Chapter 91 Ty #2
“Trust me with this,” she said softly.
Reluctantly, I placed Liza into my mother’s care, watching as she cradled her gently and helped her walk up the steps.
Satisfied that Liza was in good hands, I turned to Dad and his grim expression.
“Let’s talk,” he said, motioning for me to follow him into the library. I trailed behind him, my mind racing as I tried to organize my thoughts and explain what had happened.
Once we were alone, I recounted the events, the ambush, the attempted kidnapping, and Liza’s display of power in front of the guards. Dad listened intently, his eyes narrowing.
“None of the men looked familiar.” I let out a frustrated growl. “But whoever they were, they knew about Liza, and they wanted her.”
Dad crossed his arms and lowered his voice. “This is bad, Ty. We need to figure out who’s behind this, and fast.”
“You think I don’t know that?” I snapped, my fists clenching at my sides. “Liza really can’t leave the house again. It’s too risky.”
“Agreed.” My father nodded solemnly. “She won’t like it, but after tonight... She’ll understand it’s a sacrifice that has to be made.”
“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath. Liza valued her independence. “I want Maximus’s head on a spike, if Castro hasn’t gotten to him first.”
Before either of us could say anything else, my phone rang, piercing the tense silence that had settled throughout the house. I glanced at the screen as Nico’s name flashed across it.
“About fucking time,” I muttered, swiping to answer the call and putting it on speaker so Dad could listen in.
“You’re just the man I need to talk to.” I forced my damn tongue to stop wagging so Nico could fill me in.
“Ty, I’m calling to make you aware there was an attempt made on Maximus’s life.” Nico sounded breathless from whatever had just transpired. “I was at his property in time to save him.”
“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 Maximus questioned 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?