Killing Game

by Felicity Heaton

  Switching the shower on hot, he stepped in and chewed the pills as he let the water run over him, soothing his aching body and washing away his feelings with it. He ran his fingers through his hair as he stared at the door, wondering what Lily was doing while he was showering. He couldn’t get the image of her staring at his gun out of his head. She’d looked so fascinated with it that it had made his stomach turn. Last night had been one cock up after another. Drinking too much, attacking someone to save the girl but revealing to her the side of him he’d tried to keep hidden by letting her see that he carried a gun, and he was pretty sure he’d said some things to her that should’ve been kept locked inside.

  Lily stared blankly at the television as she listened to Cain in the shower, the water falling heavily off his body as he moved. She smiled as she heard him humming, the sound of his muffled voice reaching her over the noise of the television.

  Engrossed in a watching a program, she jumped as he appeared next to her, sitting down on the other couch and buttoning up his black shirt as he frowned at the television.

  “Better?” Lily looked over at him. He looked as though his shower had done him the world of good. His skin was no longer drained of color and his eyes were a little brighter.

  “Feeling as good as can be expected.” He smiled wide and relaxed into the couch.

  “I really should go.” She stood up quickly and watched him frown, clearly confused as to why she was suddenly so desperate to leave. She’d told herself repeatedly when he was in the shower that she should probably hang around a while, just to make sure he was okay, but the day was rapidly disappearing and she couldn’t risk being late to work, not after last night. “I’ve um... got to get some sleep. Plus, there’s a million things that I need to do that aren’t going to wait... and you seem... okay.”

  Cain cocked his head to one side as she stood in front of him, her teeth teasing her lower lip in a way that made her look nervous. Standing slowly, he sighed and stepped towards her, closing the gap that felt as though it was rapidly becoming an ocean as she made her excuses to leave him once more.

  “Thanks... again. I know I’ve said it already, but I don’t usually wake up to a beautiful Florence Nightingale when I’ve been out on the lash.” He smiled awkwardly.

  Lily felt her nerves disappearing, his sense of calm soothing her as she looked up into his eyes, losing herself in them for the briefest of moments before coming back to reality.

  “I should thank you... for being there when I needed you, again. God, I bet you’re getting pretty sick of having to look out for me.”

  “Never.” He narrowed his eyes on hers as his head tilted to one side, his expression slipping into tenderness. “Besides, it was nothing, really.”

  Images from the night before flooded her mind again, coming back to her as she stared down at the floor. She remembered the way he’d had that man off her in a split second, his arm twisted brutally, his face screwed up in pain. Gathering her stuff, she smiled shakily at Cain, noting the way he was watching her closely with an air of concern.

  “Thanks anyway.” She walked to the door and opened it. Looking back into the room, her heart sank as she saw him standing in the middle of it, surrounded by the coldness that his apartment seemed to emanate. Part of her wanted to go back to him, to stay with him a little longer and make sure he really was okay because she’d seen things in his eyes that only confused her. Conflict and affection seemed to reign in them. “Cain?”

  He raised his head and took a deep breath as he looked at her.

  “Come by again soon, okay?” She furrowed her brows as she backed towards the open door.

  Cain nodded solemnly as his eyes dropped to rest on the floor again, the greyness of his world closing back in on him as she moved further and further away.

  “I like seeing you there. I like knowing you’re around.”

  By the time he’d snapped his head up to look at her, she had gone and his doorway was empty. His heart beat hard against his ribs as he breathed heavily, frowning at the place she’d stood just moments before. Replaying her words in his head, he noted the way she’d said them. The tone of voice she had used caused the confusion he felt inside him to grow a hundred times worse as he swore he’d heard an edge of tenderness in it.

  Walking over to the doorway, he stared down the hallway and then shut the door, leaning hard against it as he closed his eyes and hung his head forwards. He struggled to convince himself that he’d imagined the affection in her words.

  It still didn’t change what she’d said.

  He smiled.

  She liked having him around.

  * * *

  Chapter 10

  Cain nodded to the bouncer on the door of Club Eden and walked in. The place was relatively empty due to it being on the brink of closing time and the music was turned down low as the last of the punters finished their drinks.

  Instinct made him scan the crowd for potential trouble and when he was satisfied that the club was full of its regular patrons and perverts he moved to the bar.

  It had been almost a week since he’d been here last. His drunken escapades had earned him stern words from his boss and a warning not to show his face there for a long time. Although he was happy to take the hard words that he deserved, he found himself ignoring the warning as time passed. Lily’s words about wanting to see him there and how she liked it echoed through his mind every second of every day and now he’d come to see her.

  Tapping his fingers impatiently on the damp wood of the bar, he leaned against the counter and frowned.

  “Never a sodding barman when you need one.” He lit up a cigarette and took a long slow drag. Exhaling the smoke, he watched it swirl around in the already cloudy air.

  He had been working all week on his contract and found that as the time for the hit was drawing nearer, the feeling in the pit of his stomach was growing worse. He couldn’t deny that he was getting an increasingly bad feeling about this one. He could almost sense that something was going to go wrong. Cain frowned hard and cursed himself. He was becoming too involved in the contract and his mark’s ex-girl, and his feelings were starting to take him over.

  “Need a drink?”

  Cain turned fast as someone touched his arm, his free hand reaching for his gun.

  “Christ, Lily, don’t do that!” he growled as he concealed the weapon he’d reached for.

  “Jumpy much?” She beamed up at him.

  Cain took another pull on his cigarette as she moved to lean against the counter beside him. It was at this point he noticed her clothing. She was dressed in a small white short-sleeved top that showed off her modest cleavage and her taut stomach, and a short blue pleated mini-skirt that barely covered her backside, all topped off with knee high black leather boots. As his libido shot into overdrive, Cain choked on his cigarette.

  “What the bloody hell are you wearing!” he shouted at her.

  Her face dropped.

  “You think I like wearing this? I like having guys trying to grope my ass?” she retorted.

  Cain stubbed his cigarette out and pulled his coat off. Grabbing hold of Lily, he slipped her arms into it and pulled it closed around her.

  Lily smiled warmly at him. Something inside her was touched that he hadn’t reacted the same way as every other guy had when they’d seen her in the little outfit.

  “Why are you wearing that?” His fingers stroked the collar of the leather coat where it rested against her neck.

  “I came into work tonight and Mr. Valentino had apparently issued us all with these uniforms,” Lily said.

  His expression changed as his gaze shifted from his hands to her face. It went from fascination to hardness in a second.

  “So how come I don’t see anyone else wearing them?”

  “I said that, too, but the other new girl said it wasn’t our place to ask questions.” She gave him a nervous smile, hoping he’d lose the harsh edge to his voice.

  “Lily, I don’t w
ant to see you wearing this ever again, okay?” He pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek. “If they try to make you wear it, call me and I’ll be here like a shot.”

  Lily nodded in understanding. She could clearly see in his eyes see how upset he was and it made her feel safe somehow, as though she knew he’d protect her no matter what happened, knew that he could protect her no matter what happened. Leaning into his touch, she remembered all the drunken men that had been trying to grope her all evening and dashed forwards into his arms as it all became too much. She pressed her cheek against his chest as her arms encircled his waist.

  Cain paused for a second to absorb what was happening. She was shaking in his arms and he could feel her tears soaking into his t-shirt as she cried. Stifling his anger over what they had made her do, he held her tight against him and smoothed her hair in long slow strokes. Dipping his head, he couldn’t resist pressing a kiss to the top of her head and sighing.

  “Shh... love... I won’t let it happen again. You call me and I’ll end this.” He held her a little tighter as her sobbing started to subside. “I won’t let them touch you, Lily, would never let them touch you.”

  Lily nuzzled his chest as he tried to calm her down and comfort her. She felt warm and safe in his arms, and it dawned on her that her feelings for him ran a lot deeper than friendship. When working in the club, she was constantly looking out for him. When a guy tried to hit on her, the only person she wanted to see coming to her rescue was Cain.

  When she pulled back and looked up at him, it was like she was looking at him with different eyes. She could see how he felt about her. It was clearly expressed in his face, his anxious half smile, worried brows and the way his eyes were narrowed tenderly, lovingly on hers.

  “Get changed. I’ll take you home.”

  Lily nodded and moved through the club to the back room, pulling the leather coat tighter around herself as she passed by the groups of men that were still chatting up the waitresses.

  * * *

  “Quite a display of affection. I’m seeing a whole new side to you.” Russ leaned against the bar next to Cain where Lily had been not a minute earlier.

  “Piss off.” Cain went to light another cigarette but realized that his Zippo was in his coat.

  Russ smiled wide and handed him some matches.

  “Thanks,” Cain muttered gruffly.

  “No problem.” Russ smiled again. “So, tell me all about her.”

  Cain lit his cigarette and took a moment to enjoy the smell of sulphur that came from the match as the flame died. “Nothing to tell. We’re just friends. I’m looking out for her.”

  “What’s in it for you?”

  “Nothing, and when I say that I mean that.” Cain blew more smoke out into the thick air.

  “She seems pretty sweet on you, man. You’re sure nothing is happening there?” Russ chuckled at him.

  He frowned back at him. “I’m sure.”

  “So you wouldn’t mind if I—”

  “Bloody try it, I’ll personally cut your testicles off and feed them to you,” Cain growled.

  “There’s the Cain I know. Killer Cain is so much easier to understand than Lover Cain... so... have you two?” Russ clearly wasn’t getting the hint.

  “No,” he said flatly.

  “But if she wanted to?” Russ raised his brows.

  “Yes,” Cain sighed.

  “You’re strictly here to?”

  “Protect her. I found her in an alley. She’s a runaway. I set her up with a place, some food and a job over at Infinity. The other night I found she’d been transferred here... and now they’re dressing her in the tiniest scraps of material. I can’t even loosely term it clothing.” Cain hung his head and took a comforting drag on his cigarette.

  “And you know what they’re doing, why they moved her here, and now you feel responsible for it. I’ve worked with you what, three years, and I’ve never seen this side of you.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Cain raised his head and met Russ’ eyes, giving him a cold look.

  “Just nice to know you’re a human being, man. For a while there, I had my doubts.” Russ slapped him playfully on the shoulder but quickly withdrew his hand when Cain gave him a look that could’ve melted ice.

  “Cain?” Lily appeared next to him and smiled nervously. She didn’t know whether she should be intruding on his conversation, but when he turned to look at her with a wide smile, she felt reassured.

  “That’s better.” He looked down at her.

  She had changed into what she’d been wearing before work tonight—a black polo neck jumper and jeans.

  “Hi, I’m Russ.” He held his hand out and Lily giggled at his formality as she shook it.

  “I’m Lily. You know Cain?” She gave him a sweet smile.

  “Through and through. I’ll let you two kids head on home. Have fun, Cainy!” Russ slapped his arm.

  Cain gave him black look.

  She wondered just how well they really knew each other because Cain hadn’t looked as though he’d been enjoying the man’s company when she’d been watching them.

  “Come on.” Cain caught her hand and led her out of the club.

  * * *

  The journey to her apartment was quiet. Lily spent the whole time watching Cain as he drove through the streets of New York. He seemed to be deep in thought with his brows knit and jaw set tight. When they pulled up outside her building, he looked up at it.

  “Home sweet home.” Cain smiled at her.

  Her stomach flipped.

  Looking up at her floor, Lily remained seated next to him. She was a bundle of nerves inside. What she was about to do was a first for her and she was scared that he would either take it the wrong way or say no. She was unsure of what she wanted. A part of her would go all the way if he wanted to, but most of her just longed to spend more time with him.

  “Cain?” Lily’s voice was quiet.

  He turned his head to look at her. “Hmm?”

  “You want to... I mean... you haven’t seen the place since moving me in... and it’s your money I spent. I know I’ll pay you back. What I’m trying to say...” She played with her fingers and kept her eyes fixed on them as she stumbled along.

  “Do I want to see it?” Cain offered her. When she nodded, his heart sung small praises—maybe she liked him, too.

  Locking the car, Cain followed her into the building and up the stairs. Reaching the fourth floor, he stopped and looked at her.

  “Are the lifts broken?” He pressed his hands into his hips and frowned as he pretended to try to catch his breath.

  “The what?” Lily wrinkled her nose at him.

  “Lifts... bloody hell... um... elevator?”

  “No. They work fine.” She started walking again.

  Cain followed her onto the next flight of stairs.

  “So, we’re walking up the stairs because...?” He caught up with her and walked alongside her, smiling mischievously as he did so and knowing exactly why they were taking the stairs.

  “It’s good for you.” Lily avoided his eyes and then gave him a sideward glance. She took a deep breath and muttered, “I’m scared of elevators.”

  “I see.” Cain smiled as she confirmed his suspicions and continued to stride up the stairs beside her. He chuckled and started taking the steps two at a time.

  “No fair.” Lily giggled as he passed her with ease. “Cheat!”

  He chuckled again and looked down at her from the top of the stairs. Lily was smiling wide as she came up the last few steps and he couldn’t help smiling warmly in return. Being with her brought out a side of him he’d thought was lost a long time ago. He felt happy.

  He watched her as she breezed past him and continued down the hall to her apartment door. His eyes followed her every move as she struggled with the key in the lock and eventually managed to push the door open, revealing a neatly laid out living room with two couches and an entertainment center. Follo
wing her into the room, he absorbed the new scene, subconsciously memorizing anything that could be used as a weapon and the layout of the apartment.

  “Sit... I need a shower. All those grubby perves make me feel icky,” she said, pointing at the couches.

  Cain frowned over what she’d said and watched her head in the direction of the bedrooms. Walking around the room, he closed all the curtains and put the latches across on the door before settling down on the couch. His hand came to rest on a pillow and he ran his fingers over its soft fabric. Lifting it up, he brought it to his face and breathed in deeply, savoring her flowery scent that lingered on it.

  “Home sweet home,” Cain sighed. His head fell backwards and came to rest on the back of the couch as he heard the shower switch on.

  Closing his eyes, he listened to her for a few minutes, the sound of water splashing and her quiet humming as she scrubbed away all the grime of the day—the cigarette smoke and sweat. After a few minutes, he put the cushion back in its place, neatly sitting it at a jaunty angle in one corner of the couch, and started to look around again. He couldn’t believe how neat she was, so scrupulously tidy, and everything seemed to have a set place. He smiled at the color she’d chosen for the walls, a deep shade of plum that added a comforting warm feeling to the room.

  Walking back into the living room, Lily couldn’t help smiling when she saw Cain. He was slouching into the sofa in a limp sexy way, with his feet up on her coffee table and the remote control firmly grasped in his hand. She plopped down next to him and rubbed her hair with a towel.