Through the Flames (The Lost Letters #1)

41. Noah

Chapter 41

Noah

A knock on Lilly’s hospital room door makes me straighten in my chair. Lilly’s been reading this morning while I’ve tried to nap. I got her a couple of accessories for her e-reader so she can read without needing to hold it or turn the pages. The doctors say she’ll need one more day in the hospital before they’ll discharge her.

“Hey, guys.” Cooper pokes his head through the doorway.

“Any news?” I ask, waving him in.

“That’s what I’ve come to talk to you about. We’ve made an arrest, but we need you to identify him first. Are you feeling up for that?”

Lilly nods. “I’m ready.” She uses the buttons on the side of her bed to sit up a little straighter.

Cooper holds out a tablet for Lilly to look at. “I’m going to swipe through some photos. You let me know if you recognize anyone.”

Lilly’s eyes are glued to the screen as Cooper flips through photos. None of them are familiar to me, so I watch Lilly instead.

“Him.” Her voice is strong. “That’s Tony.”

“You’re sure?” Cooper asks.

“Yes. Without a doubt.”

“Then we’ve got our guy. His name is Antony Farina Jr. He’s the son of Antony Farina Sr., the head of the Farina mob family and your dad’s employer. Tony was fifteen when the FBI took down the Farinas and seems to have been searching for your family ever since. Their assets were frozen when Farina Sr. and his enforcers were taken into custody, which left Tony and his mother with little to their name.”

“Explains why he was so desperate for the money he was looking for,” Lilly muses.

“How did you catch him?” I ask Cooper.

“When Lilly told us Tony attacked her, Dan and I were fairly certain it was Antony Jr. We ran his information through the system and found a trail leading us directly to a cheap rental he was staying in. He wasn’t the smartest criminal in the world, which was to our benefit. I’m just sorry we weren’t able to find him before now. He’d been living under his mother’s maiden name this whole time. It’s why he’d fallen off everyone’s radar.”

“I’m just glad you found him,” Lilly says.

“As well as his accomplices. He had a few guys working with him who were low-level foot soldiers for the Farina family. They were behind your parents’ murder.”

“What happens now?” I ask.

“They’ve been arrested, and we’re charging them with murder, conspiracy, breaking and entering, and a whole host of other crimes they committed while they were trying to find Lilly and her family. We’re still compiling evidence, so I won’t know specifics until we’ve finished the investigation. We might need you to testify once this goes to trial, but the bottom line is they’re going to prison for a very long time.”

Lilly’s body relaxes back into the mattress. “Thank you, Cooper. For everything you’ve done. I’ll do whatever you need me to do to keep them out of our lives for good.”

Cooper squeezes Lilly’s hand. “We’ll keep you updated. I’m glad you’re safe and on the mend. You’ll let us know if you need anything?”

Lilly nods.

“Good. I’ll leave you to rest, then.” Cooper heads out the door, leaving the biggest sense of relief in his wake.

“I can’t believe it’s really over.” Lilly’s smile is the biggest I’ve seen on her face in a while.

“It’s over, Bumblebee. All because you were brave enough to do what needed to be done. I’m incredibly proud of you.” I press my forehead to hers, needing this moment of connection.

“I want to get married at our new house.”

I pull back in surprise. “What?”

“The house you bought is gorgeous. Can’t you see an altar in the backyard with wildflowers around it and our whole family standing next to us?”

“That sounds perfect, Lilly. Absolutely perfect.” We haven’t talked much about the wedding. There’s been too many other things going on, but this is better than any plan we could’ve come up with together. It’ll be simple, and I can’t think of a better way to christen the new house. “I’ll have to get Levi to work double time on the renovations. I’m ready to marry you today.”

Lilly giggles. “I’d marry you today, too. But I want our family there and to wear a pretty dress and to walk down that aisle into our new future together.”

“I want that, too.” I lean over, pressing a kiss to Lilly’s soft lips. “Plus, Nellie needs to be part of the day.”

“Agreed.” Love shines in Lilly’s eyes. “I can’t wait to marry you. Don’t forget what you promised me.”

I frown. “What did I promise you?”

“That I could see whatever was in that envelope in your bedroom on the day we got married.”

My head drops back with a groan. “Of course, you’d remember that.”

Lilly laughs. “Hell yeah, I remembered. I’ve been dying to know what is in it.”

I shake my head. “Fine. The day we get married, I’ll let you open it, as promised.” Even if I’ll be mortified about her reading the desperate lengths I went to keep her memory alive.

The noise level in Lilly’s room has risen to a dull roar.

My family has come out in droves, wanting to check on Lilly and bring us anything we might need. I swear, Lilly only has to think of something she wants, and it’ll appear within minutes.

In her hospital bed, Lilly looks fragile. The blankets swamp her frame, and all I want to do is bundle her in my arms and hold her until she’s completely healed. I almost lost the love of my life this week. It’s unimaginable. I’ve been pushing that thought down into the depths of my mind to keep from letting it consume me.

I squeeze her hand to remind myself she’s still here. We have a bright future ahead of us. A small smile tilts the corner of her mouth when she looks at me, but there’s pain behind her eyes. It dawns on me how grating the noise in the room must be for her.

Standing from my chair next to Lilly’s hospital bed, I step over to where Mom is talking with Lilly’s Aunt Christine. “Would you mind kicking everyone out, please? I think Lilly needs to rest,” I say quietly.

Mom looks around the room as if she’s just realizing how many people have come for a visit. Aunt Quinn brought Lottie to help entertain Nellie, and Uncle Levi’s wife, Hope, came with fresh flowers from her shop.

“All right, everyone, it’s time to head out and let Lilly rest for a bit. Let’s grab some lunch, and then we can come back later.”

No one questions Mom. They say their goodbyes to Lilly before heading out. Nellie gives her mom a quick hug before bouncing back across the room to hold Lottie’s hand. The two of them have become buddies in the week Lilly has been recovering. I’ve always known I got lucky in the family department, but the way they’ve banded together to help take care of Nellie has been a godsend. I’ve also never been prouder of Nellie. She’s taken it all in stride, staying with Mom and Dad while we’ve been here at the hospital.

The room falls blessedly silent once the door is shut. I sit back in my chair, the steady beeping of Lilly’s heart monitor the only sound. Her eyes are beginning to droop, and it won’t be long before she’s out. I’ll be close behind her now that it’s quiet. Sleep hasn’t come easy for either of us since Lilly’s attack. I’ve been sleeping in the chair in her room, and Lilly’s nightmares have been waking her up constantly. Naps in the afternoon are about the only thing keeping us going.

“Thank you,” Lilly says.

“Of course. The noise was starting to get to me, too, so I’m not sure how you managed to deal with it for as long as you did.”

“I love them.”

And that’s all she needs to say to explain it.

Happiness bubbles up in my chest. I’m the luckiest bastard in the world. I never knew life could feel quite this good.

“Rest, Bumblebee.” I press a kiss on her forehead. Her breathing evens out in a matter of seconds, and I lean back in my chair, my hand still wrapped around Lilly’s as I close my eyes. Sleep comes easy for the first time since Lilly’s attack. Without the danger of Tony returning, maybe the nightmares will finally be put to rest.