I chuckled, welcoming the momentary distraction from the heavy conversation.
Rosalie’s words haunted me for the rest of the day, gnawing at my thoughts like a persistent itch. Sitting at my computer, I pondered her declaration that she wouldn’t want a father who didn’t want her. Was that how Liam felt about our father? The question nagged at me until curiosity won out, and I decided to look up Isabel on social media.
I found her profile quickly. My hands trembled as I scanned through her photos, scrolling back as far as ten years ago. There were posts about vacationing in exotic locales, crystal-blue waters, and pristine white sands. There were other images showcasing mouthwatering dishes she’d eaten in some fancy restaurants I’d heard of, accompanied by tantalizing descriptions of their flavors. I even stumbled upon a painting she was proud of—a strikingly detailed depiction of a wolf lounging beneath the glow of a full moon.
And then I found it. A picture of Isabel from thirteen years ago, standing beside a young man. He looked to be in his early to mid-twenties, but the face and hair were unmistakable. It was the boy from my dreams, only older, more mature, andundeniably handsome. Lacking any photos of my parents, I relied on the flashes of memories to piece together their faces. Isobel was right. Liam definitely had our father’s features. The resemblance was uncanny.
I printed the photo—the only one of him that Isabel had tagged in the image—and when I searched through Isabel’s friends list, there was no trace of him. My investigation was cut short by a call from the security company, informing me that the alarms at my office in town had been triggered, and that police had already been dispatched. Fuck.
I quickly abandoned my home office, rushing downstairs as I tried calling Ty. He didn’t answer. Glancing at my watch, I realized he was still out at a business meeting. Ty wouldn’t be too thrilled about me going to the office alone, so I called my father.
“Hey, Dad,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “The alarms at the office went off, and the police are on their way. Can you meet me there?”
“Of course, sweetheart,” he said, and I heard the concern in his tone. “I’ll be there as soon as possible.”
“Thanks, Dad.” With my security detail in tow, we headed into town and toward my office building.
I pulled up to my office, saddened by the graffiti still painted on in red daubs over the front of the building. My heart leapt into my throat when I spotted the police waiting for me by the front door. Taking a deep breath, I got out of the car and approached the policeman.
He smiled kindly before getting right down to business. “Seems like the door was picked, but the alarm went off when the code wasn’t entered fast enough. Whoever it was left pretty quickly.” He gestured toward the building. “Nothing appears to have been taken.”
“Thank you,” I said, relief washing over me. Deciding to do a quick walkthrough of my office, I cautiously stepped inside. As Iwalked through the space, I glanced from side to side, searching for anything that seemed out of place or missing. There had been plenty for the intruder to grab had they wanted something of value, so why the hell hadn’t they? My gaze fell on the safe in the back corner, and I entered the code with shaky fingers. The door creaked open, revealing everything just as it should be. The police were right. It didn’t seem like the intruder had taken anything thanks to the alarm.
I turned and headed toward the front of the office, scanning the room one last time. An envelope sat on my desk. It hadn’t been there the last time I was here, and I couldn’t recall Sabrina mentioning coming into the office. And apart from Ty, she was the only other person with a key. My gut told me that the envelope wasn’t from her, but I hesitated about mentioning it to the police. Instead, I shoved it into my back pocket.
Just then, my father arrived.
I held up both hands and forced a smile. “Everything’s fine, Dad. The alarm scared whoever it was off, and they didn’t take anything.”
He hugged me tightly, his eyes searching mine. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “I’m going to have the lock replaced with a keypad so no one else can try to break in again.”
While we talked, Ty arrived on the scene. He chatted briefly with the cops, but kept glancing over their shoulders at me as I spoke with my father. I was no stranger to that look in Ty’s eyes. It was one he wore a lot lately. He was worried about me. After thanking the police for their quick response, he made his way over to my side and pulled me into a hug.
“You okay?” Ty asked, his concern for me seeping into my bones. He looked at me like he was expecting me to fucking wolf out, to completely obliterate every person within a half-mileradius of my office, while simultaneously forcing random objects to levitate off the ground.
Forcing a smile, I assured him that I was fine. I tried to crack a joke. “It’s a good thing the alarm scared whoever it was off, or they would’ve left with a ton of printer paper and miscellaneous cooking supplies. Maybe they could’ve unearthed my lost recipe cards.” I laughed at my own attempt at humor, but Ty didn’t share in my amusement.
Clearing my throat, I acknowledged his concerns but couldn’t help being a bit annoyed. “You can’t expect the worst reaction out of me every time something goes awry, Ty. I’m keeping the therapist’s recommendations in the front of my mind and trying not to allow my thoughts to go there. It freaked me out, but I’m okay, so stop looking at me like I’m some kind of freak.”
Ty opened his mouth, perhaps to apologize or retort, but in the end, he just smiled weakly and put his arm around my shoulder, leading me away from the office.
He motioned for one of the security guards to drive my car back to the estate. “I’d prefer you ride with me so we can talk.”
As we climbed into his sleek, black SUV, the tension between us became a heavy, static ball. The engine purred to life, and we started our journey back toward the estate.
“Did it look like anything was taken from your office?” Ty asked, his eyes never leaving the road as he navigated through the busy streets.
I exhaled deeply, the weight of the unopened envelope in my back pocket pressing against me. “No, they didn’t take anything.” I reached into my pocket to retrieve the envelope. “But they certainly left something.”
The vehicle slowed to a stop at a red light, and Ty grabbed the envelope. He turned it over in his hands, examining the plain exterior. “It hasn’t been opened,” he commented, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Did you tell the cops about this?”
“Of course not. Lately, a lot of things have been revealed, and the police aren’t aware of what your father used to dabble in. Mysterious notes like this usually come with more secrets.”
Ty’s chuckle held no humor, only a bitter acknowledgment of the painful truth. “You’re right,” he said, his grip on the steering wheel tightening as the light turned green. “I wonder what’s in it, though.”
I shook my head, staring out the passenger window at the blur of passing scenery. “Whatever it is, I’m fairly certain that nothing good is going to come of it.”
