by Kennedy Fox
I smile wide at his generosity, and I’m surprised Eric isn’t here to supervise. “Thanks!”
But my lips turn into a frown at the numerous missed calls and unread messages. Shit.
Sophie: I talked to Joel, and he says you’re missing classes?? You don’t ever skip dance rehearsal, even when you’re dying sick. What’s going on, Mads?
Great, she’s talking to Joel. No doubt he’s worried about me now, too. But she’s right. I love it too much to miss it.
Lennon: I know you’re in hiding, but let me know if I can do anything for you. I know a thing or two about unbearable heartache.
My throat goes dry as I think about what Lennon went through when she lost Brandon. She was a mess and luckily had Hunter to pick up the pieces, but who’s going to help them all when I’m gone for good?
The morbid thoughts hit me at my lowest points.
No messages from Liam. According to Victoria, he knows I’m here and could see me on the cameras. Does that mean he’s stopped caring? Is he not worried?
Did I really mean as much to him as he said?
Questions swarm my mind as my chest tightens with what she’s making him do for her. Imagining them together makes me sick.
I decide to respond to them in our sister group chat. Lying about my phone being dead or having to replace it feels cheap, especially because they’d know better. There are too many ways to stay in contact for them to believe I was unable to through social media or email. I have no other choice but to play the broken heart card.
Maddie: Sorry, I haven’t been in the mood to check my cell in a few days. I’m not skipping classes, I told my professors. Don’t worry about me. I told you before, I’m fine, and I just need some time and space.
Sophie: It’s about damn time, oh my God. Maddie! This is irresponsible and childish. Come back home! Liam isn’t even here!
Lennon: Soph, she’s not a kid. Let her cope on her own terms.
Sophie: She can do that here where I can watch her and help her through this!
Maddie: Guys! Stop fighting. I want to wallow alone, okay? I already told my professors I’d be out a few days and will make it up before the end of the semester.
Sophie: Mads, I love you. Just tell me where you are, please.
“Wrap it up,” Ty tells me softly. “I had to fight for you to have this chance.”
I nod, thankful he managed to even get me this time to give my sisters some kind of closure so they’d stop freaking out.
Maddie: I’m sorry, but I have to go. I’ll text you guys in a few days, okay? Love you both.
I hand Ty the phone and hold back my emotions that threaten to spill out. Lying to them sucks.
“Thank you again,” I say before numbly walking away and going to my room.
I collapse on my bed, and the tears fall.
They fall for the life I miss—school, my friends and sisters, normalcy.
They fall for Liam—terrified of what he’s going through and scared like hell I’ll lose him for good this time.
They fall because I feel so damn alone.
I don’t know how much time passes by the time I wake up and realize I’ve fallen asleep. When I make my way to the kitchen and check the clock, I see it’s three in the afternoon. My eyes are puffy and red, and I’m starting to feel at my breaking point.
“You missed lunch. I put a plate in the fridge for you,” Ty says from behind me. I quickly turn around and look at him cautiously and see concern written all over his face. I can’t ask him what’s wrong because I’ve already gotten him into trouble by getting too close. The fear of what’s going to happen once he leaves already haunts me. What will Victoria do to him? Me?
All of us?
“Thank you.” I smile sheepishly. “What’d you make?”
The corner of his lips tilts up slightly in amusement. “BLTs and fruit salad.” He takes the items out of the fridge and sets them on the counter.
“You know…” I linger, thinking twice about my words but say fuck it and continue anyway. “I’ve never been fed so well before. All these balanced meals, working out, and protein shakes. It’s like I’m being trained for some kind of fight club.”
Ty chuckles softly. “She knows what to do to get what she wants and not keeping you safe nor well-cared for would only backfire on her,” he explains, and while he doesn’t say her name, it’s obvious he’s talking about Victoria. I want to ask him what he knows and how kidnapping me adds to her overall goal of keeping Liam as hers.
Things could definitely be worse, but I’m isolated, and for someone who thrives on being around others, it’s torture.
“Here.” He slides the plate toward me with a glass of something. I don’t even bother asking what it is and take a seat. “You probably won’t be hungry in a couple of hours, so I’ll make a late dinner. Any requests?”
I take a large bite of my sandwich and chew. “Actually…” I swallow hard. “I’m craving Hawaiian pizza like a mo-fo. Any chance we get delivery out here in Bumfuck, Nowhere?”
Ty tenses and stands straighter, looking around me. I feel his presence before I even have to look, but glancing over my shoulder, I see Eric walk into the kitchen with his usual pissed-off expression. He looks as if he’s always constipated.
“No delivery,” Eric barks. “And if you can’t eat with us at normal times, you don’t eat until the next meal.”
Ty sucks in a sharp breath, but I keep my gaze locked on Eric.
Did he just say what I think he said?
“What is this?” I stand and cross my arms. “A Beauty and the Beast plot? Am I forbidden from the west wing too?”
“It’s called structure and following rules,” he states firmly. God, I want to take a fork to his neck. “And if you can’t…”
“You’ll put me in the dungeon?” I retort. “Don’t you know the candlestick and clock will come alive and save me?”
Eric steps closer, but I hold my ground. I don’t give two shits who he is or what he’s capable of doing. I’m sick and tired of his attitude toward me when I don’t even want to fucking be here. He treats me like it’s my fault he has to babysit me.
“Don’t tempt me, Madelyn.”
“Eric, that’s enough.” Ty’s booming voice comes closer. Grabbing my arm, he pulls me back and steps between Eric and me. “Get the fuck away from her.”
“Watch it. You’re already in hot water,” Eric warns.
“Fuck off.” Ty’s taller than him, but Eric looks like he wouldn’t think twice about killing him. He’s probably fucking Victoria on the side and will literally do anything she asks.
The two of them have a silent stare down as my heart thrashes in my chest, beating faster with every passing second. I don’t want Ty to get hurt because of me and my smart-ass mouth, but I also really loathe Eric.
So I do the only thing I know in awkward situations and make jokes.
“If you two murder each other, I’ll be able to escape so you might want to pull back your testosterone and relax. In fact…” I clap eagerly. “We should all do some yoga and cleanse our minds and bodies.” I smile wide when they both glare at me. “What? It’s good for the soul.”
Eric huffs before stepping back and finally walks out of the kitchen. Ty scowls at me as if he didn’t appreciate my vocal interruption, but hey it got Eric out of here so I’m not even sorry.
“What?” I ask innocently. Shrugging, I take another bite of my BLT and smile.
“Go back to your room when you’re done eating. Stay out of his way.” Ty’s voice is anything but friendly, which is a contrast to how he was being before Eric interrupted us. He steps around me, and before he walks into the hallway, he stops and adds, “And mine.”
This day has been fucking weird. After I eat, I do as Ty asks and go to my room. A throbbing headache keeps me planted in bed for most of the evening, and when Eric announces I need to come and eat dinner, I tell him to eat shit. However, he doesn’t like that answer and barges into my r
oom.
“What are you doing?” I shout when he grabs my arm and yanks me up. “Don’t touch me!”
“You eat when it’s time,” he responds coldly. What the hell is it with this man and time? Like we have anything else to do all damn day and need to be on a strict schedule.
“I can walk by myself. Get your perverted hands off me,” I hiss through my teeth.
He responds by squeezing my arm tighter and jerking me down the hallway until we reach the kitchen. I immediately notice only two plates are set at the table.
“Where’s Ty?” I ask, walking to one of the chairs.
“Don’t worry about him. He’s been taken care of.”
My stomach drops and nausea surfaces as the contents of my lunch threaten to come up.
What the fuck does taken care of mean? I’m afraid to even ask, but I do anyway.
“What’s that mean? Is he gone?”
Eric sits in the chair across from me, not looking in my direction.
“Eat. Then I want you back in your room.”
“I thought I was allowed to go anywhere,” I say, having no appetite. I can tell Eric cooked tonight and though it doesn’t look bad, it’s nothing compared to Ty’s Southern recipes.
“The rules have changed.”
It’s after nine p.m., and as I pace my bedroom, I can’t stop thinking about Ty and what they did to him. It’s all my fault; I should’ve left him alone and stopped trying to get too close. Being trapped here with nothing to do and no one to talk to is fucking lonely, and when Ty gave me an opening for some kind of friendship, I took it and demanded more.
Now he could be dead because of me.
My head’s still pounding, and I can’t sleep, so I tiptoe to the kitchen to find some medicine. When I finally do, I swallow down two pills with some water and reluctantly go back to my room. Deciding a hot bath might help, I grab some comfy clothes and one of the plush robes I hung up on my door, then head to the bathroom.
Just as I start to undress, a hard body presses against my back as an arm tightly wraps around my waist and a hand covers my mouth. I immediately try to scream and twist around in his grip, but he’s too strong and squeezes me into his chest. Eric’s probably twice as strong as I am, but I’m not about to go down without a fight.
“Maddie, quiet,” a whispered voice says in my ear, one that I recognize. “It’s Ty. I need you not to scream, you hear me?”
Ty? What the hell is going on?
I wiggle against him, trying to look over my shoulder to see for myself. When I’m met with his intense brown eyes and feel his facial hair scratch against my cheek, my body relaxes in his hold.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” he reassures, slowly removing his hand. When he’s confident I won’t yell, he turns me to face him. “I have a plan, but I need you to trust me. We’re getting you out of here tonight.”
His soft non-threatening voice is different from his normal commanding tone, but I like it. When I trail down his body, I notice he’s dressed differently too, similar to what Liam wears when he’s out on a job. Bullet-proof vest and a duty belt around his waist.
“Are you an undercover cop?” I ask quietly.
Ty slowly reveals a grin. “Not exactly, but I was undercover. You need to trust me, okay? Stay in your room and start packing your stuff. I’ll be back for you shortly.”
My heart rate quickens. “What does that mean? If you’re not a cop, then…”
“I’m a friend of Liam’s,” he tells me. “Tyler Blackwood. I know all about you, Mads.”
At the sound of my nickname, my eyes widen in shock. “Oh my God.” Blinking, I try to piece this information together. What? How? When? He must’ve been working for Victoria long before I was kidnapped.
“Is Liam okay? Does he know what’s going on?” I ask.
“He’s fine as far as I know. I texted him a couple of days ago to let him know I was getting you out, but that’s it.” He inhales sharply, then looks at his watch. “I reset the cameras, and in a minute, they’ll restart so I need to go. You’ll hear some noises, and then all the lights are going to go off.”
“Wait, what?” I panic.
“Stay here until I come back for you, got it? I need to take care of Eric and then handle Victoria so she doesn’t send backup.”
This is too much at once, and I feel like I’m going to let him down.
Ty opens the bathroom door, then turns. “Pack your stuff. We have five minutes or less.”
Then he walks out.
Frantically, I grab the suitcase and backpack I arrived with, then shove my clothes and books in them. In the midst of it, I hear shouting down the hallway and crashing as if they’re fighting. My nerves are shot, and I’m terrified of how this plan will affect Liam, but what other choice do I have? I put on my shoes and a sweatshirt, then impatiently wait for him to return.
Abruptly, everything goes quiet, and then moments later, the power goes off.
I see brightness as my bedroom door opens and blow out a relieved breath when I see Ty with a flashlight.
“Ready? We gotta move.”
Gulping, I put on my backpack, and Ty takes my suitcase. “The truck is out back. Let’s go.”
Ty leads us through the house, and my erratic breathing and the hard pounding of my heart are all that can be heard. What did he do to Eric? Where are we going? What happens if we get caught?
He throws my bags inside, then opens the passenger door. “Buckle up. We’re about to race the fuck outta here.” Ty winks, then rushes around to the driver’s side.
“I see your mind’s spinning,” Ty says after five minutes. “I know this is a lot to take in, but since Victoria was about to send a replacement for me, I had to execute my plan a little earlier than anticipated.”
“And what was your plan exactly?” I ask nervously.
“Well, basically this, but I had hoped to get Eric on board. However, since the bastard’s head was so far up Victoria’s ass, I realized there was no way it would happen. So, I took matters into my own hands.”
I’m too afraid to ask him what he did exactly, so I don’t. The less I know, the better in case this doesn’t work out. All I need to know is how we’re getting out of this.
“How do you know Liam?”
“I actually met him through Mason. I was his boxing trainer in Sacramento before I moved to Vegas and met Liam at the gym one day,” he explains, then something clicks in my head.
“I knew I never told you Mason’s name!” I point at him. “You slipped!”
We both laugh, but I feel better knowing I wasn’t going as crazy as I thought I was being stuck there.
“So, how’d you become one of Victoria’s guards anyway?”
He looks over and smirks. “Now that’s a story for another day. Right now, we need to get into a different car since this one has a GPS tracker.”
I nod, understanding. “Can you at least tell me why then?”
“I knew Liam was in trouble with the O’Learys, and when I offered to help, he told me to stay out of it.”
“Which clearly you didn’t.”
“Nah, not my style. I told him I’d figure out a way to help him but didn’t tell him what I was planning in the event they found out. That way he wouldn’t be forced to give up any information on me. I knew what Victoria wanted from him and how she was playing him. I fuckin’ hate them all, so I was ready to go undercover to get information that’d help Liam out of his fucked-up deal.”
“And did you?” I ask eagerly, staring at him in hope. “Get info that’ll help him?”
“Oh, I sure fucking did.” A wide grin splits his face. “I hadn’t expected this little detour assignment to Montana, and I sure as shit wasn’t expecting you.”
“You knew who I was then?”
“As soon as I heard your name was Maddie, I did. Playing hard ass while wanting to protect you wasn’t a walk in the park, and hell, you didn’t make it easy either, but I don’t regret it.”
“Wow…” I say in amazement, my heart softening for this man who’s so damn selfless. He risked his own life to help save not only Liam’s but also mine. “I don’t know how to thank you, Ty. I wish I’d known so I didn’t get you into trouble.”
“I’m not fucking concerned about Victoria, so don’t worry. She’ll be handled accordingly,” he reassures me. Ty’s a fucking badass, and I have so much respect for him that I don’t even know how to express it properly.
Twenty minutes later, we’re in a little town and switching into a different vehicle outside a brick building. It’s pitch black outside, and I can’t see a thing, but I trust Ty wholeheartedly.
After an hour passes, his phone rings, and we both see Victoria’s name flash on the screen. He previously mentioned he needed to deal with her, but I wasn’t sure what that meant.
“Don’t say a word,” he warns, then answers the call on speakerphone.
“Blackwood,” he says in a deep commanding voice.
“What’s going on with the generators? Eric isn’t answering his phone.”
Ty handed me Eric’s phone earlier before we switched cars and instructed me to throw it out the window.
“The generator’s out of fuel. I’m heading into town to fill up some gas tanks,” he answers. “Eric’s with Maddie, but if he’s not answering, I assume his phone died, and he can’t charge it until the power is back on.”
“I could’ve sworn Eric took care of that recently…” she mutters as if speaking to herself. “I want those cameras back up and running immediately!” she barks.
“Yes ma’am. As soon as we get power, they should reboot.”
“It’s late, and I don’t have time to worry about this, so I expect you to handle it.”
“Absolutely. I’ll text you as soon as it’s taken care of,” Ty says.