Chapter 71 #2
As I opened the folder, my mouth dropped open at the contents.
Inside were countless candid images of Liza, some taken in broad daylight, captured with some type of high-powered lens while she appeared to be working in her client’s home.
Cecily had been watching Liza for quite some time, documenting her every move.
“Why would Cecily have all of these photos?” I asked, forcing my voice to remain steady.
“From the emails I found, it seemed that Castro encouraged her to take them as references for buyers.” Isaiah’s eyes darkened with concern. “It seems he’s planning to sell Liza off, her status as an omega being the main selling point.”
“Are you fucking serious?” Anger and fear coursed through me as I stood abruptly, sending one of the folders to the floor. “Buyers? What the fuck?”
“Ty, I know it sounds insane, but that’s what I found.
” Isaiah remained composed, despite my visible anger.
“Look, neither of us wants to accept that Castro would actually do something like this. The information you shared with me suggests he wants her for himself because of a promise made in their childhood, so I understand your disbelief. But we’d be fools if we don’t consider the evidence in front of us.
Especially if he’s as furious at you and Liza for marrying and completing the mating bond as you suspect.
What I’m about to say is conjecture based on my investigation.
He still sees Liza as his possession, but as you’ve officially mated, he now sees her as sullied.
So, selling her is possibly his way of causing maximum hurt to her and, as an added bonus, destroy you.
If he has already started the process of advertising Liza, that won’t stop just because Cecily is dead. ”
I clenched my fists as I stared at the photos of Liza.
How many people had seen them? What did they have planned for her?
My blood turned hot as lava at the thought of deviant shifters whacking off to her image, trying to imagine what it’d be like to fuck the omega.
I’d seen firsthand what happened to the men who caught a whiff of Liza’s pheromones.
Those sickos would stop at nothing to own her, and they wouldn’t treat her as the queen she is.
They’d use her for their own nefarious purposes, and who the fuck knew what they’d do when they were finished with her.
“Okay, Isaiah. We’ll look into this situation and see if there’s anything in it,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
“But you made the right call. I don’t want Liza knowing about this just yet.
Not until we have more solid information.
” If this turned out just to be some sordid fantasy between Cecily and fucking Castro, then she didn’t need to know.
I tapped the folders in front of me. “Thanks, Isaiah. You’ve done some impressive work here. ”
“I’ll let you know if I find out anything more.”
I retrieved the folder I’d dropped on the floor and put all the documents into my desk drawer.
A sudden thought occurred to me. “What did you do with the files on the laptop?” I didn’t want to risk the police seeing these pictures, or seeing Castro’s plans to sell Liza off like some sick bastards’ ultimate sex toy or breeding mare and leaking it.
“I took the liberty of ensuring the images and any reference to them were removed and scrambled from Cecily’s laptop, sir. Nothing we’ve discussed can be found on the machine.”
His quick and detailed probe left me genuinely grateful.
Based on his actions on this first mission alone, he’d proved to be dynamic with his investigation skills and thought processes.
Also, his compassion regarding my mate’s feelings left me very impressed with Isaiah, and extremely happy I’d hired him.
I had a suspicion he was going to become as valuable an informant to me as Nico had been to my father.
With a nod, Isaiah stood.
As Isaiah made to leave, Liza and Sabrina walked through the office door.
It gave me a front-row seat to the drama unfolding between Sabrina, Bryce, and Isaiah.
Now I realized exactly why Bryce had his fucking boxers in a bunch.
I watched in amusement as Sabrina immediately got hearts in her eyes like a damn cartoon character when she spotted Isaiah.
I coughed into my hand, covering my mouth, and trying not to snicker at my best friend.
Bryce’s glare flicked between Sabrina as she batted her eyes at Isaiah, and Isaiah’s indifferent stare.
Oh, Sabrina wanted to jump Isaiah’s bones, and the only thing that would make it more obvious was if she stripped naked and offered herself up on a platter. We all knew it, but notably Bryce.
“We have some leftovers in the kitchen if you’d like me to make you a plate to go. I bet you burn a lot of calories working out.” Sabrina’s eyes traveled down Isaiah’s fit body, and I almost choked, especially when Bryce turned an odd shade of red.
Isaiah stared down at her, his face blank. “No, thank you.” He shot Liza a small smile and a nod before he walked away, with Sabrina staring after him like a fucking cat in heat.
I locked eyes with Liza, and we shared a knowing look.
My eyes darted between Sabrina and Bryce, and Liza nodded discreetly.
It took everything for us to hide our laughter.
The levity was required to chase away the images of the pictures Isaiah had put in my head of Liza being sold like a piece of meat.
Sabrina turned to Liza. “Right, pretty lady, I am off to have a cold shower after that fine example and then make my deliveries. Best not to upset the mate to the alpha. I’ve heard she can be a real bitch.
” She and Liza laughed, and my heart swelled.
It was good to see Liza looking happy and relaxed.
Bryce surprised me by saying, “I’ll see you down to your car, Sabrina. I forgot something in my car.” Sabrina gave Liza a quick hug and told her she’d let her know when the deliveries were complete, then left, giving no sign she’d heard Bryce, but he scuttled off behind her, anyway.
Liza and I waited till we heard them reach the stairs, then we both burst out laughing. “Well, that’s going to be interesting to watch play out,” Liza said.
She moved to the side of my desk and put her arm around my shoulders, teasing the fine hairs at the nape of my neck.
Her touch made it hard to concentrate and sent all my blood rushing straight to my cock, until it immediately deflated when Liza asked.
“So, what was Isaiah doing here? Did he find out anything more about Castro and Cecily?”
I couldn’t tell her everything—not yet. Instead, I smiled and squeezed her hand. “Isaiah did a fantastic job of uncovering additional text messages and emails between Cecily and Castro. It turns out Castro had convinced Cecily that you wanted to be with him. Can you believe it?”
Liza looked physically ill at the notion. “Why in the hell would Cecily think that?”
“She believed what she wanted to believe. After all, we knew Cecily had already been jealous of you, wishing she could’ve been my chosen mate.”
Liza rolled her eyes. “Don’t remind me.”
“Castro even made her think the bomb was all just a game meant to scare us.” I left out the part about the photos and what they implied.
I wanted to protect her from any unnecessary worry until we knew for sure it was something to be concerned about.
I hoped like fuck that decision wouldn’t come back to bite me in the ass.
“Wow, that’s... a lot to take in,” Liza said softly, chewing on the inside of her cheek.
“But I’m glad you guys are looking into it.
We certainly don’t want anyone in the pack falling prey to Castro’s manipulation again.
If he can influence the richest bachelorette in Presley Acres, who else could he twist around his little finger to do his bidding? ”
“Exactly. Isaiah’s getting right back to it, seeing what more he can uncover,” I assured her, hoping she wouldn’t pick up on the fact that I was holding back information.
My intention was to protect her from any unnecessary worry until we knew for sure whether there was something to be concerned about.
After Liza left the office, and before I lost myself in work, I pulled the file Isaiah had given me out of the drawer and sifted through the photos.
The pictures took my breath away, not just because of how beautiful Liza appeared in the candid shots—and she was fucking gorgeous—but because of the fear.
What if Castro actually attempted to sell Liza off?
My stomach twisted into knots at the thought.
Would he sell her, then kidnap her to take her to the highest bidder, or try to take her first?
I would do everything in my power to ensure that didn’t happen.
Bryce returned and found me staring at the images. “Ty, you’ve got to stop obsessing till we know more.”
I looked up at him. He was right, I knew it, but he didn’t have the first clue of the fear that was coursing through my system.
It wasn’t his fault. He’d know one day maybe, if he ever stopped bouncing from woman to woman, what it meant to love someone, but I hoped to fuck he never had to live through the torment Castro was putting me and my mate through.
“So, what exactly did you leave in the car?” I looked pointedly at his empty hands.
He stuttered, “Th-thought I left a file for this afternoon’s meeting, but I remembered it was in your drawer.”
I didn’t push him about his reaction to Sabrina’s infatuation with Isaiah. We had too much work to catch up on.