Chapter 78 Liza #2
I smirked, feeling a surge of competitive energy.
“Prepare to be amazed.” I stepped up to the tee and positioned myself carefully.
My hands gripped the club tightly, my knuckles turning white from the effort.
I swung, willing the ball to soar gracefully through the air, only to watch it travel a mere few feet before plopping unceremoniously onto the grass.
“Ouch.” Sabrina winced, her eyes full of mock sympathy. “That was... something.”
“Your turn,” I said, passing her the club and folding my arms across my chest. She took a moment to line up her shot, her tongue poking out from the corner of her mouth in concentration, her hips wiggling as she prepared to hit the ball.
While we continued our hilariously terrible attempts at golf, I somehow forgot all about my magical mishaps and the omega fanatics. For the first time in a long while, I could simply be Liza, laughing with my best friend, making the most of a beautiful day.
“Watch and learn, sweetheart,” she teased at the next tee off, swinging with all her might. The ball flew farther than mine but veered wildly off course and landed somewhere in the bushes. We devolved into a fit of giggles.
“Whoa there, Tiger Woods,” I teased, stepping back to give her some space. “You should’ve given that last margarita back to the barman.”
“Ha!” She pointed at the ball. “I’m just as terrible as you are.”
“Hey, at least we’re consistently awful together.” I grinned, linking my arm with hers as we walked toward our golf balls.
“True friendship right there.” She nodded sagely, raising her margarita in a toast. “To sucking at golf and having fun anyway.”
“Cheers to that.” I clinked my almost empty glass against hers.
“Do you think we should take up mini golf instead?” I suggested, wiping tears from my eyes as we climbed back into the golf cart.
“We should stick to drinking margaritas.” Sabrina raised her glass in another salute.
Later that evening, the hum of the SUV’s engine almost lulled me to sleep as I watched the town’s lights blur outside my window.
My shoulders were stiff from golfing with Sabrina.
I’d used muscles I hadn’t used in years, but it was so worth it.
My mind was clear, and I was re-energized, despite the fatigue weighing down my body.
A day with Sabrina had been exactly what I needed.
An unexpected buzz in my purse jolted me out of my trance.
“Oh, I need to check this,” I muttered, more to myself than to the security guard driving me home. Fishing out my phone, I stared at the screen, puzzled by the anonymous email address.
Is the money enough? Do you need more to get away?
Confusion and suspicion swirled within me like a storm. Get away from what? Who the fuck had sent this?
My gut twisted. The only money I’d received recently had been the mysterious deposit.
That meant the unknown sender was likely none other than Liam Russell.
But why would he think I needed to get away?
And why now? A heavy unease settled in the pit of my stomach as I contemplated how to respond, or if I should even respond at all.
My instincts told me there was more going on here than just a business transaction. Something about this felt personal.
“Damn it, Liam. Who the fuck are you, and what are you playing at?” I muttered to myself, my thumb hovering over the keyboard.
It was tempting to fire off a snarky response, but caution held me back.
Better to wait and discuss this with Ty first. He always seemed to have a clearer head when it came to these things.
Sighing, I slipped my phone back into my purse, letting the uncomfortable silence envelop me once more as the car sped toward home. Whatever that email meant, one thing was certain…
It had just added another damn layer of complexity to an already messy situation.
The memory of Ty’s thoughtfulness and the lightness of the afternoon with Sabrina faded, and darkness and fear crept back in.
The moment we arrived at the estate, I spiraled into a loop of asking who and why, who and why. My anxiety spiked. My pulse quickened, and cold sweat prickled at my temples. I needed answers, and I hoped Ty could help me understand the cryptic email.
I didn’t wait for the car door to be opened for me.
I jumped out and dashed up the stairs two at a time, and ran through the house, my heart hammering in my chest. The door to Ty’s office was slightly ajar, the sound of soft tapping of computer keys drifting into the hallway.
Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I pushed the door open and strode into the room.
“Ty, you need to see this.” I held up my phone with the email displayed.
He frowned as he scanned the screen, his eyes narrowing in concentration.
“Block the email.” His extremely tense tone took me by surprise.
“Why?” I paused, searching Ty’s face for some explanation. “Shouldn’t I respond to it? Find out who they are?”
Ty fiddled with the collar on his shirt.
“There’s an LLC trying to purchase a manufacturing plant from Keller Enterprises.
When I first received their offer, I did some digging.
The owner was deceased, so it didn’t add up.
I asked for more information from them but haven’t heard anything back.
Then we discovered the same LLC deposited money into your account.
Suffice to say, I think this Liam guy is connected to it all in some way. Something’s off, Liza.”
I blinked in shock. “What does that have to do with me?”
Ty shifted his gaze to the window and went quiet. I wondered if I’d completely lost him. He finally spoke up. “I can’t help but feel like it’s all somehow connected to your old pack. Maybe some of the Keller pack’s skeletons aren’t buried after all.”
An uneasy feeling settled in my gut. “Do you think that Liam realized I was alive and decided to give me the money anonymously? Maybe he owed it to my parents.” My mind swirled with possibilities. “Perhaps that’s the reason behind the email. What if Liam thought I was broke and needed an escape?”
“Maybe.” Ty leaned back in his chair, his expression darkening. “But we went public with our relationship. Everyone knows you’re not hurting for money. Hell, Liza, you’re the wealthiest woman in Texas between my family’s wealth and the money your parents left you.”
I chewed on my lip, mulling over his words. Ty was right. Everyone knew we were together now. My mind raced, trying to connect the dots. “If that’s true, then this could be connected to what happened to the Wylde pack. It means Liam might know what happened in Heather Falls.”
Ty shook his head. “That wouldn’t be good for the pack. For us.” Ty’s jaw clenched, and I could see his mind working.
We sat in silence for a few moments until I glanced at my watch. “When do you want to go to the bank to look into the security deposit box?”
Just then, my phone rang, an unknown number flashing on the screen. My stomach twisted into knots as dread washed over me again. I looked across at Ty and showed him the screen.
“Answer it,” Ty said, concern etched across his face. “Ignoring it might bring more trouble.”
I hesitated for a moment before putting the call on speakerphone. “Hello?”
“Hello, my dear.” Castro’s voice oozed from the other end, making my skin crawl.
It was as if he had been waiting for a new bomb to drop on me with the new information about Liam.
“I see you’re using some of your smarts, Liza dear, putting some of the puzzle pieces together.
Well done.” Castro gave a sarcastic, slow clap.
“I have to ask… what triggered it? What made you look into Liam Russell?”
“Fuck.” Of course Castro knew what we’d been focused on. The bastard was always two steps ahead of us.
Castro laughed. “Don’t be mistaken, Liza. my silence doesn’t mean I’ve given up on you, regardless of you being mated to Ty. I have absolutely no intention of just letting you go.”
Ty snarled and glared at the phone with an intensity that scared me.
Castro continued to laugh. “I’ve been lying low since the truth about Cecily was revealed.
” He tutted with his tongue. “What a shame it was to kill poor Cecily, but she started questioning me, even when I asked her not to. How rude. Then I picked up on the fact that she’d been so damn sloppy, leaving little breadcrumbs all over the fucking place.
I knew it wouldn’t be long before you both figured out she was working for me. ”
Castro paused for a moment.
“Ty? I know you’re there. I must commend you for your new lap dog.
Isaiah is a very capable man and that, unfortunately, makes him dangerous.
” Castro sighed into the phone. “It’s a shame I can’t touch him.
He knows people in high places. If I were to make a move against him…
well, my game would be over far too quickly.
So sad. I’ll just have to make sure I’m smarter than Isaiah from now on. ”
I swallowed hard, my voice trembling. “Why are you calling, Castro? What do you want?”
“Ah, Liza.” The unsettling tone in his voice made me sick to my stomach. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m calling because of Liam Russell. You see, this isn’t just about business. Liam knows things. Things that no one else does. The money he sent you wasn’t for a business deal. It was because of his guilt.”
“His guilt?” I asked, my knuckles aching as I clutched the phone like my life depended on it. “How do you know about any of this, Castro?”
He laughed, the sound chilling me to the bone.
“Now, what fun would it be for me to just give you the answers, my dear? I would have told you everything had you chosen me, but instead, I’ll leave you to figure it all out on your own.
Just remember, once everything comes out, you’ll realize I’m the only one who can help you. ”
“Help me?” I spat, anger rising within me. “All you’ve ever done is hurt and manipulate me.”
“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong,” Castro said smugly. “You see, your parents had more secrets than you know, and I can’t wait for you to see them for what they truly were. You’ll need me then, Liza.”
“Like hell I will,” I muttered under my breath, wishing I could reach through the phone and strangle him.
“Time will tell, my dear.”
Before I could say another word, Castro ended the call.
My hand shook as I lowered the phone, barely able to keep my grip on it.
Ty’s snarl echoed through the room, matching the turmoil inside me.
I couldn’t believe Castro had reared his ugly head again, just when we thought we were making progress in unraveling the mystery surrounding my family and the Wylde pack.
My entire body quaked, and I had to grip my phone with both hands to keep from dropping it. The aftershocks of Castro’s call coursed through me, leaving me on edge and craving relief.
“Son of a bitch,” Ty spat, his eyes blazing with fury as he paced the room. “We knew Castro would rear his ugly head again, but why now? Right when we start sniffing around Liam?”
“I don’t know,” I said, my voice wobbly. “But it can’t be a coincidence. There has to be a connection.”
Ty stopped pacing and crossed his arms, his jaw clenched tight. “Castro’s been too quiet since he killed Cecily. I should’ve known he was planning something. He’s just thrown another wrench into your life, Liza.”
My hands became clammy. Castro’s maniacal laughter still echoed through my mind. “But we won’t let him win. We’ll get to the bottom of this and find out the truth about my parents and the money from Liam. I have to know, Ty.”
He nodded firmly. “We’ll figure it all out together. Castro won’t win this game.”
As much as I wanted to believe that, I couldn’t shake the nagging fear that Castro’s words were just the beginning of an even darker chapter in our lives. My heart pounded like a jackhammer against my ribcage. I stood abruptly, feeling the walls closing in on me. “I need some fresh air.”
Without waiting for a response, I strode onto the balcony. The cool night breeze caressed my skin, providing a temporary reprieve from the heat that threatened to suffocate me.
I closed my eyes, wishing I could shift and run free for days upon days, away from Castro’s threats, my own anger, and all the fucking secrets.
But I couldn’t escape. Not now. Not when there was so much at stake. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Every step closer to the truth seemed to open up another bottomless pit of questions and fears.
“Damn you, Castro,” I said, gripping the railing so hard my palms hurt. “Why can’t you just leave us alone?”
“Because he’s a manipulative bastard who thrives on chaos,” Ty said, stepping out onto the balcony beside me. “And he won’t rest until he gets what he wants.”
“Which is me.” The bitter taste of resentment coated my mouth as I stared out into the darkness. “He’s never going to give up, is he?”
“Neither will we,” Ty said, his hand covering mine on the railing. “Hey. I’m here, okay?”
I looked at him, saw the concern, the fear on his face, and felt a sudden rush of frustration. “What if I just... stop searching for answers? What if I let all this go?”
“Then, you’ll never find closure.” His voice was gentle, and I recognized he was treading lightly around me, probably worried I might cause an earthquake or some other fucked-up catastrophe.
“You’ll always be wondering, and I know you’d be miserable if you gave up on filling in the gaps of your life. ”
“Maybe I’d rather be miserable than have everything I thought I knew torn apart,” I said, fighting back the tears. But it was no use. The tears spilled over, pouring down my cheeks like a dam breaking under the weight of too much pain.
“Hey, hey,” Ty said, pulling me into his arms. “We’ll get through this, Liza. Castro is playing a game, but it’s a game he won’t win.”
I clung to him, needing his strength, his reassurance. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because we’re stronger together than he’ll ever be.” Ty cupped my face. “We’ll find out everything and finally put a stop to him.” He glanced at the time, hesitating for a moment before speaking again. “If you really don’t want to go to the bank, we don’t have to.”
I bit my lip, considering. Yes, I was afraid of what I might find, but Ty was right. Without the truth, there could be no closure, and wasn’t that what I wanted more than anything?
“Let’s go.” I wiped my soaking wet face. “I need to know the truth, no matter how painful it may be.”