The idea came to me while I was pacing the penthouse, staring out at the city skyline. I needed a way to fix my problems quickly, and as much as I hated to admit it, I couldn't do it alone. Liam was already part of my life—at least temporarily—and maybe, just maybe, I could use him to my advantage.
The thought made me uncomfortable. I wasn't used to relying on anyone else. I'd always handled things on my own, whether it was landing a client in my day job or pulling off a con at night. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and Liam might be the key to pulling off my biggest scam yet.
Hunter Quinn.
The name alone made my heart race. He was the ultimate target—a billionaire with a reputation for being private and elusive. I'd been planning my approach for months, carefully studying every detail about him. But with Liam now in the picture, my original plan needed a serious adjustment.
I sat down at the kitchen counter, drumming my fingers on the marble surface. Liam was on the couch again, flipping through his sketchpad. He seemed so relaxed, so at ease with this chaotic situation, and it only fueled my irritation.
Finally, I stood and walked over to him. He looked up, raising an eyebrow as I hovered over him.
"I have an idea," I said.
He closed the sketchpad, leaning back against the couch. "Should I be worried?"
"Probably," I admitted.
Liam smirked. "Alright, let's hear it."
I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "We should work together. Team up."
"To do what?" he asked, his tone skeptical.
"To solve both our problems," I said. "You need money, and I… well, I need to get out of this mess."
Liam's expression shifted, a mix of curiosity and suspicion. "Go on."
I took a deep breath. "There's a man I've been targeting for a while. Hunter Quinn. He's incredibly wealthy, but he's also careful. He doesn't trust people easily, which makes him hard to approach. But with you, I think we can get close to him."
Liam frowned. "You want me to help you scam someone?"
"It's not as bad as it sounds," I said quickly. "Think of it as… leveling the playing field. Guys like Hunter Quinn have more money than they know what to do with. He won't even miss it."
Liam didn't respond right away. Instead, he studied me, his eyes searching mine as if trying to figure out what kind of person I really was.
"And what's in it for me?" he asked finally.
"Half of whatever we get," I said. "Enough to get you out of this 'starving artist' phase and start fresh."
Liam chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "You make it sound so simple."
"It can be," I insisted. "But I need your help to pull it off."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Why me?"
"Because you're my husband," I said, forcing a smile. "At least for now. It makes the story more believable."
Liam didn't say anything for a long moment. I could see the wheels turning in his head, and I wondered if he was going to walk away from the idea altogether.
"Alright," he said finally. "I'll help you. But only if we do this my way."
Relief washed over me, though I tried not to let it show. "Fine. Your way."
The next morning, we sat at the dining table, going over the details of the plan. Liam had pulled out a notebook, jotting down ideas and asking questions as we worked.
"So, what's your angle?" he asked, tapping his pen against the paper.
"Hunter Quinn is looking for someone he can trust," I said. "He's been burned before, so he's careful. But he also has a weakness—he loves to play the hero."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "The hero?"
I nodded. "He likes to help people, especially those who seem vulnerable. If we play this right, we can make him think we're exactly the kind of people he wants to help."
"And how do we do that?"
"We tell him the truth," I said.
Liam looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "The truth?"
"Not all of it," I clarified. "Just enough to make the story believable. We tell him we're struggling, that we need help. He'll eat it up."
Liam frowned, clearly skeptical. "And what happens when he finds out we're lying?"
"He won't," I said confidently.
Liam shook his head, but he didn't argue. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Alright, so we're a struggling couple. What's our backstory?"
I smiled, glad he was starting to get on board. "We met at a charity event. You're an artist, and I'm a business consultant. We got married quickly because we're madly in love, but now we're struggling to make ends meet."
Liam snorted. "Madly in love? That's a stretch."
"People will believe what we tell them," I said.
"Maybe," he said. "But they'll also believe what they see. We're going to have to act the part."
"I can handle that," I said.
Liam gave me a pointed look. "Can you?"
I ignored the question, focusing instead on the plan. There was still a lot to figure out, but for the first time since this whole mess started, I felt like I was back in control.
Over the next few days, we worked tirelessly to perfect our story. Liam surprised me with how quickly he adapted to the role, adding little details that made our backstory feel more real.
"You're better at this than I expected," I admitted one evening as we rehearsed our lines.
He smirked. "I'm full of surprises."
I couldn't argue with that. There was more to Liam than I'd initially thought, and it was starting to make me uneasy. He was too good at this, too comfortable with the lies. It made me wonder what secrets he was hiding.
But I didn't have time to dwell on it. We had a job to do, and I couldn't afford any distractions.
By the time we were ready to approach Hunter Quinn, I felt confident. We had our story, our roles, and our plan. All we needed now was an opportunity to put it into action.
As I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the delicate necklace around my neck, Liam walked in.
"You look nervous," he said.
"I'm not," I replied, though my voice betrayed me.
He smiled, stepping closer. "Don't worry. We've got this."
I met his gaze in the mirror, searching for any sign of doubt. But all I saw was confidence, and it gave me the slightest bit of comfort.
"Let's do this," I said, turning to face him.
Liam nodded, his expression serious now. "Let's."
As we left the penthouse, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into something bigger than I'd anticipated. Liam was too calm, too collected, and it made me wonder what he was really thinking.
But there was no turning back now. Hunter Quinn was my target, and I wasn't going to let anything—or anyone—stand in my way.