Mia closed her eyes. She felt the blood drain from her face. Her fingers and toes tingled as an ominous feeling stole over her.
God, Ty knew who her father was. What he was.
If only she'd stayed home instead of going with Dustin to that fucking festival.
But no. She had given in to her rebellious urges. To break free and live a little, just like she always dreamed of. And where had it got her? In deep shit, just like her father always warned her it would.
"Then who's here?"
"Outsider cops," Ty answered. "Both locals and feds."
The FBI was involved? That must have meant the press knew about her disappearance. If they didn't, her father wouldn't have bothered with official channels. He would have sent in a covert ops team that could take care of the issue quietly.
The presence of the FBI didn't mean she was safe, though. Mia could only guess what her father planned to do with her after he dragged her out of the Boundarylands. The thought sent chills up her spine.
It wasn't like being an omega was a treatable medical condition. There was no hospital or rehabilitation center where he could send her.
She'd be a liability. A black mark on her father's reputation. A burden that would bring his poll numbers down. She knew her father would never stand for that.
Her fear must have shown because Ty leaned forward. Reaching all the way across the table, he took her hand. Instantly, Mia felt a surge of calm. She was amazed by how quickly and completely her anxiety receded.
"Don't worry." This time the intensity in his voice was a comfort. "I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."
And Mia believed him.
She could feel the truth in his touch. His words weren't filled with fake promises or comforting lies. Everything he said was honest and true. She knew Ty was going to take care of it.
Take care of her.
But at what cost?
"You're not going to hurt anyone, are you?" She couldn't help asking the question. She had to know.
"I can't promise you that."
"You have to." Mia grasped his hand even tighter.
"No, I don't." His eyes turned hard. His mouth pressed into a flat line. "The only thing I owe you is the truth. I don't understand why you care. You're terrified of these people. I smelled it on you that first night, and I smell it now."
"You have to understand—these people are my friends and my family," she tried.
Not even a flicker of sympathy showed on Ty's face. "Which of them hurt you—the friends or the family?"
Mia felt the sting of tears. She closed her eyes and turned away.
At least she tried. But Ty cupped her cheek and forced her to face him.
"Tell me what they did to you."
Mia bit her lip. There was no way in hell she was going to tell him what her father had done because she knew deep down there was no way he'd understand.
Sure, her father had corrected her in the past. His self-centered drive for power scared the shit out of her, but the man was still her father. She wasn't about to serve him up to an alpha twice his size.
"I'm sorry," she said, choking back a sob. "I can't do this."
Ty stared at her for a few more seconds before wiping away her tears with the pad of his thumb.
"Don't apologize," he said, standing up. "I've pushed you too hard again. You're still recovering from your first heat."
Mia nodded her thanks as Ty strode to another room. Soon, she heard the sound of rushing water. When he came back to the couch, he lifted her up.
"What are you doing?"
"Drawing you a bath."
"You have hot water here?" Mia's eyes widened in surprise. How was that possible?
"There's a network of hot springs that run through these hills," Ty answered. "The first thing everyone learns to build when they come here is a plumbing system."
A hot spring providing water to bathe… maybe this place wasn't as horrible as Mia had feared.
He carried her into a room with a beautiful white cast iron tub. Steam rose from the water pouring from the faucet. Ty pulled the blanket away from her chest and let it drop to the floor. Then he gently lowered her naked body into the water.
Mia let out a deep sigh as she sunk into the embrace of the hot bath. Her sore muscles practically cried out in pleasure.
Strangely, she didn't feel a shred of shame with her body exposed. She didn't even feel the need to cover up the parts of herself she didn't like. Being naked near him just felt…right.
If she was honest, Mia had to admit that she liked the way Ty's gaze felt as he watched her. The way his breath deepened as his eyes fixed on her breasts. The way he flicked his tongue over his lower lip when his gaze drifted downward.
"You should spend at least a couple hours in here before getting out," Ty said, backing away. "After that, you can rest until I get back."
Wait. He was leaving?
"Where are you going?"
"There's some business I have to take care of down at the bar," he said.
Despite the steaming water, a chill ran up Mia's spine. "You can't leave me here."
"I won't be long."
"But—" Mia choked on the words she didn't want to admit, but they came out on their own. Almost as if she had no control over them. "But I don't want to be alone."
The line of Ty's jaw hardened. She could tell from the tension around his eyes that he didn't want to go either. "I wouldn't be going if it wasn't vital."
Mia wrapped her fingers around the edge of the tub. She wanted to lift herself up, to put herself between him and the door, but she lacked the strength.
"You're going to talk to the FBI, aren't you?"
"The sooner I do, the sooner they leave."
Maybe
