by A. L Long
Ash walked into my office with a grin on his face. This could only mean that he found something useful. "I got some information, bro. Mr. Marchand has been a busy boy. Seems he recently rented an apartment across the street from Lilly. I also found out some other stuff regarding his past. Looks like the charge of rape against that girl he was with in college wasn't his only rodeo. There were two more incidents when he transferred to Oxford University. Apparently, two girls came forward to the dean of students about being sexually assaulted, but nothing ever came of it. Needless to say the girls ended up dropping out."
"Give me his address," I demanded.
Leaving the shop, I hopped on my bike and headed to the city. Everything about this man smelled like shit. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't slip something to Lilly before he fucked her, like I suspected. The more I thought about it the more pissed off I got. I needed to concentrate on the road before I ended up as road kill.
Getting off my bike, I looked up across the street and counted the floors to Lilly's condo and then the floors to Pierre's apartment. It didn't surprise me to find that his floor was in line with hers. Placing my helmet over the back seat rest, I headed inside his apartment building. It seemed pretty classy and expensive, but that didn't mean shit to me. This guy was a lowlife no matter where he lived.
Wouldn't you know it? Just the man I wanted to see. Stepping off the elevator in his fancy designer suit, his eyes met mine. Without hesitation, I cocked my fist back and planted it against his jaw. He didn't see it coming. Lifting his limp body by the lapel of his jacket, I pulled his head close to my lips. "If you ever touch or come near Lilly again, you're a dead man."
I left Mr. Marchand slumped on the floor and headed across the street to Lilly's. I didn't like the way things were left this morning and I needed to set things straight with her. Cop was stationed outside her door just like I requested. One thing about changing the locks on her door, I had my own set of keys. Giving Lilly the opportunity to open the door herself, I knocked a couple of times and waited for her to answer. The door opened and she was still wearing the matching shirt and short pajama set, I left her in. Even though she wasn't all made up, she was beautiful.
When her eyes met mine, I asked, "Can I come in?"
Without saying a word, she backed away from the door and headed to the kitchen. Closing the door behind me as I stepped in, I watched as she pulled a glass from the cupboard and filled it full of water. I could still see the bruises the bite marks left on her skin. Now I wished I had done more damage to Pierre than just punching him in the face.
Walking up to her, I took the empty glass from her hand and led her to the couch. Pushing lightly on her shoulders, I guided her down onto the couch. Taking a seat beside her, I wasn't sure how I was going to begin explaining the information we found out about Pierre.
"Lilly, I think Pierre drugged you. That's why you can't remember what happened," I explained.
The expression on her face said it all. "Drugged, why would you think he drugged me?"
"Because there are some things you don't know about him?"
"Like what things, Peter?" she asked softly.
"Like the fact that he lives right across the street from you; like the fact that his college love wasn't his only run-in with the law. Like the fact that the guy is obsessed with you," I began. "I care about you Lilly. Please believe me about this guy, he's dangerous."
Her eyes were showing signs of concern. Lowering my head, I lifted her chin and placed my lips on hers. Consuming her warmth, I deepened my kiss by parting her soft lips with my tongue. She began to relax as I continued to play with her tongue. Needing to have her closer to me, I lifted her by the hips and gently pulled her onto my lap. I knew it was a matter of time before she could feel what she was doing to me. Her body began pressing closer to mine and the kiss was becoming more frantic. As much as I wanted to take her at this very moment, I needed to know her feelings weren't because of something else.
Breaking the kiss and pulling away so I could see her face, I looked deep into her eyes and asked, "What is going on in that pretty little head of yours?"
"Please don't leave me." Her soft voice sounded with urgency as her eyes filled with tears.
"I won't leave you Lilly," I reassured her, pulling her back to me.
As much as I hated seeing her this way, it was comforting to know that she needed me. I couldn't think about anything else but being here with her. Even though I knew it could be bad for her to be with me, I couldn't let her be hurt ever again, even if I might be the one to hurt her. If she ever found out who I truly was, it would rip her apart. I just needed to make sure that never happened.
~****~
The next couple of days, I stayed with Lilly. As much as I loved being with her, she needed to get out. I kept telling her I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. Finally, on the third day of being cooped up, she gave in. The first thing I did was give her a ride to the gallery. I decided it was better for us to take her car instead of me giving her a ride on my bike. She didn't feel much like driving, so when she handed me the keys to her car, I accepted.
When we got to the gallery, I noticed that something was off. I told her to wait in the car and lock the doors while I went to check it out. Lilly, being the stubborn woman she was, protested, but I managed to convince her to let me check it out first. Leaning over, I kissed her on the lips and exited the car.
When I pulled into the alley, I noticed that the back door was open. This was what triggered my concern. Taking slow steps, trying to soften the sound of the gravel underneath my boots, I finally got to the door. Stepping inside, I looked back to the car making sure Lilly didn’t disobey me. Seeing Lilly looking out the back window, I gave her a hand signal to stay put. When she nodded with confirmation, I proceeded down the narrow path made in the storage room. Whoever was inside the gallery was kind enough to turn the lights on so I could at least see where I was going. Searching the storage room, I tried to find something I could use to defend myself. I spotted a long metal bar and picked it up.
The door to the showroom floor was closed, so I knew I had to be careful when I opened it. Turning the knob, I carefully pulled the door towards me. It was then that I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I lifted the bar and turned ready to defend myself. "Jesus fuck, Lilly. I told you to stay in the car."
"I got scared. It was taking too long," she said softly.
Putting my finger to my lips, I whispered, "You stay behind me. Clear?"
Lilly nodded as she took hold of my free arm. Opening the door further, the lights were on in the showroom. This seemed odd. If someone was breaking into the gallery, the lights wouldn't be on. Rounding the corner, something soft pressed against me and I heard a crashing sound. Looking up, I saw the face of a woman scared to death. "Take whatever you want. Please don't hurt me."
"Brie, what are you doing here?" I heard Lilly ask.
"I thought I'd tidy up a bit before we opened," she stated, out of breath.
"You scared the shit out of us. Why did you leave the back door open?" Lilly questioned.
"Because it was easier than having to put the boxes down in order to open it," she said.
Lilly and I headed back to her office after helping Brie pick up the contents that had spilled from the box she dropped when I ran into her. Brie was Lilly's new neighbor that just recently moved into her building. Lilly hired her to be her assistant when she found out that Brie was struggling with money. For some reason, Lilly felt the need to let me know who she was. She must have thought I thought she was a thief.
It was nearing noon, and Lilly still had a couple of hours of work to do. I suggested getting some lunch while she finished up. I couldn't have been gone for more than half an hour. I thought for sure nothing would happen in that short a time. Taking the sandwiches I got for the three of us, I headed back to the gallery, only to find Lilly behind her desk with tears streaming from her eyes.
Setting our lunch on the coff
ee table, I walked to her and knelt in front of her. "Lilly, what’s wrong? Did something happen?"
"Pierre was here," she said between breaths.
"Motherfucker! Did he hurt you?" I said, gritting my teeth.
"No. Is it true, Peter?" Lilly asked, moving her eyes to mine.
"Is what true Lilly?" I asked.
"Was I adopted? Do you know my real mom?" she asked, looking deep into my eyes for the truth.
I wanted to tell her 'No,' but I couldn't. Even though Lawrence and Kate Davis weren't her real parents, they loved her more than anything. If it hadn’t been for Rade and his need to protect Dylan, I wouldn’t have found out. He had me check out every person Dylan was close to, including Lilly. Lilly had been adopted when she was very young. Her mother was a drug addict and DFS stepped in and took Lilly away from a bad situation. Lawrence and Kate adopted Lilly a year later, when she was five. There was more to her childhood that I didn't share with Rade. I knew if I did, the truth about my past would come out as well, and I couldn't risk it, knowing how I felt about Lilly.
"Yes, I knew, Lilly. Rade requested a background check be done on everyone in Dylan's life," I said softly, unable to look at her tear-stricken eyes.
"Look at me, Peter," she said. "Why would you keep this from me?"
"I didn't think it was my place to tell you. Your mother wasn't a good person, Lilly," I began, rising to my feet. "She raised you on the streets and was addicted to drugs. You were awarded to the state. Even though the Davis' aren't your real parents, you're their daughter Lilly, and they love you as if you were their own. You couldn't ask for better parents."
"I need to get out of here. Please take me home."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Lilly
As much as I tried to, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. I felt like everything I knew about my life was based on a lie. I never expected the one man who hurt me the most was the one who told me the truth. I knew there was more to my past than what Peter was willing to tell me. Maybe this had to do with the secrets he was keeping from me. I knew I wasn't going to get them from him. The only other two people who knew about my past were my parents. Thankfully, they were still in Manhattan taking care of business.
Instead of calling them, I decided to head over to The Ritz and confront them personally. Hopefully they would be ready to answer my questions. I wasn't leaving until they did.
I didn't say a word to Peter as he helped me out of the car. He must have taken the hint that I wanted to be left alone. Handing me my keys, he kissed my forehead and simply said, "Cop is at your place waiting for you. Call me later if you want."
Taking the keys from his hand, I headed up to my condo, only I didn't make it there. Instead, I punched my floor and the third floor as well. I hoped it was enough to make Peter think someone got on at three while I got off at twelve. I knew I only had a short window before Cop would let Peter know that I didn't come to my condo. I needed to speak with my parents, and this was the only way I knew I could do it without an escort.
Arriving at The Ritz, I pulled my car up to the valet parking area and waited for an attendant to assist me. Handing my keys to the valet, I headed inside the luxury hotel. When I got to the room my parents were staying in, I knocked gently on the door. I only had to wait a few seconds before my father answered the door.
"Lilly, this is an unexpected surprise," he said, moving aside so I could enter their suite.
"We need to talk. Where's Mom?" I asked, scanning the room.
"She should be here any minute. She's just finishing up at the spa," he said. "What is this about sweetheart?"
"I'd rather explain when Mom gets here." I wanted both of them here when I confronted them about the truth they had been keeping from me for twenty years.
I took a seat on the couch while I waited for my mom to arrive. Dad had offered me something to drink, but I refused. I didn't know why I was so nervous about confronting them with the truth. I wasn't the one hiding things. I was jumpy, and my dad could tell I was getting anxious.
"Let me call down to the spa and see when she will be here," he said, walking over to the hotel phone.
The minute he picked up the receiver, the door to the suite opened and my mother appeared. Closing the door, she turned to me with a smile of surprise.
"Lilly, sweetheart, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"I needed to talk to you both. You may want to sit down," I suggested. Once they were both seated I began. "I want to know everything about the adoption and my real mother."
My dad looked at my mom with surprise. Somehow, I think he thought she might have been the one who told me.
"Don't look at me that way, Lawrence. I didn’t say anything to Lilly," she said.
Standing on my feet, I looked at both of them. "The information didn't come from either one of you. I just want to know the truth about my past."
My dad was now pacing the floor, drawing his hand through his thick gray hair. "We should have told you a long time ago. Please sit, Lilly, and I will tell you everything."
Taking a seat on the couch, I waited for him to explain.
"Your mother and I couldn't have children of our own, so we went through the process of adopting one. We always hoped to have a little girl, so when we were informed by the adoption agency that they knew of a little girl who needed a home, we became interested. You were only four at the time. We loved you the minute we saw you. About a year later, on your fifth birthday, we brought you home."
"What about my real mom? I want to know about her," I asked.
My dad took a seat next to me as my mom moved closer to me on the other side. “They said that your mom was in a bad place. She was a drug addict. The lady from Family Services said your mom didn't even fight them when they took you away."
"Is she still alive?" I questioned.
"I don't know. We’ve never met her, nor have we ever heard from her," my mom chimed in.
"What is her name?" I asked hesitantly.
“Diana Walker," Dad said.
"Do you know if I have any brothers or sisters?" I asked, looking back and forth between them.
"You have a brother. He’s a bit older than you. Other than him, there were no other siblings," he said lowering his head.
"What happened to him?"
"I’m not sure. Something happened at the foster home, he was at. They wouldn't tell us since we weren't family.”
"What is his name?" I asked, feeling my eyes begin to water.
Taking me by the hand, my dad said, "Adam."
When I let The Ritz, my heart was filled with sorrow. I had a brother and I couldn't remember him. My mom and dad said they adopted me when I was five, but I couldn’t remember anything before then. I couldn’t even remember what my real mom looked like. I wondered if she was even still alive. I knew my dad and mom loved me, and it really shouldn't matter what happened in my past, but I really wanted to know.
~****~
Walking down the hall to my condo, I could see that Cop was talking to Brie outside her door. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked past them. "Hey Brie," I said, without acknowledging Cop. I took the keys from my bag, opened my door, and went inside before Cop could lay into me about disappearing. I’d had all the drama I could deal with for one day. Dropping my bag on the floor, I headed to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine. More than anything, I needed to sort out the information from the day. Sitting on my couch, I took my laptop from the table and placed it on my lap.
If what my parents said about my real mother was true, I knew there had to be some information about her on the Internet. I pulled up the Internet, and went to my favorite search engine. Typing in 'Diane Walker,' the search wheel began to spin. When the wheel stopped, the results appeared. I couldn't believe there were so may Diane Walkers in New York. Scrolling down the search hits, I found the one link that might give me the information I needed. 'Woman faces five to ten in drug bust.’ Clicking on the link, I scrolle
d down to the story. ‘ A Homeless woman by the name of Diane Walker made a deal with the NYPD for information relating to a drug deal gone bad in Queens. According to Diane Walker, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Considering her state of mind, Ms. Walker's testimony is still under investigation. Having recently been stripped of her parental right by the state of New York, Walker was hesitant to cooperate. The names of her children have been withheld.’
Even though the article was twenty years old, at least it gave me something to go on. It was getting late and my eyes were beginning to sting from the research I did on the Net. Closing down my laptop, I placed it back on the coffee table. Grabbing my bag, I searched for my phone as I walked to my room. There were six text messages from Peter asking me where I was and why I hadn’t texted back or called. It was the last one that got me, though. Lilly, please call me or text me back. I need to know that you're okay. God, Lilly please. I lifted the phone to my ear and waited for him to answer. I figured the least I could do was let him know that I was okay.
