48. Lilian
Chapter 48
Lilian
The whir of Mama’s sewing machine fills the room, a soothing rhythm that matches my heartbeat. I crouch beside her, mesmerized by the way two pieces of fabric become one under her skilled hands.
One day, I want to be like her.
Daddy’s voice thunders from below. “Rose! Get down here, now.”
Mama’s face drains of color. She stands, the chair scraping against hardwood. “Sweetie, I need you to do something for me.”
I nod, throat tight.
“We’re going to play our little game, okay? I need you to go hide in the closet like we practiced. And no matter what you hear, don’t come out until I come get you. Understand?”
“But Mommy—” My voice is small, childlike.
“Please, Lilian. No fuss. Stay there until I come back.” Her tone brooks no argument.
Tears sting my eyes, and she ushers me into the closet, closing the doors with a soft click. My world goes black. I press my ear against the wood, straining to hear.
Something crashes. “Shit.” Her footsteps retreat, followed by the door closing.
Seconds later, screams pierce the air. I clamp my hands over my ears, rocking back and forth, willing the noise to stop. Thuds shake the walls. Then, silence.
“Mommy?” I whisper.
Nothing.
I push the closet doors open and crawl out. Fabric litters the floor, a stark white piece catching my eye. I pad over to the door, grabbing the handle. Locked.
Shouts erupt again. “Why is that brat still here? I told you to take care of it.”
“No!”
I scramble backward, falling.
Violent knocks rattle the door, the handle jiggling.
“Lilian. Come out.” Daddy’s voice is cold and sinister. “Daddy needs something.”
My whole body shakes.
“Open this damn door right now!”
I curl into a ball, sobs wracking my body. This can’t be happening. “Daddy? Where’s Mommy?”
“Rose, where’s the fuckin’ key? Where’d you hide it, you lying bitch?”
“You’re not—”
The door shudders and someone pounds on it, Daddy’s shouts growing louder and more desperate. The key turns in the lock. Crashes, thuds, and her screams. A horrifying symphony. A sickening thud rattles the door. Then, silence.
I don’t move. “Daddy?”
“Daddy’s… Daddy’s going for a walk.” My mother’s voice is heavy.
I scramble to the door, twisting and pulling the handle. “Mommy, please! Let me out!” It clicks, but something blocks it.
“Lilian, sweetie … “ Mama’s voice is weak, breathless. “Stay in there, okay? No matter what.”
“Mommy!”
“Help is coming, sweetie. Just wait a little longer.” She coughs, wet and hacking. “Remember our special game? When you hide in the closet?”
“No, I don’t want to play! I want—”
The lock clicks. I stumble back. Something warm and wet seeps between my toes. My stomach lurches at the crimson pool staining the white fabric below me.
“Okay. Sweetie,” my mother says. “Close your eyes for me. Can you do that?”
I obey, tears streaming down my cheeks. The coppery scent of blood fills my nostrils.
“That’s my girl. Now, walk towards me. Keep your eyes closed, no peeking.”
I take a tentative step, my foot squelching in the sticky wetness.
Suddenly, something snags my ankle. I yelp, eyes flying open. Daddy’s hand clamps around my leg, his face contorted in rage.
“Run, Lilian!” Mommy screams.
I kick wildly. His grip loosens, and I wrench free, stumbling over my own two feet. Mommy lays crumpled against the wall, her nightgown stained red.
“Hide!”
I run, bare feet slapping against hardwood, Mommy’s screams echoing in my ears. I don’t look back. The world blurs, and I race down the stairs, lungs burning. I have to get away, have to find help.
Hide.
I burst out of the mansion. My feet catch on the top step, and I stumble, slamming into the ground. Pain lances through my palms and knees. I lift them, staring at the crimson smears.
Hide. The monster will get you.
A small hand appears. “Dummy. Who runs with closed eyes?”
I jerk back, meeting a pair of familiar green eyes like sunlight shining through a forest canopy. Sebastian?
“You don’t need to be scared. Not with me around.” His voice is gentle and soothing. “I’ll protect you.”
“Are you a knight?”
“Are you a princess?”
My head bobs up and down.
The boy bows, blonde curls flopping. “At your service, my princess.”
“Did my Mommy send you?”
He tilts his head, considering, but then his expression shifts, eyes widening. I whip around, following his gaze.
It’s Dad, but he looks wrong.
He staggers toward us, shirt drenched in blood, eyes vacant. No, no, no, this can’t be real. The boy darts between us, arms spread like a shield.
“No!” I scream as Dad lunges, grabbing the boy’s throat. I scramble up, pummeling Dad’s back. “Let him go!”
He drops the boy, turning on me with a snarl. “Right, let’s finish what I started.”
I stumble back, and Dad’s hands close around my throat, squeezing. “You little brat. I knew you were not mine.”
I claw at his fingers.
Hide.
I can’t breathe, can’t think, can’t—“Daddy…”
His eyes soften and —
Beeping fills my ears, loud and insistent. I thrash against restraints. Where am I? What’s happening?
“Lil, calm down, you’re safe.” A voice, distant and muffled. Hands on my arms, gentle but firm.
A room swims into focus. But then it’s gone, replaced by Dad’s snarling face, his hands tightening around my throat.
“Please,” I choke out, tears streaming. “Daddy.”
I gasp for air, clawing at phantom hands. Dad’s expression cold.
Suddenly, blood splatters on my face. Once, twice. His grip loosens, and precious air rushes into my lungs. I rise to my knees, wheezing, just as Dad staggers backward, a dazed look in his eyes. He totters at the top of the stairs for a heart-stopping moment before his body gives way, tumbling down each step with bone-crunching force.
I wipe my face, smearing the blood and sweat, and peer down. He lies in a twisted heap at the bottom, unmoving. My heart pounds in my ears, drowning out all other noise.
The boy stands beside me, clutching a bloodied rock in his equally bloody hands, his green eyes wide and unblinking, finding mine.
Did he bash—
“He was hurting you.” The boy drops the rock, hands shaking. His voice is so small, so fragile. “Are you okay?”
My voice cracks. “I’m sorry.”
I jolt awake, gasping. The room comes into focus, machines beeping frantically.
It was a dream. A dream. Right?
I try to sit up, but pain lances through my body, stealing my breath.
A hand comes to rest on my arm. I turn to see Landon sitting in a chair next to me. He’s saying something. But I can’t hear anything except a constant ringing.
What happened?
I glance to the other side. Levi and Uncle Marc are here, too. Their lips move, but the sound is muffled and distant.
I flinch as Landon swipes his thumb over my cheek. My hand flies up and… It’s wet. I’m crying?
I blink, taking in the sterile white walls and wild beeping monitors. Clearly, I’m in a hospital. But what happened?
Did I go back in time, like Claire did in Outlander? I examine my brothers again. No, they look too old.
“Lil, it’s okay. You’re in the hospital.” Landon’s voice filters through. “Can you hear me?”
I give a small nod.
How did I get here? I scan my surroundings, taking in the IV stand and the bandages covering my arms.
The door opens, and a nurse strides in, glancing at the screens before taking my wrist in her cool fingers. I wince at her touch.
“How are you feeling, Ms. Edmunds?” Her fingers press against my wrist, her eyes fixed on her watch.
I shrug, immediately regretting it as pain shoots through my shoulder. “Like I got hit by a truck.”
Landon and Levi exchange a look, some silent communication passing between them.
Uncle Marc clears his throat. “You were in an accident. You ran out into the street and got hit by a car.”
I blink, trying to process his words. An accident? Why the hell would I run into the street like some kind of—
Sebastian.
The food. His office. The argument. My father…
Oh God, my father.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block out the memories flooding back. The screams, the blood, the sickening crack of bone against stone.
“Lil?” Levi’s voice cuts through the haze. “You okay?”
I nod, although tears burn behind my eyelids, threatening to spill over.
The nurse finishes her examination. “The doctor will be in shortly to discuss your condition. In the meantime, try to rest.” She scribbles something down before slipping out of the room.
I turn to my brothers, my voice hoarse. “Where’s Sebastian?”
Landon’s eyes harden. “He’s not here.”
“What do you mean he’s not here? Where is he?” I try to sit up, ignoring the searing pain in my ribs.
Uncle Marc places a hand on my shoulder, gently pushing me back against the pillows. “You need to calm down. Getting worked up isn’t going to help.”
“I need to see him. I need to know what happened. What he did…”
“What are you talking about?” Levi asks. “You were in an accident. You ran into the street and got hit by a car.”
“Sebastian, he…” My throat constricts. “His father said…” I can’t bring myself to say the words out loud.
Uncle Marc’s eyes narrow. “What did John say?”
“He…” My hands fidget in my lap, fingers twisting together as I try to force the words out. “He said that my parents didn’t die because of a car accident.”
The room falls silent, the beeping of the machines the only sound. I peer at each of them. But instead of shock, there’s…
“It’s true?” It wasn’t a dream. He was trying to kill me. My hand reaches around my throat. “My father. He was strangling me, and Sebastian stopped him. ”
Landon’s hand tightens on my arm. “Lil, please relax. You’re still in shock.”
“Stop keeping me in the dark.” Anger bubbles up inside me. “My entire life? I believed Dad was some kind of hero who died in a car accident.”
“Your father, he… He had his demons. But he loved you and your mother very much.”
“Not enough to stop himself from killing her.” Tears stream down my face. “Or from trying to kill me.”
Levi reaches out, his hand hovering over mine. “We’re sorry. We should have told you the truth a long time ago.”
I yank my hand away, ignoring the hurt that flashes across his face. “You’re damn right you should have. And now Sebastian…”
Sebastian. The boy with the green eyes. The one who saved me that night.
“I need to see him,” I say again, my voice stronger this time.
Uncle Marc’s face hardens. “Absolutely not. That boy is the reason you’re in this hospital bed.”
The monitor’s beeping quickens, matching the frantic pounding of my heart.
“No, he’s not.” I meet his gaze, my eyes blazing. “He’s the reason I’m alive.”
Landon opens his mouth, but the door swings open, cutting him off.
A doctor strides in, his white coat billowing behind him. He nods at my family before turning to me. “Ms. Edmunds, it’s good to see you awake. How are you feeling?”
“Sore. Confused. ”
He chuckles, picking up my chart. “Well, that’s to be expected. You suffered some pretty serious injuries.” He rattles off a list of medical jargon that goes right over my head.
I tune him out, my mind drifting back to Sebastian. I need to see him. Is he even here?
“When can I leave?” I interrupt.
The doctor blinks, taken aback. “Ms. Edmunds, you’ve undergone major surgery. You need time to heal.”
I sit up, and a wave of dizziness washes over me. “Can I at least stand, and where’s my phone?”
Landon scoffs, crossing his arms over his chest. “To do what? Call that asshole who nearly got you killed?”
I glare at him. “You don’t—”
Uncle Marc clears his throat, placing a hand on Landon’s shoulder. “Perhaps we should let Lilian rest. This isn’t the time or place for this discussion.”
Nodding in agreement, the doctor scribbles something on his chart. “I agree. Ms. Edmunds needs her rest. You can come back during visiting hours tomorrow.”
Landon scowls, but a sharp look from Uncle Marc silences him. “Fine.”
I watch them leave, my heart heavy. I know they’re trying to protect me, but Sebastian did nothing wrong.
As the door closes behind them, the doctor checks my vitals, his brow furrowed. “Ms. Edmunds, I know you’re eager to leave, but you need to take it easy. Your body has been through a lot.”
I sink back, too tired to argue.
“Get some rest. I’ll be back to check on you later.”
The door closes behind him, and my eyes grow heavy .
The same dream plays on repeat, haunting me as I drift in and out of sleep over the next few days. The doctor comes by frequently to check on me, adjust medications, and do some testing. Marc, Levi, or Landon are permanently stationed at my bedside, barely leaving the room except to get food or use the restroom.
It’s tiring.
Just as I’m about to doze off again, Sloan comes into the room, waving to me.
Levi throws on his jacket. “I’ll be back soon. She will watch over you. That okay?”
“Um… sure.”
Sloan pats Levi’s head. “You should eat something, too. How will you look over her if you’re skin and bones?”
“Yeah, yeah. I will.” Levi leaves the room.
She shakes her head, laughing. “These two boys, right?”
“Yeah… Sloan?”
“Yes?”
There are so many questions I want to ask. Ask about my mother. My father. That night. But most important. About Sebastian. I miss him.
“How about we play some cards?” She takes out a deck from her purse.
I nod.
She takes a chair, sits down beside me, and deals out the cards on my bed. “You know, your mom and I used to play cards all the time.”
“Really?”
“Yes, she always beat me,” she says. “Never had a chance.”
I pick up my cards, studying them without really seeing them. “Can you tell me more about her? ”
“Of course. Let’s see…” She taps her chin. “Oh, I’ve got a good one. We snuck into the college swimming pool after hours.”
“Why?”
“Well, it was our sophomore year, and we were bored out of our minds.” She chuckles, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Your mom had this crazy idea to go skinny dipping in the pool.”
“So you did?”
“Oh, yeah. We waited until the coast was clear and snuck in through the back entrance. We stripped down to our birthday suits and jumped in.”
“And then what?”
“We were having the best time, splashing around and being silly. But then, we heard voices coming from the locker room.” Sloan’s eyes widen, her hands gesturing animatedly. “We panicked. Your mom grabbed our clothes, and we hightailed it out of there, stark naked and dripping wet.”
I cover my mouth to stifle my laughter. “Did you get caught?”
“Almost.” Her cheeks turn red. “We rushed back into the dorms, and that’s the end of it.”
I struggle to swallow, my throat thick with emotion. “I wish I could have known her better.”
She reaches out, patting my hand. “She loved you so much. You were her whole world. And I see so much of her in you. That same spark, that same fire.”
“Thank you.”
“Anytime.” Her thumb brushes over my knuckles.
“If you were such good friends, why do our families hate each other?”
“I don’t think I should be the one telling you about it. Your uncle should, and maybe you can change his mind.”
Fantastic. As if I could do that .
“Don’t you want to ask me something else?”
“Is Sebastian okay?”
“He’s holding up.”
“Can I see him?”
“Thought you’d never asked.” A knowing smile spreads across her face. “Your brothers and your uncle should be away for a few hours, and I… will get some snacks now.” She winks at me, throwing the cards back into her bag.
“Is he here?”
“He never left.”