Page 149 of What Started In Deception

He put his phone back down, even as he worried about Lydia, knowing that she was undoubtedly upset. “That was Lydia. Mac just packed up the kids and left.”

Nick’s eyes grew wide. “Well, damn.”

Ty nodded. “I’m going to head back to the compound and find out what happened. If you and Danny think that’s appropriate.”

Nick sighed. “Don’t be like that.”

“Then don’t question the way I do my job. If and when I see Will, I’ll push him a little harder. But if I’m not careful, we’re going to blow this whole thing.”

Nick nodded. “Just do what you do.”

“Maybe pass that message along to Danny.” He got up and left, still pissed that he was being questioned. He and Lydia had absolutely crossed the line, but sleeping with the woman he was crazy about had absolutely nothing to do with whatever Will Monroe was up to.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Lydia sat on a counter stool at her kitchen island, wearing yoga pants and Ty’s cozy hoodie as she stirred the cup of tea that she’d made for herself but had yet to drink. It was still sinking in that Mac, Everly, and Maverick weren’t moving through their morning routine in the mansion. Instead, they were thirty minutes into their three-hour drive to Mac’s childhood home.

She sighed as she shook her head, trying to figure out what had happened to her family. Her uncle and cousin were under federal investigation, she was cooperating with the FBI, and Will’s wife had fled with his children to Connecticut for an undetermined amount of time.

Turmoil wasn’t new to the Monroes. Her family had certainly faced the gravest of tragedies, but everything about this situation felt different. Fate had played its hand the day her grandpa, mom, dad, and brother had gotten onto the helicopter, but whatever this was that was currently going on somehow felt more disturbing because everyone involved had chosen to do whatever it was that they had done.

The front door opened, and Ty stepped inside, toeing off his shoes as the drizzle outside turned into a steady rain.

She got up, holding his gaze as she hurried his way, wrapping her arms around him, immediately finding comfort as she breathed him in.

He sighed as he returned her embrace, settling his cheek on top of her damp hair. “Hey, baby.”

She held him tighter. “She’s gone, Ty.”

He sighed again as he slid his hands up and down her back. “Come snuggle with me.”

She nodded as they walked to the couch and lay on the cushions, staring into each other’s eyes as they shared a pillow and wrapped their arms around each other. “There was nothing I could do to stop her. Her mind was made up. But I didn’t want to stop her.”

He nodded. “What happened?”

“She waited for him at the restaurant. Fifteen minutes before their reservation, she got a text from him that said he had to cancel.”

“Did he tell her why?”

She shook her head. “He had no explanation. He said nothing else, which makes no sense since he’s the one who planned the whole evening.”

He sighed. “That’s really tough, Lyd.”

She nodded. “Apparently, he came home at one o’clock this morning. Mac said she brought the kids in to sleep with her, locked the door, and taped a note to it that told him to go sleep somewhere else, but what she wanted to tell him was to go fuck himself.”

He winced. “Yikes.”

She nodded again, sick about the whole thing. “She packed a lot of stuff. She told me that she can’t save her marriage and take care of the kids and herself, too. I think she’s truly done, Ty.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I knew things weren’t great, but I can’t say that I saw this one coming.”

“No one did. Will and Mac. The two people whom I never thought this would happen to.”

He pressed his lips to hers. “I’m so sorry, Lyd.”

She sighed as she stroked her fingers through his hair. “He loves her. I know he does, so what is he doing?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know.”