Chapter 34 #2
He’s a few steps away now, face unreadable, jaw sharp as a blade. Lucas steps closer, calm but coiled. ‘Step back from her.’
Justin turns, smiling like a man begging for a fight. ‘You again. She didn’t tell you about the money, did she? About Lola? About what she’s really like?’
Lucas doesn’t bite. ‘I told you before. Leave her alone.’
‘Or what?’ Justin sneers. ‘You’ll fix it? You think you get her without the mess? You think she’s some perfect—’
Lucas cuts in, voice quiet but lethal. ‘You’re pathetic.’
Justin freezes. ‘What did you just—’
‘Intimidating a woman to get money out of her?’ Lucas steps between us, planting himself solidly. ‘Yeah. Pathetic.’
Justin’s face twists with rage. He shoves Lucas. Hard.
Lucas barely staggers. He grabs Justin by the front of his jacket and shoves him back, furious.
People gasp nearby. Stalls rustle, and someone swears. Justin swings at Lucas, it is wild and sloppy. Lucas dodges it and Ezra appears out of nowhere, grabbing Justin’s arm mid-movement.
‘Hey! That’s enough,’ Ezra snaps, dragging him back. ‘You’re drunk and you’re done.’
A firm, authoritative voice joins in. ‘Enough.’
Constable Harris—the local cop—steps between them in record time, one hand on Justin’s shoulder, the other raised towards Lucas. ‘Everyone take a breath.’
Justin jerks, trying to pull free. ‘She owes me—’
‘No, she doesn’t,’ Harris says sharply. ‘And if you keep shouting at people in the middle of the market, I’ll escort you out myself.’
Justin’s chest heaves, fury shaking through him. ‘Watch yourself, Lilah,’ he spits. ‘You’re not who he thinks you are. And when this blows up in your face, don’t come crawling back.’
Lucas moves before I can think—taking one step toward Justin like he might snap.
Ezra holds Lucas back this time. ‘Not worth it, mate.’
Justin stumbles as Harris directs him towards the street. He throws Lucas one last glare over his shoulder, then disappears into the crowd.
The noise of the market slowly returns—too bright, too normal. I realise my hands won’t stop shaking.
Lucas turns instantly, eyes softening, voice rough. ‘Lilah… you okay?’
I nod. Then shake my head. Then nod again.
His hand hovers near mine—not touching, not crowding, just there.
Ezra sighs. ‘Jesus. You want me to walk you both home?’
Lucas looks to me and I swallow.
‘Yes,’ I whisper. ‘Please.’
Lucas’s jaw softens, and for the first time in minutes, I can breathe again.
Ezra walks ahead of us, hands shoved into his pockets, checking over his shoulder every thirty seconds like he's daring Justin to reappear.
The market noise fades behind us. My pulse is still uneven, but each step steadies it a little. Lucas keeps close, matching my pace.
When we reach the apartment building, Ezra pauses at the bottom of the stairs. ‘You alright from here?’ he asks, flicking his gaze between us.
I nod. ‘Thank you. Really.’
He gives me a soft, brother-coded half smile. ‘Anytime.’ Then to turns to Lucas. ‘Don’t let her talk herself into carrying that alone.’
Lucas nods once, an unspoken understanding. Ezra disappears down the street. The silence he leaves behind isn’t heavy. It’s waiting.
Lucas exhales slowly. ‘Lilah, I—’
‘Come upstairs?’ I interrupt. ‘Not… not to stay. Just to talk.’
My voice trembles at the edges. Not with fear, but with exhaustion, and wanting clarity.
His expression softens. ‘Yeah. Of course.’
Inside, I lock the door behind us. The small click sounds louder than it should. Lucas stays near the kitchen counter, giving me space to breathe. I lean back against the table, arms wrapping around myself before I force them to drop.
For a moment neither of us say anything, just look at each other. Then—
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ I ask. ‘That he came to the bookstore.’
Lucas’s jaw tightens, not out of defensiveness, but like he’s been waiting for this.
‘I didn’t want it to be another thing you had to carry,’ he says. ‘You were already dealing with the blackmail, your parents, your writing, now the reveal… and he walked in acting like he owned pieces of you.’
I look down. ‘But I needed to know.’
‘I know.’ His voice cracks on the admission. ‘And I should have told you. It wasn’t about keeping anything from you. I just didn’t want to make you feel unsafe in the one place that should have been yours.’
My throat constricts. ‘It wasn’t your job to protect me from him.’
‘No,’ he agrees. ‘But I wanted to.’
I breathe out, shaky. ‘And now?’
‘Now I want to be honest,’ he says. ‘Even when it’s messy. Even when it scares me. I want to move forward… at your pace. Not in secret. Not around him. With you.’
My eyes sting, a slow unexpected warmth. ‘I want that too,’ I whisper. ‘I just… I don’t want to repeat what I had with Justin. The walking on eggshells. The performing. The shrinking.’
Lucas steps closer just within reach. ‘Then we do the opposite,’ he assures me.
‘We go slow. We say things out loud. We let each other be human,’ he hesitates, ‘and if you need space after today, I’ll give you that.
If you need closeness, I’ll give you that too.
Just don’t disappear from me. Don’t decide for both of us that it’s too hard. ’
I blink at him. ‘I thought I’d ruined everything.’
‘You haven’t ruined anything. You’ve been trying to survive him. Now you get to choose you. And if you want it… us.’
A breath leaves me, long and fragile.
‘I do want us,’ I say. ‘Just… not rushed. Not like the universe is forcing it. Slow. Real.’
His smile is one of relief. ‘Slow is good.’
He reaches out, letting his hand hover near mine. I place my fingers against his, enough contact to feel the promise.
‘Stay for a bit?’ I ask. ‘Just to sit.’
‘Yeah,’ he says. ‘I’d like that.’
And we do. Side by side on the couch.