"Yes, ma'am. We'll see you then," the woman on the line says.
"Thank you," I say politely and hang up.
Blake is wearing faded jeans and a short sleeve button down. Casual clothes suit him. They hug his muscles and curve around his ass at just the right spots, showing off far more than his suits. I stare, remembering the way his muscle muscles moved underneath me last night and this afternoon, a flash of desire pooling in my groin.
"Earth to Lily," he says amused, pulling me from my erotic thoughts.
I chuckle, my face growing hot. "Sorry, what?"
"Are you blushing?" he says, astonished.
I reach up and vigorously rub my cheeks. "No."
Blake strides over and grabs my wrists, pinning them to his chest. "Yes you are! What are you blushing about?"
"Nothing," I whine, playfully pulling away from him.
"Tell me," he says, pulling me tighter against him. His muscles flex and another round of red hits my cheeks. "You're doing it again."
"Oh, for fuck sake. I get turned on by the way your muscles feel, which had me thinking about last night . . . and the shower. Now let go, so I can take my embarrassed-ass downstairs and get ready."
"Hmm." He flexes his chest muscles and my stomach clenches.
"Stop that, Blake." I snap. He does it again. "I'm serious. Keep it up and we're going to be late . . . very late."
"Why are you in such a hurry?" he asks, gazing into my eyes.
My answering grin is mischievous. "I have a surprise for you . . . and the girls. Mostly the girls, but I think you'll appreciate it."
His eyes widen. Pushing away from him, I take his hand and pull him from the bedroom. Teresa, Dresden, and Shannon sit around the island talking and laughing. The apartment has been in an odd normalcy the last few days. I don't know if I should feel relieved or worried nothing has happened since the last threat.
"Time to head out," I say walking past them.
They stand as Vlad joins us from Sammi's office.
"We taking one vehicle?" he says sliding into his jacket.
"Yeah. Jameson is already in the car waiting," I say, pulling my shoulder holsters on.
Usually I wear a jacket over them, but today I'm letting them show. If there is any Taurus following, knowing we’re heavily armed might derail them from trying something stupid. I notice Vlad has his shoulder holsters on, and Dresden's guns are hooked to his hips in plain view.
We ride the elevator in silence, transitioning into what Blake calls "agent mode." Moving to the car, we form a blockade around Blake and Shannon. They both tense. Shannon clings to Blake's arm, her eyes scanning the street wildly as if something might jump out of the shadows. Dresden ushers them quickly into the backseat of the SUV. Vlad and Dresden slide in behind them. I shut the door and climb into the front with Jameson.
I lift my watch to my mouth, "We're on the move, Boa."
"Copy that. Switching to watch the halfway house cameras," Sammi says in my ear.
"So, what's this surprise, Lily?" Blake asks from behind me.
I chuckle. "You'll see when we get there, sir."
"Or you could tell me now."
"No. Sit back and relax. We'll be there in a few minutes."
†††
Jameson pulls up in front of the halfway house, throwing the SUV into park. He and I climb from the vehicle at the same time. He walks around, taking his position at the back end of the passenger's side as I open the back door, allowing Vlad and Dresden to file out. Blake and Shannon step onto the sidewalk and we surround them until we're inside the first set of doors to the building.
Entering the main room, I walk straight to a group of nine women standing by the counter, talking happily with the nurses. Their smiles falter as they glance at my guns.
"You must be the tutors," I say holding out my hand.
A tall, older blond-haired woman comes forward. "Yes, ma'am. You must be Agent Williams." We shake hands.
"I am. Let me introduce you to your new boss," I say, turning to invite them to where Blake and the others stand.
"I beg your pardon, but you’re the one paying us, correct? Doesn't that make you our boss?"
"No. Ladies, this is Mr. Blake Mason. He owns the halfway house and he'll technically be your new boss. He and his staff at this facility. Blake, these wonderful women are a group of tutors I've acquired for the girls."
Blake's mouth hangs open. "Wait . . . you paid for this?"
I square my shoulders knowing this might be an argument. "Yes, Mr. Mason, I did. Believe it or not, as much as I dislike rich people, I have a good amount of money I don't want or need. This is a great way to use it."
He grabs my face, and presses his lips to mine. My body stiffens, taken aback by this public display of affection. In the background, many of the girls giggle, cheer, and whistle. Blake pulls back enough to look me in the eyes. I'm stunned to silence.
"You’re the most amazing, remarkable, caring woman I've ever met, and I love you more every day I'm with you."
My heart melts and I caress his face. "I love you, too." I press my lips quickly to his again and he releases my face, allowing me to stand up straight.
"Hello, ladies," he says putting one arm around me and holding the other out.
He shakes hands with each in turn, keeping me firmly at his side. I smile— glad he appreciates what I've done. He might have a cow if he knew how much the salary for these women cost, plus the one tutor he hasn't met yet.
"Lily!" a voice yells from the back of the room.
Sorina's barreling toward me. She reaches us, launching into my arms. I let go of Blake and hug her tight. She's all smiles today, which warms my heart. She deserves some happiness. I hope she accepts what Blake and I came here for.
"How you doing, kiddo," I ask, setting her down.
"Great. I met Ms. Laura. She's great, Lily. Thank you!"
"Who's Ms. Laura?" Blake says, smiling at Sorina.
"My new tutor. Lily hired her for me. She got here this morning and we've been talking about where I need to start to catch up in school. She's really nice," Sorina babbles, bouncing on her toes in excitement.
"A private tutor, huh? That sounds pretty cool. I hope you intend to work hard," Blake says giving her a serious gaze.
Sorina calms and looks Blake square in the eyes. "Yes, sir. Lily is giving me an amazing opportunity and I won't waste it. I promise. Plus, it’s going to be done online! How cool is that!"
"I'm glad to hear that. Lily and I won't tolerate you goofing off where school is concerned. While the bedroom we have for you is nice, I doubt you'd enjoy being grounded to it." He smirks.
Sorina's mouth drops open. "Bedroom? Wait . . . what?"
A smile creeps onto my lips, again.
"Lily and I would like you to come live with us."
"Are you serious? I thought it was dangerous?" she says, excitement filling her voice.
"Well, it is, but as long as you can follow the regulations set by Lily and her team, everything should be fine. So, what do you say?"
"Yes!" She jumps into Blake's arms, hugging him tightly.
He laughs heartily, setting her down and she hugs me, tears running down her face.
"Hey, why are you crying?" I say, resting my hands on her shoulders.
She wipes the tears from her eyes. "You guys are too good to be true. I never thought I'd have a family, again."
"Well, me either. Looks like we both got a surprise out of this," I murmur, ruffling her hair. "Go pack your shit, I want to go home."
She smiles, a broad, childish grin and runs from the room, taking the stairs two at a time. Her enthusiasm is contagious.
"I have one more thing I need to take care of while we're here," I say to Blake, moving toward the front counter. "Nurse Miranda."
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Here is the number for an Interpol agent I need you to call. Talk to each of the girls and find out who isn't a citizen. If they want to be, the tutors wi
ll help them, and this agent will do the paperwork to make sure it happens. That way, none of them end up deported." I hand her a card with a name and number on it.
She gapes, shock all over her face. "Ma'am, this is . . . this is amazing. We've been trying to get someone to agree to help with citizenship forever."
"Well, I know people. If you run into any trouble, call me."
"Yes, ma'am."
I walk back to Blake as Sorina bounds back down the stairs, a duffel bag over her arm and a sketchbook in her hands. She stops in front of us, bouncing with excitement. I laugh as her happiness fills the room.
"Let's go," I say, pulling her under my arm.
Walking toward the door, the nurses and other girls smile at us. I pass Sorina to Blake as we hit the outer doors, transitioning into the agent persona. We file into the car and I climb back into the front seat with Jameson. He grins at me and pulls into traffic. Shannon's phone rings.
"Hello? Yes, Mom . . . Hold on . . . Blake, Mom wants to talk to you," she says, holding her phone to him.
"Hi, Carmen . . . No, I'm fine . . . My phone is dead . . . Why don't you and Dad come over for dinner tonight . . . you can meet a new member of the family . . . I'll explain when you get there . . . okay . . . you too." He ends the call and hands the phone back to Shannon, lifting his gaze to meet mine in the mirror as Sorina leans against his shoulder.
I pull my phone out and dial Teresa's number.
"Hello, Ms. Lily. What you need?" she says when she answers the phone.
"We're having company for dinner. I need you to do something special for me though, a surprise," I say. Blake narrows his eyes at me and I give him a sly grin.
"¿Se puede hacer una cena rumana? Sorina, Vlad y me encantaría las comodidades del hogar," I say.
Can you make a Romanian dinner? Sorina, Vlad and I would love the comforts of home.
She laughs into the phone. "Si, of course. I’ll go to the store now."
"Take Sammi and Rhett with you, please."
"Yes, ma'am."
I hang up the phone and stare at Blake, a smug look on my face.
"Why did you just say my name?" Vlad pipes up from the back seat.
"You'll see."
38
~Lily~
The aroma of tonight's dinner wafts into my office as I email Monroe. He's not happy about Blake's charity event idea, but he's given permission. We're getting more security, and Sammi has the go ahead for setting up a surveillance system once a location is booked. I'm still nervous, but this is what Blake wants, and I can't find it in my heart to tell him no.
A knock at the door pulls me from my email. "Come in."
The door opens and Teresa walks in. "Ai, Ms. Lily, everyone is here and dinner is on the table."
I close out the tabs on my computer and stand, walking around to meet her. "Good. I'm starving."
We walk into the empty dining room. Blake and his parents are on the balcony with Sorina. Carmen pulls Sorina into a bear hug.
"Hey," I yell. "Time to eat!"
Standing by the table, we gaze at the wonderful Romanian spread she has put out. Everyone files into the room, standing behind their chairs, confusion on their faces as they stare at the foreign food. Sorina glances from the food to me, a megawatt smile on her lips.
"Lily . . . this is amazing," she says, hugging my side.
"What is all this?" Carmen says, standing next to her stepson.
"Confortul de acasă," Vlad says, grinning.
"The comforts of home. This is a Romanian style dinner. In honor of Sorina being here with us," I say, smiling down at her.
For the next several hours, there's nothing but laughter, conversation, and great food. I don't think about anything but the people around me and the moment we're in. Focusing all my energy on the family that’s slowly formed over these last few months.
Life would be perfect, if every day was like this. Waking up and working some kind of normal job, coming home to dinner with Blake and Sorina, school trips with her and business events with him. Part of me believes I could survive in this world . . . but a bigger part of me worries I'll fail at it miserably.
What kind of mother can I possibly be?
There's no model to base myself on. My mother was before the auctions, and memories of her are hidden somewhere in the recesses of my mind. Saladinya wants me to remember, to fill in the gaps of Jax's information, but . . . I don't want to. She sold me, there's nothing more important than that knowledge, and that isn't the kind of mother to model oneself after.
"Lily," Vlad says, pulling me back to reality.
"Yeah?"
"Când se va termina, ar trebui să le ia pentru a vizita acasă," he says.
When this is over, we should take them to visit home.
"I don't know about all that," I say shaking my head. "Nu am mai fost acasă de când aveam opt ani."
I haven't been home since I was eight.
"Please, Lily? Could we?" Sorina begs practically bouncing out of her seat.
I laugh. "Calm down, kiddo. Blake si am pentru a obține actele pentru ai făcut mai întâi."
Blake and I have to get the paperwork for you done first.
"Am trimis hârtiile de adopție noaptea trecută, după ce te-ai dus la culcare. Acesta va fi oficial într-o lună," Blake says.
I submitted her adoption papers last night after you went to bed. It will be official in a month.
It takes a minute for my brain to process that Blake has just spoken my native language. Slowly, my head tilts, eyes narrowing.
"You speak Romanian?" Sorina blurts out.
He chuckles. "I speak seven languages other than English, Sorina. Romanian, Russian, French, Italian, Spanish, Gaelic and Latin."
"So you knew what I said in the car?" I say, astonished.
"Yes, but I had no intention of ruining your fun." He leans over and presses his lips to mine.
"Tâmpit," I mutter, picking up my wine glass.
"Lily!" Vlad says, shocked.
"What? He is at the moment."
"Poate fi un nemernic, frumoasa mea doamnă, dulce, dar eu sunt idiotul care este atât de îndrăgostit de tine că aș face orice să văd zâmbetul. Tu ești viața mea, dragostea mea, și o zi am de gând să-ți fac pe soția mea," Blake whispers, leaning over to press his lips against mine.
'I may be an asshole, my beautiful, sweet lady, but I'm the asshole who is so in love with you that I'd do anything to see you smile. You are my life, my love, and one day I intend to make you my wife.'
"Okay, so you're a really romantic and sappy asshole." I laugh, kissing him again.
"Wife, huh?" Vlad says, raising his eyebrows. "Now that is a sight I can't wait to see. You in a big, flowery, dress."
I narrow my eyes at him, a smirk on my face. "You shut it."
Everyone laughs, but Blake's eyes bore into mine, alight with a depth of love I never knew was there before.
†††
"Lily," Teresa says, stopping next to me.
"Yes?"
She sets a Tort Brun, brown-layered cake, in front of me. I stare at it . . . my mind going fuzzy.
You're last night with us beautiful— you're favorite dessert. A voice says in my head.
I gasp, my hand covering my mouth.
"What's wrong, Lily?" Sorina asks, touching my arm.
My breathing quickens, my fear reflected in her eyes. "Nothing. It looks wonderful."
Teresa smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes.
After dessert, everyone moves around the apartment, enjoying each other's company. I stand against a support pillar watching Dresden, Blake, and his father shoot pool. Sorina is sitting on the sofa with Shannon and Carmen, looking through her sketchbook. Sammi, Hayato, Rhett, and Jameson are playing darts in the corner of the room.
"What happened during dessert?" Vlad asks from behind me.
I turn around, coming face to face with him and Doctor Saladinya.
"It was nothing," I whisper
, my chest tightening as the echoed words fill my ears again.
“Lily," Saladinya says in a stern voice.
I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. "I think my mother served me that dessert the night before they sold me."
"You think?" Vlad says, tilting his head to the side.
"I heard her voice in my head, I think. The night she served me that cake."
"Shit," Vlad hisses.
"Yeah," I say meeting his eyes. "I don't want to remember them . . . "
†††
Father's mad, really mad. He's been drinking from the bottle of dark stuff again.
"Don't, please. Just let her be. She's already in bed," Mommy cries.
Mommy.
She'll protect me. She has too.
My bedroom light comes on and I squint, my eyes hurt from the brightness. Father stalks into the room, and I pull the covers over my head. He grabs my ankle and pulls me off the bed and my head hits the floor.
"Father, no, please. I didn't mean to I swear!"
He doesn't bother pulling the blanket off. His slaps hurt anyway. I knew better than to try and steal food, but we haven't had any in days. The baby was hungry . . . I was hungry. Even Mommy was complaining she was hungry.
"How stupid can you be, Mihnea? Huh?" he yells, slapping me harder and harder.
I cry, trying to cover my face. I hate walking around with bruises. People in the village look at me funny.
The blanket comes flying off, and I curl into a ball.
"I'm sorry, Father, please," I beg between sobs.
Nothing happens, but I can hear his breathing close to me. I peak from under my arms, and he's staring at me, tears running down his face. He moves quickly, reaching for me and I whimper, trying to shield myself.
I'm lifted off the ground, and he cuddles me to his chest as he sinks to the floor, rocking gently back and forth.
"Why do you make me do this, Mihnea?"
"I'm sorry, Father. I won't do it again, I promise."
"Shhh, it's okay. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper. You know I love you."
Father does love me, but that's never stopped him from hurting me. I stay quiet. I try to be good, really I do. But, I make Father angry . . . a lot.
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