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kind of worthlessness she never wished on anyone else.
    “What the hell are you thinking?” Noah asked in exasperation. “What kind of hell are you putting yourself through right now? I can see the shame in your eyes. It’s in your body language and written clearly on your face.”
    “You can’t
possibly
understand what I’m thinking or feeling,” she said.
    “Then make us understand,” Liam challenged. “What could possibly motivate you to lie about the man who did this to you? If you weren’t protecting him, then who the hell were you protecting?”
    She surged to her feet, her fingers fisted into tight balls. She honest to God wanted to hit someone, something. Anything to vent the rage building inside her. But that made her no better than the monster who’d done the same to her.
    “I wasn’t afraid for me!” she yelled. “I was afraid for Max. I was afraid for
you
!”

CHAPTER 4

    L IAM exchanged glances with Noah before rising to stand in front of Lauren. She wasn’t angry, as her tone might indicate. She was terrified. It was evident in her body language and in her eyes.
    He took a chance and reached out to her, his hands sliding gently down her arms and then back up again to cup her shoulders. Finding no resistance, he tightened his grip, and then he simply pulled her into his arms.
    For a moment she was as stiff as a board. He couldn’t even feel her breathe. But she didn’t fight him or try to push him away. And then she finally relaxed, melting into him all soft and sweet.
    He wrapped both his arms around her, enjoying the feel of her so close. He could smell her, could feel the warmth of her skin right through his clothing.
    “Tell me why you were afraid for us, Lauren,” he said gently. “Who is this man you think you need to protect us from?”
    She pulled away and glanced warily at him, and then in Noah’s direction. Noah was scowling, and Liam didn’t know if it was because Lauren was in his arms or if he was still pissed over the idea that she was trying to protect them from Joel Knight.
    She looked as though she was still waging the battle with herself over whether to divulge the information they needed.
    “If you want to protect us, then tell us what we’re dealing with,” Noah cut in.
    She sank back into the chair, slumping in defeat. She looked miserable, and Liam hated that look. Lauren had a beautiful smile. Full of warmth and vibrancy that just made others stop and stare when she laughed. Liam wanted her to smile again, and he’d do anything it took to make that happen.
    “Joel is a pimp,” she said with a visible shudder. “He’d never call himself that. He’d likely kill anyone for insulting him that way. But it’s what he is. No matter how he sugarcoats it, he’s a glorified
pimp
.”
    Liam frowned, dread skating up his spine. His stomach went immediately sour and the meal he’d had hours before churned.
    “Did he force you to . . .” He couldn’t even choke the words out but Lauren immediately understood what he was trying to ask.
    Lauren looked up, horrified. “No! I didn’t work for him. God no. But others did. He called them his girls.”
    Liam immediately looked over at Noah. “Suki,” he muttered.
    Suki had said she was one of his girls, but at the time they hadn’t known what it meant.
    Noah settled back on the love seat and gazed over at Lauren. “Why don’t you start from the beginning, honey. Tell us everything you know. How you got involved with him. How you know about what he does.”
    For a moment, Liam thought she’d refuse. Her cheeks tightened and her eyes went dull with shame. He reached for her hand, determined that she not feel that way with him and Noah.
    “We aren’t judging you, Lauren. We just need the facts. Tell us what you know, okay?”
    Whether she intended to or not, she curled her fingers tightly around his, gripping as she glanced back at Noah.
    “I won’t bore you with the details of my relationship with Joel.