Chapter 74
Chapter Seventy-Four
Lily
As I drift back into consciousness, the familiar sight of Killian in the chair steals my breath away. His eyes light up when they meet mine, and he rises from his seat, standing resolutely by my bedside.
“You’re here,” I whisper, a smile breaking through the haze of my exhaustion.
“Came to get my woman,” he replies, that teasing smirk playing on his lips, but I can sense the weight of something unspoken hanging in the air.
“Alessio gave his blessing,” I tell him, though my heart races at the thought of what that truly means.
He nods, but his expression darkens, and my stomach knots. “I have a daughter,” he blurts out, his voice thick with emotion. “I just found out.”
“Evie?” I breathe, a smile crossing my face.
“You know?” There’s surprise in his eyes.
I nod slowly. “Farrah told me she knew who you were, but you didn’t recognize her. She told me everything.” I reach for his hand, squeezing it tightly. “She’ll be so happy to finally have her Evie back.”
But as Killian’s face falls, my heart sinks with it. “About that…” His voice trembles, and I feel a chill creep over me.
In that moment, I understand. The truth hangs heavy between us.
Farrah had spoken of her willingness to sacrifice everything for her daughter, and the thought of her choosing to end her own life sends a shudder through my soul.
She must have thought it was the only way to give Evie a chance, and I can feel the pain of that decision echoing through Killian.
I cover my mouth, fighting back tears. “Did you at least get Vidalia?”
“Vidalia is chained up like an animal,” he says, his voice taut with anger. “When you’re ready, you can carve his heart out. Viktor is dead.”
“I never want to see that man’s face again. Just let me know when he’s gone,” I reply, my voice firm.
He nods. “I’ll let Darius know to finish him off.” Then he looks at me, his expression softening. “Lily, with the Evie situation, I understand if you don’t want to play mom. I have to—”
Before he can finish, I grab his face in my hands, desperation flooding my veins. “Can you just shut up and kiss me?”
He leans in, and suddenly the world around us fades into nothingness.
The warmth radiating from his body pulls me closer, like gravity itself.
When our lips finally meet, it's as if the universe shatters and reassembles in that one perfect moment, forming an unbreakable bond. The kiss starts tenderly, but transforms into a passionate collision of everything we’ve been too scared to admit.
I melt into him, all my fears and doubts evaporating like morning mist under the sun.
When we finally pull apart, our foreheads resting against each other, a sense of peace washes over us.
“You were right about the kissing thing.” I smile through the tears brimming in my eyes, my heart swelling with hope. “Very intimate.”
This is the beginning of the rest of my life, a future that feels tangible and bright. I can feel it in my bones, and I can’t wait to embrace it.