He knew how much I was struggling with the revelations from my parents’ letter. I didn’t even want to think about it. I knew I needed to get a handle on my powers, but that would mean reaching out to Liam Russell, mybrother. It was strange to think that I had a brother out there. We were both on edge, waiting for Castro to make his next move. He was there waiting. Ty had sensed my need for normality. I never knew what to expect from him. He always found creative and heartwarming ways to show his love. But this…
This exceeded my expectations. A night with family and friends—no omega, no mystery powers, or long-lost relatives. Ty was giving me a night of freedom where we could ignore everything weighing us down and focus on ourselves.
While Ty called the country club, I stepped into the shower, the warm water soothing my tense muscles. I let all the shit drain away and enjoyed the gift Ty was giving me.
Dressing up and spending an evening with family and friends felt sonormalthat it made my heart swell. I pulled out the dress: a deep red number with a plunging neckline and thigh-high slit. It was daring, but I felt like being bold.
“Time to go all out,” I said to myself, applying makeup with precision, accentuating my eyes and lips. I curled my hair, letting it cascade over my shoulders. And then, just because I could, I painted my nails a matching crimson.
“Damn, I clean up nicely.” I smirked at my reflection.
Ty entered the room just as he hung up the phone. His gaze met mine in the mirror, then he gave a low, appreciative whistle. He clutched his chest jokingly. “Damn, Liza. Give me a heads-up next time.”
I tossed my hair over my shoulder and did a little twirl. “So, you approve.”
“I more than approve.” Ty grabbed my hand and ran it down the front of his pants, where his massive cock threatened to break through his zipper.
I fanned my face. “Oh, my. Mr. Keller. I don’t think there’s time for that.”
Ty let out a low growl. “Fine. But you’d better keep one eye open, Mrs. Keller. I’m liable to snatch you up and have my way with you in a broom closet.”
I playfully slapped his arm. “Are we good to go?”
“Everything’s arranged at the country club, and I’ve texted everyone. The club agreed to lay out a buffet for us. They’regoing to staff the bar, but I’ve had the staff vetted so we don’t have any surprises, and even a DJ if we want music.”
My eyebrow arched as I turned to face him. “You don’t think it had anything to do with the exorbitant amount of money you offered them, do you?”
Ty laughed, his eyes dancing with amusement. “I’d never do that, now, would I?”
We arrived at the country club and made our way to the bar. After Ty, both of our dads, Bryce, and even my brothers decided to play a round of golf, I found myself drinking champagne with my mom, Sabrina, and Persephone. My red dress immediately caught their attention.
“Liza, you look absolutely stunning,” Sabrina gushed.
“Thank you,” I said with a grin, getting up from my stool and doing a spin to show off the dress. “I figured, why not go all out for once?”
“You might have given me a heads-up that you were going to pull out all the stops tonight.” She glanced down at her black jumpsuit with disgust.
“Are you kidding me?” I rolled my eyes. “You can wear a potato sack and look sexy as hell. Shut the fuck up.”
“Would it make you feel better if I did a twirl, just to show there’s no animosity between our outfits?” Sabrina didn’t wait for an answer before standing and twirling, her hands dramatically raised over her head.
We all laughed at her, and I reveled at the carefree atmosphere. The guards were hidden from view, but I could feel their presence. Their watchful eyes allowed me to truly relax and to pretend, for one evening, that there was nothing to worry about without any lingering concerns.
We chatted about everything under the sun, carefully avoiding any mention of the tumultuous events that were plaguing my life.
“Another round of mimosas?” Mom raised her empty glass with a playful smile.
“Absolutely.” I signaled for the bartender. As he filled our glasses, I watched Bryce walking past Sabrina, not even sparing her a glance. The tension between them was palpable throughout the evening, but they avoided going at it again. I didn’t need a repeat of what happened in the kitchen. I never wanted to scare Bryce like that again.
Persephone leaned in closer, whispering conspiratorially, “So, Liza, how long do you think it’ll take before Sabrina and Bryce finally admit their feelings for each other?”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” I said with a smirk. “But knowing those two, it’ll probably involve a lot of drama and stubbornness. I don’t think it’ll happen any time soon.”
“Ugh, tell me about it.” My mom, who’d been eavesdropping, rolled her eyes. “It’s like watching a cheesy soap opera unfolding in real life.”
We laughed, enjoying the lighthearted banter as we sipped our drinks.
When the night came to an end, I found myself looking over my shoulder, trying to assess the amount of stress in my body. Without realizing it, I’d curled my hands into fists at my side, anxiety taking hold of me once again. As much as I just wanted to enjoy my time with loved ones, I kept waiting for something to go wrong.
