Chapter Five
LILY
Everything hurts, even the thought of prying my eyes open makes my stomach turn over as a wave of nausea rolls through me. Bile rises up my oesophagus and my mouth begins to water. I try to breathe through it and inhale deeply, but even that is painful. Why am I in so much pain?What happened to me?
I hear unfamiliar noises, and then a strong smell of antiseptic reaches my nose—one all too familiar. I know without forcing my eyes open that I’m in hospital. Whatever reason has me here is quickly dragging me back under, no matter how much I try in vain to stay conscious.
Someone squeezes my hand, trying to pull me back, but all I manage are Tommy’s distant, whispered words.
“You’re safe, sunshine.” The darkness is comforting, a blanket that shields me from the pain. I float in and out of reality, fragments of voices and memories piercing through the haze.
“Lily, can you hear me?” Jackson’s voice is filled with worry. I want to respond, to tell him I’m okay, but the words are lost in the fog. Flashes of Richard’s face, his twisted sneer, invade my mind, the terror of his presence, the agony of his touch. It all feels distant now, as if happening to someone else. But the ingrained fear remains a constant, gnawing presence.
I feel a gentle and warm hand on mine. It anchors me and pulls me back from the abyss. And then slowly, painfully, I open my eyes—or should I say eye? Jackson is there, his face a mixture of relief and anguish.
“Duchess,” he whispers, his voice breaking. “I am so fucking sorry. You’re safe now. We’ve got you.”
I try to speak, but my throat feels raw, and every word is a struggle. “Jackson… what happened?” My voice is barely a whisper, a rasping sound through my dry, cracked lips. I wish I could pretend that I don’t already know that this is one twisted nightmare, but that’s not the case when his eyes darken with a mix of fury and sorrow.
“Richard... he did this. But he’s not going to hurt you anymore. We’re going to make sure of that.”
A shiver runs through me at the mention of Richard’s name. Memories of his cruelty flood back, each one like a stab to the heart. “How... how did I get here?”
Jackson squeezes my hand tighter, as if grounding himself as much as me.“Elliot. He stumbled across something, and when we went to confront Richard, he was already gone, so we came in search of you.” He closes his eyes and swallows hard before his dark pools of blue lock on mine. “After breaking down your bedroom door, we found you unconscious on your bathroom floor. But you’re safe now, Lily. I promise.”
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes. The pain, both physical and emotional, is overwhelming. But beneath it all, there’s a flicker of relief. I’m safe. For now, at least. “I was so scared,” I admit, my voice trembling, my throat hoarse. “I thought... I thought he was going to kill me.”
Jackson’s jaw tightens, a muscle ticking in his cheek. “He won’t get the chance. We’ll make sure of it.” There’s a steely determination in his voice, a promise of retribution .
I nod weakly, my strength waning. “Thank you,” I whisper, barely keeping my eyes open.
“Rest now, Duchess. You need to heal. We’ll be here when you wake up.”
His words echo in my mind as I drift back into the comforting darkness. Safe. For now. But something else niggles in my self-consciousness—Mia, but before I’m able to grasp it, I’m pulled into a deep midnight void.
When I open my eyes again, the room is dimly lit, and a soft hum of machinery is the only sound. My body still aches, but the pain is dulled and manageable, they must have me on some kind of pain relief. I turn my head slightly, wincing at the stiffness in my neck. A pinch to my hand alerts me to an IV, and just beyond that, I notice Tommy slumped in a chair beside my bed, his head resting on his crossed arms.
“Tommy,” I whisper, my voice a bit stronger this time.
He stirs, lifting his head and blinking his familiar green eyes, a balm to my senses. When he sees me awake, a tired smile spreads across his face. “Hey, Sunshine, you’re awake.”
“Yeah,” I manage out, “barely.”
He reaches out, taking my hand in his. “You’re a fighter, Lily. You’re going to get through this.”
I squeeze his hand, drawing strength from his presence. “What about Richard?” I ask, his name a poison brand against my tongue.
His expression darkens, his gaze drifting, causing my stomach to churn.
“Tommy?”
Shaking his head, he glances back at me. “He’s gone, we’re trying to track him down,” he admits reluctantly. “But all that matters right now is that you’re here and safe. ”
Safe. The word feels fragile, as if it could shatter at any moment. But for now, it needs to be enough. I allow myself to hold on to that brief reprieve of hope, but it doesn’t last long as reality comes crashing back around me.
“Mia,” I gasp, attempting to sit up before my body has even had time to accumulate. “I-is she okay?” I cough out, my throat so dry. A hackle rises up causing a full-blown coughing fit, excruciating pain making itself known.
“Sunshine, you need to calm down.” Tommy gently eases me back while fiddling with something beside him. The bed behind my head begins to move, allowing me to sit. “Here, sip this slowly,” he says, his voice soft.
The cool liquid soothes my dry, coarse throat. I try to take slow, measured breaths, but the urgency of my question claws at my chest, demanding an answer.
“Tommy, please,” I rasp, desperation evident. “Mia… is she safe?”
His green orbs are less vivid than before. They flicker with hesitation, and a knot tightens in my stomach. “Tommy, please.”
He takes a deep breath, his grip on my hand tightening. “Sunshine, I’ll tell you, but I need you to stay calm.”
All that does is cause my heart rate to spike even more than it already is.
“Richard pulled her out of school… and skipped the country.”
The words hit me like a physical blow, the room spinning, the fluorescent lighting an assault to my senses as I try to process his words. “No,” I whisper, shaking my head. “Please, tell me that’s a mistake.”
“I’m sorry, Lily. But I won’t lie to you,” Tommy says, his voice heavy with regret. “We already have Elliot on it. He’s pulling all his contacts to track down their exact whereabouts.”
Tears blur my vision, my fear for Mia overwhelming. “She doesn’t deserve this. I don’t know what I’ll do if he hurts her. She’s just a child. All I’ve ever wanted to do was to protect her, and I couldn’t even do that,” I admit.
“This isn’t on you, Sunshine. I promise you, we’ll find her.”
I close my eyes, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. Richard was always a liability when it came to me. Just look at tonight. But the thought of her being caught in his web is unbearable, a nightmare I can’t escape.
Tommy’s hand in mine reminds me he’s here, that I’m not alone. His touch is a tangible presence, a lifeline in my emotional turmoil. “Right now, you need to rest and focus on healing. We’ll find Mia, have faith, yeah.”
I nod weakly, knowing he’s right, but feeling utterly helpless at the same time. “Promise?” I whisper, my voice trembling.
He leans forward, his forehead resting gently on mine. “I promise, Lily. We’ll bring her back to you. And he won’t get away with this.”
Something about how tactile he is with me solidifies something between us—something I can’t explain but that I know is significant. He pulls back slightly, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that makes my breath catch.
“I mean it, Sunshine. We’ll bring her back,” he reiterates, his voice a low, determined baritone.
I nod, tears slipping down my temples. The exhaustion pulls me under again, but Tommy’s presence anchors me for a moment longer. I grip his hand tighter, holding on to the warmth and strength he offers.
“Tommy,” I whisper. “Please, stay with me.”
He squeezes my hand, his thumb brushes gently over the back of my knuckles. “I’m not going anywhere, Sunshine,” he promises, his voice a soothing balm. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”
His words wrap around me like a weighted blanket as my eyes drift closed. I desperately cling to that four-letter word—hope. And then darkness retakes me, but this time it’s different, knowing when I wake, Tommy will be there, waiting for me.