I scoffed. “What, you think I can’t pull myself away from Ty? I’d welcome a break from him, actually. What did you have in mind?”
“Lunch at our favorite café?” Sabrina suggested.
“Sounds great.” I glanced at my watch. “I can be there in thirty minutes.”
“See you then.”
We hung up, and I smiled for the first time in several hours. The wariness of the last few hours had dissipated, too. Sometimes, a few minutes with Sabrina was all I needed.
I was relieved to have an opportunity to escape the weirdness and suffocating atmosphere in my home when Ty was present, but seeing my best friend was an added bonus. With all the Castro drama, I hadn’t spent much time with Sabrina lately.
As I rummaged through my closet for an outfit that was casual yet fancier than the pajamas I was currently wearing, Ty walked into the room. His furrowed brows spoke to his concern or his apprehension. I couldn’t tell which.
“What’s going on, Liza?” he asked, worry lacing his tone. “Going somewhere?”
“I’m going out with Sabrina,” I replied, attempting to keep my tone level and calm, despite my overwhelming irritation. “I need to get out of the house and away from all this craziness for a little while.”
Ty’s face went tight as he crossed his arms. “Are you serious? You think it’s safe for you to go out? I get that you still have a life to live, but you’re in danger. I don’t think it’s wise for you to be going out and partying with your friends right now.”
Sighing, I rubbed my temples to stave off the impending headache. “Ty, you know as well as I do that this isn’t a party. It’s not like we’re hitting up the clubs downtown in the middle of the night. Sabrina is my best friend and I miss her. There’s no reason I should turn down her lunch invitation.”
Ty’s face didn’t shift from its stern expression. “You know I’m just trying to look out for you, right? Castro could strike at any fucking minute.”
“Ty, there’s no way Castro is anywhere near our town. He’s not dumb enough to risk getting caught. I understand your concern, but how much danger am I actually in right now? Besides, what are the bodyguards for if I have to stay locked in my house the whole damn time?”
He clenched his jaw so hard I saw the muscles jump. “It’s not that simple, Liza. We can’t take any chances. You could get snatched from a public place before you even realized what was happening.” His wild hand gestures matched the passion in his voice. “We have no idea where Castro is or if he has someone working with him. Anyone you come into contact with could be a possible collaborator.”
I turned around and yanked a shirt off a hanger. “If I can’t trust the bodyguards to keep me safe then what’s the point of having them? Aren’t they trained to spot possible danger?” I snapped. “I can’t live my life in constant fear and isolation, Ty. I need some semblance of normalcy.”
He took a step closer, his gaze hardening, and his voice dropping to a low, intense tone. “Liza, this isn’t just about you. I can’t bear the thought of something happening to you. I need to protect you. If you won’t think about your own safety, think about how it might affect those who care about you.”
As if I hadn’t thought about that. It was all I thought about. “But at what cost, Ty? All your worrying is suffocating our relationship. I can’t breathe anymore. I need some space.”
Guilt flickered in his eyes, momentarily softening his features. “I’m sorry, Liza, but I can’t let you go out alone. If you want to go, the bodyguard is sticking to you and Sabrina like honey. We can somewhat control the environment at home and at your clients’ homes, but anything goes in public. All hell can break loose in the blink of an eye.”
My annoyance had officially reached its peak. “Can’t he just watch from a distance like he’s been doing? I can’t have him by my side at all times.”
Ty’s jaw set in a determined line as he shook his head, “No, Liza, it’s too risky. You know the situation we’re dealing with. You’re not taking any chances on your safety or Sabrina’s. It’s non-negotiable.”
“Non-negotiable? Is that how we’re talking to one another now?” Tears stung the back of my eyes as I tried to keep a stoic face while standing up to the future alpha.
Ty’s face hardened. “He’ll stay by your side. End of story.”
“Fine, I’ll take the bodyguard,” I muttered, my voice dripping with sarcasm and exasperation. “But it’s going to draw unnecessary attention, and that’s on you.”
With that, I quickly changed clothes, brushed my teeth, and swiped deodorant under my arms. I stormed past Ty leaning against the doorframe, watching me get ready as if I might try to escape out a window.
I stomped all the way to the front door, then slammed it behind me. Outside in the fresh air, I dragged in a breath. I yearned for a day of normalcy and a break from the strain that had clouded our relationship, but had I damaged our relationship even more by putting my foot down and arguing with Ty?
And, although I was still pissed at him, I knew he only wanted to protect me from harm and keep me safe. But I wasn’t sure how much longer our relationship could survive with this stress and fear suffocating it.
When I arrived at the café, Sabrina and her bright smile met me on the sidewalk.
She eyed the bodyguard standing a few steps behind me. Her eyes twinkled with amusement. “New accessory?” she teased, her gazing trailing up and down the guy’s body before she looked at me.
I rolled my eyes. While I understood why I had an armed guard trailing after me, I didn’t like it. A small smile tugged at my lips, though, because Sabrina was fanning herself with her hand. “Just ignore him,” I replied, brushing off her comment. “He’s here because Ty insists on keeping tabs on me.” That wasn’t the truth—not entirely, anyway—but I was still salty about my privacy. As salty as he was about the danger.
Sabrina nudged me playfully, her eyes full of mischief. “Well, at least you’ve got some eye candy. Not a bad trade-off, if you ask me.” The bodyguard was tall and dark, handsome in an “I’ll be back” kind of way.
