interesting information from him. We are to await further instructions.”
I sat there with my brow furrowed. “You said you were in ‘acquisitions and repurposing,’” I said. “I don’t know what that means, but I remember you saying it. It intimidated me, but I didn’t think it had anything to do with kidnapping .”
“That’s exactly why I say acquisitions and repurposing! No one knows it includes kidnapping.” He smiled again, but noted my disapproving look. “To answer your second question: I am really named John. John Carter Quinn. I run Quinn and Son Enterprises, which is my father’s company, of which he is the President and CEO and I am the Vice President.”
“And?” I asked. “Your company does what?”
“Well, it was true what I told you — acquisitions and repurposing. We acquire assets, like Darius,” he said, jerking his thumb in the direction of the back, “and we repurpose them.”
Just then Corey showed up with a tray filled with large mugs of steaming coffee, cream, sugar, croissants, scones, bagels and cream cheese. My stomach howled and I felt a blush starting. Just
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