LIAM (Book Two)

THIRTY

I spent most of the day with Mark and Hannah before they went back home.

I had fun with my sister-in-law as we talked about babies, cute clothes, and more about babies. We are just two young women ready to be mom's well. I am, and Hannah is not there yet. I mean, she has four babies on the way. I am still determining how they are going to handle it. But I'll be praying for them, especially Mark.

After Mark dropped me off at home, I noticed Terry's Ferrari parked in front of my house. I took a step when I found something red on the floor. Carefully crouching down, I tapped the red liquid on the tip of my finger and rubbed it. It has the scent of melted iron.

Blood.

The blood leads a trail of it to the entrance of my backyard. As curious as I am, I followed it as if I handled it myself. My parents aren't home, and I was about to head to Effie's house after I changed, but this seems more important as to why Terry's car is here and blood trails.

I stood In front of the pool house and saw the door knob covered in blood. I opened it without hesitation and entered.

"Terry!" I gasped once I found him against the wall, all covered in blood. "What happened to you?"

My eyes become teary.

"L-Lily," his voice croaked.

I raise his arm and hook it around my neck. With his weak support, I have him on the couch. I grab my phone and dial Liam's number when he grabs my wrist.

"Don't..." He breathed roughly. "Don't call...anyone."

"Terry, you look like shit. I have to call Liam or Odin if you tell me what happened to you."

Terry let his hand go. He slowly rises painfully as I help him up to remove his jacket. "Get me alcohol and a towel."

"You need to lie down," I command him. But he's as stubborn as Liam. He asks for them again.

"Where is your first aid kit?" He asks, irritated. He stood off the couch, and once up, he collapsed.

I groan. "See, what did I say?"

Of course, he will not reply. He passed out. Once again, I help him up back on the couch. Looking around the pool house, I found the medical kit in the bathroom. I pulled up a chair next to him and stared.

I'm staring, not because he's a pretty boy. No one can be compared to Liam, but he looks like a girl as I look closer. Another thing is, I'm about to clean his wounds, but first, I have to cut his shirt to do so. Suddenly, my face flushed.

Damn me.

You have your man, Lily. Snap out of it.

I took a deep breath as I did during those birthing exercises with other moms. I had to leave because some of the moms were eyeing Liam. They were around their thirties and flirting with a high schooler who could be mistaken as a grown-ass man. I was about to jump on them and pluck their eyes out.

Holding the scissors, no time gazing at Terry's face or body. I cut his shirt in the middle, straight from the bottom to the top. Looking away, I couldn't help but see how many injuries he had. I took a peak, and my eyes shot wide open.

Night came, and I was in the kitchen making dinner. Terry hasn't woken up yet. I cleaned all the blood and gave him a new shirt. I kept looking back and forth, anxious and curious as to why he would do something like that. Is there a reason, or is he?

A groaning sound from behind as I turn to look at Terry, up and rubbing his head.

"Where am I?"

I shut off the stove. Pour a glass of cold water and walk to him. "Here, these are painkillers."

"Lily? Where am I?" He asked after swallowing the painkillers and drinking half of the water.

"You're in my pool house, remember?" I sat next to him.

"I'm sorry," he finally remembered. "I'm sorry, this was the closes place I could go to."

"Terry, what happened? Why are you in this state?" I should not ask, knowing Terry is Odin's bodyguard and assistant, but he looks pretty beat up.

"I was working." He turns away.

"Don't act like I'm stupid. Just because you are part of a mafia, doing something so reckless can kill you. I need to talk to Effie to ask her grandfather to get more men to go with you."

"No," he yelled, then his voice softened. "No, I...This was my mission."

"What do you mean?"

"I went on my own without Odin's orders."

I rub my face and sigh. "Okay, why? What is so important is that it almost takes your life away."

"I thought I was on a lead, but somehow I was ambushed."

"Effie, myself, and others have not seen you in days. We figured that Odin has given you some bodyguard missions that we never ask again."

"After an ambushed, they locked me up, chained me, and tried to ask me questions about Odin that I had to get myself beat up to answers, but I didn't."

That explains all cuts and bruises.

"I escaped and grabbed my car, driving as fast as possible." Terry dropped his head into his hands and froze.

I didn't want to ask what lead he was on, but there was this question I wanted to ask.

"Um...Terry," I swallow. Here I go. "Why did you cover your boobs with a cloth."

Terry jerked and lifted his face - or I should say her face.

After I cut his shirt, I couldn't believe my eyes to see a cloth tightly wrapped around a woman's breasts. From there, I learn Terry is a woman.

Terry huff. "I guess the cat is out of the bag."

"Does Effie know?" Effie and Terry are close. Of course, Terry was her grandfather's bodyguard and all.

"Effie knew from the very beginning after her abduction. And also, I knew Effie when she was six."

I gasped, shocked at this news.

"Wait, your that girl who Effie talked about when she was in foster care," Terry nodded. "Oh my, lord."

"Small world," she chuckled. "I know."

"Then why pretend to be a guy? I mean, Seth thinks your a guy." Seth is a chick magnet and knows more about girls than his brothers. He should have a sixth sense when close to a girl in men's clothing like Terry.

"I...I can't answer that."

Uh oh.

Red flag.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't ask something so personal." The silence was between us. "So, how long have you been Odin's bodyguard? Not being sexist because you're a woman but as an employee of a mafia boss."

"A long time, Odin rescued me and raised me like I'm his own."

"I see."

Then I hear a ring from the oven. "Oh, my casserole is ready. I hope you're hungry. I cooked dinner."

"You're not going anywhere with Liam or Effie?" She asks.

"No, I told them I had laundry to do, and my feet are aching, which is true because of the baby."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome, and Terry, your secret safe with me."

Terry and I had a long talk. I feel more comfortable talking to her now than before. Maybe because I always thought she was a guy. And getting too close to her would make me feel awkward. I like bad boys working for the mafia, and Terry fits the part. That was before Liam, and I got together. But learning she's a woman. I got nothing to worry about.