Chapter Fourteen
Lily
“Come on, Lily, pleeeeease?”
Erin gives me the puppy eyes, and she knows I can’t resist her when she does that.
“I don’t know, Erin. I don’t want to draw attention.”
“Oh, come on, no one knows you over here. It’s our last night together and there is this really cool club I wanted to test.”
I have been staying with Erin in Albany for almost a week now, and tonight is our last night together before I take the bus to Montreal in the morning.
Erin and I met in vet school. We’ve been best friends ever since, and were roommates for years.
She’s outgoing, hilarious, and was the life of every party when we were students, while I was her shy sidekick.
Despite the difference in our personalities, we had the best times, and she made my life brighter back then with her sunny disposition and kind heart.
Incidentally, we are of the same height and stature, and with a blonde wig and violet-colored contacts, I can pass as her. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.
I feel nauseated when I think about crossing the border tomorrow with her ID. The idea sounded less crazy when I hatched it the night when I packed my bag and ran, but now I am not so sure anymore.
Things have been going pretty well, all things considered. I hope they’ve lost my trail by now, especially after I switched trains down south, then doubled back up north. I only need to stay ahead, keep my movements unpredictable.
The hardest part was getting unnoticed over the wall of Father’s house.
I remember gripping the ivy, the rough stone biting into my palms as I pulled myself up.
The climb was slow, and every movement felt like an eternity.
My heart was pounding in my chest, but I couldn’t stop.
I had to make it over. I had to escape. When I finally reached the top, I hesitated for a second, peering over the edge into the darkened street below.
The drop was steep, but I couldn’t afford to think about it.
I threw myself over the edge, landing on the concrete with a painful thud, and for a moment I stood there, waiting to see if anyone noticed or caught me to bring me back.
The weight of what I’d just done had settled over me.
There was no going back. I didn’t look at the mansion.
Instead, I quickly moved toward the shadows, the adrenaline coursing through my veins as I made my way to the nearest road.
Every step had felt like it was pulling me further away from everything I knew.
The second hardest part had been convincing a perfect stranger to switch clothes.
But, in the end, I’d managed it. The girl I’d asked took pity on my story about my persistent but harmless ex that I had to escape from to meet the love of my life.
It probably hadn’t hurt that I’d slipped her a hundred-dollar bill, tipping the scales in my favor.
I only hope she listened and dumped the clothes like I told her to after she got home.
I don’t want her to get in trouble because of me.
After the switch, I threw on the blonde wig and called Erin from the burner phone.
I told her everything, about the escape, the crazy circumstances, the fact that I’m now hiding out like a fugitive.
Naturally, she thinks it’s all very romantic and wants to help me with my “runaway rom-com,” as she calls it.
Typical Erin, always turning the darkest moments into some weird fairy tale.
But I am not a heroine of some fairy tale running away for love.
I am a fugitive on the run for survival.
So here I am, at her apartment, trying to find a reason why we shouldn’t go out to party tonight.
“This will be so much fun and we haven’t partied together for ages! And you need to unwind. It’s one night out. Pleaaase?”
Gahhh, those puppy eyes!
My resolve falters. The excitement in her voice is contagious, and for a brief moment, I allow myself to feel something that isn’t fear or dread.
“All right, all right,” I say, trying to sound more relaxed than I am. “We won’t be staying too long, though. Just a little time to catch my breath. I really do need to get up early tomorrow.”
“Yay!” Erin exclaims, practically bouncing on her bed. “I’ve been dying for some time together, and now we’re gonna have a whole night of fun. No distractions. You and me alone, like old times.”
I chuckle despite myself. “Old times, huh? You make it sound like we’re in college again.”
“Well, those were the best days, weren’t they?” she teases back, her voice light and carefree. “No drama, no danger, just fun. So, let’s make the most of it!”
I take another deep breath, allowing myself to relax a little more. Maybe she’s right. I don’t need to keep carrying the weight of everything on my shoulders all the time. For tonight, at least, I can leave it behind.
“All right, fine,” I say, unable to stop the small laugh that escapes me. “Let’s go have some fun. But I’m serious. We won’t stay out too late. I’ve got plans tomorrow.”
“I swear, Lily,” Erin says, her voice playful and full of excitement. “This is gonna be a blast.”
* * * *
A few hours later we are walking into the club and get drinks at the bar.
Erin lent me a red spaghetti strap dress.
It is a bit short for my taste, ending mid-thigh, but it really makes my legs look good.
Since I don’t have any shoes to go with it, I put on a pair of her high-heeled, black leather ankle boots that I had to fill with cotton pads because they are one size bigger than my feet. And of course I have my blonde wig on.
We clink glasses and down our shots, giggling and reminiscing about college.
Soon we have a second and a third glass before we hit the dance floor.
The music is great and the place is packed.
The beat pulses through me and the alcohol has me slightly lightheaded.
I have not felt so alive and free since I graduated.
I smile and close my eyes and let myself flow with the music and the writhing bodies around us.
When I open my eyes, a man is dancing close to Erin with his back to me.
He is so tall and broad that his body is hiding her from me, so I lean in to search her face for any trace of uneasiness, but she is laughing at something he said and I relax.
Soon they are dancing closer and she has her hands up his torso and around his neck.
Good that I asked her for her spare key before we went out. You know, just in case.
I am swaying with the beat, lost in the rhythm, when a pair of large hands settles on my waist from behind.
Erin glances over and flashes me a cheeky grin, giving me a thumbs-up before returning her focus to her own dance partner.
Looks like she’s given her stamp of approval to my “partner”.
Smiling, I close my eyes again, letting go of any lingering thoughts and surrendering to the music, feeling a surprising sense of freedom and safety in my anonymity.
The man inches closer, still holding my waist, pulling me flush against him. His front is now plastered to my back as we dance to the music and he starts to wind his arm around my waist while his other hand creeps up my front between my breasts to lightly circle my throat.
I tense.
But when he merely brushes my pulse point with his thumb and sways with the rhythm, I let go again, leaning into his hard chest. The slight pressure sends a shiver down my spine, and I relax into him, letting the music and the moment sway me.
His body is hard against mine, steady, and I find myself leaning further into him, the heat between us grounding me as I lose myself in the rhythm.
After a few beats, his hand on my throat creeps higher as he gently grips my jaw to tilt my head to the side, and I feel the warmth of his breath against my neck.
Goosebumps explode over my skin and I suppress a shiver of arousal.
My breath catches in my throat when soft lips trace the side of my neck from behind my ear down to where my neck and shoulder meet.
My heart slams in my chest and I feel myself getting wet.
Shit, I didn’t plan on this. Should I stop it now?
But it feels so good.
Then his hand, which was at my waist, travels farther south, to the hem of my dress, and his thumb draws little circles on my naked thigh, sending jolts of electricity to my core.
The circles wander higher and higher toward…
Wait!
Clarity hits me.
I grip his hands with mine, yanking them away from me and turn around, ready to tell him that I am not interested in taking things further. What I see is a broad chest, and when my gaze travels up, I meet stormy dark eyes blazing down at me.
I think I will faint right there, but strong arms pull me back against his hard chest and he growls darkly in my ear.
“Hello, little flower. Did you miss me?”
After a few seconds of shock, I come to my senses and try to disentangle myself from Damiano’s firm grip, but all my struggling only brings me closer to him.
He smiles darkly at me and nods toward Erin. I turn and what I see has my blood run cold—the man she was dancing with has his hand gripped around her throat and an arm wrapped around her upper body, effectively preventing her from struggling or escaping.
“Follow me and your friend will make it out of here without a scratch.”
I want to scream.
But all I can do is nod with shocked resignation as he wraps his fingers around my upper arm and hauls me across the dance floor through a door in the back into a dimly lit hallway.
I turn my head to see the other man dragging a very pissed-off and uncooperative Erin along.
I wince when she kicks him in the shin, afraid he might hurt her in retaliation. He merely grunts and tugs her after us.
Please Erin, don’t fight. I will get us out of here, I plead with my eyes.
Damiano opens a door on the right and shoves me inside what looks like an office, soon followed by the other man with Erin in tow. Then he releases my arm and looks at me with cold fury, his jaw clenched so tightly I can hear his teeth grind.
“Please, Damiano, don’t hurt her, she has nothing to do with this,” I beg.
Erin gasps behind me.
“This is the guy you were running from? Girl, are you for real? If I had known he looked this hot, I would have personally shipped you to him! Have you looked at this hunk? I mean really looked?”
I cringe.
Shit, she’s had too many drinks. I glare at her, as does the guy she danced with.
I look back at Damiano just in time to catch his lips twitching. But maybe I imagined it, because he is still very pissed and very dark, and very handsome.
Nope. Not going there.
I try again, not above begging for the safety of my friend. “Let her go, please.”
“And why would I, little flower?” His voice is emotionless and cold, sending shivers of fear down my spine.
“If you let her go, I…I will be willing to negotiate…your offer.”
“Is that so?”
I swallow, my throat feeling dry. I nod.
He nods to his man, who takes Erin’s arm again. This time she doesn’t fight, sensing that things are maybe not looking so good for us.
“Go, Erin. Send me a text when you are safely home, okay?”
“Will you be okay, Lily?” she asks and I can only nod, afraid that my voice will betray me.
I watch as the man guides her out of the room, then suddenly I am alone with him, the Devil.
I slowly turn around to face him. His face is closed off, his eyes are cold, dark voids, and I am suddenly aware that I am standing in front of Il Demonio, the one whose name is whispered in fear and awe. I gulp.
“A-about that offer.” My voice cracks. “I am ready to consider it if…if you promise not to harm my family and friends.”
“The offer?” His eyes have a calculating glint that sends dread down the pit of my stomach. I am going to be sick.
“You…you know, about becoming your wife.”
He chuckles darkly. “Sweetheart, that offer was made before you ran from me. It has unfortunately…expired.”
Huh? Confusion wars with relief as I ramble on.
“What? I mean…that’s great news, isn’t it? We can simply part ways and pretend we never met each other. I will leave you to it and wish you good luck, bye!”
I turn around as fast as I can and bolt to the door.
I manage to open it a crack before it slams shut again and his body cages me in from behind.
His hot breath tickles my ear when he murmurs in a dark, raspy voice, “This is where you are mistaken, sweetheart. You are still mine—not as my wife, but as my whore.”
I let out a shocked gasp when a needle pricks my neck, then I spiral into darkness.