Babysitting The Amnesiac Lycan King

Chapter 87

Chapter 87

I should hand over the file.

K 91% #

Liam is watching me. Waiting. His fingers tap an impatient rhythm against his desk, but he doesn't say anything. Doesn't push. He's giving me a chance to do the right thing, or the wrong thing-depends on which side of the moral fence you're

1. on.

It's just a file. It's just information. It's just words on a goddamn page.

Except it isn't.

I feel it in my gut, twisting, gnawing at the edges of my resolve like a starving animal.

If I hand this over, I get access to the Imperial Archives. A golden fucking ticket to everything I've been searching for. Every answer. Every secret buried under years of corruption and power struggles. My parents. My pack. The truth about what happened to them.

But when my fingers tighten around the file, I don't see words or pages. I see Enoch's hands. The way they held my face like I was something breakable. The way they pinned me down, firm, steady, unshakable. I hear his laugh-low, unguarded, meant only for me.

Maldives. The way he looked at me under the moonlight, his gaze soft, almost fragile, like he was terrified of losing me.

That same fucker left me.

I swallow hard and rip myself from the memory. Not the time, Taryn.

I need to decide. Now.

Liam exhales sharply, the sound pulling me back into his office. His brows lift, but he still doesn't say anything. He's waiting for me to crack first. Smart man.

I force my shoulders to straighten and meet his gaze. "I'll think about it."

Liam's expression doesn't change. His fingers stop drumming against the desk. Just for a second. Barely noticeable. But I see it. A flicker of something-suspicion, calculation, patience wearing thin.

Then, just as quickly, his mouth twitches into something that resembles a smirk but doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Think fast," he says. "Opportunities don't wait forever."

No shit.'

I nod, gripping the file tighter before turning toward the door. But before I can step

out, Liam's voice cuts through the space between us.

"Taryn."

I pause. Don't turn around.

"You remember what you came here for, right?" His voice is smooth. Controlled. Deadly.

My throat tightens.

Yeah. I remember.

I just don't know if I can do it.

12:43 Thu, 3 Apr

Chapter 87

Not yet

Not like this.

Her long, manicured nails clack against her phone screen as she types furiously,

chair. "You're either abandoning me for another Italian, or you're about to announce that you're finally swearing off

met him in the Maldives, remember? Luau night? Hot as fuck, barely speaks English but knows how to say bellissima like a

to fucking God, if Zoe talks about one more Italian man,

my head, laughing.

beat. "What, still caught up on the mystery Lycan? Or maybe- she leans in, waggling her brows-"our broody,

my

between her fingers, practically vibrating in her chair as she leans closer. "So...

personal inconvenience to him. If I had a dollar for every time he sighed in my direction, I'd be rich enough to quit

I shrug. "Nope."

on your ass for once? That's gotta

in my sleep," I say dryly, turning back

bitch. Anyway, I have a huge

Here we go.

closer, eyes gleaming with excitement. "So, I kinda-okay, no, I totally-need you to cover my

a hand. "Fine, I'll

She blinks. "Wait, really?"

"Yeah."

squints again. "You never volunteer for overtime. What's

Go have

“Uh-huh. That's why you're so eager to take my

I deadpan. "I'm staying late because I get off

but too busy thinking about her bellissimo one-night stand to press further.

die

2/4

91%

Chapter 87

via sex-induced cardiac arrest."

put me in your

a kiss before disappearing out

And then I'm alone.

one, people clock out, until the last coworker

I smile. "I won't."

Liar.

computers fades, replaced by the occasional creak of the old building settling. A

Then silence.

push away from

This is it.

my heels and move

pulse ticks faster. My

Liam's office keys.

files, searching for the one thing

keeps everything under lock and key, which is fucking annoying. But I've

fingers brush against

Bingo.

breath, and head to his door.

Almost

deep breath, steady my nerves, and slowly push Liam's door

of ink,

room smells like him. Sharp, clean, something

neat, but I know better-Liam's not the kind of man