“We don’t have a choice,” I say with finality and defeat. “Plus, I’ll be lucky if she doesn’t kill me soon anyway.”
The room is so silent I could hear a pin drop. Dresden stares at me with narrowed eyes and, for the first time with him, I’m actually worried about his reaction.
“Blake,” he says in a low, apprehensive tone. “What did you do?”
I swallow the lump in my throat and glance at Hastin. He’s staring at the floor, his hands folded together in front of him. “We, Hastin and I, found her family. Well . . . some of her family.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Dresden stands abruptly, his face going slightly red.
“I know what you’re gonna say, Dres. But she needs this.”
“No, she needs you to listen to her. She told you no. She’s been telling you both no for a long time.”
“Dresden,” Hastin says in a calming voice. “I know you don’t agree with this, but we’re trying to help her.”
He scoffs. “Help her, my ass. The problem with you all is that you constantly think you know what’s best for her, and you don’t. I don’t give a fuck that you love her. I love her, too. But I’m not about to completely disrespect her wishes. Not where her birth family is concerned. You guys are assholes. Vlad . . .”
Slowly, I turn toward Vlad, expecting the same reaction and trying to hide the jealousy in my chest at hearing Dresden say he loves my Lily. It’s not like I don’t know it. And she loves him. I know it isn’t the same way she loves me or him my sister, but ever since they slept together, there’s an irrational part of me that is still angry with Dresden.
It’s selfish, I know, but for the longest time, I was the only person Lily willingly gave herself to. Now it’s me and him, and I hate it.
“I agree she needs closure,” Vlad says as Dresden instantly gears up for an argument. Vlad holds his hand up to silence him. “I don’t know if I agree with doing it against her consent. Then again . . . I don’t know that Lily would ever consent, so this may be the only way.”
“She’s going to kill him,” Dresden says with a look of disbelief on his face.
“Yeah,” Vlad says. “And we’ll have to stop her, and she’ll be pissed at all of us for a really long time. But once she gets over it, and gets the closure, maybe we can have all of Lily and not just the slim bit of herself she lets us in on.”
Vlad meets my gaze and I can’t help but smile a little. He smirks, which isn’t a full endorsement, but it’s encouraging.
“Yeah,” Dresden says shaking his head. “Or she’ll beat our asses and never speak to us again.”
Hastin walks forward and places his hand on Dresden’s shoulder. “You and I both know she’d never do that. Let’s just hope for the best.”
27
~Lily~
7 days left.
Where did the time go? My mind wanders as Blake’s soft snores beside me help quiet my racing heart. Despite my determination to see this mission through, it’s killing me . . . knowing I’ll be leaving him again, with no guarantee of coming home.
I plan to come home— just like I’d planned to do every other time. But it rarely works out the way I’ve planned anymore. When I saved Shannon, it was supposed to be in and out. I was gone for months. Then Dresden and I were gone for a year. How long will it really be this time?
“Baby,” Blake says in a low voice startling me. “Why’s the light on? What’s wrong?”
My breath catches in my throat as he turns on his side and wraps his arm across my stomach, snuggling his head against my shoulder. It feels like it’s been forever since he’s touched me or shown me any affection without there being underlying anger to it. He seems half asleep still, and his guard is down, so there’s no tension, just him.
I lay my free arm over his. “Nothing’s wrong. I just couldn’t sleep.” His eyes are staring up at me when I glance down.
“Lily, why do you even bother trying to lie to me anymore? I know you too well.” He rolls over me and holds his weight on his arms, his body hovering inches above mine.
My insides turn to molten lava and I can’t stop myself from running my fingers through his growing beard. It’s almost strange seeing him with it, but I like it. He looks more husband and less business mogul.
“You like the beard, huh?” he says in a low voice, a smirk pulling up the side of his lips.
I lean forward and kiss the corner of his mouth, never taking my hands off the sides of his face. “I do actually. Very much so.”
“Yeah? Let’s see how much you like it then.”
Before I can protest, he slides my shirt up to expose my breasts and leans his head down to take one of my nipples in his mouth. His beard scrapes my skin, sending extra tingles down my spine. I moan and arch my back as his tongue teases my nipple to harden further.
As he moves his mouth to the other nipple, he snakes his arm around me, pressing into my back, forcing my breasts harder against him. Blake’s grip is strong and demanding, and within moments I’m soaking wet and ready to beg him to fuck me. It’s been way too long.
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
Blake freezes and his mouth hovering just above my rock-hard nipple. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Lily,” Sammi says through the door. “I’m sorry, but a package was delivered for you. It’s marked urgent and confidential.”
“Fuck,” I say in a hiss under my breath. “Of all the goddamn moments to ruin.”
Blake pushes back and sits on his knees, staring at me in disbelief. “You aren’t serious about getting out of bed right now.”
My heart drops. “Blake, I’m sorry.”
“You realize we’re supposed to be married in a month and I’ve barely had a moment alone with you in weeks. Weeks, Lily.”
I scoot back and swivel my legs so that I’m kneeling as well. His arms go around me without hesitation, and he pulls my body tightly against his. “I know. But the sooner we can get the Taurus and bring them to heel, the sooner you and I can have a normal life.”
The moment his lips touch mine, I’m reminded of every reason why I have to complete this mission. This is for him, for us, and the opportunity at a life we never knew we wanted until we met each other.
Our tongues dance together for a moment, but I know Sammi is still standing outside our bedroom door.
Slowly, I pull away from him and he sighs loudly. “I’ll try not to be too long. Please don’t be angry.”
“Lily, I’m not angry. Well, not at the moment. But I’m not used to missing you when we’re still sleeping next to each other. Just hurry up.” He slides back off the bed and holds his hand out to help me up, too.
My eyes linger on his bare chest a moment longer than needed as I go past him toward the door. He really is the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on and he’s all mine. Still, even after almost two years, I’ll never, in my wildest dreams, understand how someone, as fucked up as me, got this lucky. He’s literally the blood in my veins and the air in my lungs.
Without him, I cease to exist.
“Blake,” I say as I place my hand on the door handle. “I love you.”
His footsteps vibrate as he walks up behind me and gently kisses my neck, resting his hands on my hips. “I love you too, baby.”
I open the door to Sammi leaning against the opposite wall, an innocent expression on her face.
“Thanks, Sammi. I wasn’t trying to get laid or anything,” Blake says in a teasing tone, placing his hand against the side of the door.
I laugh at the look of shame that crosses over her face.
“He’s kidding, Boa. Well, not about the getting laid part, but he’s not mad.” I clasp my hand on her shoulder and guide her toward the stairs.
“Sorry, Blake,” she says loudly over her shoulder as we descend.
His chuckle echoes through the hall for a moment before the door clicks shut again behind us.
The living room is still dark as we walk together toward Sammi’s of
fice. “I really am sorry, Viper. But I think you’ll want to see this.”
I glance to my right and stop at the sight of Sorina and Carson snuggled together, asleep, on the sofa, the TV still playing but the sound turned down.
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ve been out here every 15 minutes. They’re good and have been asleep for almost two hours.”
I shake my head and start walking again. “What the hell time is it anyway?”
Sammi glances at her wristwatch. “5:45 a.m. I’m surprised you were awake, let alone trying to get some ass.”
“Sex helps me sleep. We’ve haven’t gotten much alone time lately.”
She nods her head as she opens the door to her office. “That’s probably why you haven’t slept well lately. Not enough dick.”
As the door clicks shut behind me, I laugh. “You are a crude bitch sometimes, you know that?”
She walks over to her desk and sits down, swiveling the chair to face me. “I’m Australian. Duh.”
We both share a moment of laughter, the first in a while for her and me. As we’re planning this mission and betrayal of all the people who love us, I can slowly feel the tension between Sammi and me fading. I’m not even sure if I’m really angry at her anymore.
You’d think after Hayato’s betrayal, getting stabbed by psycho-bitch, hooking up with Dresden, losing Jameson and Samuel, and finding out about the possibility of Jax being a double agent, nothing would bother me anymore.
Sammi’s betrayal was so different though. She did it for all the right reasons, and none of them had to do with personal gain.
“So, what’s in the box?” I say pulling a chair up beside her.
She opens the flaps and pulls out a small pill bottle and a medium-sized glass bottle. “Two forms of Midazolam. We can crush the pills and give them to them or spike their drinks with the liquid form. You’re choice.”
“Which do you think will work faster?” I take both bottles from her hand and study them.
Blake is going to kill me.
“Liquid, most likely.”
“Well, we’ll plan with that then.” I hand the bottles back to her.
She opens the bottom drawer of her desk, reaches in and, after a series of beeps, opens the lid to a lockbox. After she places the medicine inside and closes it, she pulls a large folder out of the box that the medicine came from.
“This was in here for you as well.”
“What is it,” I say as I take it from her hands.
She shakes her head, and my chest tightens. Opening the folder, my eyes land on a picture of a young, dark ebony man in a rebel uniform. He’s Nigerian, maybe twenty-five, twenty-six years old. I stare at his face, and it hits me like a collapsing building.
Jax.
Behind that one are dozens of photographs as he ages. The last set breaks my heart— Jax in a procession line, carrying a flag with a flaming blue Taurus symbol on it, him inspecting a line of young women, and him branding a young light-skinned girl.
It’s like all the air is sucked out of the room. This is the proof I never wanted. Undeniable proof that Jax— the man who raised me, saved me, called me his daughter— is in fact, a member of the Taurus.
I huff out a breath and set the folder in my lap. Sammi stares at me with sympathy and pity. Someone looking at me like that used to piss me off. It doesn’t anymore. So much has changed and the person I was seems like another lifetime altogether.
“What are you thinking, Lily?” She leans forward and rests her fingertips on my knee.
“What happens if I can’t kill him, Sammi? Maybe he’s undercover in the Taurus. What if we have this all wrong?”
“Well,” she says as she sits back and runs her hand through her hair. “You’re the only person who can find that out. And if he really is working for the Taurus, he may not give you a choice about killing him.”
My emotions are a tidal wave sized mess and it sucks.
“Go get some sleep, Viper. We have a plan. Nothing else we can figure out right now. Go spend some time with your fiancé. You need a reprieve before all this goes down.”
The lump in my throat won’t let words pass, but I nod. Handing the folder back to Sammi, I stand and head back to my bedroom. She doesn’t follow me, and I’m glad. Tears well in my eyes with each step and as I stop outside my bedroom door, they finally fall down my face.
†††
Blake was asleep by the time I came back last night, but today is just he and I. The media room has been tagged off-limits to anyone but us, and I’ve got enough movies to take up the next twenty-four hours. It’s just past seven in the morning, and he probably won’t be up for a while.
Teresa was up when I finally came back to the kitchen. She was sweet enough to make a breakfast spread for us and bring it to the media room in warming dishes. Blake pays her very well, but once we get to a normal life, she deserves a raise.
I’m in the mood for something light-hearted, so of course, in honor of the first time Blake and I watched movies together, I pop in a kid’s animated movie. I smile at the screen as the advertisements play.
“What’s all this?”
I jump a mile in the air as I spin around toward him. His voice is deep and sleepy. It takes a good amount of effort to keep the smile off my face as I take in his appearance. Baggy sweats, tight tank-top undershirt, no socks, and his hair all sexy and disheveled.
“You’re up early,” I say walking toward him. “Hungry?”
He rubs his face and then glances from me to the covered food trays. “Did you get up and cook this morning?”
I laugh openly. “Hell no. Teresa was up when I came downstairs. That’s all her handy work.”
He closes the distance between us and wraps his arms around my waist, causing my heart to thump like it’s on cocaine. “I’m starving. But you still didn’t answer my question. What is all this?”
Trailing my fingers lightly up and down his arms, he shivers under my touch. “I wanted a day with you. Just one day with no work, no team, no nothing. Just me and you, that couch, and a shitton of movies.”
His smile could blind someone. It’s genuine, reaching all the way to his eyes. He kisses me hard and pulls me against him. “Mmmmm, I love you.”
“I love you, too. Let’s eat, I’m hungry for once.”
He lets go of me and takes my hand as he turns toward the table. “You need to eat. You’ve lost too much weight in the last year.”
“Well, it’s a good thing Teresa made waffles then. I can put on a few pounds.”
We both laugh as we sit down next to each other and dig into the food.
†††
Blake wipes his mouth and sets his napkin atop his empty plate. I finished five minutes ago but watched him contently until he was done. He’s even sexy when he eats. How can anyone be sexy when they eat? I don’t know, but he is.
He leans over and kisses me, grabbing my hand at the same time. Too soon, he stands and drags me over to the couch, picking up the remote to start the movie. The familiar sunset and African music blare through the screen, and I’m more than happy to press myself into his side as he wraps his arm around me.
We’re silent for a while with Blake planting a kiss on the back of my head every few minutes as I lightly rub circles on his hand with my thumb. It’s the most relaxed I’ve been in forever.
“Baby,” he says startling me. “Can I ask you something?”
“Blake, just ask. You don’t need permission to ask me questions.” I push away from him enough to turn and look him in the face. He stares at our hands, fingers entwined together. “Blake?”
“I want more kids, Lily.”
Wait . . . what? The air is caught in my throat, and my mouth is hanging open. More kids?
“Say something,” he says, his voice so quiet.
I shake my head and scoot a little closer to him. He still hasn’t looked up at me. After another moment, I put my fingers under his chin and gently coax his head up unti
l his eyes meet mine. Locked in this moment, I run my fingers through his beard again. “Blake, you know I can’t have more kids. You knew when we took in Sorina, she’d be it for us.”
He doesn’t even blink. “We could adopt, Lily. Or foster.” The set of his face changes from scared to confident.
Blake has given this a lot of thought.
“Okay,” I say surprising myself.
His eyes get as big as saucers, his eyebrows shooting toward the ceiling. “I’m sorry, what?”
A slow smile creeps onto my face. “I said, okay. We can adopt or foster.”
His eyes search my face, for what I don’t know, but after a moment, I can’t help but laugh.
“You’re serious?”
I twist and snuggle next to him again. “I’d give you anything to make you happy, Blake. You know that.”
He cups the side of my face and tilts my head up until my eyes meet his. “I truly love you. More than I think you will ever know.”
“Blake—”
His lips crush mine and before I know it, I’m underneath him on the couch, his hands roaming over my skin while his lips push me further toward ecstasy.
With everything looming over us forgotten, I happily prepare to spend the rest of my day being lost in this man.
†††
4 days left.
The last three days have been an unreal normal around here. Blake and I have made love at least twice a day, which suits me just fine. As I dry my hair in front of the bathroom mirror, I stare at his reflection. He woke me at three o’clock this morning and after an hour of being worn out by him; I could only fall asleep for another two hours.
The sun still isn’t up, but he’s snoring softly, and I can’t bring myself to wake him yet. Instead, I’m going to make coffee and tackle something that could either make or break my deception. I’m running out of time to set everything up before this mission is here.
The Gallows at Midnight Page 19