“Dad, please! No!” I screamed, trying to struggle my way out of his dangerous grip. “I won’t tell anyone, I promise!”
He grimaced, and with his next words I knew there was no hope anymore. “At least you’ll be with your mother now, sweetie.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jackson
The second I realized I needed to find Lily, I had a flash of inspiration. Her cell phone was screwed at the moment, and so she had my phone on her—I’d been using my other work phone while she borrowed my main one today. All I had to do was log on to the ‘Find My Phone’ section of my service provider’s website and the location of my cell would be given to me on a map. Easy.
Using the web browser on my work phone, I put my username and password into the site, and then I groaned as the result came up. Unable to provide location.
Shit. I knew why this was happening. Lily was so far out that the phone wasn’t picking up any signal, and thus it couldn’t send out a location. Fucking technology. It was so good most of the time, and then it always let us down when we needed it the most.
I already knew she was heading to the little woodsy spot that we’d gone camping at over a decade ago, because she’d told me so in one of her texts, but I had no idea how the fuck to get there. I remembered it was around an hour away from the city, and that was about it.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I slammed my hands against the steering wheel, feeling as helpless as a fucking baby, and I scrolled through the texts Lily and I had sent back and forth today, hoping I’d missed something. Maybe the texts themselves had a location attached to them if I clicked into them. Just the road she was on when the texts were sent, perhaps…something to jog my memory about how to get out to where she was heading.
No such luck.
Shit.
I sighed, and as my index finger listlessly scrolled the messages up and down, I saw one Lily sent far earlier today, back when she was still in the attic packing up Jenna’s stuff. It was something about a box she found which contained old calendars and party invitations, and I remembered how Jenna used to hoard all that shit. It used to annoy the crap out of me, seeing an old party invitation still hanging on the fridge when the party had already been and gone weeks ago. But shit…that old annoying habit of hers might help me find Lily now. If I could just find that box with all the hoarded old crap in it, I might find the invitation to Craig’s thirtieth birthday camping trip. Because no one knew how the hell to get out to the camping spot, he’d attached directions with the invitation. With any luck, I’d be able to find those directions.
I pulled back onto the road and sped home as quick as I could, keeping my eyes peeled for cameras or cop cars to make sure I didn’t get pulled over. Last fucking thing I needed was to get stopped right now. I had to get to Lily. Had to, had to, had to.
When I arrived home, I sprinted up to the attic and rummaged through the boxes as quick as I could, desperately sorting through all the old cards, day planners and invitations. Christ, we used to go out so much back then—there were so many damn birthday party things in the pile.
Finally, I found the one I was looking for—an invitation in Karen’s handwriting, detailing Craig’s camping birthday bash. Directions included on the back, it said.
Yes!
I glanced at the hand-drawn directions with little arrows and labels attached to help guide the invitees, and everything came flooding back to me. To get to the spot, I needed to head back toward the city from my house, then turn off onto an eastbound road about ten minutes before reaching the outer suburbs. Then it was about an hour’s drive along that road before a few twists and turns onto smaller dirt roads, which were all conveniently marked on the invitation map.
“I’m coming, baby girl,” I muttered to myself as I jumped into my car, wishing my words could be telepathically conveyed to her.
I did double the speed limit the whole way along the main road heading east toward the forested countryside, praying to god that no cops were out this far at the moment. Luckily, I wasn’t stopped, and when I reached the tiny dirt road that led toward the camping clearing, I saw Craig’s truck parked up ahead near an old, decaying fence.
I leapt out of the car and jumped over the wooden posts, and in the far-off distance I could see the back of Craig and Lily’s heads as they disappeared behind an old cabin.
“Lily!” I shouted, but they were too far away. My voice simply carried away on the wind.
I had to cross a large clearing before I could reach the cabin, and I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. When I reached it, I dashed around the back, just in time to see Craig’s hand tightening around Lily’s neck, the other clutching a gun.
With a roar, I charged at him, knocking him aside. “You piece of shit! What the fuck are you doing?”
He fell back onto the mossy ground, his eyes wide with surprise, but then he smiled. “Oh, great. Now you’re here too. Come to fuck my daughter some more, eh?” he said.
The gun was still somehow in his clumsy grip despite the fall, and he tightened his fingers around it. Lily remained frozen against the cabin wall, whimpering with fear. “He killed Mom, Jackson. He killed Jenna too,” she managed to choke out.
“You sick fuck,” I hissed, slowly approaching him as he climbed to his feet. He kept the gun aimed at me the entire time, and as I drew closer, I realized it was Jenna’s pistol. Lily must’ve brought it out here just in case, but Craig had obviously managed to get it off her. “What did you do?”
“I already told Lily everything,” he replied. “I’m not telling you shit. Can’t be bothered. You can just disappear with her. I’ll tell ‘em you ran away together when you realized people were gonna start snitching about your sick little affair. Fuckin’ pedo.”
“Lily is an adult,” I said, my eyes narrowed. “I’m not a sex offender, you piece of shit. You’re the only criminal here, Craig.”
He waved the gun at me. “Whatever, man. Just give up. You might’ve always been bigger and stronger than me, but even you can’t compete with a fucking bullet. You can’t save her, and you can’t save yourself. You really fucked up by coming here today.”
“No, I didn’t. I wasn’t going to let you do anything to my little girl,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. Lily was already terrified; she didn’t need to see me looking even remotely ruffled at all. I had a plan, of course, but there was no telling what a psycho prick like Craig might have up his sleeve. “Of course I came.”
Craig laughed. “Do you even hear yourself?” he asked. “Your little girl? Jesus Christ.”
While he was distracted by his own amusement for a second, I charged at him and knocked the gun out of his hand. Lily screamed, and I kicked it over to her. “Pick it up!” I told her as I made a grab for Craig’s arm. She stayed motionless against the wall, eyes wide with horror. “Remember, Lily, you promised me a long time ago—you do as I say. That’s a rule!”
She nodded and finally did as I said, trembling as she picked up the gun and aimed it in our direction. “I...I can’t shoot,” she said weakly. “I might hit you.”
I didn’t respond. I was too busy wrestling with Craig, trying to subdue him. He was shorter and slightly skinnier than me, but he was still pretty damn strong, and we traded countless kicks and punches as we struggled for dominance. Finally I managed to get in a trick punch before ducking behind him in his momentary confusion. I smashed him on the back of the head in its most sensitive spot, and then I shoved one knee into his lower back, making him cry out like a wounded animal as he fell forward. I grabbed him from behind, forcing him down onto his knees, and I looked up at Lily as I crouched with him, grabbing his arms and twisting them behind him. “Aim now!” I called to her. “He’s right here, baby girl. You can’t hit me while I’m behind him. If he moves a muscle, shoot him. Right in the heart.”
Lily’s shaky arm held the gun up again, pointing it right at Craig’s chest. “This is what you deserve, you fucking scumbag,” I
hissed as I held his hands fast behind his back. I knew he wouldn’t struggle, because he was too scared of the order I’d given Lily. Her once-innocent eyes were serious and filled with an intensity I’d never seen. She was ready to shoot if necessary.
Ready to kill.
“Don’t hurt me,” Craig whimpered. Such a fucking coward. He was ready to kill us when he thought he had the upper hand, and now he was begging for his life.
“Keep the gun aimed at him,” I said to Lily. Holding Craig’s hands together in the grip of one hand, I used the other to wrestle my belt out of the loops of my pants. Using the belt, I tied Craig’s hands together, barely daring to take a breath for fear he’d work out my secret. He’d probably figure it out any second now. If he moved even an inch, Lily would try to shoot the gun, and….nothing would happen. Then he’d know he wasn’t in any real danger.
When I had his hands tied so tightly that there was no chance of escape, I kicked him onto his side, and Lily lowered the gun, her lower lip trembling. “I didn’t have to shoot him,” she said. “Oh god, what if I actually had to—”
I cut her off as I hauled Craig to his feet via his shirt collar. “Doesn’t matter, baby. I made sure there were no bullets in that thing the other night. Didn’t think I’d leave a loaded pistol lying around the place, did you?”
Shock registered in her eyes, and at the same time Craig let out an anguished howl as he realized he’d been had.
“Yeah, yeah, I tricked you,” I said, patting him on the back. “Too fucking bad, buddy. I’m not gonna say sorry to a piece of shit like you.”
Lily tentatively stepped forward, her eyes bright with tears. “You saved me. Again,” she said. “You’re always saving me, Jackson.”
I smiled at her. “I always will, baby girl,” I said. “Always will.”
Chapter Thirty
Lily
I sat in the hospital waiting room, snuggling under the warm grey knitted cardigan a nurse had kindly given me while the doctors stitched up Jackson’s face and tended to his left arm. He’d had his lip and right eyebrow busted during the fight with my father earlier today, and his arm had also been fractured. Though that fight was only a few hours ago, it already felt like a distant dream.
Maybe it was because such a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Even though I was devastated to learn that my mother had been dead all along—and innocent, too—I was glad her name would be cleared now. People wouldn’t remember her as ‘that crazy bitch’ anymore. They’d remember her as the poor innocent woman who was framed for a crime her own husband committed and taken away from the daughter she loved so much.
“Lily?”
A soft voice called to me, and I looked up to see Alexandra staring down at me, her forehead lined with concern. I jumped up. “How…how did you know I was here?”
“Jackson asked the nurses to track me down to come and be with you while he gave his statement to the police. You must’ve talked about me and said my name a lot whenever you chatted to him in the past, because they managed to find me pretty quick.”
She smiled and sat down next to me, and I was immediately wracked with guilt. Alexandra was one of my best girlfriends, and I hadn’t even told her I was seeing anyone. I’d barely even seen her over the last couple of months. I’d been too wrapped up in myself, my new relationship with Jackson, and all the mystery and questions surrounding my nightmares.
“Alex, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you ab…”
She held up her hand, cutting my sentence short. “It’s fine. I get it. What’s important now is that you’re both safe.”
“Are you judging me?” I asked in a small voice, assuming she knew the whole story now.
She shook her head. “Hell no. Jackson Barker is hot. And he’s powerful. Rich, too. Who cares if he’s a bit older?”
“More than a bit.”
“Whatever. It’s so not a big deal, Lily. Fuck what other people think. I mean, I get why you were scared to tell anyone. A nineteen-year-old girl banging an older guy who’s running for state senator is pretty dang scandalous. And you know…there’s also the fact that one of your parents killed his ex-girlfriend. Not the parent we originally thought, apparently, but still…” She sighed, then carried on. “Don’t worry about it. People will get over it. You’re an adult, and so is he. And for Christ’s sake, babe, you two just captured a freaking killer! That’ll look good to the voters, right? Senate candidate out in the world fighting crime like a real superhero!”
She winked, and I finally broke. I leaned into her embrace, blubbering in her arms, and she spoke to me in a soothing voice and stroked my back. “It’s okay, Lily. I know it’s horrible; what happened to your mom. But she has justice now. So does Jenna Potter. And it’s all because of you. You didn’t stop asking questions, and you didn’t stop trying to find out what really happened that day. You did good.”
“I guess so. But….I really thought I was going to see her again today. Even when I still thought she was a killer, I wanted to see her anyway. Just wanted to talk to her one more time. I never got to say goodbye!”
“I know….I know. But you’ll get to have a proper funeral and memorial for her soon. It’ll help, trust me.”
I sobbed into her sweater for a few more minutes, and then I looked up at her, sniffling. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a shitty friend. I should’ve told you about Jackson.”
“You would’ve told me eventually.”
“Yeah, but I should’ve done it sooner.”
“Shoulda, woulda, coulda. It’s in the past now, Lily. You get to be happy now. It’s what your mom would’ve wanted for you.”
I nodded, and Alexandra squeezed my hand. “Did you talk to the cops already?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“So when Jackson is patched up, you can go home?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Maybe you guys should move,” she suggested. “It’s not good for either of you, being in an area with that many memories. Get a fresh start somewhere, I say. Maybe somewhere close to Blair so we can catch up more often,” she added with a wink.
Blair was the inner-city neighborhood she lived in, and I couldn’t help but laugh at her cheeky suggestion. Just that little giggle, that little tinge of amusement, helped me realize she was right. Everything was shitty right now, and it would be for a long time, but with a little help from all the important people in my life—especially Jackson—I was going to get through it. Move on. Everything would be all right eventually, and I would be happy.
I was allowed to be happy.
And when I looked up fifteen minutes later to see Jackson walking into the waiting room, all fixed up and eyes shining with intensity as he looked at me, I was happy.
Chapter Thirty-One
Jackson
10 months later
“Do it, daddy. Do whatever you want to me.”
Lily stretched her body spread-eagle on the toy room bed, arms firmly behind her head. I’d tied them to the bedhead ten minutes earlier, and my fingers and tongue had been teasing her ever since. All she could do was writhe and moan, unable to push me away when she got too close to coming before she wanted to.
“Oh, I will,” I murmured in reply, leaning down to kiss her. She put her legs up, wrapping them around my hips. “Naughty girl…”
Our kiss heated up quickly, passionate and burning through us both. I couldn't take it anymore; I needed to be inside my girl. Reaching down, I guided myself inside her, groaning as I felt her slick pussy grip my cock. I propped myself up, moving my hips slowly at first until our hips found a good rhythm. It was all panting, concentration, the friction beginning to build. Lily matched my thrusts, rocking her hips as she moaned.
Balancing on my knees and one hand, I licked my fingers, reaching down to touch Lily’s folds. Firm, slow strokes of my fingers matched the rhythm of my thrusting hips, and it was all too much for her.
“Oh, god,” she moaned. I could feel the muscles in her thighs and st
omach growing tight. Her moans escalated, louder, longer, pitching up in a desperate keening plea. My composure broken, I pulled my hand away and thrust harder, faster, pounding into Lily as she desperately tried to break free of her bonds, wanting and needing to run her fingertips over me. But I wasn’t going to let her. She was going to lie back and take what I gave her like a good girl. All it took was a stifled moan, my teeth gritting, neck and shoulders tight with the strain, and she was coming on my cock with a gasp.
“Yes, daddy, yes!”
I kept fucking her for all I was worth. When Lily was finally able to, she let out a groan of relief, something halfway between 'mmm' and a breathy ‘daddy’. That was all it took to push me over the edge, and I rode out my orgasm on the tail end of hers. A deep rumbling groan sent aftershocks through Lily, her soft moans emphasizing each harsh thrust of my hips, which slowed to a stop as we both panted heavily.
She groaned when I finally pulled away and went into the bathroom to clean up a bit, and watched me with lust-filled eyes as I walked back out. She was still lying there, spread-eagle with her hands over her head, unable to move.
“If that isn't the best thing I’ve ever seen, I don't know what is,” I growled. She smiled lazily up at me as I carefully lay down beside her. “I’m not done with you yet, little girl. Not by a long shot.”
She giggled and kissed me slowly as I climbed on top of her, sucking lightly at my lip, tugging softly with her teeth as my hands explored her curves. Rounding the curve of her hip, I followed a path down between her legs, not hesitating to slide my fingers between her warm, welcoming folds. She gasped in surprise, letting out a long low moan as I found her slick heat, thrusting two fingers inside of her before sliding them back up to find the small, tight nub of her clit. I circled it expertly with two fingers, gentle yet firm enough to get her going. She spread her legs wide to me, and I watched her eyes scrunch shut, mouth parted to let small moans of pleasure escape.
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