by Lexy Timms
“Shut up.”
She continued as if Lillian hadn’t even spoken. “Are you trying to show the world that you’re not weak by controlling such a god of a man?”
“Sierra,” a deep voice boomed from the door. The woman whirled around and stared, a nasty expression on her beautiful face. Lillian couldn’t tear her eyes away from the horrible woman, didn’t even recognize Cayden’s voice until he stormed over to them.
“What the hell are you doing here?” He glared at the woman, putting a protective arm around Lillian.
“Doing you a favor,” the woman snapped. “Telling this bitch how selfish and manipulative she is.”
Lillian started at her, but Cayden held her back. “Let’s go, Lil.”
“Is there a problem?” the bartender asked, looking back and forth between Lillian and Sierra.
“This woman is extremely inappropriate. I believe she’s drunk.” Cayden glared at Sierra, his voice deep. “She should probably leave. Now.”
The bartender waved a hand and nodded at a man by the door, who took Sierra gently by an arm. She didn’t fight to be let go.
“You’ll thank me later, sweetie,” the velvety-voiced woman said, tinged with darkness. “I’m getting rid of a roadblock to your success for you, Cayden-sweetie.”
“You are the roadblock, Sierra,” Cayden growled, garnering a few looks from uncomfortable customers. When Sierra was out, he turned to Lillian, who was fuming so badly that tears were streaming down her face. “Dammit, Lil,” he grumbled. “I’m so sorry.”
Lillian was frozen, standing with her fists clenched so hard she was drawing blood in her palms. “You know that woman?” she whispered.
Cayden touched her shoulder. “Let’s go, Lil.”
She couldn’t even grab her bag. Cayden wrapped the strap around it and carried it under his arm, putting his other around her shoulders as they quickly walked back to the hotel. Lillian stumbled a few times, but made no sound.
After what felt like an hour, they opened the door to their hotel room and she stumbled inside, falling to her knees on the floor and breaking down.
“Lil!” Cayden knelt and tried to pull her close, but she didn’t budge. She began weeping like a child. Cayden sat with his back against the bed and did his best to pull her shaking body against his. “Lil, listen to me, can you hear me?”
She shook harder.
“Lil, Sierra is evil. She’s been obsessed with me for weeks. I’ve been trying to handle it without telling you.”
“Shut up!” Lillian hissed, but pressed against him harder.
A wet spot from her tears grew on his shirt. “Do you understand what I’m saying? That woman is a vulture. She preys on the weak.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t mean you’re weak. She just goes after those who are vulnerable. I didn’t know it. Katharina hates her. Sierra tried to ruin her a couple of times before, too. She’s been stalking Katharina online, and got my info from another client. I had no idea. I really thought I was handling it fine.”
“Obviously not!” Lillian jerked back and looked him in the eye through the river of tears. “How did she even know we would be there?”
“I don’t know, Lil, but I do know a lot of people who could ruin her right now. I could make phone call and she would be an outcast for the rest of her life, as long as she’s in Los Angeles or even with this circle of people.”
“She wouldn’t be ruined,” Lillian cried. “People like that can’t be ruined.”
“Yes, they can.” Cayden used his sleeve to dry her cheeks, but they were instantly wet again. “A lot of people take me very seriously here.”
“Why didn’t you before? Get rid of her? If she’s such a horrible person, why’d you put up with her? Did you date her?” She had no idea what he’d done when they were apart. What if he slept with her? A new set of tears started welling in her eyes.
“I didn’t want to make it public, Lil. I was still kind of new here when it started happening, and I wanted to try to fix it myself before involving other people.”
Lillian was about to make another protest but clapped her hand over her mouth. She frantically tried to scoot toward the bathroom. When Cayden helped her up, she gagged, and he scooped her up and got her to the toilet just in time for her to vomit three times. He held her hair up and softly blew on the back of her sweating neck until she feebly sat back.
“Let’s rinse off, Lil, and have a rest,” he said gently, and got her out of her clothes. “I love your dress.”
“I wanted you to like it,” she whispered, another few tears coming out of her eyes.
CAYDEN STARTED THE shower and took off his own clothes. He picked her up like she was a feather and stepped into the shower, propping her on her feet but holding her close to his chest. For a few minutes he let the cool water run over her body until her skin felt less like a fire and more like a human. He felt like a jackass. How had he let this happen?
She was so spent, he had to help her step out of the shower and dry off her body. Taking her to the bed, he sat her down and found a big shirt of his in her bag. “Wear this,” he said, and she held up her arms while he put the shirt on her and drew back the sheets. He pulled on his boxers and got into bed with her, holding her tightly.
“Lil,” he murmured, “Whatever she said, none of it’s true.”
Lillian burst into a fresh set of tears.
“I’m serious. I don’t even know all the things she said, but they are not true. Do you hear me?” She nodded weakly as she continued crying. He swallowed. She’d broken up with him before because she’d felt like he deserved better. It was stupid. She was the best thing in his life. She had no idea. If Sierra’s horrible rant ruined things... he didn’t even want to think about it. He loved Lillian. With everything he had. He didn’t deserve her. “I love you, Lil. Some nasty person is completely incapable of changing that.”
Lillian made no response, and after a few minutes her body slowly stopped trembling and her breathing evened. He realized she’d fallen asleep. What a fucking night. He held still for a little while, making sure she wasn’t going to wake up, and leaned over to get his phone off the side of the bed.
Katharina, he typed with one hand, I have some bad news.
As usual, she replied immediately. Shit. Tell me.
It’s Sierra.
No.
She somehow found out Lil and I were going to the bar by the hotel tonight. Lil went early. Sierra was saying horrible things. Verbal harassment. Bouncer had to take her out.
Katharina read the message, but he didn’t get a response for a couple of minutes. That bitch, it finally came through. I’ll make sure it never happens again. Let me handle it.
Tell me how I can help, he replied. No one hurts my Lil.
Katharina replied with a slew of profanity. No one will get to my Lily of the Valley.
I think she doesn’t really like that name.
It is my pet name for her. She should love it, Katharina sent. I’m so sorry this has happened to you, too, handsome.
It just got worse than we expected. We’ll figure it out. Cayden felt some sense of relief knowing that Katharina was going to do her best to end this situation. Other than this, how’s your night? Better than ours, I hope.
Actually, I am having a lovely night. Andrew is grilling steak and we are having wine. Is it to grill steak or cook steak? It smells amazing.
Cayden chuckled. I won’t bother you two anymore. Have a fun night.
Yes, we will. Tell my Lillian not to rush here in the morning. The cleaners will be finished by ten thirty or eleven. Be sure she takes care of herself.
Thanks, K. See you tomorrow. He put his phone down and stroked Lillian’s hair back, his eyes locked on her face. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered to her, and gently propped a pillow behind her head to replace his chest as he got out of bed. Slipping his pants and shirt back on, he tiptoed out of the room and went down to the lobby to order room service.
; In half an hour, there was a knock on the door. Lillian was sleeping so deeply she didn’t budge, but Cayden got up and quietly let the guy set the trays on the table. “Thank you,” Cayden whispered, giving him a tip, and closed the door again. He looked at Lillian, passed out and hugging the pillow tightly.
“Lil,” he hummed, scratching her head. “Wake up. I have food for us.”
She moved a little, reaching out to grab Cayden’s hand.
“Come on, sexy. It’s going to get cold.”
Wordlessly, Lillian rolled over and looked at him through swollen, squinted eyes. He smiled. “There she is! Come on. The food is over there.” He pointed at the dishes and pulled her to her feet, helping her to the table.
He hadn’t expected her to eat much, but her appetite was at least a little better than he thought it would’ve been. She never spoke while she ate in small bites, and when he saw that she was nearly done he dared to ask:
“How’re you feeling?”
“Not so good.” She stared down at the plate. “I’m sorry, Cayden—”
“Lil,” he said again, “none of it was true.” Part of him was terrified she would try breaking up with him and run back home.
A tear ran down her cheek; she put her feet up and hugged her knees. “It’s just—she pinpointed every horrible thing I have ever thought about myself in our relationship.”
“It’s not true,” he repeated.
“If I’ve thought it before, and she’s thought it, I must really be a terrible person.” The tears began to flow, and Cayden got up to kiss her.
“You’re the furthest thing from a terrible person I’ve ever known,” he said quietly. “Lil, you’re amazing. I love you. After what we’ve been through together, there is no reason for you to doubt that I want to be with you.”
She sniffed, and looked up at him with sad eyes.
“Breaking up with you was horrible,” he said. “That’s the only horrible thing about us. So, we shouldn’t break up again. Ever.” He straightened up. “I have something for you.”
“You do?” She looked around, slightly timid. Almost panicked.
“It’s been in here,” he said, reaching into her luggage bag and opening a hidden zipper pocket in the back. “I guess you didn’t find it yet.”
“What is it?” she asked.
Cayden handed her a small padded envelope. “Open it.”
She looked at it. “I don’t know.”
He leaned down to look at her face more directly. “Is that a hint of a smile I see?”
“I’m scared to open it.”
“There’s nothing scary inside it.” Part of him wondered if she was scared he was going to propose to her. It wasn’t a ring box... and why did that idea seem to awful? It didn’t to him. He pushed the thought away.
Nervously, she opened one end and pulled out a picture frame. With a confused look, she turned it over and gasped. “Cayden. It’s beautiful.” She smiled and tried to wipe her tears as she looked at the photo of Andrew, his parents, and her making silly faces at the hospital. Only, there was one more person—Amelia, making her trademark silly face, had been added into it. She was sitting on the bed beside Andrew and Lillian.
“I thought you might like it,” he said proudly. “It was the only photo I could find, and it’s older, so I know she doesn’t look completely like she was really there, but—”
“Cayden,” Lillian cried, throwing her arms around him. “I can’t believe it. How did you do this?”
“I have my ways.”
Lillian held the frame like it was a block of solid gold. “I’m going to treasure this for the rest of my life.” Through her tears, she looked at him. “You have no idea how much this means to me. You couldn’t have gotten me anything better in the universe.”
He grinned. “Not even a kitten?”
Lillian paused. “A kitten runs a close second, but this still wins for sure.”
“This must be pretty special, then.”
Lillian embraced him again. “I love you,” she whispered in his ear. “My heart is fragile, and you make me feel strong. And safe. And loved.”
Before long, they were asleep in the bed, holding each other tight. The photo was set up on the bedside table, facing the rest of the room like a protective force against whatever heartbreak had been there before.
But no heartbreak was allowed now; it had all been expelled. Cayden and Lillian slept deeply, their bodies against each other, until the sun rose in the morning. The sun seemed to promise a new beginning. A new chance. A fresh start. Again.
Chapter 09
JUST BEFORE SUNRISE, Cayden felt Lillian changing positions at least four times. He figured she was trying to get more comfortable to go back to sleep. She had been asleep since yesterday evening after the incident, with only the little break for dinner. In his half-awake mind, he thought it strange that she wasn’t getting up and reading or checking her email. Then again, it was still dark out, so he figured it didn’t matter. He rolled over and put his arm around her, and eventually she stilled, her breathing got deeper, and he let himself go back to sleep, too.
When he woke again, the sun was shining through the small gap in the curtains, drawing a bright line across the foot of the bed. Sleepily he turned over to face her, and there she was, lying with her eyes open, looking right at him.
“Morning,” she whispered. The bags under her eyes were purple, but much less swollen than they were last night.
He smiled, and nestled up against her. “Good morning.” Should he bring up last night or just leave it alone?
“How’d you sleep?”
“Good. How ‘bout you?”
She shrugged, and closed her eyes. He lay watching her for a few minutes, not sure what to do or say. He’d created this mess. No, wait. That crazy psycho bitch had. He’d been trying to handle the situation for weeks. There was no way he could’ve known she was going to show up last night and try to verbally attack Lil. It was ridiculous. He sighed, and rolled onto his back. This was a mess, and he had no idea how to fix it.
They barely said anything to each other while they got dressed. She went through her usual morning routine, washing her face and spraying on that good-smelling stuff. That was his favorite part.
They walked hand in hand all the way to the breakfast table. The host who greeted them, an older man with a nice accent, glanced at their interlocked fingers and smiled, saying nothing about it but treating them with extra care.
“What are you going to get?” he asked Lillian. Her eyes had been locked on the laminated page of breakfast sets for a few minutes, unmoving. His voice seemed to startle her, and she looked at him for a second before it registered what he had asked.
“I think the toast,” she said, unsure.
The waiter approached their table with a kind smile. “Good morning! Have you both decided which set you would like?”
“Yes,” Cayden said, stacking his and Lillian’s menus. “One pancake set and one waffle set. Orange juice and coffee for both. Scrambled eggs for one and over easy for the other.”
The waiter nodded, took the menus, and walked away. Lillian stared blankly at Cayden. “I think I said the toast...”
“I heard you.”
“So—”
“You need extra nourishment today.” He didn’t want to argue, but was hoping the smell of the food would get her eating. What if she had a flare-up because she wasn’t eating? “Katharina needs you to be feeling your best, and toast isn’t going to help your energy levels at all. The guest house is the same size as your place.”
Lillian frowned, and slouched just a little more. “Sorry.”
“Come on, Lil,” he groaned. “Don’t apologize. I’m taking care of you, just like I told Katharina I would.”
She looked up. “Katharina?”
“I talked to her last night right after you fell asleep. Before dinner. That—” he fought to keep from spewing out curse words or sounding angry, and Lillian knew who he was re
ferring to “—used to be friends with Katharina. It wasn’t long ago that she went crazy, trying to sabotage her.”
“Why would someone want to sabotage Katharina?”
“The industry they’re in is enough reason,” Cayden replied. “But she and Katharina had been friends for a while. Several years. Katharina helped her make it to where she is now. And one day, she just turned on her. It was a really bad situation. K wouldn’t even talk much about it.”
Lillian looked heartbroken. “What did she do about it?”
“What I tried to do. Handle it as quietly as possible. Luckily Sierra came to a pretty quick stop doing whatever it was that she was doing.” The waiter brought their orange juice and coffee, and Cayden thanked him. “Like I said, I don’t know all the details. In my opinion, Katharina handled it well, so I tried to do the same and be as mature about it as possible.”
“Because you aren’t trying to sabotage her.”
“Exactly. I could have reacted out of frustration in the heat of the moment. It would have stopped it from getting out of control, but it would have tarnished my reputation here and made me no better than her.” He poured some half and half out of a small ceramic jug. The white swirled in with his coffee, making a pretty spiral pattern. “I guess because she’s been established here longer, she thinks she has the upper hand on me.”
“So, you told Katharina about what happened?” she asked softly, cradling each word like it was an egg.
Cayden nodded. “Katharina was really upset. She said she would make sure it was taken care of, and told me to look after you this morning.”
Lillian looked at the clock on the wall. “I need to leave right after breakfast.”
“Nah, you don’t. She said the cleaners wouldn’t be done until eleven or something. Said not to rush over.”
She sighed. “Okay.”
Cayden watched her for a minute, wishing he could do something to wipe the sadness from her heart. It kills me to see her like that, he frowned to himself, and leaned forward. “Hey, Lil.”
She looked up at him with sad puppy eyes, but even those sad eyes held love. “Hmm?”
