Undercover Love (Draft 1)

Chapter Seven

Liam leads us up the steps to the front door of the mansion, his hand on my back guiding me forward. The grandeur of the building is overwhelming, and I can't help but feel a sense of unease. This is not my world, but for the sake of this case, I have to pretend to fit in.

          As we approach the door, Liam stops and turns to face me. "My boys aren't home right now, but they'll want to meet you when they get back. I sent them out for a few hours, so you can get used to the place before you're bombarded with questions from them. It's been a long time since we've had a woman, that isn't our cleaner, live with us." He explains with a timid smile.

          "Your boys? You have children?" I exclaim, looking at him with genuine shock. There was no mention of children in the files that Thorpe handed out before sending me on this operation.

          He bursts out laughing at my question, only confusing me more. "They act like kids sometimes, but no, I don't have any children. Yet. My 'boys' are just my most trusted men - they're basically my brothers." He tells me, trying to calm his laughter. 

          I hate that the 'yet' in that sentence sent butterflies through my stomach. 

          Bad, Tia! Bad!

          His laugh is like thunder in a rain storm; instantly relaxing any nerves I had. I can't help but laugh along with him. "I'm glad we've cleared that up. For a second, I was worried you had brought me here to take care of your secret children," I chuckle. "I'm definitely not the step-mom or nanny type."

          "The only children I'd want you to help take care of, would be our own, tesoro. You don't have to worry about any surprises like that around here." He grins, ruffling my hair playfully.

          "Pump the brakes, Liam. I've only just agreed to be a part of this life with you. We've been on - like - half  a date. Maybe we should focus on actually getting to know eachother before we even consider talking about children." I look at him like he's grown two heads.

          "I can't help being eager, amore mio. I know what I want and I'm not afraid to admit it." He smirks, moving closer to me so our chests touch. 

          My lungs clearly forget their purpose as I stuggle to take a breath. Our proximity is making me borderline claustraphobic. No matter how much I remind myself that I'm here to take this man down, my body reacts to him like a house reacts to fire - scorching and crumbling.

          If he keeps treating me like this, I'll let him take me dow-

          "Earth to Tia?" Liam's voice, thankfully, breaks me out of my thoughts. "Everything ok? You spaced-out on me for a second." He asks, placing his hand on my cheek.

          I offer him a shaky smile. "Everything's fine. I just need some time to adjust. This is a big lifestyle change for me. It'll probably be overwhelming for a while." I breathe, bringing my hand up to cover his reassuringly.

          He doesn't look like he believes me, but he lets it slide anyways. "Well, let's get you settled in before the boys get home." He smiles, unlocking the door and gesturing for me to pass through first.

          As I step into the foyer of the mansion, I am immediately struck by the modern design and the predominantly grey, black, and white color scheme. The space is open and airy, with high ceilings and large windows that let in plenty of natural light. The walls are adorned with tasteful artwork and photographs, including several pictures of men I don't recognize.

          I make my way over to the living area, where a large TV hangs on the wall in front of a set of plush couches. The electric fireplace next to the TV adds a cozy touch to the otherwise sleek and modern space.