I Ran From My Psycho Step-brother Straight Into The Alpha's Lap novel Chapter 119

**When Night Grows Softer Hope Returns To Lead Us by Asa Rowan Finn**

After turning on the shower, Talya made her way to the sink, her heart racing with a mixture of anxiety and determination. She gingerly peeled off the bandage that had been covering her wound, revealing the bruising that had developed around the cut. The sight made her stomach churn; she hoped she could conceal it well enough for work with some makeup. She couldn’t afford to give anyone a reason to ask questions, especially not her grandparents. They had enough on their plates without worrying about her troubles.

With urgency, Talya stepped into the shower, the hot water cascading over her, washing away not just the grime of the day but also a bit of her mounting dread. She had no clue what Liam was telling her grandparents downstairs, and leaving him unsupervised felt like a reckless gamble. She had called him to help her, but she never intended for him to become the center of attention. Once she finished, she quickly dressed in a pair of comfortable jeans and a soft pink shirt that contrasted with her mood. She gathered her hair into a long braid, the familiar task grounding her as she prepared to face the world outside her room.

As she descended the stairs, her grandpop’s gaze met hers, and she instantly recognized the simmering anger reflected in his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell us what was going on?” he demanded, his voice laced with concern.

Talya felt a flicker of frustration rise within her; she could have strangled Liam for putting her in this position. “Because I didn’t want you to worry,” she replied, shooting a pointed glare at Liam, who appeared completely unfazed by her ire. Instead, his attention was fixed on her wound, his jaw tightening as he absorbed the sight.

“Let me see your face,” her grandma urged, stepping closer to Talya with a maternal instinct. Talya instinctively shook her head, not wanting to reveal more than she already had. “I have some cream we can put on that. It should keep it from scarring,” her grandma continued, placing a comforting hand on Talya’s arm. “I’m so sorry for what you went through. You should have called us and told us. We could have talked to the principal,” she added, her voice filled with concern.

Talya’s heart sank at the thought of involving her grandparents further. “No,” she said firmly, her voice almost a whisper. That was precisely what she had wanted to avoid. She had called Liam for a reason, and it was to keep her family out of this mess.

“I never liked that boy,” her grandpop muttered, anger still evident in his tone.

“Yes, dear. We know,” her grandma replied, trying to soften the tension. “But at least her boyfriend took care of it. It’s a good thing she has him now,” she said, a proud smile spreading across her face.

Talya’s head snapped around to look at Liam, her eyes wide with disbelief. Boyfriend? she mouthed silently, incredulity written all over her features.

Liam had the audacity to grin back at her, his confidence unwavering. “Yeah, now that Talya and I are official, I’ll be making my presence known around school and her work more. Nobody will mess with her. Right, baby?” he asked, casting her an innocent look that only fueled her irritation.

Talya’s jaw tightened as she stared daggers at him. She was going to kill him for this. Fine. Two could play this game. “Hey, sweetie,” she said, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness, “I need to talk to you for just a moment. Can you come with me, please?”

Chapter 119

Liam rose, sauntering towards her with an air of confidence that made her want to roll her eyes. Talya shook her head, turning on her heel to head back to her room. “Keep your door open,” her grandpop called after her, adding to her embarrassment.

“Oh, my word,” Talya muttered under her breath, her cheeks burning with a mix of annoyance and shame. She could hear Liam chuckling behind her, and it only made her more frustrated. Once inside her room, she pushed the door almost closed but stopped short, turning to face him.

“Don’t close it all the way, Tally Bear,” Liam said, still wearing that infuriating grin.

“Don’t talk,” she hissed at him, her voice low and fierce. “You have made a mess of everything! I didn’t want them to know what was going on. Now they will just worry about me. Why did you even come here first thing this morning? And why would you let them think you were my boyfriend? We hardly know each other!” Talya crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. When he remained silent, she placed her hands on her hips, demanding a response. “Well, don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” she snapped.

Liam simply pointed to his lips, a playful twinkle in his eyes. “Oh, fine. You can talk,” she relented.

“Thank you,” he said, his tone shifting to seriousness. “The reason I came over first thing this morning was that I knew you wouldn’t tell them what happened, and they needed to know.”

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