Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lilly
I don’t know what I imagined when I thought of where Christian lived. I just imagined him in that pent house at the club. So I figured he’d live somewhere similar.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
When Georgiou pulled up at the gated entrance and tapped in a password into the panel I knew the house the gates were supposed to protect must look spectacular.
It absolutely did. as we drove down the drive and the house came into view my mouth fell open at the sight.
It looked comparable to a stately home but with a European edge I’ve seen common in the houses in France and Spain.
Almost gothic looking. The house is massive and the grounds vast. What I see goes on for acres and there’s a little lake far off in the distance.
A few years before Mom died we went on a European tour.
We went for the month and visited several countries.
It was nice. That was the year I finished high school.
Mom saved up and wanted to treat me for getting into Julliard.
It was amazing. That was just before she got sick.
At that time we didn’t know how sick she was.
She hadn’t even gone to the doctors yet.
The disease hadn’t gotten to a stage where she noticed.
It wasn’t until the after that it hit her.
She truly loved Europe and loved the houses. We stayed in a chateau in France and she adored it.
Miguel’s home in Columbia was a mansion and it was amazing with that exotic feel to it. When we got there I thought I’d arrived in heaven. The fact that it was right by the beach too and had all those tropical plants surrounding the property was a bonus.
But it was nothing like this.
Both Rosie and me were staring at the house in amazement and the interior was even more spectacular than the exterior.
It just made me wonder how much Christian must make, and his money.
He gave me ten grand easy without the flicker of an eyelid and that offer of a million dollars was like easy money to him.
It’s foolish to question things like that when I know the answers.
I had proof of what he is earlier when I heard those gun shots and I’ve seen his power.
They all exuded the same vibe of power.
The doctor was the first to see me minutes after we got to the house. He was a tall elderly Italian man with bright blue eyes and a mid-length beard. He examined me and gave me some painkillers, along with some ointment for the bruises.
He left a little while ago with instructions to rest. Georgiou was as nice as Christian when it came to Rosie and he insisted that I follow the doctors’ orders and sleep while he took care of Rosie.
I barely had much choice because the painkillers made me drowsy.
I wouldn’t normally fall asleep and allow a stranger to take care of my child but I knew I was doing more damage to myself by fighting to stay awake and ignoring the plain fact that I was beaten up.
Badly beaten up, and I was just lucky nothing more was done to me.
I fell asleep in a beautiful room that looked like it was pulled from a fairytale. I remember stirring from my slumber and seeing Christian’s face hovering over me. Then falling asleep again, waking and feeling Rosie’s little arms around me.
When I stir again the bright rays of the sun make me shut my eyes. I’m not sure if it’s still the same day or the next day. Since there’s no clock on the wall and I no longer have a phone I don’t know what the time is.
The first thing I notice though is my face doesn’t have the deep pain anymore. When I touch it the soreness is still there to touch but the pain in my cheekbones is gone. Rosie is next to me in a deep sleep so I don’t wake her.
Carefully I get off the bed and see the boxes in the corner from the apartment. Christian was here. I did see him.
I open the box with my things and take out some clothes to change into and my toiletries.
I then make my way into the little Ensuite bathroom.
My reflection comes into view in the long mirror and I’m relieved to see that I look more like myself.
the bruises are still there but the swelling is virtually gone.
I shower, wash my hair and change into another t-shirt and some yoga pants.
The last thing I do is dab some of the ointment the doctor gave me on my face and pile my hair up on top of my head into a messy bun.
I want to see if Christian is here. If he is then I need to have that talk he’s probably waiting for. He’ll know my story didn’t just begin months ago, or I didn’t just have the bright idea to return to the stage and make a better life for myself and Rosie.
People can sense I’ve been through shit and now I actually look like it.
I find Christian downstairs in the crevice between the kitchen and the living room with an elderly woman who gives me a kind smile when she sees me.
Christian smiles when he sees me too.
“Lilly this is Vera, my housekeeper,” Christian says.
“Good morning,” Vera says and that’s how I know it must be the next day.
“Morning,” I answer.
“Vera, can you make us some coffee and start the breakfast. The little one will be awake soon,” Christian asks her. she’s already nodding before he can finish.
“Of course,” she answers.
With that Christian slips his arm around my waist and ushers me to the sitting room. I only caught a glimpse of this room yesterday and what I saw was beautiful. I can just imagine what the rest of the house looks like.
From here I can see an amazing view of an Olympic size pool with a terrace and potted plants lining the deck.
Christian sits me down on the sofa and he sits opposite me.
When he leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees I know it’s time to talk.
“You look better. How are you feeling?” he asks.
“Better. I feel stronger. Thank you for all you’ve done for me and Rosie. You didn’t have to do any of it.”
“No… But I’ve had this crazy thing for Rosie’s mom since she ran her car into mine. Then I saw her dancing in my club and I can’t seem to get her out of my head,” he says and it’s the first time he’s ever shown any real emotion for me.
My breathe stills in my chest as I stare back at him feeling that same thing again. That spark. It’s getting stronger and I don’t know what to do about it. The last time I opened my heart, I got it so wrong I’ve been trying to find the correct roads that lead out of hell.
“You mean that?” I rasp.
“ I think you should know by now that I’m not likely to say things I don’t mean.
” He nods with that cocky smile I’ve grown used to.
When it recedes and the seriousness comes back into his face I know he’s about to delve deeper into the questions he wants to ask.
So I gear up to receive them. “Why didn’t you tell me about Rosie? ”
That’s question one, and the most glaringly obvious question.
I already have the answer prepped for that.
“I didn’t want you to judge me,” I answer and surprise suffuses his handsome face.
“Judge you? Doll, I would never do that. The girls knew. Louise and Mimi knew you had a kid, but I didn’t. I guess I never thought to ask.”
“I didn’t want to look like a bad mother. A whore. Prostitute.” My hands shake.
“That’s not what you are.”
“Isn’t it? Christian, I don’t know how you can say that to me.
” I shake my head and my eyes water. I’ve cried so damn much I don’t know how I have any tears left.
“How can you say that to me when you know that’s what I am.
The night we first met you basically asked me what I was doing there.
I said I needed the job and I think you know I was in trouble.
what you didn’t know was I was desperate.
I owed that debt and Rosie and I had just climbed out of hell. ”
He rivets his gaze to me. “Tell me what happened to you Lilly. What hell did you come from?”
“Columbia. Rosie’s father was from there and part of the cartel.
He died. before that though…” My voice trails off.
“He used to beat me so badly I didn’t know if I was going to make it from one minute to the next.
I was with him for four years, married for four years and free of him for the last year.
We left Columbia and came to Chicago just before Christmas.
I’ve been trying ever since to get back on track, but it’s hard when you have to start over with a child.
The Dark Odyssey was my ticket out. Selling my body was the last resort and the last thing I thought I could do to make sure Rosie had the life she should. ”
There. That’s the truth in a nutshell. It’s everything. The whole explanation of everything that’s happened to me and how I got where I am.
Christian moves over to sit next to me . He takes my hand and I look at his holding mine.
“What you are is brave. Willing to do anything for your child. That’s what it is. You aren’t a whore and I don’t want to hear you say that again.” He gives my hand a gentle squeeze and studies me. “Lilly, what do you want to do? I mean for you. For yourself. Take Rosie out of the equation.”
That’s a no brainer. There’s only one thing I’ve always wanted to do.
“Dance,” I answer. “I want to dance the way I used to. I would love to get into the Aurora. I would. I won’t even be auditioning until January, but I can actually see myself there.” A smile tugs at the corners of my lips.
“Okay, so that’s months away. What about now? What do you want to do now? Lilly if you don’t want to dance at the club anymore it’s okay. I’ll still give you the money. All of it.”
I bolt upright. This man is full of surprises. I glare at him in complete disbelief. I’m in complete awe but I don’t want him to feel sorry for me. It wouldn’t be right for him to do that.
“No. You can’t do that.”
He chuckles. “Baby, you keep telling I can’t do stuff and I give you the same answer. What do you think I’m gonna say now?”
“Christian—”
“Lilly,” he interrupts. “I won’t lie. People love watching you dance. You’re a different kind of escape. My club is about escape and fantasy. And you’re the angel who gives the escape just from watching you. But I don’t want you to do it if you don’t want to.”
I look him over as he stands too and think about all he’s done, and all he’s offering.
If not for him, only God knows what would have happened to me and Rosie if he hadn’t come along when he did, and how the fuck would I feel now if he hadn’t made the offer to just be with him.
I was only with him. Right from the start.
“I want to continue as I was. I’ll dance in the club. For you. I’ll dance for you.”
That seems to surprise him. he ruins his hand over his chin and gives me a long stare.
“Okay, how about this. I’ll change the offer slightly,” he says straightening up. “I’m still giving you a million dollars, but it’s to dance for me. No strings attached. You still walk away at the end of the show and you go after your dream.”
“Really Christian?”
“Yeah, but I’m still the selfish bastard who still wants you. There’s no way I’m gonna have you dancing in my club and not have you.”
“You want me?”
“I do. I want you and you should stay here with Rosie.”
“Christian, I couldn’t impose on you like that. It’s crazy having a three year old. I don’t want us being here to drive you crazy too.”
“I’m already crazy. I have enough little cousins who are more like nieces and nephews to drive me bat shit mad. One more won’t make completely nuts. So how about that Angel?”
I smile at him and nod. “You’d really want us to stay? The two of us.”
“Yeah. I do.” He answers and reaches out to touch my face.
“Thank you,” I mutter. “It means a lot.”
“You’re welcome.”
I hug him and as he holds me I allow myself to savor the safety I feel when I’m with him. I savor the feel of him and what he does to me.
I allow myself to savor whatever this is between us. That spark in this no strings attached arrangement.
It’s going to be hard to walk away when it’s over.
I’ve never felt that spark with anyone before.
How ironic that it’s him.