I nodded my agreement and didn’t even bother to argue. Castro was unhinged, so no one would hear me complaining about extra safety measures, even if said measures were above and beyond what was necessary.
I stood in the hallway as Ty set off through the house, checking all the windows and doors were securely fastened. He was so focused on making sure I was safe that it made my heart swell. I found myself wanting him more than I ever had.
He made his way back to me and pulled me into his arms. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
I believed him, but I wondered about another important aspect of my life: work.
“What about my office and the homes I visit for my catering jobs? Surely you won’t install cameras there as well, right?”
“You’ll need security. They don’t have to go inside the homes of your clients, but they will be posted outside their houses. If there’s a need for them to enter quickly, they won’t hesitate.” Ty reached out. “Can I see your phone?”
I pulled it from my purse and handed it over, one eyebrow raised. Surely, he wasn’t going to make me give it up for safety’s sake.
He tapped the screen a few times. “I’m installing a security app my friend Zephyr came up with. Everyone on your security team has the app on their phone, and if at any time you think you’re in danger, all you have to do is hit the power button three times.”
“Really? What happens if I do that?”
“Everyone with the app will get an alert and your location will be sent to them.” Ty handed me my phone. “It’s as simple as that.”
Simple? I was put off by the whole thought of being tracked. “I don’t really like the idea.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Suddenly, I’m a prisoner in my own home.” I gestured toward the alarm system. “I can’t go about my day-to-day business without an entourage of security guards standing outside my clients’ homes. How do you think that will look?” I didn’t give him a chance to answer. “To top it all off, someone’s created an app just so all these strange men can track me?”
Ty looked bewildered. “Strange men? They’re reliable members of the Keller security team, Liza, not fucking bums offthe side of the street. Why are you questioning any of this? You do remember that there’s a psychotic asshole after you, right?”
I crossed my arms beneath my chest and stared at him.
Ty scoffed and ran a hand through his hair. “You’re in danger, and I need to know where you are at all times just in case something happens. I’d feel better knowing where you are so I can better protect you.”
“You already have a personal security guard following me.” I pointed out the door at the men who’d arrived to install the cameras around the perimeter of my house. “Don’t you think the tracker is overkill?”
Ty wouldn’t hear any of it. He held up his hand and narrowed his eyes at me. “As your mate, it’s my duty to keep you safe, and this is how I’m keeping you safe. I know you don’t like it because you’re used to having all of your freedom with no strings attached, but it’s a dangerous time. If I have to go overboard to protect you, then so be it.”
I clenched my jaw. I couldn’t argue with his logic. As much as I didn’t like it, Ty made a valid point. “Fine. But I’m letting you know that I’m not happy about it.”
That evening, we ate dinner and snuggled up on the couch to watch a romantic comedy. I’d insisted we didn’t watch anything stress-inducing, even though I really wanted to finish a true crime show we’d been streaming.
By the time we crawled into bed, we both crashed, completely exhausted from the stress of the past day. Ty pulled me into the classic spooning position and draped his arm over my waist. His warm body pressed against my back, and the rhythmic sound of his breathing almost lulled me to sleep, but my wolf was too restless to settle.
After what seemed like a solid hour, I finally drifted off to sleep and straight into a gruesome nightmare.
I suddenly found myself back in the dark depths of my past, reliving the unthinkable tragedy that had shattered my world. My adoptive parents, the only family I had known since I was four years old, stood before me, their faces etched with fear. I watched in horror as the scene unfolded before my eyes, mirroring the night that had scarred me for life.
Castro, the dark figure who had always been lurking in the shadows my entire life and who had torn my biological parents away from me, loomed over my mother and father. The cold steel of the gun clutched in his hand glinted ominously in the dim light. His lips curled into a twisted smile; a chilling reflection of the pleasure he took in causing unimaginable pain.
Mom and Dad were bound and gagged, staring at me with wide eyes, pleading for me to do something.
My heart raced as Castro’s words, venomous and filled with sickening satisfaction, sliced through the air. “Come to watch, have you, Liza?” He spoke with an eerie calmness, taunting me. “I’ll take everything from you until you have no one left but me.” Each word struck me like a blade, penetrating the depths of my soul.
He reveled in the power he had over me, relishing the opportunity to snatch away everything I held dear.
As the nightmare played out, an overwhelming sense of helplessness washed over me. I was powerless to protect the ones I loved. I tried to move my feet, to run at Castro and knock the gun out of his hands. I knew he’d never shoot me if I made a move, but my feet wouldn’t budge. Try as I might, I couldn’t do anything to stop the inevitable.
My precious adoptive parents, who had showered me with love and care, were now at the mercy of the very same monster who had taken my biological parents from me.
Time seemed to stretch and warp in the haunting dream. Every second was like an eternity, as if I were trapped in a never-ending cycle of anguish and despair. The weight of the past bore down on my chest, the crippling fear that history would repeat itself suffocating me.
