Loving Lilly

by J. M. Madden

  As she padded down the carpeted steps to the lower floor, her eyes scanned the sea of glittering faces. This was the environment she’d grown up in and flourished in for a while, but the charm had worn off. Most of the faces were just masks. There was so much vicious competition to be better than everyone else it had made her leery of every person in here. Maybe that was why Diego appealed to her. He had no mask; he actually was as hard as he appeared.

  Lilly knew many of the people in this crowd. She and her family had been coming to Vail for years. Her parents still had a cabin here, though they weren’t home much. They complained about the crowds so they traveled a lot. Lilly stayed in the guesthouse while they were gone.

  So, most of the people she waded through knew her or her family. Damn. Ray was here. Veering sharply she made her way to the ladies room, slipping through the crowd like a practiced pro.

  Once inside she used the facilities then washed her hands. Her makeup looked fine but she retouched her lipstick. Then she sat down on the lounge couch to page through her phone. She sent Kendall a text.

  Hanging out in the john trying to avoid Ray. Do you see him?

  Oh, hell. No. I don’t. ;-( Need rescue???

  Lilly debated having her friend come get her, but that was a little childish. Nah, I’ll come to you. Still under the light fixture that looks like a boob?

  Lol. Yes! Damn, it does look like a boob!

  Laughing, Lilly stood and brushed her dress smooth. The French midnight blue silk fell right back where it was supposed to. She would definitely be carrying it in her store.

  When she moved to the door she peered out a crack but didn’t see anyone nearby. Stepping out she moved toward the center of the room where Kendall, and safety, was.

  “Lilly, I thought I saw you go in the ladies room. How are you?”

  Fuck! Resigned, Lilly turned to look at Ray Chambers, an old family friend. She smiled, though she knew it had to look forced. “I’m fine, Ray. And how are you?”

  He handed her a glass of the noxious champagne the Chamber had sprung for and grinned, taking her elbow in his grip. But Lilly was an old hand at getting out of the holds of nasty old men. With a subtle move she pulled away from his grasp and placed her beaded handbag under her arm, shifting the unwanted glass of champagne from one hand to the other. It looked totally natural but only because she’d danced this choreographed move many times over.

  Ray looked a little put out that she’d gotten away from him but continued to smile, leaning into her space. “I’m fine, fine. Did I hear you were starting a shop here in town?”

  Lilly groaned internally. How the hell had he heard that? Oh, yeah, the real estate company. She’d only talked to a couple of people about it. Yes, the plans were moving forward but she didn’t even expect to get the keys for another couple of months, let alone stock the shelves. “I am, eventually. It’ll be several months though.”

  Once she’d gotten up the courage to open the doors. Wearing somebody else’s design was one thing, but expecting people to buy her designs in her store was a little tougher. Luckily, she had some of the most amazing advisors in the business helping her out, Kendall being one of them.

  “Well,” he continued, “if you need a location maybe I can help you out. I have a few connections in the area.”

  Ray grossed her out. As she looked at the smug expression on his face she wondered why she even gave him the time of day.

  Because he was an old friend of her father’s, she supposed. And dad had never seen the not-so-nice side of Ray.

  She gave him her brightest smile. “That is so kind. I have a place in mind already, but thank you.”

  She’d known the man most of her life and he’d skeeved her out thoroughly. She’d done a local runway show when she was just a kid, maybe thirteen or fourteen. It had been one of her first, just before she’d hit it big in New York. Ray had been there and in the confusion of the celebration she remembered him brushing his hands over her small breasts. Lilly had jerked back and looked around but nobody else had seen. Ray’s smile had been the same as it had always been and she’d wondered if she’d been wrong. But the knowing, possessive look in his eyes later told her she had been correct.

  In the time she’d been in the modeling business she’d been naked many times over—men adjusting her breasts into clothing, assistants stripping her down for the next change. Lilly had become a little immune to men looking at her body. Every once in a while, though, there was one that made her skin crawl. Some inner sense told her which ones she needed to watch.

  Like Ray.

  “Well, I just wanted to wish you congratulations. And if you need a recommendation I will be right here.”

  He lifted his glass in toast and Lilly raised hers automatically in response. She touched it to her lips and was about to pretend to take a sip when it was snatched from her hand.

  Diego stood beside her, his green eye blazing, black brows furrowed and a scowl on his face. “Surely you weren’t going to give Lilly this glass after you dropped that pill into it, were you, Mr. Chambers?”

  Ray’s pasty skin went even pastier and Lilly thought he was going to keel over, but he rallied. “What the hell are you talking about? I didn’t do anything to her drink.”

  If anything, Diego’s face eased. “Really? Then you won’t mind if we take this and have it tested.”

  A hotel security guard materialized behind Diego and took the glass in gloved hands.

  Sweat beaded Ray’s forehead and Lilly was taken aback by the flicker of fear in his eyes. Then she looked around. They were making a scene. She wrapped her hand around the crook of Diego’s arm. “Think we can move this somewhere more private?”

  Diego straightened and waved a hand for Ray to precede them out of the room. As they wove through the onlookers, Lilly knew they’d just created the most recent Vail scandal.

  When Ray headed toward the lobby, Diego clasped a hand to the collar of his tuxedo and guided him down a corridor to the left.

  “Get your hands off me!” Ray snapped, but Diego continued to guide him.

  They turned a corner and entered a room with an open door. Inside the security guard was just dipping the tip of an absorbent test strip into the glass of champagne. “This will tell us if there is a benzodiazepine in the drink.”

  He capped the test strip and set it on the table in front of him.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to change your statement, Mr. Chambers?”

  Ray looked green around the gills at Diego’s snapped words and Lilly didn’t blame him. If he had tried to drug her she was going to be positively livid. She’d been drugged by a date before and it wasn’t something she wanted to have happen to her again.

  Her stomach twisted with fear.

  Diego looked like he could commit murder. Anger rolled off him in waves and there was a snarl on his normally stone-cold face. He pointed to a chair and Ray dropped into it, arms crossed over his chest. His watered down blue eyes avoided Lilly, though.

  “Ray, did you put something in my drink?” she asked softly.

  His gaze flicked up to hers then away and Lilly had her answer. He had.

  The gray-haired security guard looked at his watch then back down at the test strip. Lilly walked over to look as well. She crossed her arms over her breasts, suddenly feeling chilled and exposed.

  “This is the control line,” the guard pointed out. The tag on his uniform said Rich and he had a kind face. “If a second line appears the test is negative. No drugs. But if after five minutes there is no second line then the test is positive.”

  As the seconds, then minutes, ticked away, Lilly’s stomach hollowed with anger and panic. There was no second line.

  If anything, Diego’s expression turned even more ferocious. He pulled a cell-phone from his pocket and sent off a text. Within seconds Grif was striding through the door, a frowning Kendall directly behind him. “What’s going on here?” Diego’s boss asked.

  Diego waved a hand
at Ray. “I knew he had been bothering Lilly so I watched him. At nine fifty-three pm he dropped what looked to be a pill into a glass of champagne. At nine fifty-eight he handed her the glass and tried to get her to drink to a toast. That was when I stepped in. Mr. Carlson tested the drink nine minutes ago and it has tested positive for Benzos.”

  Grif’s face also darkened with anger and he put his own cell phone to his ear.

  Kendall moved to stand next to Lilly. “Are you okay?”

  Lilly nodded, trying to keep her teeth from chattering. “I’m fine. Believe it or not, I didn’t plan to drink from the glass. I’ve learned my lesson.”

  “What do you mean you’ve learned your lesson?” Diego snapped, jerking to look at her.

  Lilly looked up at the former Marine and shivered a little. Not necessarily with fear, but with some visceral reaction to his anger. “I was drugged at a party a few years ago.” She forced a smile. “But I didn’t have a handsome military guy to rescue me that time,” she whispered.

  Aware of the bomb she had just dropped she looked away, unwilling to see any of their responses. Kendall, her forever friend, wrapped her arms around her shoulders and just held her. Diego moved away, as she had expected him to do. But his reaction hurt her more than anything else tonight. Snorting, she shook her head and hid her face in Kendall’s long blond hair. Unattainable but as soon as she was soiled he was suddenly better than her. Didn’t it figure?

  * * *

  Diego began to pace the room, fury making his head throb and his heart pound. As Grif spoke to the police, Diego kept his gaze on Lilly’s attacker. No, the man hadn’t physically laid hands on her, but he would have if he’d had the chance. Ray Chambers was the same as a million other old white fuckers that thought they were too important, too wealthy, to get caught. Well, they’d see about that.

  Diego stared at the man, praying that he would look up, argue, or even better, maybe he would bolt for the door. Then he would have reason to kick his ass from here to hell.

  He couldn’t bear to think about the other.

  When he glanced over, Lilly had her face buried in Kendall’s neck, but she pulled away as if she felt his gaze on her. Those expressive eyes flashed brighter blue with turbulent anger and determination, and disgust when she looked at Ray.

  The police arrived just a few minutes later, probably motivated by the presence of the Chief of Police of Vail being present at the party. Had to make a good show for the boss.

  Diego gave his statement and he could tell the seasoned cop was impressed with the details. Good. There needed to be no doubt in anyone’s mind what had happened. When the guy spoke to Lilly, though, something about his expression made Diego take a step closer. She had just written out her own statement and the officer was going over her notes.

  “Have you had a previous relationship with Mr. Chambers?”

  The look of disgust on Lilly’s face should have been enough, but the cop waited, brows raised.

  “No, I’ve never been in a relationship with Mr. Chambers. He has approached me before but never like this.”

  “So, you knew he was interested in you? Did you come with him tonight?”

  Lilly screwed up her face in aggravation and Diego stepped up beside her. “Officer Drury, Ms. Carmichael was actively pursued then almost assaulted. She did not respond to him in any way other than the basic politeness required for any social situation. You have my documented statement, the drug test, Guard Carlson’s statement and Ms. Carmichael’s written assertion that she did not encourage his advances. What more do you need?”

  Drury must have realized that he was outmatched, because he made her sign the statement sheet and turned away. When he refused to answer questions, Ray was arrested on the spot. He was too well-bred to make a huge scene but he did demand his lawyer. As he walked out of the room he looked at Lilly. “Why did you do this?”

  Lilly shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. Diego shrugged out of his tux jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. It left his weapon exposed but he would deal with the attention if he could make her more comfortable. “Are you okay?”

  She blinked, seeming a little dazed. “Yes. I’m fine. Thank you. When you decide to talk you really get into it. I appreciate you watching out for me.”

  Though she was thanking him he felt like he’d disappointed her somehow. Her voice was flat, monotone. The thought made him shift uncomfortably. “I’m just glad you’re okay. Do you have a way home?”

  “I came with Kendall and Grif. I’m not sure if they’re ready to go or not.”

  Diego waited. “Want me to drive you home?”

  Lilly turned to look at him. She stared at him hard for a few long moments before shaking her head. “No. I’ll get home myself.”

  She shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to him, then turned toward the door. Kendall walked out with her.

  Grif stopped beside him. “You did a good job tonight, Ortiz. If something had happened to Lilly Kendall would have been devastated.”

  Diego shook his head. “She acts like she’s pissed with me. What did I do?”

  Laughing, Grif pounded him on the back. “Who knows, dude? It’s hard to tell with women. Go home and chill out. I know the night and the crowd has been taxing on you but I appreciate you being here. I’ll see you Monday.”

  Diego watched his boss leave the room. He was the last. As he headed toward the lobby of the opulent hotel he tried to puzzle out why he felt so unsettled. Yes, he had been on edge because of the crowd but he thought he’d controlled his anxiety pretty well. When he reached the sidewalk, Lilly was just about to get into a cab. She now wore an ankle length black wool coat against the chill of the night, the black of her hair fading into it seamlessly.

  As the car circled the loop in front of him she glanced up. For a heartbeat of time, he thought he saw tearful sadness in her gaze before he lost sight of her. Diego’s throat tightened and he wished—thought it sent razorblades through his heart—that she had someone to hold her in the night.

  Everybody needed someone to hold them in the darkness.

  As Diego climbed into his Jeep he tried to tell himself that he was not the man for her, but it was hard. No, they were nothing alike, but there was something there that tugged them together.

  Forcing the car into drive, he turned toward his condo. There was nothing else that could be done tonight. Ray Chambers was in custody and Lilly was on her way home. He needed to go home and decompress. The crowd at the gala had been huge tonight. He had been forced to escape to the balcony to get away from it.

  In a strange way he was glad his neuroses had forced him to high ground and away from the crush. If he hadn’t been up there he wouldn’t have seen Ray loitering around, his gaze latched onto Lilly. And he wouldn’t have seen him drop that pill into the glass, then approach her when she left the ladies room. Diego had known as soon as he’d seen the movement what was about to happen and he’d bolted along the balcony, down the steps and through the crowd in spite of the pain in his still-mending ankle. He’d waved at Rich when he’d seen him and he had reached Lilly just in time to stop her from drinking.

  If she had actually swallowed, Ray would have had her. The sick thought twisted his gut.

  Lilly was beautiful, both inside and out, and the thought that people tried to take advantage of that infuriated him.

  Had she meant what he thought she did when she said it had happened before? Had she been drugged before? Or, God forbid, had she actually been taken advantage of?

  Diego drove mindlessly, in the opposite direction from his house. He found himself on I70, just cruising. Though it was only about forty degrees he rolled the driver’s side window down. The bracing cold actually helped to center him.

  Lilly Carmichael appealed to him more than any other woman ever had, and he had no right to expect anything from her. She was, literally, too good for him. Too rich, too well-bred, too nice.

  Growing up in one of the most dangerous nei
ghborhoods of Detroit had created a hard-edged cynic, more used to macaroni and cheese than caviar. Hell, there were times when mac and cheese would have been a blessing. His immigrant mother had worked her fingers to the bone trying to make a life for her kids by cleaning houses, but it had been the gangs of the area that had really left a mark on him. The first time he’d been shot he’d been robbing a convenience store, trying to make a name for himself in the gang he’d been a part of. Diego knew that if he could create a standing, maybe he could protect Manuelo, his younger brother. Manny had chosen his own path, though, and it had ended in his death.

  Their mother had been overcome with sorrow. Diego could still see her in his mind’s eye on her knees praying beside the cheap casket of her youngest son. She had chased Diego away, telling him that he was supposed to have been the one to go. Not her baby Manny.

  And she was right. As the oldest male of the family he should have been the one protecting them all.

  In spite of the possible repercussions he’d left the gang and started back to school. It had been the hardest thing he’d ever done at the time. He’d been razzed unmercifully, beaten a couple of times. But he’d forced himself to be better than the others around him. On the weekends he worked at a small corner grocery, Chico’s Market. That had been where he’d been shot the second time, when a punk had come in to rob the store. Diego had thought he was better than the kid, quicker, and lunged for the weapon. The kid had flinched and fired.

  Diego woke up three days later with a new scar through his chest and no job. Chico had let him go as soon as he went back, saying that he was a risk to the other customers with his reckless behavior. Whatever.

  That following month he’d turned eighteen and enlisted in the Marines. His mother hadn’t said a word even though she was losing her second son.

  When Diego found himself driving on the road up to Lilly’s cabin, he slammed on the brakes, making the car behind him blare its horn. Waving a hand apologetically, he pulled off the road. How the hell had he gotten here? He didn’t remember making the turn or even driving back toward town.