Page 71 of Theirs to Rule

“No.” His tone was sharp, but his eyes flickered with something else. Worry, maybe?

“You might need a lookout,” I argued. “I can wait in the car and text you if anyone shows up.”

“No,” he said again, more firmly this time. “It’s too dangerous.”

“If you don’t let me come, I’ll just follow you,” I countered. “You know I will.”

Ty slammed his fist against the wall, the sound reverberating through the kitchen. “God, you’re such a pain in my ass,” he growled, his voice low and heated.

“Oh, coming from you? That’s rich,” I retorted, crossing my arms.

His gaze pinned me in place, a mix of frustration and something darker. “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t some fucking adventure, Camille. This could go sideways fast, and if something happens to you, Kage and Dante will string me up. So why don’t you just stay here and let me deal with my shit?”

“I’m not scared of Kage or Dante,” I shot back. “And I’m definitely not scared of you. Face it, Ty. You know it makes sense for me to come.”

For a long moment, he just stared at me, his eyes flickering with unspoken emotions. Finally, he muttered, “Fine. But if you get hurt, don’t expect me to feel bad for dragging your stubborn ass back.”

“Deal,” I said, grabbing my jacket before he could change his mind.

The drive to Silas’s father’s house was steeped in an awkward silence. Ty’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel, his jaw locked as he focused on the road. I wanted to ask what was going through his mind, but I knew better than to poke the bear. Still, the tension between us was suffocating, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to his bad mood than he was letting on.

When we arrived, the house loomed before us like something out of a Gothic novel. It was massive, its grandeur intimidating even with the eerie stillness surrounding it. Ty parked a block away, and we crept toward the property under the cover of the shadows.

“This is where you stay put,” Ty ordered, his voice low but firm.

“Not a chance,” I whispered back, following him to the back door.

Ty let out a frustrated sigh but didn’t argue. Instead, he pulled out a small device and began working on the alarm system. Watching him work with such precision, I couldn’t help but admire the sheer focus in his expression.

The door clicked open, and we stepped inside, the air heavy with the scent of polish and something faintly metallic. My heart raced, adrenaline pumping through my veins. We were doing this—breaking into a house that could hold clues about what Silas and Troy had been mixed up in.

We moved in silence, our steps cautious on the polished floor. I kept close to Ty, not wanting to admit I was a bit freaked out. The house felt like it was watching us, the portraits on the walls eyeing our every move.

We hadn't gotten far when Ty suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. I almost bumped into him, stopping just in time.

“Holy fucking shit,” Ty breathed softly.

“What is it?” I turned around to find Ty staring at a painting. The swirls and use of color felt familiar to me, but I couldn’t place why. “What am I looking at?”

“An original Van Gogh,” Ty murmured, awe in his expression.

“Original?” My eyes widened. “An original would be worth?—”

“A fuck ton of money,” Ty finished, shaking his head in amazement.

“How do you know it’s not just a really good knock-off?” I asked.

“Take a look around you. Does this seem like a place where someone would have anything other than an original hanging on their wall?” Ty said. “That, and you can tell by the finish on the painting that it’s real. See here?” He pointed to an area on the painting that looked like little waves. “There’s nobody in the world who could recreate this piece with so much precision. She’s stunning, isn’t she?”

“Amazing,” I agreed.

But I wasn’t looking at the painting anymore. My attention was on Ty, watching the way his face lit up as he studied the piece. All his walls were down, and the Ty I knew, the one I’d fallen in love with, was shining through. I felt like I was gazing deep into his soul, capturing a side of him that I might never see again.

“You really are in heaven right now, aren’t you?” I teased.

He smiled—he actually smiled. “What can I say? Art brings out a side of me that not even you can dampen.”

I let his dig slide, determined to keep this side of Ty with me for as long as possible.

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