Page 152 of Between Secrets and Obsession

“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 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.

As I undress, a hard body presses against my back. An arm tightly wraps around my waist and a hand covers my mouth. I 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 around. “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 pack your stuff. I’ll be back for you shortly.”

My heart rate quickens. “What does that mean? If you’re not a cop…”

“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 gonna 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 his 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.”