“Of course, Liza.” She laughed and gestured to the lavish surroundings. “I’m always here if you need to chat. I have all the time in the world for you.”
Just then, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a text from Sabrina.
Are you busy tonight? As the omega fans have gone, how about an evening on the town with your bestie?
My heart yearned for a night out and a brief escape from everything, but it was a bad idea. After the attempt to kidnap me, there was no way in hell Ty would let me out of his sight. It was worth mentioning to him, though. I looked up at Persephone. Hadn’t we just been discussing the importance of maintaining close friendships?
“Please excuse me, Persephone,” I said, standing up from the table. I crossed the patio and stepped back into the house, heading upstairs to Ty’s office.
I found him hunched over his desk, intently focused on the paperwork scattered across his desk.
He glanced up and smiled when I entered. “Hey, what’s up?” His gray eyes searched mine, no doubt hoping I hadn’t created more fires for him to put out.
“Sabrina texted me. She wants to go out tonight.” I tried not to sound too needy, but I didn’t have the energy to pretend I hadn’t considered her offer.
Ty dropped his pen onto the desk and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. His expression was pensive, his eyes clouded with concern. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Neither do I.” My shoulders slumped in defeat. I was an idiot for even considering Sabrina’s offer.
His gaze softened as he studied my face. “What if we put a large security detail on you and you go hang out at Sabrina’s place?”
A small smile tugged at my lips, and I nodded. “That’s a fantastic compromise.”
Ty was still on edge after the kidnapping attempt, but I knew he understood how much I was dealing with. “I don’t want you out of my sight,” he said. “But I also don’t want you locked away like a prisoner. I just want you safe.”
I crossed the room and kissed him gently on the cheek. “Thanks, babe. I promise I won’t be gone long.”
The moment I agreed to go to Sabrina’s house, Ty wasted no time in assembling a team of guards to escort me. Four of them, to be exact. As they led me down the front steps of the estate, I tried not to laugh. It felt like overkill, but considering recent events, I wasn’t about to complain.
“Try not to worry too much, Liza.” Ty’s hand was warm on my lower back as we approached a blacked-out SUV.
I shot him a reassuring smile. “I’m not the one worried.”
“Have a fantastic time with Sabrina, and tell her I said hello. Also, please make sure she’s not being too hard on Bryce.” He chuckled and opened the door for me to help me inside, his touch lingering just a little longer than necessary. It was a small gesture, but one that spoke volumes about his concern for my safety.
Once settled into the leather seat, I watched as one of the guards slid into the passenger seat while another took up position beside me. The last guard climbed into the third row, and I gave a wry smile.
“Sure we can’t fit a few more of you in here?” I joked, attempting to lighten the mood. My comment was met with stony silence, and I found myself scowling as I turned to look out the window.
Fucking hard asses.
The SUV glided smoothly through the front gates and onto the main road with no issues. There weren’t any tourists standing on the side of the road hoping to get a glimpse of me as if I was some fucking movie star.
I leaned my head against the seat and closed my eyes, the hum of the engine lulling me into a peaceful trance.
“Shit!” The security guard’s panic jerked me awake.
We hadn’t been driving for long when a car suddenly cut us off, swerving in front of the SUV and causing our driver to slam on the brakes. Before I could even process what was happening,two more vehicles skidded to a halt on either side of us. We were trapped.
My heart thundered in my ears as men dressed head-to-toe in black, with masks hiding their faces, leaped from the cars. They wrenched open the doors, and I screamed for help as they grabbed me. I sniffed the air but didn’t recognize their scents. They weren’t pack members, just a bunch of fucking thugs who wanted to kidnap me and collect their reward.
My guards tried to fight them off, but the attackers were fast and furious, utilizing taser guns and other weapons before my guards had a chance to pull their guns. I watched helplessly as my protectors were quickly overwhelmed.
I struggled against the masked men, kicking and biting in a desperate attempt to break free, but it was no use. Their grip on me was unyielding. As they dragged me from the SUV, I tried to run through my options. Ty had no idea I was in trouble, and my guards were knocked out, if not worse, in the middle of the road.
My anger flared, feeding the omega power that coursed through my veins. “Let me go!” I growled, unable to contain the rage that consumed me. In an explosive release of energy, I sent the men flying through the air, their bodies crashing into trees on the other side of the street.
“Control yourself,” a voice whispered inside my head. “Don’t let them see your true power.”
