Chapter 12 Heath
HEATH
“What the fuck?!”
Hayden’s words explode around the apartment, echoing off the walls and making Lily shiver against me. She tries jumping away, but I anchor her to my side with an arm around her waist. No way in hell I’m letting her go. I don’t want her to think I’m ashamed of us or our relationship. Never again.
“Hayden, this isn’t–” I start.
“Isn’t what it looks like? Seriously?” he snarls.
“I was going to say that this isn’t the fight we need to be having. Lily and I are together; that’s just how it is. What we should worry about is the fucker who broke in–”
“That’s just how it is? That’s just how it is?” Hayden’s blue eyes flash with a warning, but I’m ready to take him head on. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I can’t believe…”
“Look, Hayden, I–”
“How long has this been going on? Did you move back to Hope Mountain to be with her? Why didn’t anyone say anything?”
I step forward, dropping my hand from where it was resting on Lily’s lower back.
“I moved back to start the next chapter of my life after retirement. You know that,” I answer in what I hope is a calming voice.
“I didn’t expect to meet Lily again, and to have such an instant connection. I didn’t even recognize her at first.”
“And that makes it okay? That’s asinine. You’re just taking advantage of her. She’s had a crush on you for years, you know. Did it make you feel powerful to use that against her?”
Fuck, his accusations pierce through me as if he stabbed me in the gut. “I honestly had no idea about the crush until she told me a few days ago. How would I have known? She was too young for me to pay attention to before you and I left for basic training.”
“And you don’t see how fucked up that is? She’s ten years younger than you.”
“Stop making me out to be a predator when I’m not,” I grit out. It’s pissing me the hell off that he can even think I’m capable of that. “You’ve known me my whole life. When have I ever mistreated a woman? Hell, when have I ever even been in a relationship with a woman?”
“Another red flag. Are you afraid of commitment or something? My sister isn’t someone you can throw away. She’s too special.”
“Have you considered that maybe I’ve never had a romantic relationship because I was waiting for someone as special and precious as Lily?”
Hayden blinks a few times, and I see just the smallest amount of anger drain from his eyes. “Well… why didn’t you say anything to me before now?”
“Considering how well you’re handling this conversation, I can’t imagine why I’d want to put it off,” I say, my words dripping with sarcasm. “Besides, it’s not my place to speak for Lily. We were going to tell you when she felt comfortable.”
I look over my shoulder, hoping to pull Lily into my arms so we can face Hayden together, but she’s not there.
“Shit,” Hayden says, noticing at the same time I do that his sister is missing.
My heart leaps into my throat as panic sets in.
We still don’t know who broke in and busted the pipe downstairs.
Maybe they’ve been waiting to get her alone to intimidate her more, or kidnap her, or worse.
Jesus, the vice around my lungs makes it hard to breathe as all the worst-case scenarios play on repeat in my mind.
“Have to find her,” I choke out.
Hayden’s eyes meet mine, his brow furrowing as he observes my visceral reaction to Lily not being here. “Is she in danger? Why are you acting like this? I know you’re upset, but–”
“Didn’t you hear what I said when you first stormed in here?
” I growl. “Someone broke in a few days ago. They sabotaged the store. That’s why it’s closed in the middle of the day.
Did you even notice, or were you too busy feeling sorry for yourself?
” My words are coated with venom, and while I might regret them later, it’s what finally snaps Hayden out of his rage.
“Someone broke in?” he rasps. “She didn’t say anything. I would have…”
“Come home?” I finish for him. “I don’t think she believes that, and can you blame her? You haven’t exactly been an active part of her life.”
Hayden opens and closes his mouth a few times, then hangs his head in defeat.
“I fucked up,” he mutters. He digs the heel of his hand into his left eye, and I swear he’s trying to hide a tear.
I know he’s raw and vulnerable and dealing with a twisted sense of guilt for things beyond his control, but he needs to set that aside and focus on Lily.
“We need to find her,” Hayden says after taking a moment to collect himself.
I follow him downstairs and into the main store.
Hayden sets his sights on the front lobby while I search for Lily in the back office and hallway.
When I push the back door open, I notice a discarded key lying on the ground, surrounded by what look like pieces of a broken taillight.
The key is half hidden in the dirt, but when I pick it up, a chill runs down my spine.
As soon as we find Lily, I’ll need to call the detective originally assigned to this case.
“Hayden,” I bark. “Get over here.”
He’s next to me in a matter of seconds. I can feel the anxiety and fear radiating off of him, and I’m sure he senses the same from me.
“What? What is it?”
I hold the key up, but he doesn’t understand the significance. “This must be how that fucker got in undetected,” I explain. “He had a copy of the key to get in, probably from staking out the place and slipping in while Lily was here on her own.”
“What happened? Why aren’t the cops swarming all over this place?”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm down enough to give a brief explanation of the events that unfolded. Hayden clenches his fists and grits his teeth when he hears the details, then nods his head once.
“Thank you for being here when I… when I couldn’t be,” he says, his voice full of self-hatred.
As much as I want to punch him for scaring Lily off, I hear the deep regret and feel for my best friend. Yeah, he handled the news about me and his sister about as terribly as I thought, but Hayden is a good man. Even if he can’t see it for himself right now.
“I will always be here for her,” I tell him. “I know it’s hard to talk about this shit, but I need you to know I’m all in. I’m not leaving, and I’ll never hurt her. I fucking love her, can’t you see that?”
Hayden snaps his head up, his blue eyes narrowed in on me. The longer he stares, the more his resolve is fading away. “Damn,” he says, letting out a low whistle. “You really do love her.”
“Yes. But you’re not the one I should be telling that to. Gotta find Lily and make sure she knows where I stand.”
Hayden nods and rubs a hand down his face. “Let’s split up. You take everything north of Main Street; I’ll take the south side of town. Keep in contact. Eyes open.”
He’s going into mission mode, which I understand. There’s a sense of control in having a plan, even if the world is spinning chaotically around you.
I take off in my truck, peeling out of the parking lot a second before Hayden. I weave in and out of the streets in Hope Mountain, the fear in my stomach knotting around itself and threatening to suffocate me.
“Where are you, Lily?”
A memory from childhood flashes across my eyes, one where I said the very same thing.
Where are you, Lily? I was sixteen, which would make her only six years old.
She ran away after she was grounded for one reason or another.
Hayden and I, along with their grandma, scoured the town for her.
I was the one who eventually found the sweet girl, hiding in a treehouse next to one of the streams that run through town.
I jerk the wheel of my truck to the right, doing a U-turn before pummeling down the road toward that very same park I found her in years ago. When I arrive, I jump out of the vehicle, barely remembering to shut the door as I sprint toward the giant maple tree.
“Thank Christ,” I breathe out when I see her cute little feet dangling off the ledge of the treehouse. Pulling out my phone, I send a quick text to Hayden to let him know I found her and she’s safe.
I take a moment to compose myself so I don’t scare her away with my intensity and sweaty palms. Fuck, I’ve never felt fear like that.
After a few deep breaths, I find the makeshift ladder and pull myself up to the platform of the treehouse. Lily gasps in surprise, then softens when her eyes meet mine.
“Lily,” I breathe. “You scared the hell out of me.” I sit down next to her and pull her to my side. Nuzzling into the top of her head, I breathe in her sweet scent, letting it ground me.
“Heath,” she replies with a sniffle. I press a kiss against her temple and bundle her even closer. “I couldn’t stand there while you both lost your friendship over me. I’m sorry.”
“Sweetheart, no,” I murmur. “There’s nothing to apologize for.
We knew it was going to be complicated whenever we decided to tell Hayden about us.
It just happened quicker than planned.” She doesn’t say anything, so I continue.
“I’m sorry you saw us fighting, but I don’t regret anything.
I’d defend us again, to anyone and everyone.
No part of me is ashamed of this. Of us. ”
“But… Hayden? Does he hate you? Or me? He must feel so betrayed.”
“Lily,” I whisper, leaning back slightly.
I brush a few strands of hair behind her ear, letting my fingers trail down her cheek and across her jawbone.
She turns toward me, those blue eyes filled with sadness and longing.
“Hayden could never hate you. He’s so damn proud of everything you’ve accomplished, even if he’s too emotionally stunted to tell you.
I understand the protectiveness he feels, and it makes sense.
Once he calmed down, I simply explained what you mean to me. ”
“What do I mean to you?” she murmurs. The way she’s peering up at me, holding her heart in her hands, has me falling even harder for this precious woman.
I smile softly, showing her all the affection and warmth I have for her. “I love you, Lily. I love every little thing about you, and I’m so damn glad I was there to catch you when you fell.”
Her eyes sparkle with unshed tears, that pretty pink blush blossoming in her cheeks. “I think you’ll always be here to catch me,” she replies.
“Damn right,” I confirm, resting my forehead on hers. “I didn’t know I could feel so much for someone.”
“And what do you feel?”
“Love, contentment, playfulness, protectiveness.” I kiss her cheeks and nose to emphasize each word. “I feel pain for all you’ve been through, and regret that I wasn’t here for you sooner. I feel like I can do anything with you by my side, and all I want is to support you and watch you thrive.”
“Heath…”
“You’re everything to me, Lily. I know it’s hardly even been a week since I came back into your life, but…”
“But it’s real,” she finishes for me. “I still find it hard to believe you really want me, but you keep showing me with your words and actions that you care. I know I can trust you.” She smiles sweetly, then nibbles on her bottom lip, as if debating her next words.
“You probably already know this, but I’ve been in love with you for a long time now.
I thought I was just in love with the idea of you, the fantasy of the man I idolized growing up.
But then you came back, showing me you’re an even better man than I could have ever fantasized about. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Thank me?” I question. “Sweetheart, I’m the lucky one, remember?” Lily melts into my side, and I kiss the top of her head, breathing her in once more. “You love me?” I ask, letting the rest of her words wash over me.
“Duh,” she says with a giggle.
I chuckle at her response, the last of my tension and fear receding at the sweet sound. “Love you so goddamn much. Can’t wait for the rest of our lives.”
We sit for long moments, just wrapped up in each other and basking in the love we’ve found.
“I can’t believe you remembered the treehouse,” Lily says, breaking the silence.
“Of course, I did. I remember finding you after you ran away. Your tears broke my heart back then, too.”
“Maybe we should make some happy memories here, then?” The playful smirk on her lips gives me all kinds of wicked ideas.
“I think confessing our love for each other is definitely a highlight,” I whisper, letting my lips tickle the shell of her ear.
“Mm, so maybe we could make some steamy memories here?”
“Oh? Is that what my girl wants?”
She nods, then leans in for a kiss. I take her lips in a possessive kiss, sliding my hand to the back of her head and angling her just right.
My tongue invades her mouth, claiming her and making sure she knows she’s mine.
Lily gasps when I pull her into my lap, but I continue lavishing her with kisses down her neck and collarbone.
“Heath,” she breathes out. “I want more.”
She wants more? Good. I’ll give her everything.