I Ran From My Psycho Step-brother Straight Into The Alpha's Lap novel Chapter 124

**Title: When Night Grows Softer Hope Returns To Lead Us by Asa Rowan Finn**
**Chapter 124**

Liam’s voice was low and simmering with anger as he spoke, “If I take you home, those guys will just find you again.” His tone was a warning, filled with an intensity that made Talya’s heart race.

Talya, feeling a surge of defiance, threw her hands up in frustration. “So what? They didn’t even say or do anything! You’re the one who grabbed me and whisked me away!” Her voice rose, almost a shout, as she confronted him.

“You don’t understand who those men are,” Liam replied, his anger palpable in the tense air between them.

“And you do?” Talya shot back, her eyes narrowing as she searched his face for answers. He simply nodded, a gesture that felt heavy with unspoken truths. “Then enlighten me,” she demanded, her voice laced with impatience.

For a brief moment, silence enveloped them, thick and suffocating. “I can’t,” he finally ground out, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

“Why? Because I’m just a stupid, helpless female?” Talya’s voice dripped with sarcasm, anger flaring within her.

Liam turned to face her, his frown deepening as he tried to convey his seriousness. “No, that’s not it at all,” he insisted, his tone softening just a fraction.

“Then tell me what’s going on!” Talya’s frustration boiled over, her heart pounding as she felt her anger morph into a desperate need for clarity. “Liam, I have a job. I need to get back to it, and I have to see my grandparents.”

He looked at her, his expression shifting to one she couldn’t quite decipher. It was a mixture of concern and something else—perhaps pity? “You can’t go back,” he said quietly, almost as if he were afraid of the truth he was revealing.

Goosebumps prickled along Talya’s skin, a chill running down her spine. “What do you mean I can’t go back?” she asked, her voice slipping into a detached tone, as if she were trying to distance herself from the reality of his words.

“It’s too dangerous. You have to stay with me now. You can’t go back, Talya,” he insisted, and this time, the regret in his eyes was unmistakable.

Talya’s heart raced, a mix of fear and anger surging through her veins. “I don’t know what’s happening, but you need to stop this car right now and let me out!” she demanded, her voice rising in urgency. When Liam remained silent, she reached for the handle, her fingers trembling with determination.

“Stop,” he commanded, his voice low and menacing. But Talya, fueled by adrenaline, ignored him. She yanked at the handle, only to find it stubbornly unyielding.

“Liam, turn this car around and take me home, or I swear I’ll call the police,” she threatened, her phone already in hand, ready to dial. “I’m not joking,” she warned, her voice steely.

“Talya, stop. You’re being unreasonable,” Liam growled, frustration evident in his tone.

“I’m being unreasonable?” she echoed, incredulity coloring her voice. “You’ve kidnapped me!”

“I didn’t kidnap you,” he shot back, his anger flaring again.

“Liam, that’s exactly what this is! You won’t let me go home! Just stop the car; I’ll figure out a way to get back myself.” She paused, her resolve hardening. “I will call the police, Liam,” she threatened, her finger hovering over the dial pad. When he didn’t respond, she punched in 911. Just as she was about to hit call, Liam lunged for her phone, but his hand missed.

“Liam!” the voice from the phone exclaimed, disbelief lacing her tone.

“She needs to know,” Liam insisted. “I saw how you reacted when we tried to protect you by not telling you everything. I’m not going to make the same mistakes Garrett did.”

Talya’s hand froze over the call button as she stared at Liam, searching for any sign that this was a cruel joke. “What? Is this some kind of sick joke?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Talya,” a voice from the phone broke in, one of the women again. “He’s telling the truth. Those men are vampires, and they are incredibly dangerous. Liam is just trying to protect you.”

Talya’s mind raced back to the first time she had served the two men, recalling how their presence had unnerved her so much that she had asked Joe to take her table. “I don’t know,” she whispered into the phone, her voice barely audible.

Then a horrifying thought struck her. “What about my co-workers? Will they hurt them?” Panic surged within her, followed by another wave of terror. “My grandparents!” she gasped, her eyes widening in realization. “What about my grandparents? I have to go back to protect them.” Liam’s expression shifted again to one of regret, and it ignited a fire within Talya. She reached for the door handle once more, desperation fueling her actions. “Stop the car!” she screamed, her fists pounding against the dashboard in frustration.

“Talya, stop. You’re going to hurt yourself,” Liam ordered, his arm crossing in front of her, a barrier against her turmoil.

This only served to infuriate her further. She pushed against him, but his strength was like iron. “I have to go home!” she yelled, her voice cracking with a mix of anger and fear. “Why are you doing this? Just let me go home!” She pushed against his arm again, unleashing all her pent-up frustration. “Liam!” she screamed, but he remained silent, his arm steadfast.

Eventually, exhaustion washed over her, and she slumped back in her seat, defeated. Tears streamed down her cheeks, each drop a testament to her despair. She was vaguely aware of the voices still talking on the phone, but she was too far gone to listen. Closing her eyes, she surrendered to the chaos swirling around her, drifting into a realm where clarity seemed impossible.