“I don’t know if that’s enough time. And no, I don’t think she’s in love me. I mean, we haven’t had a specific conversation about whether we love one another or not, but she’s certainlysaid things that brought me to that conclusion. Liza thinks there’s still too much conflict between us. She also thinks I’m suffocating her with all the security measurements.”
Bryce nodded. “Well, you’ve got two months to change her mind. Try to make her feel safe and secure without making it seem like she’s being controlled. Give it a month and see if she comes around. If not,thenyou may want to consider other options.”
“When did you become the love doctor?” I joked as I shoved him. His reputation as the Playboy of Presley Hills preceded him, but something in the way he was talking about relationships now seemed different. “Are you turning soft on me?”
Before Bryce could reply, my phone rang. It was Liza’s father.
“Hey, Scott. How are you?”
He breathed heavily into the phone. “Where were you last night?”
Whoa. He sounded pissed. “I was here at the estate. Why? What happened?” I asked, a pit forming in my stomach.
I was already grabbing my keys and heading out the door before Scott responded. Bryce followed closely behind, a confused look on his face.
“We’re at the clinic. Liza had an episode last night.”
I hopped into my car as Bryce hollered from across the driveway. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
“What kind of episode, Scott? Is Liza okay?” I needed more details.
“She freaked out, so her doctor’s checking her out.”
What the hell did that mean? “What kind of episode?”
“I don’t know, Ty.” He sounded put out. “She won’t tell us what triggered it, but her rage was uncontrollable, which led to her shifting partially.”
Fuck. “I’ll be there in ten minutes. Tell Liza I’m coming.”
My mind raced trying to come up with possible explanations. Had Castro reached out to her again? Was there some other trouble at her house? I was an idiot for leaving her alone there, but I’d needed some time to really think through my options with the mating situation. Sleeping in my own bed kept me from being distracted by Liza’s body. Just the scent of her aroused me and made all other thoughts disappear.
I’d never forgive myself if Castro had made a move and I wasn’t there to protect her. Then again, none of the bodyguards had alerted me to any type of security breach. What the fuck was going on?
My heart pounded as I approached the clinic. What would I find inside? I had always found Liza to be level-headed and capable, but the episode her father had described threw me for a loop. A sense of dread overtook me as I wondered if I’d find a completely changed Liza—one who had no control over her emotions or her wolf.
I skidded into a parking space at the clinic and ran to the door just as Liza and her parents walked out of it. She looked her normal self with no signs of partial shifting.
“Liza? What’s going on?” I reached for her arm, but she pulled away from me.
When she wouldn’t meet my eyes, my stomach sank. Her mannerisms told me the episode was somehow my fault.
“We’re taking her home with us, Ty.” Liza’s mother looked at me with kind eyes, but her mouth was set in a tight line.
“I don’t mind taking her back to her house and staying with her.” I jogged to keep up with their pace. “Really, it’s no trouble at all.”
Scott held up a hand. “No, Ty. She needs rest.”
I jumped in front of them, blocking their path. “Sorry to be this way, but Liza is my mate, and I’m the one who should be taking care of her. She’s coming home with me.”
To my surprise, Scott seemed pleased by my insistence, as if he were hoping that’s what I would say.
“Good, Ty.” He reached over and patted my shoulder a little hard. “I agree that youshouldbe more attentive to your mate.”
Damn. Talk about a backhanded compliment. Well, it was better than nothing.
Liza’s mom smiled, approval replacing the worry in her eyes. “All right, then. Thank you, Ty, for taking care of my daughter.”
Liza’s twisted mouth told me she wasn’t pleased with the arrangement. She didn’t fight me, though, when I placed my hand on the small of her back and led her to my car.
