After a heavy sigh, she relents and continues. “Ria is like a sister to me. We did everything together, went everywhere together. Even when I was in Japan, she made sure she came every school holidays. But as soon as I knew what I was in for with Sergei. I cut her out, so he couldn’t use her against me.”
I try to keep my expression neutral, and not murderous like I feel every single time she mentions her past with him.
“She was pissed. And when I started to plan to leave. I didn’t tell her, so she didn’t have to lie. And it’s been so long now, and I’ve missed so much of her life, things that I should have been there for.”
She did the hardest thing and walked away from her friend for her protection and went through it all alone. I can see the sadness in her eyes, I watch every blink, every flinch and the way her eyes water when she talks about her friend.
“I’m sure she misses you. She’ll understand your reasons.” I try to say, but it doesn’t seem to help.
Lilly talked about going to clubs the other night, and I know she likes to dance. The memories are imprinted in my brain. There’s an event at our club, Sin, Saturday night. Winston, the manager, needs me to go over the plans, and sign off on a few things tomorrow. Maybe I should take her with me?
It might work, keeping her busy and invested so she doesn’t even think of leaving and maybe I can start giving back her life that was taken from her.
“I have an event tomorrow night at my club. I was thinking maybe you’d want to go with me to work?”
For some reason, I’m nervous when I ask. But I shouldn’t have been, her smile is breathtaking.
“You had me at club.”
“Okay, good.” My voice comes out hoarse from the way her words hit deep within me. “You better get some sleep. Big weekend, this weekend.”
It really is, because Sunday dinner is around the corner and should surely be interesting.
“Alright.” She waves goodbye through the small window in our pillow wall. “Night, night.”
It takes a few moments for the cuteness to wash over me, then I burst out laughing. And for the second time in this bed, I go to sleep with a smile on my face.
My body wakes on its own. Darkness fills the room and Lilly’s hair is on my chest, the pillows long gone. I’m not sure if it was her or me, but she ended up right where she was meant to, tucked securely under my arms.
I don’t need to look at the clock to know it’s around 5am. Just like usual, my body wakes. But something feels wrong. Her body is tense, rigid, and her hands balled into fists.
“Lilly?” I whisper her name, angling my head to see her face.
There’s no answer, and her eyes are shut tight. A frown mar’s her beautiful face, and her body jerks violently.
“No!” she cries out.
But her words aren’t directed at me. It’s then I realise she’s having a nightmare.
“Baby,” I drop my voice to a gentle tone and stroke her arm, trying to soothe whatever she’s fighting in her dream.
“No!” Her body jerks again, this time I feel hot tears land on my chest.
I move her hair from her face, softly stroking. “Baby, wake up. You’re safe. It’s just a dream.”
“No, I don’t want him to. I don’t want him to touch me.”
My stomach churns, and a wave of nausea washes over me. The pain and desperation in her voice, gutting me to my core.
20
Lilly
Itwasagoodday today; a big piece of the puzzle fell into place. One step closer to my escape and being free from this nightmare.
The elevator pings open to his penthouse. My prison. Every part of me is hoping he isn’t home. That he’s still out, or fingers crossed, dead.
No such luck. When the door opens, I see his back standing by the large windows overlooking the city. Two of his men stand near the kitchen. Always around. Always close.