“Shit.” I was torn between relief and frustration. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there was an attempted kidnapping today. Some assholes tried to grab Liza out of the secure SUV. They were equipped to fight my security team. I want Maximusquestioned about this latest attempt. Find out if he knows anything.”
“Understood. I’ll report back soon.” Nico hung up and left me staring at the phone, not knowing what to do next.
The call only added to the weight on my shoulders. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed answers from Maximus. If he was involved in the attack on Liza, I wanted to know. And if not, I needed to find out who else was targeting her before it was too late. This attempt was too organized for it to be civilians out for a bounty.
I paced the floor, cracking my knuckles as the pressure threatened to consume me. The bounty on Liza’s head was a problem, and we needed to figure out how to solve it before it got any worse.
“Ty…” My mother’s hushed whisper reached my ears, pulling me from my thoughts. She had come downstairs and now stood near the doorway. “You can breathe easy. Liza is in bed. She was clearly spooked, but she just needed a maternal touch.”
“Thank you, Mom,” I said, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. The softness of her hair brushed against my lips when I pulled away. I was more than thankful for the woman who had always been there for me and who had accepted Liza as if she were her own.
I strode upstairs and toward our bedroom, my lungs tightening with each step. My mind raced with images of what I might find when I opened that door. Would she be curled up in the bed, still shaken from her ordeal? Or would she be sitting up, her eyes full of questions and confusion?
As I listened for any indication of Liza being awake, my hand gripped the doorknob. I was surprised to see the opposite. The bed was empty; the sheets rumpled and abandoned. Panic clawed at my insides, my pulse quickening as I scanned the room for any sign of Liza.
“Where the hell is she?” I muttered under my breath, my stomach churning with dread. Just as I was about to call out her name, movement caught my eye, a flash of something on the terrace beyond the glass doors. I stepped closer, squinting through the dim light until I made out Liza’s slender silhouette.
She must’ve realized I was behind her because she turned to face me. “It’s fine, Ty. You don’t have to tiptoe around me. I won’t toss you in the air like the others.”
A heavy sigh escaped my lips. She remembered. That was one less thing to discuss.
“Hey,” I said, wrapping my arms around her from behind and pulling her close, breathing in her scent. She tensed at first but gradually relaxed into my embrace as I cradled her against my chest. “You won’t hurt me, Liza. I know you won’t. And we’ll find a way to help you, I promise. Just trust me, all right?”
“Okay,” she said, nodding as she buried her face in my shoulder. I could feel her tears seeping through the fabric of my shirt, and it only fueled my determination to make everything right for her again.
“Come on,” I said finally, giving her a gentle squeeze before releasing her from my embrace. “Let’s get you back to bed. You need some rest.”
I led her back to the empty bed, sorting the sheets and gesturing for her to climb in. She hesitated for a moment before complying, settling down beneath the sheets with a weary sigh. I noticed the lingering tremble in her limbs, the haunted look in her eyes as she gazed up at me.
“Try to get some sleep,” I said, brushing a stray lock of hair away from her forehead. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”
“Thank you,” she said as her eyelids fluttered closed. I watched her for a moment longer before turning off the lights.
Now, more than ever, I needed to figure out some way to help Liza. But what if it was already too late?
92
LIZA
Hunger gnawed at my insides as I stood in the kitchen, fridge doors wide open, staring mindlessly at the array of food. My stomach growled, reminding me that it desperately needed something more than a few swigs of water. But for some reason, I just couldn’t focus on what to eat. All I could think about was the conversation I’d had with Ty earlier that morning.
He said I was officially on lockdown. No leaving the house, not even to step outside on the back porch for fresh air. It simply wasn’t safe. I studied his face closely and there was a hint of remorse, but mostly his eyes were set and his voice firm.
In Ty’s defense, he’d gone out of his way to say how sorry he was and how he recognized it would be difficult since I valued my independence so much. His words went in one ear and out the other, though. I was numb. This would be my new reality.
The irony of my life hit me like a slap in the face as a humorless laugh escaped my throat. I glanced around to see if anyone was around, but I was alone in the massive kitchen.
Not that I was completely surprised. Honestly, given everything that had happened, I didn’t even have the energy tocare. After almost being kidnapped twice in a matter of days, leaving the house seemed like the least of my priorities.
A throat cleared behind me, making me jump. I turned to see a staff member staring at me and blinking rapidly. She seemed nervous about interrupting me. “Ms. Sabrina is here to see you. She’s waiting for you in the library, Mrs. Keller.”
“Thanks.” I forced a smile and tried to sound calm and completely in control of my life. Who was I fucking kidding? You’d have to blind not to see what a mess I was.
As I walked toward the library, I thought about the call I’d made to Sabrina, explaining why I never showed up at her house last night. She was in tears while I explained the situation, so I wasn’t surprised she’d decided to come see me.
Rounding the corner, I found Sabrina pacing the floor of the library, her anger palpable.
“Hey, you didn’t have to come over.” I spoke gently, hoping she’d react calmly. “I promise, I’m fine.”
