Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
The quiet in the kitchen is loud. I should leave. Go into the office for the day. The longer I’m home, the more pissed off I’m getting. I’m not used to not knowing how to handle a situation, and I’ve been at a loss since the will reading. Lily didn’t appear any happier about it than I was. I’m sure for two entirely different reasons.
“Any plans today?” Lily’s striking eyes flick up to meet mine. Those purple pools are the very reason her father named her Lily. Her long, wavy blond hair and fair complexion only make them stand out more. They are a rarity, like her.
Lily has always reminded me of a delicate glass doll. That is until her mouth opens. No one talks to me the way she does, nor do they ignore me as she does. That’s what she has now switched to, and it’s driving me insane. Which is fucking ridiculous because I try to keep distance between the two of us.
Except now that she is ignoring me, I find myself lingering.
“How long are we going to play this little game?”
Lily drops her fork, making it clatter onto her plate. “I’m not playing any game.” She gives me a sugary sweet fake smile. I bet if she could stab me with that fork, she would.
“Then answer my question.”
“No.” She swipes her tongue along her bottom lip.
“Don’t be a brat.” I grab my plate, standing to take it over to the kitchen sink.
“What does it matter if I’m a brat or not? What am I doing? Yada, yada, yada.” She rolls her eyes. “Aren’t you stalking me anyways? Now that I’m your captive.”
I close my eyes, trying to hold on to my patience. It’s something I find I don’t have a lot of when it comes to her.
“Captive?” I shake my head no. Except the word isn’t that far off the mark, and we both know it. That doesn’t mean I have to admit it. Plus, I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. I’d also have to admit why I am this way with her.
I want to keep her safe. Victor was murdered. Lily doesn’t know that, however. She believes he had a heart attack. Being the head of the FBI puts a target on your head. I have one of my own, but it’s more related to money. Either way, we still have never found the killer, and after all these years, I’m not sure we will. That shit eats at me.
I know it would eat at Lily too. So much so she’d be trying to figure out who did it herself. The day he died, he’d wanted to meet up. I could hear the uncertainty in his voice. Victor was certain of everything he did, or at least he appeared that way.
“What do you call it? I’m not allowed to go anywhere.”
“Where would you like to go?” I’m sure I can have it arranged. There will be guidelines and a shit ton of security, but I’m not unreasonable… completely.
“What if I simply want to go visit someone? Go on vacation? Leave without an entourage.” It’s a fight not to react. Her question alone gets under my skin in a way only she can. The fact that she wants to get away from me? I don’t like that at all.
“Who do you want to visit?”
Lily’s lips press together in a fine line. “Not the point.”
“But there is someone.”
She glances away and then back to me. I know it’s true. I’ve learned to read her. Obsessively so.
How and fucking who is this person she suddenly wants to go and see? Nothing happens in this penthouse that I don’t know about. All electronics are monitored, and you can’t be sneaking in and out.
There are only two doors, which are both guarded in person and by camera. She has a few online book clubs that appear harmless, but there’s one encrypted contact I haven’t been able to trace. I won’t tell her I know this; then she would try to cover it up. I can’t show my cards.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I have a clone of her phone that feeds to my laptop. I know it’s extensive. I didn’t start out this way. It was one small thing I’d do to make sure she was safe and then another. They all added up, and together they make me appear like a fucking psycho stalker. Now we’re here, and hell, she is a captive.
Chapter Two
LILY
Growing up with a father who was a drill sergeant and later the head of the FBI, one would think I would be more disciplined. I am with certain things. Biting my tongue, however, isn’t one of them.
These have been some of the hardest days of my life doing so. I can tell it’s getting to Tristan, which is what really counts. He’s becoming more and more ridiculous with his rules around here. There’s no way in hell I’m going to keep quiet about it. I don’t understand it.