Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Tristan
I’ve spent the last few days getting to know Lily.
Every new thing I learn about her makes me want to be with her even more.
I’ve never thought I was the cuddling type.
But with Lily? I love it. We spend time before we head to bed just sitting together in front of her fireplace.
Sure the guys are here too, but having her in my arms has become my favorite thing.
“Do you think that whoever was sending the texts has given up?” Lily asks.
“I don’t think so. I think they’re just waiting. We’ve seen this too many times.” Apollo answers.
“You’ve dealt with situations like this before?”
“We’ve dealt with different situations. But yes, some are similar to yours.
Stalkers that text are some of the worst ones.
They hide behind texting and act like they’re justified for it.
I feel like telling them to just come out and show themselves.
That way we can take care of them.” Armando sighs.
“When you’ve dealt with other stalking cases, have they turned out okay?”
“Yes. We’ve always been able to find them. But it’s never a smooth path to the end. You just have to be conscious of what’s going on around you.” Eros adds.
“Also know that if you’re taken or confronted, try not to panic.
That’s the one thing that could make things worse.
And I know that’s not easy. But they’re looking for you to be scared, that’s what they want.
Always remember that we will come for you.
No matter what.” I say to her as I hold her tighter.
“Have you all had to rescue a lot of people?” Lily asks as she frowns.
“We’ve had our fair share of it, it comes with being a part of the family.” Apollo tells her.
I haven’t told her about our Lake Renegade family. And I’m not sure how much I can tell her. I mean it’s not a secret as to who everyone is, so I suppose I could tell her. But I look at my brothers and wait for them to start that conversation.
“I think there’s a few things you should know about us and our families.
Now keep in mind that this isn’t something that will affect you in any way.
But we’re also not blind and we can see how you and Tristan feel about each other.
So we talked to our papà’s and asked permission to talk to you. ” Apollo says to her.
“But the first thing you need to do is tell us how you feel about being with Tristan. We need to know that what we see is what you want.” Eros adds.
Lily look up at me and smiles. “I would love to see where this goes. But the hard part is that we live so far apart. And I’m not sure I’m the type of person that can do long distance relationships.”
“You could come to Lake Renegade. I know you love it here, but I know that you’d love it there too. And you’d have a family there.”
“But that’s your family.”
“There’s one thing I’m one hundred percent sure of. Even if you decided you didn’t want to be with me, but stayed in Lake Renegade? They would love you. Once you’re family, that’s forever.”
“Well…there is one way you might be disowned.” Eros says as he looks at us.
“How’s that?” I ask.
“If one of you cheated on the other. That’s not something the mamas condone. I mean they’d be there if you needed them. But if it were just a daily hello? Probably not.”
“I can understand that. And I can honestly say that I’d never cheat on someone. That’s just not something I could ever do.” Lily says as she looks at me.
“Me either. I feel that if you don’t want to be with someone, no matter how much it hurts, you have to leave.”
“Okay, well that’s good for me, I just want to know if you’re ready for story time.” Armando chuckles.
“Should we have snacks first?” I laugh.
“I think we need snacks.” Apollo says.
“Of course you do.” Keegan laughs.
We all get up and make snacks, while Armando throws more wood on the fire.
I’m a little nervous for Lily and her friends to learn about our family.
It’s not anything I’m ashamed of, but when people hear mafia…
sometimes it scares them. Then you add in the MC and shifters. It’s a lot for anyone to take in.
“Okay. We’re all ready for story time.” Paisley smiles.
Armando tells them about Lake Renegade. How it was founded and how all the families that are tied to it work together. He’s left out the fact that Eros, Apollo and their families are shifters. I think by the looks on their faces, story time has them questioning a lot of things.
Lily
Learning about the families in Lake Renegade is a lot to find out. But it also makes me want to go there and see what it’s really like. I think that we should visit there when we go to Chicago for the Twisted Bonds concert.
I thought it would be too much having five enormous men in my house.
They’ve all made me feel safer. Especially Tristan.
Every time he touches me, I can’t help the smile on my face.
But I have to keep reminding myself that he’s leaving.
There’s no future for us. And it’s making me sad, because I really want to be with him.
He’s suggested that I should look at moving to Lake Renegade.
But I did that once. I moved here for Carson and look where it got me. I can’t do that again.
“So are you thinking of moving to be with Tristan?” Paisley asks me as we’re getting ready for bed.
“I don’t know. Remember what happened when I did that with Carson?” I whisper.
“Fuck Carson. He’s an asshole who I hope is wallowing in his own shit for doing what he did to you.”
“There are some days that I can’t believe that he just left like he did. What’s wrong with me that after nine years he could just leave?”
“I wish I had the answers for you. But I have to say that when I met you and then Carson? I didn’t really like him. There was always something about him that I didn’t like, but I couldn’t put my finger on why.”
“Seriously? I never knew that, why didn’t you tell me before?”
“Because you loved him. And I love you. So no matter what I supported you in what you wanted.”
“I wish you had told me. From now on, you need to tell me. What do you think of Tristan?”
“I think he’s perfect for you. The way he looks at you when you’re not looking? I want a man to look at me that way.”
“I really like him, but I know I can’t do long distance. And I don’t want to leave you and Cora.”
“Well you’re in luck. Cora and I have been talking. And we’d like to see Lake Renegade. Maybe we can all move there together.”
“Seriously? You’d both do that for me?”
“We’re a team and if you want to move there for a boy? Then we’ll go with you.”
“Wait. What if you meet someone and he doesn’t live in Lake Renegade?”
“Well then you’ll have to move.” She laughs. “I told Cora that if it was one of us that met our person and needed to move, we’d go. But it’s you that met yours first. So now we need to go and see our new home.”
“I was thinking that when we go to the concert, we could visit.”
“That’s the perfect time. Have you told Tristan about the concert? It’s in three weeks.”
“I was hoping this would be over before the concert. But I’ll bring it up in the morning.”
While we’re talking, my phone goes off.
Unknown: Are you stupid? Do you think those behemoth assholes are going to protect you from me? They’re a joke. You should watch your back. I’m coming
What the fuck.
“You need to show this to the guys.”
“They’re sleeping.”
“Oh please, they’re not sleeping. If you don’t, I will.”
I sigh and head downstairs. Tristan jumps up as I walk into the living room.
“What’s wrong?”
My hands are shaking as I show him the text message. Tristan holds me as he hands my phone to Keegan.
“I’ll call Sebastiano and get this to him.” Keegan says to us.
“I don’t understand why this persons doing this. Why me?” I whisper to Tristan.
“I don’t know why. But I’ve got you, this bastard isn’t going to touch you.”
Tristan leans down and kisses me.
“I’ve got you, we’re going to find out who’s doing this.”
“What if you can’t? You can’t stay here forever and Grayson said his guys will be available in two weeks. I don’t want you to leave.”
“I’ll stay as long as you need me.”
“Thank you.” I say as I hold onto him.
“Bastian said they’ll trace this text and get back to us tonight.”
“But it’s so late.” I say to Keegan.
“Don’t worry about the time. This needs to be looked into. Why don’t we put another movie on and wait for his call.”
“A-are you sure?” I ask as I look at everyone.
They don’t answer me. Instead, everyone grabs drinks and more snacks. We turn a movie on and wait for the phone call.