Only A Millionaire

Chapter 11

BROOKE

I  wasn't  sure  how  long  I'd  unloaded  my  sorrow   onto   Liam's   shoul-

der,  buy  it  felt  good  to  cry. I  hadn't  really  bawled   over    my    friends

for  months. Even  though  I'd  sorted  my   way   through   their   pointless

deaths, I wasn't  quite  healed  from  the  trauma  of  what  had  happened

at the bank that day.

    "Jesus,  baby!  I'm  so   damn   sorry,"  Liam   said    with    his    mouth

against my hair.

     I nodded and  pulled  back  so  I  could  see  his  face. "They  were  my

friends."

     He kissed my  forehead. "I  know." He  paused  before  he  asked, "Did

they catch him?"

     "They  did.  He   was   already   known    to   law   enforcement,   so   it

wasn't  all  that  difficult  for  them  to  find  him.  I  testified   as   the  lone

witness, and the video  had  been  running  he  was  easily  visible  on  the

tapes, and the police  had  all  kinds  of  supporting  evidence. He'll  never

get out of prison."

    "That  had  to   have  been  a  rough  time  for   you,"  he  said    as   he

rocked my body  gently. "You couldn't get over it  because  you   had   to

testify."

     "After  the  trail,  it   was   a   media   circus,"  I   told   him. "Reporters

wanted  my  story  as  the  sole  survivor.  And  I  wasn't  ready  to   talk.  I

hadn't  mourned  my  friends. I  hadn't  made   sense   out   of   everything.

I  felt  like  I  was  walking  around  in  a  trance  Liam   and   I   had   every

reporter  from  every  major  network  outside  my  door. They  were  even

hounding my family. I had to get away."

     "I take it they stopped," Liam said flatly.

     "They  finally  gave  up   and   went   on   to    the   next   more   current

story. We  figured  they   would   eventually.  But   Noah   and   Evan   were

worried, so they swore me to silence  on  who  I  was  and  what  had  hap-

pened both of them just wanted to give me some time."

     He stroked my hair. "I'm glad they did."

    "Even though I had to lie?"

     "I  don't  give  a  shit  if  you  had  to  lie  to  very  person   in   Amesport.

It  was  about  your  after  and  your  sanity  Brooke. Nothing  is  more  im-

portant than that."

    My  heart  warmed  at   his  words, and  then  it  squeezed  hard  in   my

chest. Liam was  so  damn  strong  but  he  still  hurt  for  me. I  could  feel

it.

   "Amesport  gave  me  an  escape,"  I  shared. "So  did  you.  I'll   always