18. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - ETERNAL FLAMES
I wiped the blood from my lip, the sting of the punch still fresh. Colton's glare bored into me, and Lily stood between us, her eyes blazing with anger.
“Boyfriend?” he said in disbelief. “Are you out of your goddamn mind Lily?”
“No Colton. But I can swear you must be out of yours. What the hell is wrong with you?" Lily demanded, her voice shaking with fury.
Colton's eyes blazed with anger. "I can't just sit back and watch you make a mistake, Lily. This guy—" he gestured to me, who was still clutching my bleeding lip— "isn't good for you. He's nothing but trouble."
"You're not my father, Colton," Lily shot back, her frustration mounting. "You don't get to decide who I date."
"I care about you, Lily," he argued, his voice rising. "I'm trying to protect you."
"Protect me from what?" she demanded. "From being happy? Because that's what Alex makes me."
"You think I’m just going to stand by and let him mess with you?" Colton shot back, his eyes flicking to me with disdain. "Lily, you have no idea what he's capable of."
"You're wrong," Lily retorted, stepping closer to her brother. "I know exactly who he is. And I know he loves me."
Colton scoffed, crossing his arms. "You’re blinded, Lily. This guy's reputation—"
"Enough," I interjected, my voice firm. "Colton, I understand your anger. But you need to know something."
He looked at me, skepticism written all over his face. "What could you possibly say that would change my mind?"
I took a deep breath, remembering the moment that had changed everything for me. “Do you remember when I called you a couple of days ago? You were worried that I had done something to Lily.”
Colton frowned, the memory clearly surfacing. "Yeah, I remember. So what?"
"I had once promised you that I would never do anything to hurt Lily. But seeing her at her bookstore, it was then I realized something," I continued, my voice steady. "Lily isn’t just any girl. She's different. And in trying to help her, I fell in love with her."
Colton's expression faltered, his anger wavering. "Fell in love with her?"
"Yes," I said, my gaze locking with his. "I love her more than anything. And I would never do anything to jeopardize our relationship. I know my past isn't spotless, but I've changed because of her."
Lily looked up at me, her eyes softening with emotion. Colton, on the other hand, was still struggling to process my words.
"Colton," I said, my tone serious. “I know you want to protect her. But she doesn't need protection from me. She needs your support and your trust. Because I'm not going anywhere."
For a moment, there was silence. Colton's face softened, the anger draining away, replaced by uncertainty.
"I just don't want to see her hurt," he said quietly, looking at his sister.
"I know," I replied. "And I don't either. But you need to trust us."
Colton sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But if you ever—"
"I won’t," I promised, cutting him off. "You have my word."
Lily crossed her arms, still glaring at Colton. "You might accept his apology, but I’m still pissed at you. How dare you interfere in my life again, Colton? And hitting Alex? Really?"
Colton’s shoulders slumped, guilt washing over his features. "I’m sorry, Lily. I just... I wanted to protect you. And I was wrong. About everything. I should have supported you, especially with the bookstore."
Lily's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, you should have. But it's too late for apologies now."
She grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door. "Come on, Alex. We’ve had enough drama for one night."
As she dragged me inside, I heard the door slam behind us, the sound echoing through the apartment. I followed her to the living room, my mind still reeling from the confrontation.
"Lily," I began, but she silenced me with a look.
"Don’t," she said, her voice softening. "You don’t have to say anything. I’m just glad you're here."
I nodded, pulling her into my arms. We stood there for a moment, holding each other, the tension of the evening slowly melting away.
"I can't believe he punched you," she muttered, shaking her head. "I mean, he's always been overprotective, but this..."
"I know," I said softly. "But he just wants what's best for you. He'll come around."
She sighed, leaning into me. "I hope so." Then she held my hand and led me to the bathroom.
She rummaged through the cabinet, finding a first aid kit. As she began to clean the cut on my lip, the sting made me wince, but her careful touch and focused expression made me smile, making the pain bearable.
"Hold still," she said softly, her brows furrowed in concentration. She dabbed at my lip with a cotton ball soaked in antiseptic, her movements surprisingly gentle.
I couldn’t help but chuckle despite the pain. "You know, you're really good at this."
She looked up, her eyes meeting mine with amusement. "I've had practice. Colton used to get into a lot of fights when we were younger."
"Guess it's a family tradition, then," I quipped, getting a soft chuckle from her.
Lily finished cleaning the wound and applied a small bandage. "There, all done. You should be more careful, though."
"I'll try," I promised, taking her hand in mine. "But you know, you did call me your boyfriend in front of Colton."
Her cheeks reddened, a giggle escaping her lips. "Well, you called me your girlfriend first when we met your father."
"Touché," I said, grinning. "But still, I like the sound of it. Boyfriend, girlfriend."
"Me too," she admitted, her eyes sparkling. "It feels...right."
We moved to the couch, sitting close together, our fingers intertwined. I couldn’t stop looking at her, marveling at how she managed to be both strong and tender, fierce and loving.
"Lily," I began, my voice serious. "I meant what I said earlier. I want us to have a future together. I want to build something real with you."
She looked at me, her expression softening. "I want that too, Alex. But what does that look like for you? I mean, you’re Alex fucking Sinclair"
“You make that sound like a bad thing.” I laughed, earning an eye roll from her.
I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "It means being there for each other, supporting each other's dreams. I know you've put so much into the bookstore, and I want to help you make it everything you've ever wanted."
Her eyes widened slightly, surprise and gratitude mingling in her gaze. "Really? You’d do that?"
"Of course, Lily." I said, squeezing her hand. "Your dreams are important to me because you’re important to me. And I want to be a part of everything that makes you happy."
She leaned into me, her head resting on my shoulder. "That means a lot, Alex. And I want to support you, too. I know you have your own challenges with your family and the estate, but I’ll be by your side, no matter what."
I kissed the top of her head, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. "I love you, Lily."
She looked up at me, her eyes shimmering. "I love you too, Alex. So much."
Hearing her say those words made me bubble with excitement, and the prospect of a future together with her made my lips unconsciously curl up in a smile. Colton didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about. The best decision I had ever made was falling in love with Lily, and I vowed to myself to cherish and protect that love every single day.