Cain frowned as he considered her words, wondering if she knew just how right she was. You make one decision and it’s like someone switched your life for someone else’s. Taking the icepack away from his hand, he looked down at it. His knuckles were already bruising, his skin red raw from the chill of the ice.
“So...” He raised his head quickly and put effort into sounding light hearted. “Shopping, tomorrow?”
“Shopping is of the goodness,” she said.
“That a yes?” He gave her a confused look.
“Yes.”
* * *
Chapter 4
Cain pulled his long coat tighter around himself and thrust his hands into his pockets, wincing as his bruised knuckles were jammed into the small space. The clear skies of last night had made the day bitterly cold and, although the sun shone brightly, there was no chance of it getting warm.
Walking a few steps behind Cain, Lily watched the way he moved confidently through the city streets, his stride long and purposeful as they went from shop to shop. She’d first noticed his confident edge in the second shop they had gone into. She’d wanted a few lamps and had gone to ask the assistant if they delivered, only to be ignored. The second Cain had noticed, he’d strode over and set things in motion. Two minutes later, she had a delivery confirmation for tomorrow morning.
She couldn’t help wondering how someone got to be so confident. He seemed to walk through the crowds on the streets as though he was some kind of god. They parted before him and she had to scurry close behind him for fear of being lost as they closed in again. She decided confidence was a good thing and she’d soon be trying to get some. If confidence could make her as powerful as Cain seemed to be, then she wanted it.
Cain frowned and lit a cigarette. The heat of it burning his lungs as he inhaled and he took comfort from the warmth it gave him. Reminding himself that he wasn’t alone, he looked over his shoulder at Lily and realized she was getting lost behind him. He cursed himself for not thinking about the fact that she couldn’t walk as quickly as he could and paused, waiting for her to catch her up. When she reached him, he frowned at her. Her nose was red and she looked so pale.
He pulled the black leather glove off his left hand and touched her face. She was freezing. He remembered that she came from Los Angeles, city of eternal sunshine. Looking around the streets, he frowned until he spotted what he was searching for and grabbed hold of her hand. Running across the road with her, he held the door to the shop open and flicked his cigarette to the ground before following her in.
Lily smiled as a blast of hot air hit her in the face, instantly warming her numbed body. Opening her eyes, she saw that he’d dragged her into a little shop full of hats, scarves, gloves and accessories in a multitude of colors and designs.
“Something warm, missy, you’re not in Kansas anymore.” Cain chuckled.
She ran her fingers over the rows of hats and gloves.
As she paused and picked up a little pink striped hat, he arched a brow. Clearly, she was going to need assistance.
Cain looked down at his one gloved hand and his other bare one. He was about to pull his other glove off when he thought the better of it. Not only would his knuckles complain but he didn’t want Lily to see how bruised his hand was.
“Earth to Luke Skywalker.” Lily giggled close by.
He raised his eyes and lowered his hands, frowning at her as he tried to figure out what she was talking about.
“The one glove... Luke Skywalker?” She giggled again as he gave her a look that said he’d finally understood what she meant and then spun on the spot. “So, what do you think?”
Cain looked at the pink blob on her head and shook his in the negative.
Lily pouted.
After ten minutes of shaking his head, he began to get a headache and decided that she definitely needed help. Looking up at the rows of hats, he smiled as he saw the perfect one. It was a little woolen one in varying stripes of creams and light browns. Cain presented it to her with a flourish.
Lily smiled before settling it on her head and looking at herself in the mirror. Admittedly, he seemed to know what suited her better than she did. She turned and gave him a wide smile.
He responded by handing her a pair of matching gloves and wrapping a scarf around her face. Struggling to free herself from the scarf he’d blinded her with, she frowned playfully and then smiled as she spotted something.
“Won’t be a minute.” She shook the items in her hands, trying to emphasize that she was going to pay for them, and watched him nod and then walk towards the exit.
Lily grabbed the item she’d been looking at and then walked to the counter.
Standing outside in the street, Cain’s head fell backwards and he looked up at the sky. The sun was starting to set, but the heavens above were still clear as crystal. He watched the seagulls wheeling overhead and frowned, trying to remember what his mother had always said about them coming inland. He frowned as his thoughts were interrupted by something prodding him, and he dropped his eyes back to earth, finding Lily smiling mischievously at him, her round cheeks glowing in the cold.
Rummaging in her bag, she pulled out a long black scarf and stretched up on her toes as she wrapped it around his neck, making sure he was well protected against the cold, before coming back to rest on her heels.
“There.” She smiled warmly.
Cain felt as though he couldn’t breathe as her eyes sparkled at him. The fact that she had shown that she cared about him on some level made his heart race. He silently watched her as she pulled the tags off her new gear and wrapped herself up, smiling all the while.
“Lily, you didn’t have to.” He ran his fingers over the scarf around his neck and gave her a gentle look as his stomach heated through, the last of his defenses disappearing.
“I wanted to. You were concerned enough about me getting cold. Besides, it’s nice being able to give something back to you.” She bounced slightly and smiled triumphantly, clearly satisfied with his reaction to her present.
“Thanks,” he mumbled and nodded towards the next shop, hoping she would return her concentration to shopping so he could return his to attempting to patch up his emotions again.
* * *
As they walked out of the final shop, Lily heaved a sigh. The darkness had drawn in, and she was glad to be done with getting everything for her new apartment.
Cain rolled his shoulders and looked up at the scene in front of him. The deep blue sky was scattered with small clouds and bright blue lights reflected off the top of the Empire State Building. He took a deep breath and told himself it was one more night. In a few hours, she’d have to go to work and he probably wouldn’t see her for a while after tomorrow. Instead of his desired reaction of coldness to that thought, he seemed to feel the need to push against it, to tell himself that he would see her again.
Lily cocked her head to one side as she looked at Cain. He was staring up at the buildings in front of them, and she couldn’t stop her eyes from moving to see what he was looking at so pensively.
Turning her head, she smiled at the sight of the Empire State Building.
“Fate.” She smiled.
Cain felt the word hit him hard in the chest and make his heart ache. Fate was certainly having fun now that she had him. Not content to stop at playing with his feelings, she was playing with his world, too, changing his routines and his patterns. Before meeting Lily, he never would’ve openly walked the streets, shopping and doing things that regular people did. His profession meant that he had to keep a low profile, and there was nothing low about spending five hours shopping, five hours in which his competition could have been watching him, could’ve seen her with him. She seemed to have some hold over him, bending him to her will with the slightest of smiles and the tiniest of motions. He was powerless to resist her, and what was worse, he didn’t want to.
He brought his eyes down to meet hers.
“Think we’ve got time.” He tappe
d his watch and she looked at hers. There were still three hours before she had to go to work.
He crossed the street with her and smiled broadly when he saw her struggling with her bags. He took some of them off her and she gave him a wide smile of gratitude.
He heaved a long sigh, feeling strangely normal as he shared her load and she walked beside him.
* * *
The city stretched out below him, its lights twinkling like a blanket of stars and the noises dim in the clear air. Cain watched his breath turning white like fog.
Lily leaned against the wall beside him, her eyes flitting about the scene as she tried to take it all in. The entirety of Manhattan was laid out below her, and she’d never seen anything like it. It was just like he’d said—she was on top of the world and nothing bad could get her. She felt as though she could reach out and touch the heavens if she wanted to.
Raising her eyes to the sky, she frowned at the sight of the clouds lingering there, fluffy mounds that were tinted yellow by the city lights.
“Sorry. I guess the weather is against us tonight.” Cain lightly touched her shoulder, and she shrugged.
“It just means we have to come up here another night.”
He smiled at her. She wondered if it was because she was being so positive. She would relish the chance to come up here again and watch the world drift by below her feet.
“So, do you think when you come up here or is this the place you come to clear your head?” She stared at the blocks of buildings stretching out in all directions. She’d never gone up any of the tall buildings in Los Angeles. Would it look like this? The view was amazing.
“Clear my head,” Cain said in a flat tone, his eyes trained on the people around them as he turned his back on the city and leaned against the wall.
Lily got the feeling that he wasn’t up for talking and fell silent. She frowned as the downtown district started to disappear from view, the lights becoming obscured.
“Cain?” She turned to look at him and he looked over his shoulder and then smiled down at her. “What is... snow?”
Her eyes went wide when the first flakes drifted down to them, landing softly on Cain’s leather coated shoulders. She reached out and touched the white spots, watching it melt on her gloves.
“It’s snow!” Lily gasped. He chuckled at her, shaking his head. She couldn’t help being excited about it. She pouted shamelessly. “Hey... we don’t get snow where I’m from.”
“Sorry... I’m still adjusting to the idea that there’s a place in the world where the sun never stops shining.”
She arched a brow at him and then looked up at the sky. The snowflakes were becoming denser and more closely packed as they fell rapidly from the heavens. Squinting, she watched them dancing towards her, drifting gently down on the cold breeze and making small damp spots on her skin as they melted. She poked her tongue out and let them settle there, noting the metallic taste of them and ignoring the way Cain was staring at her.
Cain smiled broadly as Lily reveled in the feeling of snow on her skin. The flakes settled on her woolen hat and her coat, covering them. Feeling warm inside, he realized that this was the first time in years that his mind hadn’t been on his job. He hadn’t thought about it much all day and it felt nice, freeing.
Enjoying the youthful exuberance of the girl in front of him, he raised his eyes and looked at the snow falling, large white flakes of it slowly covering the grime and the darkness of the city in its purity. Closing his eyes, he wondered if it could cover his sins and his darkness, too, hide it away and keep it there so he could keep this feeling.
He dropped his eyes back down to rest on Lily. She was smiling up at the heavens with her eyes closed, obviously enjoying being out in a snowstorm. Looking around him, he noticed that practically everyone had gone, leaving just a few couples behind, all enjoying the snow along with Lily. He looked out on the city and smiled at how it was disappearing from view, only the brightest lights remaining visible as the storm thickened.
Lily opened her eyes and smiled into Cain’s, feeling a heat like a volcano in her stomach as he brought his hand up and wiped a snowflake off her nose. Her breath caught in her throat as he smiled at her and raised his eyes to the sky.
“So much for the stars,” he said in a disappointed tone.
“This is so much better than stars.” Lily grinned and turned to look at the city. “Wow... where’d it go?”
“It’s getting worse. I suppose we should go down and get back to my place or you’re never going to get to work on time.” He caught her nervous look and smiled reassuringly at her. “None of that. You’ll be fine. I’ll drive you there and stick around until closing, got some business I need to discuss with Jack and could use a stiff drink after all this cold.”
Lily nodded and tried to stifle her nerves, but they were like a tornado inside her, whirling around and making her feel sick.
“Come along.” Cain wrapped his arm lightly around her shoulders as the snow became heavier and guided her back inside to the lifts. He wondered if she’d be as panicked going down as she had been coming up. He smiled as he remembered her acting normal one minute and clinging to his arm the next.
Part of him hoped that she’d do it again.
* * *
Chapter 5
Cain pulled his Mustang into the side street next to Club Infinity and watched Lily get out, fascinated with the way her black slacks somehow emphasized the smooth curve of her backside. Stepping out of the car, he pulled a cigarette out of his pack and placed it between his lips.
Lily turned as she closed the car door and watched Cain balancing the cigarette on his lips, his hand coming up with its usual grace to flick his lighter open and ignite his smoke. She inhaled deeply as he did, her eyes lingering on his mouth, her mind momentarily forgetting the nerves she’d been feeling about starting her first job. It was so easy to get lost in watching him.
“Ready?” he said as she came out of her reverie, her eyes focusing on his once more.
She shook her head in the negative as her butterflies came back full force and her mind raced with a million questions. Did they expect her to know what she was doing? Would the people she was working with be as nice as Cain said they would? She was glad he was here tonight. It was comforting to know that if anything went wrong, her one friend in New York was there to back her up. Lily frowned at that thought. She’d only known him two days and she was counting him as a friend. Usually it took months before she did that.
Walking around the car, she looked up at the bright neon sign above the side entrance and swallowed hard, trying desperately to stifle her nerves.
Cain watched with interest as she stared up at the sign, her eyes fixed on one spot and her body still. He would have given anything to know what she was thinking, to know what she was feeling. Nerves weren’t something he experienced often. Before bumping into Lily, he’d never been one for them. He’d always been reliable, calm and efficient—that was why he was the best at what he did.
As she heaved a heavy sigh, he frowned and then smiled.
“I’ve got something that could cheer you up, calm you down a little,” he said quietly, fumbling in his pocket and telling himself that it was as good a time as any, and it might give her a little confidence for the long night ahead of her. He suspected this was her first job and she wasn’t going to enjoy being a waitress.
“What’s that, then?” Lily turned and looked up at him. His hair and face were illuminated by the soft glow of the blue neon lights on the club’s sign.
Her heart raced as he smiled at her, his eyes narrowing on hers and making her body flush under his gaze. She wondered what he was up to. He was taking forever to show her what was going to make her more relaxed about her first night at work. It was making her more nervous, if anything.
“I know it isn’t your birthday yet, but I thought this might make tonight a little... easier... on you.”
She gave him a questioning look as he p
ulled his hand out of his pocket.
“Here.” Cain handed her the box and watched her open it. Her soft round lips widened into a smile as she saw what he’d bought her. It went straight to his heart to see her so happy over something he’d given her.
Smiling broadly, she pulled the necklace from the box and held it up. The lights nearby made the small diamond heart sparkle as it dangled from the chain.
“It’s, wow... beautiful, Cain... put it on me?” She giggled excitedly.
He took it from her and she pulled her hair out of the way. He fumbled with the clasp and then brought his hands around either side of her neck and clasped it again.
His skin buzzed as he ran his fingers down the chain and brushed them over the pendant.
“Feeling better?” Cain narrowed his eyes on hers.
“Like a million bucks.” She grinned.
“Don’t want you to be late now. Come on, I’ll introduce you to your new boss.” Pushing the door open, he held it there, allowing her to walk past him and into the darkness of the club.
Lily felt goose bumps erupt in waves on her skin as she took off her jacket. The club was freezing, but, then, it was also pitch black.
“Why’s it so dark?” she whispered, as though it was the only way to talk when confronted with darkness.
“Because we’re not open for another half hour,” a voice replied in the blackness.
Lily squinted as the lights buzzed and flickered into life, bathing the large room in a multitude of colors and illuminating the dance floor and bar.
“You must be Miss Walker.” Jack walked around the bar and held his hand out to her. He’d pictured her differently from the girl in front of him, her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and her small body hidden away under a dark red shirt and black pants. The main thing that struck him was that she looked as innocent as Cain said she was, and somehow it kicked off a protective streak in him.
Killing Game Page 5