“Hey. Liam is one of the most resourceful people I know. Victoria needs Liam more than he needs her, and the evidence will drive that home. She’ll be undoubtedly blindsided when she finds out we escaped, and I’d be lying if I said there won’t be issues regarding that. Based on what I know about Victoria, she’s going to lose her shit, but she’ll play it off like nothing happened. I’m sure she’ll even tell Liam she got rid of you to look like she planned it all because she’s a manipulator. If worse comes to worse, I’ll send the shit to her dad myself. I was tempted more than once, but I’d rather give Liam the opportunity to bargain with her first. The two of them might be able to find common ground where everyone wins here.”
“Is it possible to ever walk away from the O’Learys, though?” I challenge, arching a brow.
Tyler sucks in a deep breath and exhales it slowly. “That I don’t know. She’s a spoiled bitch and is unpredictable, but she’s been sleeping with the son of her father’s mortal enemy and is pregnant with DeFranco DNA. It’s disrespectful to the family name and a stab in the back to her father. It’s an unforgivable offense, so she really has no other option but to do what Liam says. While I was being trained, I’d overheard that Johnny shot his own brother for doing some shady shit, and he put a bullet in both his arms and thighs as a warning. Then he left him to bleed until someone finally took him to the hospital. He needed surgery and was hospitalized for months. His own fuckin’ brother. One of the other guards said Johnny only went to visit him to remind him where his loyalty better stay or next time the bullet will be in his head. He’s a goddamn monster, so tell me, what makes his daughter safe from his wrath on something as bad as sleeping with the enemy and getting pregnant? She isn’t. Relatives will want blood and will want an example made out of her, pregnant or not. The fact that Victoria’s children will be half of them and half DeFranco means she better fucking run to avoid her father’s retaliation. He’s cold and merciless. If she wants to protect herself, the babies, and Mickey, she’d be smart to do anything Liam says.”
The thought makes bile rise up my throat. While I despise Victoria, she is pregnant, and it’s disgusting to think someone would hurt a woman carrying not one but two babies. Then again, the O’Learys are despicable people. It doesn’t surprise me, though it should. This isn’t a life I know, and I’ve been thrust into it without warning. I close my eyes and say a silent prayer, hoping Liam is careful and that it all works out in our favor.
Tyler yawns again, and I stand, allowing him to fully stretch out on the couch. “You should get some sleep, Beanstalk.”
Leaning back, he adjusts a throw pillow and grabs a small blanket that doesn’t fully cover his body. “I’m just gonna nap for a few hours.”
“Sounds good. I think I’m going to do some yoga and meditate. I’m overly anxious and won’t be able to rest anyway.”
He nods, closing his eyes. “Just don’t go outside or get into any trouble. If my phone rings and it’s Liam, answer it. He’s going to check in later if he can.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be a good girl,” I tease, then turn serious. “Tyler?”
“Yeah?”
I fall to my knees and wrap my arms around him the best I can in his lying down position. His body stiffens as I take him off guard, but then he relaxes and wraps his free arm around my back. “Thank you for risking everything for us.” I smile against his chest, hoping he understands how much his sacrifice means to me.
“Liam would do the same for me without hesitation,” he states matter-of-factly, and I wonder about what they’ve been through already.
“I would too,” I admit, pulling back and grinning. “Good night, get some sleep. Those dark bags under your eyes aren’t a good look for you.” Then I grab my stuff, turn off the light, and leave him be.
As soon as I walk into the bedroom, I sit on the mattress and pull off my shoes. Then I fall back, closing my eyes and taking in several calm breaths. I won’t be able to think straight until Liam checks in and tells us what happened.
Does Victoria have a gun? A knife? Will she try to silence Liam before he can beat her at her own game? Obviously if I’m thinking about these things, Liam already has. Being a bounty hunter has allowed him to always be two steps ahead of his opponent, but when it comes to the goddamn mob, he needs to be miles ahead. I wish I could do something more, but this situation is out of my control, and it makes me feel helpless. I hate this.
Right now, all I want to do is call my sisters. I wish I could talk to Sophie and Lennon and tell them everything that’s happened so they’ll stop worrying. I want her to know I’m with Tyler, Mason’s old trainer, and that I’m safe. There’s a lot of explaining to do, but I don’t even know where to start. They need to know who Victoria really is and how this affects all of them. The magnitude of it hits me like a ton of bricks because it doesn’t seem real. So much has happened in so little time.
Chapter Ten
LIAM
Relief doesn’t even properly explain what I feel when I get Tyler’s laptop and see all his files. The pictures and the audio—the evidence of her lies and betrayal to her family—give me everything I need to demand a divorce. Her hands are going to be tied to do whatever the fuck I say when I shove it all in her face because with one click, I’ll email everything over to her father, and I’ll be damned sure she knows that, too.
After ending the call last night, I checked on Victoria, and she was sound asleep. She hasn’t been feeling well, so there’s no way of knowing when she’ll be up again puking her guts out or asking for something from me. I need to act fast if I’m going to sneak out of her penthouse.
Deciding to wait a few hours, I slept until five and then left a note saying I was leaving to get her something to eat and drink. The smoothie shop across town is her favorite and opens early for the gym rats, so it was believable. I went over to Tyler’s first and found what I needed to finish this shitstorm.
Since I’m a nice guy and all, I did go and get her stupid strawberry-banana-flavored drink after I picked up the prints of the digital photos I ordered. I’m making sure my presentation is clearly laid out, giving her two options.
One: File for divorce and sign the papers, letting me and everyone I love go for good.
Two: Tell her daddy the truth and let him decide her punishment.
If she’s smart and wants to live, she’ll pick the former.
“Where the fuck have you been?” she shouts the second I walk into her room. She’s leaning against the headboard, raging pissed.
I’m fully confident she’ll be changing her attitude in less than five minutes.
“Didn’t you read my note?” I ask nicely, setting her smoothie down on the table next to her bed.
“You left almost two hours ago.” She holds up her phone. “I get a notification every time someone opens the front door.”
I restrain from rolling my eyes. Of course she fucking does.
“Well, my dear wife, I had some errands to run,” I say in an overly sweet tone, which immediately makes her suspicious as she eyes me carefully. This is the first time I’ve left for more than an hour, knowing if I didn’t return, she’d give Maddie my punishment.