Chapter 39
LILY
Going off grid is my only option. After seeing the news report on TV, I had no other choice.
SOURCES SAY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IS TALKING TO POLICE, AS WE SPEAK, ABOUT THE TRUE IDENTITY OF THE CRIMSON ANGEL.
I panicked. I didn’t have time to prepare. I just had to flee.
Because shit, this wasn’t supposed to be happening.
How did this happen?
I considered fleeing to my warehouse, but since Asher has been following me, I figure he must know about that, and so too could whoever gave me up. So instead, I stole Asher’s motorbike and sped into the city, hoping to get lost in the crowds of London, hiding away in a seedy hotel.
Paying with cash so I don’t leave a paper trail, I shut myself away in the musky brown and yellow room as my phone starts blowing up.
BARRETT: Lily, the cops know. We need to get you out of there!
ASHER: WTF Lily! You knocked me out! And left me!
ASHER: FUCK! The cops are out front! Where are you?
ASHER: I only just got over the back fence in time before the cops busted down the front fucking door! Where the fuck are you? Please tell me you’re okay.
Tears burn my eyes as my heart races unnaturally fast. I shouldn’t have left Asher like that, but what other choice did I have? I had to run, and I can’t ask him to do that. He’s on parole. He’ll get tossed back in prison if he runs.
Switching on the shitty old TV, I flick through channel after channel, every one of them lit up with news about the Crimson Angel.
THE IDENTITY OF THE CRIMSON ANGEL IS NOW KNOWN BY POLICE WHO ARE ON THE HUNT FOR THE LOCAL WOMAN WHO HAS MURDERED COUNTLESS MEN OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS.
A HOUSE WAS RAIDED IN THE LATE HOURS OF THIS EVENING, BUT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF THE ASSAILANT.
Shit… there on the screen is my house. MY HOUSE!
My phone lights up again, this time with a call, and my hands shake as I stare at the screen.
Ronnie.
Shit. The boys… they know.
I should answer, but I can’t… What do I even say?
It’s not true? It’s a mistake? I can’t keep lying to them.
A loud sob lurches from my lips, and I buckle in half, my knees crashing to the floor.
As soon as Ronnie’s call cuts off, it starts ringing again, only this time it’s Jude.
Dropping my phone onto the stained yellow carpet, I fist my hands in my hair and cry.
It’s only a matter of time before my name is released. Before everyone I know learns I’m the notorious killer.
As soon as the call cuts off again, I snatch up the phone and call Barrett before the twins try to call me back, and he answers on the first ring.
“Tell me you’re safe.”
“Yes,” I sob. “For now. I’m in the city.”
Barrett sighs in relief. “Thank fuck. Stay put unless you get wind of cops moving in. I’m on my way to the twins’ campus to get them.”
I sob again. “Thank you.”
“I’ve got people working to find out who the fuck turned you in. Have you heard from your toy boy?” he asks, and I shrug, even though I can’t see him.
“K-kind of,” I squeak, trying to stop my tears. “He was in the house after you left.”
“The fuck! I checked everywhere.”
“It doesn’t matter now. But I panicked and knocked him out and…”
“And?” Barrett barks.
“I left him there,” I rush out, feeling ashamed.
Chuckling, Barrett sounds way too pleased. “Please tell me the cops found him when they stormed your house?”
“N-no,” I hiccup. “He sent me a message saying he fled over the back fence.”
“You sound worried about him,” he remarks, picking up on my tone.
“I… am. I believe him, Barrett. He’s obsessed, but he would never hurt me.”
My cousin grunts in response, but thankfully isn’t a prick about it.
“I’ll reach out to him and try to get him to the safe house. In the meantime, you stay there. I’ll make some arrangements to get you out of the country—”
“What? No.” I sit taller on the floor, swiping at my wet cheeks. “I can’t leave the country. I can’t leave the boys, or…”
“Asher,” he finishes for me. “Look, hopefully it’s just temporary.”
“No, Barrett. I’m not leaving the twins,” I say firmly, and he sighs.
“Fine. We’ll figure something out. I’ve gotta go. I’m approaching the campus now.”
We say our goodbyes, and I’m left feeling so alone, much like I did all those years ago when I realised I couldn’t return to Australia.
My lip wobbles with more threatening tears, and I bite it to hold them back, not wanting to lose control right now.
I need to be on my game in case I need to run again.
Opening Asher’s message from before, I reply.
LILY: I’m okay. I’m sorry.
After I hit send, I wait for him to respond, but after a few minutes, I figure he might be busy trying to get away from the police since I stole his bike. Shaking my head at myself, I stand from the shitty carpet and toss my phone on the bed before dropping my arse to the end and staring at the TV.
Shit… I guess today’s a good news day.
A few more messages come through on my phone. One from Bonnie laughing at how the house on the news looks like mine. One from Alexander saying I’ve ruined his life. And then, one pops up from AJ.
AJ: You wanna know who ratted you out to the pigs?
My spine stiffens as I sit taller on the end of the bed and reply.
LILY: Was it you?
AJ: Nope. That would ruin my plans.
I roll my eyes. Of course it would.
I never actually thought it was AJ though. I didn’t think he knew Lily and the Crimson Angel were one and the same, but I guess now he does.
LILY: Who was it then?
AJ: This is better discussed in person. Where are you?
LILY: How dumb do you think I am? I’m not giving up my location.
AJ: So untrustworthy! Fine. I’ll find you.
I stare at my screen.
He’ll find me, will he?
Shit. He probably will. He found me when even my brothers couldn’t. And yes, Barrett helped run interference with that but still.
Tossing my phone aside, I scoot back on the bed until I reach the headboard and continue to stare at the media frenzy on the TV, right outside my house, as I wait to hear from Barrett that the twins are alright.
My thoughts return to Asher and his declarations.
He loves me. If he were any other twenty-year-old, I’d question if he even knows what love is, but this is Asher. Anyone who has been through so much shit would recognise love… right?
Shit, I don’t even know.
After knocking him out earlier, I pressed my lips to his, tears streaming down my face as I wished things didn’t have to be so damn complicated.
It was bad enough that the twins hated us. That they hated me after lying to them once again.
Alexander’s secret daughter is no longer a secret.
Someone is offering up good money for my head.
And my salon is gone, poor Joel was collateral…
Everything I touch gets destroyed.
When will enough be enough, Lily?
At some stage I must’ve dozed off, because I wake with a startle at the sound of the hotel room door clicking shut.
Bolting up off the bed, knife already in my hand, I come face to face with AJ.
“Damn. Not really a morning person, are you?”
I blink at him, only now noticing daylight streaming through the gap in the shabby curtains.
“How… What…”
AJ chuckles as I fail to string a sentence together.
“I told you I’d find you.” He shrugs, innocently.
“You’re just… creepy,” I admit, my voice raspy from sleep.
“I’ve been called worse,” he admits, a grin tugging at his lips. “You look like shit, Lil.”
Lil… that’s the first time he’s called me that. It reminds me of Asher…
Shit! Asher!
Spinning away from AJ, I hurry to find my phone on the bed.
Checking it, I find messages from the twins, one from Barrett saying he got the boys safe, but nothing from Asher.
“How did you get into the room?” I mutter as the disappointment of not hearing from Asher sinks to the bottom of my gut like a lead weight.
“This place isn’t exactly Fort Knox,” AJ chuckles. “Anyway, you wanna know who blew up your life?”
“Duh,” I mutter, acting like a teenager instead of a thirty-seven-year-old woman.
As AJ lifts his phone, a loud pounding fist bangs on the door, and I lurch back from AJ like we are about to get sprung.
With wide eyes, I meet his, and he simply shrugs as a familiar voice comes from the other side of the door.
“It’s Barrett.”
Relaxing in relief, I momentarily wonder how I’m going to explain AJ to my cousin, and as if he knows exactly what I’m thinking, AJ leans closer.
“We’re nothing more than old friends who met on the job. You reached out for help, and I’m here to deliver.”
I nod slowly, hating that I’m lying once again, and to Barrett of all people.
But shit, I don’t think AJ’s ulterior motive will make my cousin too happy since it involves his dad.
Moving to the door, I crack it and glance out at Barrett.
“How did you find me here? I didn’t give you my location.”
He smirks. “Are you going to let me in?”
I quirk a brow before trying to see past him. “Are you alone?”
Barrett chuckles. “Your sons are safely tucked away for now. They aren’t ready to see you.”
My heart sinks, but I didn’t really expect them to be anything but still pissed at me, did I?
Maybe… probably.
“Let me in, Lily. There’s a hooker out here staring at me like I’m her dinner.”
I snicker and push the door open, moving to the rickety table, taking a seat, my eyes flicking to AJ, who’s standing by the practically drawer-less dresser.
Barrett’s distaste for my choice of accommodation is written all over his face as he closes us in, his tailored suit looking severely out of place.
“You couldn’t have stayed at the Ritz?” He cringes and I scoff.
“They only take cards,” I remind him, which is when he notices we aren’t alone.
“The fuck?” His gun is out in an instant, pointed directly at AJ, who doesn’t even flinch.
“You must be the cousin.” AJ smirks.
“And who the fuck are you?” Barrett snaps, and I sigh.
“Barrett, this is AJ, an old friend that I reached out to for help.”
My cousin doesn’t lower his weapon at that news.
“What sort of fucking help can you give her?” Barrett hisses, his finger ready on the trigger.
“Down, boy,” I snap. “He was about to share who the lovely person was that went to the cops.”
Barrett’s glare remains lethal.
“And how the fuck do you know that?”
AJ sighs, his eyes flicking to me. “He’s a bit uptight.”
I shoot him a pointed look, hoping he picks up that poking the bear is not a good idea.
“You looking to leave in a fucking body bag, motherfucker?” Barrett snarls.
“Okay, enough!” I bark, lurching up and storming over to Barrett, placing my hand on his and forcing him to lower his weapon. “AJ is helping me. Stop being so damn rude.”
Then, I turn my glare to AJ, who must know I’m not messing around, because the shit-eating-grin falls off his face.
“And you stop taunting my cousin. He’s also here to help me, so you two need to play nice.”
AJ’s lips thin, but he holds his hands up in surrender before pointing to his phone.
“You want the intel I have or what?”
“You’re Aussie,” Barrett acknowledges. “Have we met?”
“Nope,” AJ mutters, keeping his eyes on me, holding up his phone.
“This is the person that went into the Hedgwick Police Station and gave them the name and address of the Crimson Angel.”
Both Barrett and I step closer, examining the picture on the screen.
It’s a little grainy, so it takes me a few moments to figure it out, but then my eyes see it, and I know without a doubt who that is.
“Shit,” Barrett mutters, and I hiss.
“That fucking bitch!”
It’s in that moment that the TV news report meets my ears.
AUTHORITIES ARE SEARCHING FOR LOCAL RENOWNED HAIRDRESSER, LILIAN TIPPING-BENNETT IN RELATION TO THE CRIMSON ANGEL…
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Fuck, this got real too fucking quick,” Barrett mutters before turning his eyes to me. “You want to pay her a visit?” he asks, bobbing his head in the direction of AJ’s phone, and I nod.
“I really, really do.”
AJ chuckles, pocketing his phone. “I’ll leave you to it. You want me to airdrop the picture?”
I nod, and AJ steps closer to do that before his hushed voice meets my ears.
“Your secret is out now, Lily. Maybe it really is time to go back to Australia.”
My eyes flick up to his, and he winks.
“Think about it.”
I don’t speak as he steps away and moves to the door, while Barrett eyes him warily as he leaves.
Back to Australia… for good?
I don’t know how I feel about that.
But AJ is right. My secret is out. Lily Tipping-Bennett is now known as the Crimson Angel, but in Australia, I’m not her. I’m Lily Marx.
Barrett’s eyes narrow on me when the door clicks shut.
“Who is he, really?”
I roll my eyes. “I told you who he is.” I move to the bathroom so I can relieve myself before we go. “I need to swing by my warehouse to get suited up.”
“No need,” Barrett mutters. “I swung by and grabbed your go bag and some of your tools of the trade in case the cops find that place too. They are in my car.”
Freezing just outside the door of the bathroom, I glare at Barrett.
“You know about my warehouse?”
“There’s not much I don’t know,” he snaps, his glare shooting to the door AJ stepped through moments ago, and I grin to myself as I close myself in to do my business.
So Barrett knows most of my secrets, but the fact he doesn’t know about AJ is royally pissing him off.
I kinda like that right now.
On the way, I awkwardly get changed into my latex suit in the back seat while Barrett drives, making sure my blades are in place and my gun is at the ready. Within twenty minutes, we arrive at our destination and remain sitting in the car to scope it out for a bit first.
It’s risky coming here, especially in broad daylight. Someone could spot me, but I need to do this. I need to know why that bitch dobbed me in.