Killing Game

by Felicity Heaton

  “Steady on!” He blinked and looked down at her hand questioningly.

  Lily wondered if it really looked as bad as she thought it did.

  “I need your keys, Cain.”

  His eyes fixed on hers as she said his name, and they seemed so childlike as he nodded at her.

  She pulled the keys from his pocket and held them up, hoping that he’d register that she wasn’t trying to grope him after all.

  “So how are we going to do this?” Jack looked down at the slightly limp form of Cain and then at her.

  “Guess we just start and hope for the best.”

  Leading them into the building, Lily stopped at the bottom of the stairs and let Jack pass her. They made it up one flight of stairs before it became painfully evident that Cain didn’t like the fact that he was being followed, and he didn’t like the fact he couldn’t see Lily. First, he’d get agitated and mutter something, next, he’d struggle to free himself from Jack, and then when he finally turned around and saw Lily, his face would soften into a smile and he’d be calm again. A few steps later and he’d repeat the process.

  Lily sighed and walked past them so she was leading the way. She marveled at how calm and cooperative Cain became when he could see her in front of him.

  When they finally reached Cain’s floor, Jack leaned him against the wall and bent over, panting hard.

  “Man, get a place with an elevator would you?”

  Cain mumbled something and slid to the floor. Lily rolled her eyes and opened the door to his apartment. She was about to step in when something grabbed her ankle. Looking down, she saw Cain’s hand holding her tightly.

  “Wait.” He looked up at her and tried to scramble to his feet.

  Lily bent over and helped him up. Jack came to stand next to her and they watched Cain push the door open and flick the light switch on. He checked the door on the left and then stumbled to each blind and closed them. She looked at Jack. He frowned, confusion written across his face.

  “It’s a thing of his.” She smiled awkwardly.

  “Hey, Cain, paranoid much?” Jack giggled.

  She laughed along with him but stopped when Cain shot them a black look before clutching his head.

  Jack’s smile widened. “Ooh... sobering up time... that’s gotta hurt.”

  “Fun of the fair,” Cain muttered as he sat down on the couch and cradled his head in his hands.

  “Do you think you can handle him from here, princess?” Jack said. “Only, if I don’t get home soon, Anna’ll kill me.”

  “He should be alright. I’ll stay for a while though, to make sure he’s okay.” Lily touched Jack’s arm and smiled. “Thanks.”

  “No problemo.” He smiled and waved at her as he walked down the hall.

  With a long sigh, Lily stepped into Cain’s apartment and closed the door.

  * * *

  Chapter 9

  Lily walked across the apartment to where Cain sat on the couch. Perching herself on the edge of the coffee table, she ran her fingers lightly through his hair. He remained motionless, as though that alone would stop the hurt. He was still cradling his head in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees.

  “How’re you feeling?” She kept her voice low and gentle.

  He looked up at her. His blue eyes bloodshot and full of pain.

  “Like I did something bloody stupid.”

  “I hear that’s what being drunk is all about.” Lily stood and took hold of his hand. “Come on.”

  “Where?” Cain searched her eyes, wondering when the little girl had become so grown up that she was taking care of him now. It caused his brain to ache as though it was being split in two.

  “Bathroom.” Lily tugged on his arm until he wobbled to his feet.

  Leading him to the bathroom, she couldn’t believe just how vulnerable he looked. His usual confidence was nowhere to be seen. In front of her was a seemingly defenseless boy but she knew better than to believe that he was weak. She knew just how strong he was inside.

  She turned the bathroom light on and he flinched.

  “Sorry,” she said. “We’ll make this quick.”

  Cain’s eyes followed Lily’s every move. She reached into the shower and turned the water on. When she pushed his coat off his shoulders, he let her. When she pulled his t-shirt off over his head, he didn’t stop her. When she shoved his head under the water, he roared.

  “Bloody freezing!” Cain growled and struggled against her as she held him fast. He had to admit she was strong for such a slip of a girl.

  Lily felt his whole body go rigid under her fingers. Her eyes roamed over his back as she held his head under the torrents of cold water.

  “There’s my Cain.” She smiled to herself, watching the muscles of his back dancing under his skin and listening to him muttering obscenities about showers and girls.

  Struggling free from her grip, Cain turned to face her and frowned. Something told her that he’d heard what she’d said.

  “I meant... my Cain as in the Cain I know... not um...” Lily smiled awkwardly and was thankful when he just blinked and tried to straighten up.

  He breathed heavily as he moved towards her, his wet hand shakily cupping her cheek as his eyes met hers.

  “Did they hurt you?” His voice was low and gruff, and he tilted his head to one side.

  Lily realized she’d never answered him.

  “I’m fine, Cain, you made sure of that.” She placed her hand over his where it rested against her cheek and watched the water drip off his hair, run down his cheeks and fall from his jaw onto his chest.

  “Lily... I don’t feel...” He wobbled on his feet and she caught hold of his arm to steady him.

  “Obviously you drank far too much to be cured by cold water.”

  He sniffed and screwed his eyes shut as he rested heavily on her shoulder. Lily trembled under the weight of him as he leaned on her. She could still smell the alcohol on him and could feel his heart pounding hard against her body. Something about his proximity to her made her trembling grow worse. Since meeting him, she’d had trouble taking her eyes off him, and now she could feel all the muscles she’d daydreamed about under her fingertips and it was making her stomach dance with anticipation.

  “Think I need...” Cain frowned hard as he pushed off her.

  She watched him try to walk to the door by himself. He bumped into the doorframe and leaned against it. Lily rushed to him and slipped his arm around her shoulder, supporting him as best she could. Leading him down the hall, she walked with him into the bedroom and sat him down on the edge of the bed.

  He flopped backwards, his arms stretched out by his sides.

  Looking down at his smooth defined chest, Lily lost herself in the sight of it and wondered if it was only guys who took advantage of drunken girls. Maybe it happened vice versa, too. She blushed over thinking such a thing, but there was something appealing about how vulnerable he was right now. The only trouble was that the longer she looked down at him, the more he was tapping into her maternal instincts.

  Sighing to herself, she moved to walk out of the room but stopped when he moaned.

  “Lily...” Cain craned his head to try to look at her, but she was too far away for his eyes to focus on her and she was nothing more than a blurred dark shadow in a light doorway. “Don’t leave.”

  Her voice was soft when she answered, “I’m not leaving, just going to get you some water. I’ll be two seconds.”

  Walking to the kitchen, Lily could hear him counting and rolled her eyes. She opened every cupboard until she found a glass and then proceeded to fill it with cold water.

  “Thought you’d left.” Cain blinked at her as she reappeared with the glass.

  “Nope. Still here.” Lily put it down next to the bed and pensively looked at him.

  Grabbing hold of his feet, she slipped his heavy boots off. His eyes closed and a very drunken smile spread across his lips. She went to turn him around so his head was resting on the pil
lows but he was like a dead weight and she couldn’t shift him.

  “Cain.” She shook his knees but he just made a small noise in his throat.

  She moved around the bed and stroked his brow, her fingers playing on his scarred one.

  “Cain,” she whispered by his ear and his lips twitched into a wider smile.

  “Lily... Lily... Lily...” He cupped her cheek and opened his eyes to look at her. She stared straight into them and watched them smile at her. “Lily... I...”

  “Shh... Cain. You need some sleep.” Lily brushed her fingers through his hair and gave him a concerned look.

  “So bloody tired... guess four hours ain’t enough...” Cain mumbled and yawned.

  Lily frowned down at him, unsure if he was saying that he only slept four hours a day. She helped him shift around so his head was propped up on the pillows and then sat beside him. Looking down, she watched his hand catch hold of hers, holding it tightly against his chest as he blinked languidly.

  “Why? Why get so drunk?” She smoothed his hair with her free hand. Her fingers weaved through the wet strands and she enjoyed the feeling of it against her skin. There was something about playing with his hair that made her want to do it more. It was something comforting, something that felt as though he would know the concern she felt for him from that one tiny act alone and she wouldn’t have to say anything.

  Cain stared up at her, his emotions muddling inside him as he saw the worry play out on her features. She had a right to be worried, not that she knew that of course. “I’m a bad man... bad... bad...”

  “No, you’re not. You were just trying to help me... it doesn’t make you bad.”

  “Bad... bad... man,” Cain repeated.

  “He got what he deserved, Cain. If I could have...” Lily trailed off as he cupped her cheek, looking up at her through half closed eyes.

  “Hurt my girl,” Cain whispered hoarsely, his face softening with concern.

  Lily blinked in disbelief, her stomach heating up and spreading its warmth through her entire body as her cheek hummed under his fingers. Was he calling her his girl, in a boyfriend sense or a protective sense? She looked down at him and sighed when he snored quietly, his eyes closed in slumber.

  She tried to peel his fingers from hers and his eyes fluttered open.

  “Mmm? Must’ve drifted off,” he mumbled up at her.

  “You get some sleep.” Lily stroked his fingers gently as he gripped her hand tightly.

  “Can’t go.”

  She considered her options. She could either stay here in relative safety, taking her chances with a drunken Cain, or she could try to get a cab across city at gone two in the morning. Looking down at Cain, she smiled as he snored softly, his face a picture of peace and calm, a far cry from how he’d looked when he’d come to her rescue.

  Lily sighed and realized there really wasn’t an option. She was staying here no matter what choices she thought she had. She couldn’t leave him alone in his condition.

  As his grip on her hand loosened, she slipped her hand free of his and shook her head as she looked down at him. He made a small noise in his throat and rolled over onto his side, the muscles of his stomach bunching as he brought his legs up and curled up into a fetal position.

  She reached across and pulled the other half of the bed covers over him so he was surrounded by blankets. Running her fingers over his hair, she found herself smiling down at him as she idly played with the wet curls. She frowned at her actions and then ran her thumb gently along the curve of his cheekbone.

  “Thanks,” she whispered as she trailed her hand off his face and walked towards the door.

  Turning as she reached it, she considered closing it, but a part of her said that he wouldn’t like it and that she herself would prefer to be able to hear him in case he woke up and needed her. Curling up on the couch, she pulled a blanket down from the back of it and wrapped it around herself as she flicked the television on.

  * * *

  Cain moaned as he slowly awoke, his head a riot of pain and his body protesting to every tiny movement he attempted to make. Blinking his eyes open, he shut them again quickly as they ached and pressed his palm against his forehead, drawing it down and covering his face with it.

  Lily leaned against the doorframe and shook her head. Even though she’d slept on the couch, it had been the best night’s sleep she’d had in a long time. Being somewhere she felt safe, not being alone in an apartment, had resulted in a heavy sleep that had put a wide smile on her face.

  “There you are... the drunken hero.” She walked towards him and watched as he frowned and pulled a sour face, his hand barely moving away from his eyes as he looked at her. “How’re you feeling?”

  “Like something died in my mouth and my brain got hit by a freight train.”

  She giggled slightly as she handed him a glass of water. “Drink. You’ll feel better.”

  Cain squinted at the glass and then down at his bare chest, he arched a brow slowly.

  “You weren’t thinking of taking advantage of me were you?” A smile twitched at the corners of his mouth as he took the glass from her.

  Lily shook her head as she stared down at the bed sheets, her blush burning her cheeks.

  “Just teasing, love.” Cain frowned and swallowed hard as he tried to sit up in bed.

  Drinking the glass of water slowly, his eyes slid to rest on Lily as she played with the sheets. Her eyes were downcast and she was clearly trying to avoid looking at him.

  “What smells?” He raised his brows at Lily.

  Her eyes widened in horror.

  “Oh God!” Lily dashed from the room and into the kitchen, grabbing the spatula and flipping the pancakes quickly before they burned. Switching off the coffee machine, she poured two cups and added two spoonfuls of sugar to each before placing them down onto a tray. Putting the pancakes onto a plate next to the coffees, she gripped the tray tightly as she walked back towards his bedroom.

  “Here... I thought this would make you feel better.” She placed the tray down onto the bed next to him and gave him a nervous look as her eyes met his.

  He smiled slightly, clearly aching too much to give her the smile that he’d wanted to.

  “Thanks,” Cain mumbled and picked at the food she’d made. Either he was still feeling sick, or she’d somehow embarrassed him by making such a fuss of him. She couldn’t help it. She wanted to look after him.

  Lily picked up her coffee and sipped it, giving him time to eat. Her eyes took to wandering over his exposed chest. She tried to stop them from lingering there, but she couldn’t. She was fascinated with the tightly packed muscle that served as a reminder of their time together at the gym, and she fell to thinking about last night and drawing parallels between the two. There had been something about his actions, about the way he’d handled the guy at the bar and the way he’d punched the bag at the gym, that told her there was more to him than met the eye, a part of him that she should treat with caution.

  Her feelings had only been compounded this morning when she’d been tidying the mess they had made last night to keep herself occupied and had noticed the sleek black form of his Walther P99 as it stuck out of his coat pocket. She’d found herself drawn to it, her fingers running over the cold metal as her eyes had blankly traced the shape of it. It had felt heavy in her hands, large and unwieldy as she’d pointed it at the far wall and looked down the line of sight, fascinated with holding it.

  Cain followed her gaze as it moved to rest on his leather coat where it sat in a pile on the chair in the corner of his room. He knew that she’d seen the gun, but she didn’t look as though she was going to say anything. There just seemed to be a morbid curiosity playing out in her eyes.

  Lily’s gaze remained fixed on the weapon. Last night, she’d seen the man who had touched her crying in a puddle of his own piss. Had Cain pulling a gun on him been the reason that he’d pissed himself? She frowned as she tried to push the thoughts out of her head and s
quash the odd feeling of excitement they inspired in her. She knew she’d been quiet too long. She could feel Cain watching her intently as he made no move to eat. In fact, he wasn’t moving at all.

  Bringing her eyes back to rest on the plate, she broke a piece of pancake off and placed it into her mouth, chewing it before drinking more of her coffee. She slowly raised her eyes to meet his and gave him a soft smile, making it clear that she wasn’t going to ask why he had a gun because she really didn’t want to know. She just told herself that this was New York and, just like Los Angeles, some people carried weapons.

  She’d just never met one of those people before.

  * * *

  Placing his empty cup back down on the tray, Cain leaned back against the pillows and watched Lily put her cup down.

  “Thanks... for everything,” he mumbled and watched her blush as she picked the tray up and rested it on her knees. “Feel bloody stupid now... and more than a little sore.”

  Lily giggled slightly at him. He winced when he tried to smile at her.

  “Some painkillers might help,” she said and stood. “I’ll go get you some.”

  “No,” Cain said a little too sharply. She frowned questioningly at him. He quickly searched for a reason as to why she couldn’t go for him. “No... I’ll get some myself... when I shower.”

  “It’s fine.” Lily started towards the door. “I’ll just get you—”

  “No,” he said a little more firmly.

  Lily frowned and gave him a small smile as he moved to get out of bed. The adamant tone in his voice had thrown her a little, and she tried to put it down to his hangover. Walking out into the living room, she carried the tray into the kitchen and listened to him walking into the bathroom and closing the door.

  Sitting down in front of the television, she sipped her second cup of coffee as she flicked through the channels, unsure of whether she should stay or go now. What were you meant to do in this situation?

  Cain locked the door behind him as he entered the bathroom, his head aching over the brightness of the room as the light reflected off the white tiles surrounding him. Opening the mirrored cabinet above the sink, he looked at its contents. Various pills and things covered one shelf. There were bandages, gauze and plasters on the next. On the top shelf was a large knife. He frowned at it and then grabbed a bottle of painkillers. Closing the cabinet door, he stared at his reflection as he popped the lid off the bottle. He looked tired, worn down, like he could see straight through himself—a ghost of who he used to be. Closing his eyes, he leaned against the sink and placed the painkillers in his mouth. His thoughts filled with visions of the girl in the next room.