Chapter 104 Ty #3
I studied my mate. Dark smudges marred the delicate skin beneath her eyes. What was supposed to be a relaxing outing had only made her more exhausted.
“I’ll be back in a minute or two. Liam, help yourself to a drink. I need to talk to Liza.” Taking her hand, I walked alongside her to our bedroom. “I’m sorry, babe, I should have just let you sleep.”
With all the grace she possessed, she reached up and kissed me softly, laying her palm over my cheek.
“Did you shoot the gun? No. So, how is it your fault? I can hear Liam pacing from here. Why don’t you go and answer his questions, because he won’t settle until he has all the details.
I’m going to read… maybe watch some television. ”
I covered her hand with mine, turning it and kissing her palm. “I’ll be back soon.” I watched as she lay down on the bed and picked up the book on her bedside table. She looked over the top of it and made a shooing motion.
With a deep sigh, I forced myself to return to my office and answer Liam’s questions,
“Whoever did this is going to pay,” he growled through clenched teeth. “This ends now.”
Every time I closed my eyes, I was transported to the street outside the diner.
I could picture Liza’s face when we’d fled from the hail of bullets, her eyes wide with terror.
The shooting had left her shaken to the core, and it tore at my wolf to admit that there was nothing I could have done to stop it.
Now, more than ever, I needed to put an end to this threat, to find whoever was responsible, and to make sure they could never hurt her again.
My jaw clicked under the strain of the day. “Let’s figure out who’s after us, and why.”
“Start with any recent enemies,” Liam said curtly, filled with tension. “Anyone who might have a grudge or be looking for revenge.”
“Castro is top of the list,” I said. “But shooting isn’t his style. This is more personal. I’m certain there’s someone else involved. Someone closer to home.”
“Then, we start digging,” Liam said, his voice hard as steel. “And when we find out who’s behind this, we make them regret ever turning their heads in Liza’s direction.”
“Agreed.” I slammed my fists on the desk. My wolf rumbled within me, eager for the hunt, but my human side had to keep a grip on the reins, reminding him that we had to be smart about this. We couldn’t afford to make any mistakes, not when Liza’s life was at stake.
We spent hours poring over records and making calls, trying to piece together a list of potential suspects.
As the shadows lengthened outside, casting long, eerie fingers across the floor, I became more and more uneasy.
It wasn’t enough to simply react to threats.
We needed to be proactive, and to anticipate our enemies’ moves before they could strike.
I stood at the window, staring out on the darkening woods beyond the estate. The scent of damp earth and fallen leaves filled my nostrils, a reminder that winter was fast approaching. I clenched my fists, my anger and frustration building within me.
“Ty,” Liam said, drawing my attention to him. “We need to consider all possibilities.”
I shifted my position so I was facing him directly. “I’m certain Castro is behind this. He must have somehow found someone who had a personal grudge against either you or me. He’s been after Liza since the beginning.”
“Maybe.” Liam rubbed his chin thoughtfully, sounding doubtful. “Think about it, though. Castro is obsessed with Liza. Would he really risk her life?”
“You’re right, and even if he thought she wasn’t there, he can’t kill me without killing her as we’re fated,” I added, my lungs constricting at the thought of what might have happened.
“So, maybe,” Liam pondered aloud, “whoever attacked us wasn’t following Castro’s orders.
When I put word out amongst the underground that Liza is under my protection, I may have inadvertently alerted enemies who don’t care about shedding a little blood if it means getting my attention.
” He drummed a restless beat on the table with his fingers.
“Fuck.” I rubbed my jaw. “So, we could be facing multiple threats here?”
“Looks like it.” Liam sighed, and his expression filled with sorrow. “We need to act fast before they strike again.”
“Agreed,” I said, my mind racing with plans and strategies. “We need to focus on our enemies, who might be working with Castro, and who would be after you.”
“Right.” Liam nodded; his lips pursed. “To start off, let’s examine all the facts again, cross reference everything. Perhaps we can uncover any links.”
While we delved into the tangled web of our enemies, I thought of Liza. She was the reason we were all here, putting ourselves in danger. It didn’t matter who we were up against. She was my mate, she completed my soul, and I would do whatever it took to keep her safe.
“Ty, what about this one? The Vipers are renowned for their ruthless tactics and willingness to take on anyone for the right price.”
“Possible,” I said, scanning the list of names of notorious gangs he held in front of me. “But we can’t rule out any of them yet. We’ll have to look into each one and determine which is the most likely threat.”
“Fine,” Liam said, his jaw set with resolve. “But time is not on our side.”
I was fully aware that time was of the essence. As we continued our investigation, the taste of fear and desperation lingered on my tongue as a bitter reminder of what was at stake.
“Ty,” Liza said from the doorway. She looked and sounded so vulnerable. “I... I can’t sleep. Can you come sit with me for a while?”
“Of course,” I said, my breath catching at the sight of her. I shot Liam a look that told him we’d continue this later, then followed Liza back to our bedroom, leaving the chaos of the day behind us for now.
As I settled into bed beside her and held her close, I made a silent vow to protect her from the lurking danger that threatened our peace.
I would do whatever it took to keep Liza safe, even if it meant walking through the fires of Hell itself.
Because she was my mate, my other half, and nothing would ever come between us again.
“Sleep now.” I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I’m here, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”
While Liza drifted off to sleep in my arms, her breathing becoming slow and steady, I held on to that vow like a lifeline—a beacon of hope in the darkness.