Page 64 of Liam
“Wait…is that beeping? Are you in a damn hospital, Ny?”
Nylah cringed. “Yes. I’m in a hospital. I was attacked yesterday, and my voice sounds bad because he strangled me.”
The gasp whipped over the line. “Oh my God! Are you okay?”
“Yes. I stayed in the hospital overnight, but it was only precautionary, because I passed out.”
The second the words were out, she regretted them, because Paisley gasped a second time. “Oh my God!I can’t believe I agreed to keep this a secret! I knew things would escalate.”
Nylah pushed up in bed, shaking her head even though her friend couldn’t see her. “Paisley, I’m okay. Liam got to me in time.”
“You were attacked…again! Strangled!” Emotion clogged her friend’s voice.
Nylah swallowed. “I know. It’s bad. I’m going to tell my brothers.”
“Good! Because they love you. You should have told them right at the start.”
“I know,” Nylah said quietly.
Her friends sighed. “Ny…I’m so worried about you.”
“Don’t be. Things sound bad, but I still have Liam and his team protecting me.”
“Things are still okay with him?”
Okay? The word didn’t sound big enough. God, how did she even describe what he was to her? Her everything? Her center?
“You’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?” she asked softly.
Head over freaking heels. “I have.”
“Oh, Ny.”
“And, not only that, despite the danger, despite everything that’s being thrown my way, Cradle Mountain feels like home. That’s why I haven’t told my brothers. Because I need to be here, and they would try to drag me away.”
“They want you to be happy.” Paisley sighed. “Just…tell me again that you’re okay.”
“I’m okay.”
Well, except the sinking feeling churning in her gut. Because now, she really would need to tell her overprotective, military-trained brothers that people were trying to kill her. And there was no part of that conversation that would end well.
CHAPTER18
Liam’s gaze ran over the police report from Marble Falls PD. He was trying goddamn hard to keep his cool. The team in Texas had caught a man who’d tried to shoot Luca when he stepped outside his home.
They’d taken him in and questioned him, but yet again, he’d known next to nothing. Hell, the attack hadn’t even been organized by the Hawk guy who was targeting them. The man was part of the group, but he’d gone rogue, claiming he was sick of waiting for orders.
Liam leaned back in the booth, gaze catching on Nylah behind the counter. Only two days had passed since her latest attack, and she was already back at work. It was too soon, but no matter how much he’d pushed for her to rest, she’d claimed she had to get out of the house, and she was in just as much danger at home.
His teeth ground together. The woman was damn stubborn, and her need for independence was strong. It was one of the things he loved about her, but also…it frustrated the hell out of him.
She pushed a drink across the counter to a customer, then lifted her gaze to him. He forced his features to soften. For a hint of a smile to stretch his mouth as he winked at her.
She returned the smile before turning to the next customer. Everyone loved her here. That was something he’d realized pretty damn quickly. Customers were always genuinely happy to see her, some even seemed to wait specifically for her to serve them.
Because of her high-necked shirt, the bruising on her neck wasn’t visible. Every time he looked at her though, it was all he saw, all he could think about, covered or not. Seeing her under that asshole…fuck, it would haunt him forever.
His phone rang, pulling him out of his thoughts, Wyatt’s name popping up on the screen. “Hey.”
