Chapter 82 Liza #2
“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’re going 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.
The night had been so carefree and fun, surely something terrible was about to happen. That’s how my life worked, right? One minute, things are going fantastically well, the next minute I’m turning into a fucking rage monster that blacks out and levitates off the ground.
To my surprise, the air was quiet and still. I felt relieved that everything had remained peaceful. Saying our goodbyes, I hugged each woman tightly. I held Sabrina a few seconds longer.
She pulled back at arm’s length and studied my face. “Are you okay?”
“I’m great. Couldn’t be better.” I forced a smile.
“I don’t believe you for one damn second.” Sabrina rolled her eyes and pulled me into another hug. “Enjoy the rest of your night with Ty. Stop allowing your worries about the future to affect the present.”
I pulled away and squeezed her hands. “You’re right. I’ll try.”
Ty and I lingered at the club after everyone else had left, waving from the front doors as they drove away.
He slipped his hand into mine and led me back into the main ballroom.
I glanced around the empty room. All the glasses and plates had been cleared away.
We stood in the middle of the dance floor, and my heart damn near jumped out of my chest when he shouted, “Hit it!”
The lights in the room dimmed, and the soft strains of romantic music filled the air as Ty pulled me close, his hands resting gently on my waist.
As we swayed to the music, my heart overflowed with love for this incredible man. I gazed up at him through hooded eyes, and my lips curved into a sultry smile. “Ty, did you plan all this?”
He pulled me even closer, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered, “I’ve been waiting all night to have you alone on this dance floor.”
I closed my eyes and rested my head on his chest, inhaling his scent, melting into his warm embrace. It was as if every worry seemed to vanish at that moment.
“Did you enjoy your night?”
“More than you know.” I smiled up at him. “I really needed this.”
“I know you’re under a lot of pressure.” He spoke with such sincerity, his gray eyes filled with compassion and understanding.
“I know I’ve said this before, but I will continue to repeat myself until you have complete faith in what I’m saying.
You’re not alone, Liza. I’m with you always, whatever comes our way. We’ll face it together.”