Lydia didn’t appear to be working the shift as they headed in and found their old booth available in the corner. An unknown waitress came over and poured them more coffee before handing them the plastic menus.
“Just in time for lunch. What do you feel like?” he asked Lily.
“I’m thinking burgers, chips and a strawberry milkshake. What about you, my lone wolf?”
“I’ll go for the same but with a vanilla milkshake. Let me get the waitress back over.”
He managed to catch the busy waitress eye and she came over. She confirmed his order and headed to the kitchen. It was now just the two of them staring at each other from across the table.
“Before you say anything, let me put some ground rules down for the day,” her voice was tense, “I do not want to talk about the situation. At all. I want this day to be about us and for now I need to just escape it all so I can clear my head. Secondly, we need to stay out of the city. I get the feeling my sister would have set up several search parties by now and even this diner may be a bit too close.”
“I can do both of those,” Van smiled, “But I understand where you are coming from. After lunch I will take you into one of the neighboring towns. I know your sister won’t even think about looking there. It’s rather quiet and she has no contacts in that area. We should be safe, I doubt anyone would even recognize us.”
“Sounds good,” Lily beamed across at him.
The waitress came back over and put the plates in front of them before distributing the milkshakes. Van had just taken a sip of his vanilla shake when he looked up to see Lily had devoured half her burger. He laughed at her speed and quickly tucked in himself. It still came as a shock to him when she managed to devour the entire plate first and sat there watching him finish as she sipped on her strawberry milkshake.
“Can I try some of yours? I want to see what all the hype is about the vanilla one,” she pointed at his drink.
“Of course,” he slid the drink over to her and she carefully took a sip before handing it back to him.
“I didn’t think I would like plain old boring vanilla but this one is really nice. It’s got a really creamy texture.”
She winked at him and he could feel his cock harden in his jeans. He adjusted himself under the table before responding.
His voice was low, “Control yourself, princess. As much as I want to, I think it would draw a bit too much attention if I bent you over the table and fucked you in the middle of the diner. Your appetite really is insatiable.”
Giggling, she sucked in the last of her milkshake as Van signaled for the bill. He paid with cash before they headed back to where the bike was parked. As he was helping with her helmet, he quickly bent forward and gave her a peck on the lip. She was grinning when he slid the helmet into place and strapped it on. The ride to the town was quiet as they left the highway. Trees lined the roads as they headed into the center and parked up. Lily looked around her as she scrambled off.
“This really is a quiet place. Pearl would never think to look somewhere like here, you’re right. So what do you want to do?”
“How about a movie?” he pointed at the theater next to them.
Lily rushed over to the posters and scanned what was showing. They happened to be just in luck as a horror movie was going to be played within the next couple of minutes. Van was surprised to know that Lily’s favorite genres were horror and thriller so he quickly bought the tickets and they headed inside. He got them a bucket of popcorn to share along with two large sodas to sip during the trailers. After taking their seats in the darkened room, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into him. She leaned her head against his muscles as they watched the movie. Even during the scary scenes, she didn’t flinch once and it made him think just what she had witnessed when she was out on the battlefield.
Whatever it is must have been horrific for her to be so immune to such frightening scenes. Not to mention how strong she is being in the current situation. I would guess that she has always been strong though. She seems like the type of woman. I just wish I could take all this drama away and be strong for her. She’s too pure for the life. She’s too pure for the mafia.
They tossed their garbage in the bin as they exited the theater and Lily spun around and looked up at him. Her little grin was enough to make him lean down and kiss her once more.
“I’m not ready for this day to end just yet,” she breathed.
“Let’s have a drink before we head back into the city to calm your nerves and then we can think about facing reality,” he propped her face up and pecked her on the lips.
He held her hand as he led her down the street to a local bar. Low jazz music played in the background and it was pretty empty, apart from a few locals sipping their beers. They barely glanced up when the duo walked in. Van knew this was the perfect place for them since no one would be looking for them in a bar playing jazz music.
“You want your usual?” he asked her.
Lily nodded and he headed over to the bar while she secured a table with two bar stools in the corner. He ordered a vodka and cranberry juice for her while he played it safe with a beer. He never liked the idea of drinking and driving. Plus, he needed to maintain a clear head, if they were to discuss the situation. After the bartender delivered their drinks, he brought them over to the table where Lily was waiting.
“Thanks,” she smiled as she sipped on her drink.
He watched as her fingers traced lines in the condensation forming on the outside of the glass. He knew she was trying to avoid talking about what would happen next, but it had to be done. Sipping his drink, he decided he needed to make the first move.
“What are you planning to do when I take you home? You want to go back tonight I presume?” he questioned.
“I don’t ever want to go back. And the word ‘home’ is very strong for what that place is to me. But it’s not about what I want. It’s about my duty to keep Jin alive.”
“But you can’t marry Vincent. He’s a fucking lunatic. You would be sacrificing your life then for the sake of the twin’s greed.”
Lily took another gulp of her drink before replying, “You’re right. I cannot marry that man. I would rather die than marry someone as abusive and insane as that. I will talk to the twins when I get home and see what can be done. I know who I want to be with and if they even have a shred of decency in them then they won’t interfere. Although I think that maybe introducing you to them may have to wait while they digest the thought of me refusing to marry Vincent. I might be destroying their entire business plan because of this, but I can’t give up everything for them. They won’t kill Jin once they realize what an asshole Vincent is.”
“Do you want me to come with you? I can say I found you, if anything.”
“No, I have to do this alone. I think it’s time we head back now anyway. I’m still nervous that they find the safe-house where Jin is hiding out.”
They both finished their drinks in silence. He could tell by the frown on her face, that she was deep in thought about what was going to happen in the conversation, she was going to have with her siblings. She looked absolutely terrified. He wished he could pick her up and lock her away in his house. Keep her safe from all the dangers and pain in the world but he knew she had to face this herself. For now.
“Dammit, I left my phone at yours!”
Van pulled the three pieces of the device from his pocket while smiling, “I thought ahead. Just in case you needed to contact someone. But your dress is still at mine. Should we go back to pick it up?”
Lily scoffed, “Like I would ever be caught dead in that thing again! No, I never want to be reminded of last night again if it can be helped. I’m sure Pearl will understand that. Burn it, throw it away, destroy it, I don’t care. I just never want to see it again. She might question where I got this shirt though. Hmm… I’ll say I stayed at a friend’s last night. She will probably put two and two together but at least she won’t have a name. The least
I can do is keep you safe for now. Hell hath no fury like a Romano scorned.”
Van nodded, “Alright, let’s get you back to the house then.”
They left their empty drinks on the table and they headed out to the bike. The ride back was gloomy and Van had a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. He dropped her off at the other side of the park to avoid any drama.
“I’ll see you soon,” she leaned up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his, before turning on her heel and heading through the park back towards the house.
Van stood there and watched her disappear behind the bushes before jumping back onto his bike and starting the engine.
I’ll see you soon, princess.
Chapter 11
LILY
“I’m going to kill you!”
Lily just managed to duck in time as a vase went flying over her head and smashing into the now closed front door. One of the shards flew off and grazed her bare leg. She barely noticed, as she rushed to the side to avoid another flying object coming at her. Her sister was in full-blown rage as Joe came rushing out and grabbed onto his twin. He pinned her arms down by her side before she had the chance to spear an umbrella at their defenseless younger sister.
“Where have you been, Lily?” Joe asked, “We have been searching everywhere for you. You have your sister all worked up.”
Before she could answer Pearl jumped in, “And what the fuck are you wearing? You pissed off Vincent and then you ran away to sleep with Jin?”
Pearl struggled to break free from her brother. Lily could tell that if she managed, then Lily would be in a whole world of pain. She had been trained in self-defense but even she couldn’t raise an arm to her older sister. The thought of it made her feel sick to her stomach.
At least I still have some love of my siblings. At least I respect the sanctity of blood. The same can’t be said about you two.
Lily raised her hands, “I did not and never will sleep with Jin. He’s just a friend. And I stayed at a friend’s house after things went south with Vincent. I knew this would be your reaction.”
“You think running out of the hotel and not giving word of where you are, was going to make things better?” Joe’s voice was calm.
“I thought it might give you some time to cool down. Clearly I was wrong. But we do need to talk. I can’t marry Vincent. He’s insane!”
“I’ll tell you what’s insane,” Pearl spat, “What’s insane is you running out on a perfectly decent date. What’s insane is you risking Jin’s life for whatever fling you’re having. What’s insane, is you ruining the family business just because you’re a selfish ungrateful little brat! How are you planning to make things right now?”
“You don’t understand. Vincent tried to have sex with me!”
Pearl laughed, “So open your legs and let the man in, you fucking idiot! It’s not like you’re a virgin! If sex is what the man wants then sex is what he gets. We need this expansion, we need this deal. Stop being such a fucking prude!”
Joe looked down at his twin in disgust before releasing her. Pearl shook out her arms before stalking over to Lily. For a moment Lily was frightened her sister would hit her, but she just grabbed hold of her shoulder tightly and led her into the living room. She shoved her down onto the armchair while the twins took their seat on the sofa. The servant arrived with the drinks within a moment and they were all sipping in silence before Pearl broke it.
“You will be marrying Vincent. You should be glad that I was able to persuade him that you weren’t an entitled piece of shit, after all. He seems quite keen on you, god knows why. This is your final chance to make it up to him and make it up to this family, so do not fuck it up.”
“I’m not marrying him,” Lily glared at her sister.
“Like hell you will. Not only will I have Jin killed but you will also be disowned from this family. As far as I’m aware, if you don’t marry Mr. King then you’re dead to me also. You have no choice in the matter. I will also make it my upmost duty to find out who you’ve been seeing behind my back and I’ll have them killed too. And their family. I will fucking bring the city to its knees if you fuck everything up. Do you understand me, Lily?”
Pearl’s face was slowly increasing in redness throughout her speech. Lily could see her visibly shaking with rage and she knew she was telling the truth. Her sister had always had a short-temper but when it came to business, she was literally cut-throat.
“Lily, just do as your sister says. Marrying Vincent can’t be that bad. It’s better than the alternative,” Joe did his best as pleading in his emotionless way.
She’s given me no other choice. Innocent people will die if I do not marry that monster. But what about Van? How can I tell him that I have to marry a King? The only way I can keep people safe is to go ahead with it. There is no other option.
“Okay,” Lily mumbled.
That single four-letter word seemed to calm Pearl within an instant. She loosened her grip on her drink and the redness drained from her face. Lily watched as she leaned back into the sofa and smiled gratefully at her twin before turning back to Lily.
“Your engagement party is the day after tomorrow. Until then you will not leave your bedroom. I’ll have the guards ensure you don’t.”
Lily nodded and the guards appeared almost out of thin air. Pearl gave her signal and Lily stood up. One tried to grab her elbow but she yanked it out of his reach before leaving the room. They followed her as she ascended the stairs. It wasn’t until she got to her bedroom that they left her side.
The one that tried to grab her, spoke up, “There will be two of us outside here day and night. Miss Romano has also made us put locks on all the windows so please don’t try to escape.”
He took his place by the door and Lily slammed the door shut as she stepped into her room. Exhausted, she collapsed on the bed and started crying. She couldn’t stem the flow of tears as they poured out onto the clean sheets.
Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. I can’t believe I am being forced to marry that asshole. And on top of that I have to tell Van. Shit, Van!
Lily quickly scrambled with the pieces of her phone until she had them back together. She plugged her phone into the charger before powering it on. When her screen came to life, she could see the hundreds of missed calls from the twins and the nasty messages from her sister. Apparently, Vincent had tried to call too, but there were no messages. The last message to show up was from Van.
How did the talk go?
Lily was shaking as she typed out a reply.
I have to marry Vincent or they will kill everyone. I’m sorry.
Within a minute her phone buzzed and she checked the reply.
You can’t marry him.
A tear fell onto the screen as she messaged back.
I have no choice.
She tossed her phone to the side. She could hear it buzz but she couldn’t bring herself to look at his reply. Standing up she started to undress. The choker got thrown to the side, but when she went to take of the shirt she could still smell the faint scent of Van on it. She gently placed it on her bed and went into the bathroom. Running a hot bath, she let the steam curl up onto her face. Drying the tears and soothing her headache. After clambering in, the heat relaxed her muscles and she closed her eyes. Everything in her life felt hopeless and she didn’t know how to fix it. She thought about how easy it would be to end her life.
But what about the consequences? The twins will be furious and Jin will most certainly be killed. The plans may fall through and it would cause my family suffering. On top of that, Van will never understand. I can’t do that to him of all people.
Her suicidal thoughts drifted away on the bubbles as she reopened her eyes. She knew she had no choice in the matter, but it didn’t make her feel any better. The thought of marrying Vincent King made her sick to her stomach. She decided to distract herself by running through all the fun she had had the night before, and the day she had spent wi
th Van. She wished she could be with him forever. He made her feel a happiness that she had never felt before. She could truly be herself with him and he only wanted what was best for her. She knew it would be killing him to think of her marrying another man. Especially a King.
She dipped her head under the water, trapping the world outside. Everything was so quiet under water, so peaceful and gentle. Her eyes remained open as she stared at the ripples and bubbles on the surface. She had always loved the surrealism of being underneath water. Lily stayed there for as long as she could hold her breath before she came back up, gasping for air.
After her skin had wrinkled and the water went cold, she clambered out. It was late into the night, she could tell by the darkness outside. She looked up at the stars and wondered if Van was doing the same. It brought her a slight comfort to know that he was at least under the same night sky as her. Even if they could never be together.
Sighing, she dried herself on a towel before going back into the bedroom. She didn’t bother to dry her hair as she dressed herself in Van’s shirt. She got into bed and drifted off with the scent of him lingering in her thoughts.
If only I had more than just the scent.
***
“It’s a good thing the engagement party is being held here so I can keep an eye on you. Can’t be trusted to let you out by yourself again. I suggest you start perking up a little. You’ve had enough days to feel sorry for yourself.”
Lily barely glanced at her sister, sitting at the foot of her bed. The sight of her still angered her, but being confined to her room had left her deflated. She had barely moved from her bed and her phone was a no-go zone. Lily couldn’t bear to see Van’s messages and it hadn’t stopped buzzing throughout the night. She knew he would be desperate to talk to her, but Lily couldn’t risk getting him involved when the stakes were this high.
“I’ll be ready before the party,” she mumbled into her pillow.
“That’s great. The dress is due to arrive soon and I want you all cleaned up and ready to go. It’s going to be a small affair this time, but don’t think that gives you an excuse to act up. Remember what I said – this is our last chance with Vincent.”
The Bailey Brothers Box Set- the Complete Trilogy Page 48