Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Lydia opened her eyes in the early morning light, smiling as she rolled over. Her smile vanished as she sat up in a rush, realizing that Ty wasn’t lying next to her. She glanced toward the bathroom, noticing that the door was half-closed, and got up.
Heading his way, she stepped into the steamy space that smelled like him as he stood in front of the mirror with a towel slung low on his hips while he lathered shaving cream in his hands. “Good morning.”
He smiled. “Good morning.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing kisses to his back. “I didn’t hear you get up.”
He nodded as he spread the foam along his jaw. “You were out cold.”
She settled her cheek against his warm skin as she slid her hands up and down his sexy stomach. “That’s because I’m still recovering from last night.”
He grinned as he washed off the excess lather, then wiped his hands on a towel. “You’re the one who started our next round. I was going to let you rest.”
She chuckled as she pressed her lips to his back again. “I can’t seem to help myself. I think I’m developing an addiction to you.”
He puffed out a breath as he picked up his razor. “That sounds good to me.”
She moved her hands down, realizing that he was getting an erection. “Well, this is interesting.”
He shook his head. “Not really. You’re beautiful, naked, and touching me.”
“Huh,” she said as she turned him to face her.
His grin was back as he looked at her. “Lyd.”
“Hmm,” she asked as she pulled the towel away, staring at him, thick and hard. “You’re a sexy man, Ty.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“Oh, I do.” She moved to kneel in front of him, touching him, sliding her fingers along his perfection.
“I’m going to be late if we do this.”
She kissed his tip as she held his gaze, watching him clench his jaw. “I can stop.”
He shook his head. “Feel free to keep going.”
She trailed her tongue up his length. “Are you sure?”
He nodded, still clenching his jaw. “I’m sure.”
She teased him with gentle kisses and more slides of her tongue, then pulled him into her mouth, taking him deep.
He groaned as he tipped his head back. “Lyd.”
She moved up and down, adding her hand to the mix, loving that she could make such a strong man weak.
Groaning again, he set the razor down before his hands found their way into her hair. “Damn, Lyd.”
She looked up, meeting his hot gaze, smiling around his erection as she moved one hand to cup his balls.
He moaned as his stomach muscles began to shudder.
Pumping him in her palm, she created a faster rhythm with her lips and tongue, watching as his toes curled and his thigh muscles tensed.
“Lyd,” he groaned again as his breath steamed out in shudders while his hands fisted tighter in her hair. “I’m going to come, Lyd.”
She hummed out her own pleasure as his hips jerked like they did when he pumped himself inside of her.
“I’m going to come,” he said between clenched teeth as he tipped his head back and groaned loudly as he exploded.
She moved her mouth faster yet, beyond turned on by his surrender.
He made a sound in his throat as he yanked her up and settled her on the counter, pushing her legs apart as he gripped her thighs and shoved himself deep, thrusting wildly.
She clutched at his shoulders, gasping as each pump hit her just right. “Ty.”
“Come,” he said fiercely. “Come, Lyd.”
He didn’t have to demand it again as the flash of pleasure rocketed through her core, and she cried out.
His breath steamed out as he slowed his movements while her orgasm ebbed.
She held his stare in the still steamy space, seeing the intensity in his blue eyes. “What was that?”
He shrugged. “I figured we should both get off before I got soft again.”
“I appreciate it.”
He grinned. “It seemed like the least I could do after you made my eyes cross.”
She laughed.
He grinned again. “You give excellent head, Lyd.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
He nodded. “Definitely.”
She smiled. “You still have shaving cream all over your face.”
He nodded as he pulled himself free of her. “I’m going to have to wash it off and try again later.”
She hopped down from her temporary seat on the countertop. “I’m sort of sorry.”
His grin was back as he turned on the water. “I’m not.”
She moved over to her sink, grabbing her toothbrush and toothpaste, making fast work of brushing. “I imagine I should take a shower, but I’m going to head over to the house and listen to the details of Mac’s juicy date.”
He wiped his clean but slightly scruffy face on the towel. “I hope they had a good night.”
“Me, too.”
They both wandered back to the bedroom, getting dressed—her in denim short shorts and a simple white T-shirt and him in khaki shorts and a blue T-shirt.
They headed downstairs together, putting on their shoes.
He snagged her by the wrist, pulling her close. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “Text or call if you can. I want to know what’s going on.”
“That makes two of us.” He kissed her before he grabbed her keys and opened the door.
She walked out after him into the misty, overcast morning, waving to him as he got behind the wheel before she let herself inside the mansion.
She moved down the hall, frowning when the kitchen was empty and quiet, when typically, music was playing and breakfast was being made.
“Mac,” she called as she wandered toward the playroom, then the living room. “Mac,” she called again as she headed upstairs.
She passed Everly’s empty room, then Maverick’s nursery, stopping in the primary suite, frowning again as she stared at Everly watching a cartoon while she fed Maverick on the floor as the baby lay propped up against Mac’s breastfeeding pillow.
Everly looked over and beamed. “Look at me, Lydia. I’m Mommy’s big helper, so we can go see Nan-Nan and Pop-Pop.”
She forced a smile. “You are a big helper, Ev. Nice job. Where’s Mommy?”
Mac walked into the room with tired eyes and pale, tear-streaked cheeks, wearing yoga pants and a T-shirt as she carried Everly’s suitcase and several full bags on her arm.
Lydia’s frown was back as she hurried Mac’s way. “What’s going on?”
Mac dropped the items at her feet and headed for the closet for another suitcase. “I need to go. I can’t do this anymore.”
Her stomach sank as she heard the finality in Mac’s words. “What happened?”
Mac brought the suitcase to the big bed, yanking the zipper around the track. “Not dinner. He stood me up.”
Lydia’s eyes grew huge, as shocked as she’d ever been. “What?”
Mac nodded as a tear slid down her cheek. “I was waiting for him at the restaurant. He texted me fifteen minutes before our dinner reservation to tell me that he had to cancel. No explanation. No nothing.”
Lydia sighed, realizing that she hadn’t even noticed that Hazel’s car hadn’t been in the driveway when she and Ty came back from their dinner date. “Honey, why didn’t you text me or come get me?”
Mac moved to the drawers, scooping up her panties and bras. “Because you have your own life and your own relationship. I saw Ty walk you to the door and kiss you like a man who loves his partner should.”
Lydia adamantly shook her head. “Ty doesn’t love me.”
Mac dumped the items into the suitcase. “I think the truth is that Will doesn’t love me. This isn’t how you treat someone whom you claim to respect and adore.”
Lydia sighed again. “No, it’s not.”
Mac went back for another scoop of her clothes, this time for T-shirts and her other pretty tops. “I can’t take care of my babies and try to save my marriage, too. It’s too much, so I’m choosing my kids. I’m choosing myself.”
“I’m so sorry, Mac.”
Mac jerked her shoulders. “He had the audacity to roll his way home at one o’clock this morning. I kept the kids in here with me, behind a locked door. I taped a note to it that told him to go sleep somewhere else when what I really wanted to tell him was to go fuck himself.”
“Oh, Mac.”
Mac grabbed her jeans and shorts next, throwing them in. “It didn’t matter much. He was gone again by five, which I didn’t mind at all.” She closed the suitcase top, fighting the zipper around the track again. “I don’t know who he is anymore. The man who looks like my husband is a stranger.”
“What can I do? How can I help you?”
“Don’t tell Cindy, James, or Gram-Gram. I don’t want politics to be a factor in my marriage right now. I don’t need the pressure of putting on a happy face when I’m not. They’ll be gone for several more days, and I want that time. I need that time.”
“Of course, Mac.” She settled her hand on Mac’s rigid arm. “What can I do now?”
“Help me get the suitcases downstairs. Help me get my kids in the car.”
Lydia nodded as she pulled Mac into a hug. “I’m so incredibly sorry, honey.”
Mac wrapped her arms around her as she sniffled. “Never in a million years did I see anything like this coming.”
Lydia kept her close because none of them had. “I don’t know how you could have.” She eased back. “I love you. If there’s anything else I can do, please let me know.”
Mac nodded. “Right now, I want to get out of here before he comes back. I need to go home. I need my mom and dad.”
Lydia nodded. “Okay. Let’s get you guys on the road.”
Thirty minutes later, Lydia stood in the light drizzle, waving to Everly as Everly waved to her while Mac headed down the long driveway.
She blinked back tears as her lips trembled, as mad at Will as she’d ever been. Whatever was going on with him, he’d messed it all up. His wife and kids were gone. “You’re an idiot, William Monroe,” she whispered, not even daring to send him a text at this point.
But she pulled out her phone as she headed toward the pool house on her family’s property, which felt far too empty and quiet. Finding Ty’s gorgeous face, she tapped on it, sending him a message.
Mac just left with the kids. I think she’s gone for good.
He typed back immediately. Why?! What happened?!
Her thumbs flew over her screen. Will stood her up, and she’s had enough. My cousin is a colossal fool.
I’m so sorry, Lyd. I’ll be home as soon as I can.
Okay.
She let herself inside and headed for the upstairs bathroom. A shower seemed like just the thing when she had no idea what to do when everything felt like it was falling apart.
Ty hurried into the coffee shop, running only seven minutes late after Lydia’s fantastic blowjob. He slid into his usual seat across from Nick, noting that his co-worker hadn’t bothered to order his typical iced tea. “What’s up?”
Nick slid a small stack of pictures his way.
Ty frowned as he picked them up, studying Will sitting next to Richard Russo at The Tap Room. “When did this happen?”
“Last night.”
Ty’s gaze flew to Nick’s. “Last night? At what time, because Will was supposed to be out on a date with his wife, fixing his marriage.”
“He and Russo met up right around six. They were there until almost ten. Will drove around aimlessly for almost two and a half hours after that before he finally went home.”
Ty shook his head, noting that Will didn’t look happy in any of the shots. “What the hell’s going on?”
“That’s what I want to know. Why do I know more about Will right now than you do?”
“What?” He set the pictures down with a snap.
“When I talked to Will last, he was setting up a date for himself and his wife. When I saw MacKenna Monroe last night, she was dressed up and heading off to the Shoalmans Bay Inn for their seven thirty reservation. How could I have possibly known that he was going to ditch his wife for a meetup?”
Nick shrugged. “Danny has some concerns about where your focus is.”
“Well, fuck Danny because surveillance isn’t my job. I’m doing my part. I’m Lydia’s adoring ‘boyfriend’ who’s gathering information when I can.”
“Where were you last night when all of this was going down?”
“What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”
“Where were you, Ty?”
“I was with Lydia. I took my ‘girlfriend’ out on a date.”
“You need to worry less about your fake relationship and more about this case.”
“You know what, Nick, let’s go ahead and extend a fuck you to you, too.
If you have any ideas on how you want me to get Will to talk, I’m all ears.
Because I’m playing the game the way I’ve always played the game.
Information’s coming. It’s slow as fuck, but I can’t help that.
Unless you want me up in his face and coming off as suspicious, let me do my job. ”
Nick sighed as he rubbed at his forehead. “Look, man, we just want to make sure that you’re not getting too close to all of this.”
“Did I not call you when Will and his wife argued?”
Nick sighed again as he nodded.
“Did I not tell you about Will and Asher’s argument?”
“Yeah, you did.”
“And did I not share that Will was planning to take his wife out on a date?”
Nick nodded again.
“That’s all I’ve got at this point, so you go ahead and tell me how to do that better.”
Nick shrugged. “I can’t.”
Ty shook his head, trying to shake off the worst of his anger. “What’s going on with James?”
“The senator?”
“Yeah, that would be James. The name he asked me to call him when I’m in his company.”
Nick shook his head. “Nothing’s going on. He’s doing what he does down in DC. Nothing’s gone on with him this entire time.”
Just then, Ty’s phone alerted him to a text. He glanced at it, reading Lydia’s message.
Mac just left with the kids. I think she’s gone for good.
“Fuck,” he muttered as he responded. Why?! What happened?!
Will stood her up, and she’s had enough. My cousin is a colossal fool.
I’m so sorry, Lyd. I’ll be home as soon as I can.
Okay.
He put his phone back down, even as he worried about Lydia, knowing that she was undoubtedly upset. “That was Lydia. Mac just packed up the kids and left.”
Nick’s eyes grew wide. “Well, damn.”
Ty nodded. “I’m going to head back to the compound and find out what happened. If you and Danny think that’s appropriate.”
Nick sighed. “Don’t be like that.”
“Then don’t question the way I do my job. If and when I see Will, I’ll push him a little harder. But if I’m not careful, we’re going to blow this whole thing.”
Nick nodded. “Just do what you do.”
“Maybe pass that message along to Danny.” He got up and left, still pissed that he was being questioned. He and Lydia had absolutely crossed the line, but sleeping with the woman he was crazy about had absolutely nothing to do with whatever Will Monroe was up to.