by Liz Andrews
“Ron was able to pull some footage from the day of the shooting. The damn news crew wouldn’t give up the tape, but Ron was able to get around that, and there she was as clear as day.”
“Who?” Did he say she?
“But I have to talk to Marc. He won’t believe that Judith …”
“Judith!” Lily’s heart stopped cold, as she swerved over two lanes, to stop the car at the curb. “Do you mean Judith Hines?”
“Yes, she …” Lily heard a loud beeping going off before Griffin cursed loudly. “Son of a bitch. Something’s wrong with Marc. His GPS just went off.”
“Fuck his GPS, Judith was pulling into the parking lot when I was pulling out.”
“Damn it, if she showed up at his office there’s no telling what the hell is going on.” Griffin sounded worried and so was Lily. This was the very reason she didn’t want Marc to set himself up as bait. Dear God, what would she do if she lost him now?
“This doesn’t make any sense. His GPS has him heading out of town.”
“Out of town? Which way?” Lily was frantic, wondering what was happening to Marc. At least he was on the move, which meant he was alive.
“East. Why would he be driving out of town?”
“The mill is out east. He must be going out there.” Lily immediately turned her car around, much to the dismay of the oncoming traffic, and started in the direction of the mill.
“Ron and I will head out there. You stay put.” Now Griffin was trying to give her orders.
“Screw you. I’m closer than you are, plus I might be able to reason with her. She is a woman, after all.”
“A crazy psycho bitch, you mean. Ron found out that she has been hospitalized a number of times. She’s not stable.”
Weaving through traffic Lily finally made it onto the road that headed to the mill. “Griffin, this little dialogue is not helping.”
“I’m sorry. Damn it, we’ll be right there.” Griffin hung up and Lily threw her phone back into her purse as she pushed the pedal to the floor. God, where was a cop when you needed one? She could use a speeding ticket right now and a nice police officer with a gun to go with it.
Lily was shaking by the time she caught sight of the mill. Ever since it had closed it made her think of ghost movies and things that go bump in the night. It was a huge, scary building and she was going in to find, as Griffin put it, the ‘crazy psycho bitch’ who’d shot her boyfriend. Sounded liked a wonderful plan.
Pulling into the parking lot, Lily spotted Judith’s car right away. Quickly parking next to it, she hopped out of her car and felt the hood like she’d seen in some old detective movie. Yep, it was still warm. That meant she wasn’t far behind them.
Opening the door, Lily peered into the darkness, trying to see if she could spot Judith or Marc. She thought she heard some noises up on the second level and tried to figure out how she would get up there.
The only feasible thing Lily could see was a freight elevator, but if she took it she might as well wave a sign that said “please shoot my boyfriend.” Following the wall around, Lily came to a set of stairs, which led up to the second floor. Making sure to keep flush with the wall, Lily took the stairs as quickly as she could, praying all the while for the Lord’s help.
If … no, when she got Marc out of this she was going to tell him she loved him, then bash his head in with the largest item she could find. Then she would pick him up, and repeat the process until he got it through his thick skull that his life belonged to her, just as much as hers belonged to him. Lily was never going to let him out of her sight again if she could help it.
Peeking around the corner, Lily looked for any signs of them, but other than muted voices, nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. With a deep breath, and more courage than nerves, Lily slowly made her way across the room, stopping to pick up a crowbar off a wooden box in the process.
The voices got louder the closer Lily came to a room with no door. It wasn’t until she was right at the doorway of the room that she noticed that it wasn’t two voices, only one. Judith was not only talking to herself she was answering herself, and she sounded spooky as hell.
“He thought I couldn’t do it. But I showed him.”
Who was she talking about? The lack of Marc’s boastful voice was beginning to worry Lily. She knew if Judith, in all of her craziness, had hurt him, that Lily was going to kill her. Suddenly the vengeance thing made a whole lot more sense.
Silently praying, Lily slowly peeked around through the open doorway and almost cried out in relief. Marc was there, and alive if his stubborn expression was anything to go by. But his white shirt was darkened by blood, and he looked a lot paler than Lily liked. He was sitting in a chair, tied with rope, but he looked like he was some royal despot sitting on his throne.
Standing back up, Lily brought the crowbar up to her shoulder like a bat, just praying for guidance and the opportunity to swing like Babe Ruth.
“Everything will go back to normal when you’re dead. Patrick won’t want to leave and we’ll be happy again. I can make him happy again, just you see.”
“I thought you promised no monologuing.”
Lily cringed at Marc’s bored tone. The idiot was going to get himself killed, but damn, it was good to hear him talking. Unfortunately, that wasn’t all she heard. Stepping back quickly, Lily glanced out the nearby window to see a car skid into the parking lot. Ron and Griffin jumped out and ran towards the building. Damn it, if they weren’t careful they were going to give away that someone else was here.
Lily decided that she better act fast, before common sense made her change her mind. Peeking around the doorway again she realized that maybe she was wrong and Judith wouldn’t hear if a bomb went off. She was too busy talking and answering herself.
“Oh, yeah, he never thought I was pretty enough, but I gave him two children. He should have appreciated me.” Swinging the gun wildly, Judith looked back at Marc. “How come he was so interested in that whore when I was at home, huh?”
Marc suddenly looked right at Lily, eyes widening before quickly turning his head away. “Maybe your husband is a letch and he doesn’t deserve you.” Lily realized Marc was trying to draw Judith away from the door.
“No, Patrick is a wonderful man. How could you say something so hurtful?” Judith’s voice sounded almost childlike for a moment.
Lily crept closer, deciding to make her move. Just when Lily thought she had the drop on Judith something must have tipped her off and she turned. Making a split second decision Lily threw the crowbar right at Judith’s hand, hitting her arm just as the gun went off.
“Lily!” Marc screamed her name as a look of terror washed over his face.
Judith dropped the gun to the floor as Marc shoved her with his legs from behind. Lily quickly kicked the gun out of reach before hauling off and punching Judith in the face. Judith dropped like a lead weight, crumpling at their feet. Lily’s knuckles were killing her and she didn’t know why she had decided to do something so childish, but it sure did feel good.
Lily started giggling nervously to herself as she heard Griffin and Ron racing up the stairs behind her, calling her and Marc’s names. All her pent up energy was going off like a bomb inside of her body. “The cavalry has arrived.”
“Lily, baby, are you okay?”
Sober for a moment, Lily nodded her head before attempting to untie Marc. When she went behind the chair, she realized Marc was almost untied. “What’s going on here?” she asked, indicating the rope. So much for her grand rescue.
“Judith was never in the Boy Scouts.”
“Like you were.” She grimaced at the blood pooling at his wrist. It must hurt like hell. Good. “So tell me, dear heart. Was this all part of Operation Masturbation?”
Now that Judith was out like a light, Lily was feeling pounds lighter. Marc was going to be okay. “I can honestly say that this was not part of the plan.”
Griffin racing into the room cut off any comment Lily might
have been about to make. The look of worry on the older man’s face instantly sobered her. Looking down at Judith, who was passed out on the floor, Griffin muttered a curse, and strolled over to where the gun lay on the floor.
“I’m okay, Griff.” Marc groaned as he eased up from the chair with Lily’s help. “The GPS thing worked like a charm.”
“Uhh, hello.” Lily pinched his side, earning her an evil glare. “I’m sorry but I don’t recall the GPS thing throwing a crowbar at Lizzy Borden over there.”
“Lily …” Marc growled her name, tossing a nod at Griffin, who looked extremely pale. Lily instantly felt bad. She should have known he was trying to reassure Griffin, who looked like he was about to lose his lunch. Lily had almost lost a lover, but Griffin had almost lost a son.
“No, she’s right.” Griffin looked over at them with a sheepish look on his pale face. “I think I need to be re-assigned or something. I’m beginning to think I really suck at my job.”
“No, you don’t,” Lily intervened. “Judith was just crazy. No amount of preparation can account for that.”
Ron laughed as he handcuffed the woman. “Well if it helps, we have the proof we need to make sure she gets locked up for a long time to come.”
“Yes, I feel loads better.” Marc’s dry voice held a hint of pain in it. “I think we need to get an ambulance here, though.”
“It’s already on its way, along with the cops.” Ron sat down on the chair Marc just vacated and watched Judith for any signs of movement.
“Well, it better get here soon.” Marc swayed as he spoke.
Rushing to his side, Griffin used himself as a crutch. Anchored between Griffin and Lily, Marc made his way out of the room. “Lily.”
“Yes?”
“Did I say thank you for saving my life?”
Tears welled up in her eyes, as she held onto him tightly. “No, I don’t believe you did.”
Leaning over he lightly kissed her, his eyes filled with a mixture of pain and love. “Thank you for saving my life. And thank you for not saying I told you so. I guess I owe you one.”
Lily had to bite back a smile. She had planned to sing I told you so at the top of her lungs, but now that he said that, she might hold back for a day or two. “Don’t worry. I’m already thinking up your punishment.”
“I can’t wait.” Marc’s sweet laughter was like music to her soul.
*
Lily finished speaking with the doctor and walked over to Griffin and Ron, who were talking with the police. “The doctor said Marc will be discharged tonight. They are just going to bandage him back up and give him some pills for the pain.”
“Thank God. Lily, I’m serious, maybe you should talk to Marc about hiring some new security.”
“Griffin, don’t be an ass. You just are feeling this one a little bit more because of how close you are to Marc. It’s a one-time thing, okay?” Lily had really gotten to know Griffin since she and Marc had begun dating and she liked him a lot. He was like Marc’s father and she knew that it would kill Marc if Griffin left.
“I gotta get a life.” Griffin ran his hands through his hair. “Marc’s got you now and hopefully this stupid vengeance thing is over. I need to relax for five minutes.”
“Hey, old man, you want to go trolling the bars with me?” Ron leered at Griffin, and Lily burst into laughter.
“Oh, boy, two men on the prowl. I better go check on Marc before you suck me into your evil ploys.”
Still laughing Lily turned back to Marc’s room and quietly knocked on the door before peeking inside. The nurse was just finishing the dressing change.
“Hey, baby, come here.” Marc held out his good arm and Lily went to him willingly. Snuggling against him Lily breathed in the musky male scent that was Marc. She wasn’t sure if she would have been able to handle it if she had lost him. “I love you, Marc.”
“I love you, too, baby.” Marc stroked her arm, sending shivers down her spine.
“Don’t ever do anything as stupid as that again. Do you hear me?”
“Get kidnapped? No, I don’t ever plan to do that again.”
Leaning back from his embrace, Lily poked a finger into his chest. “I’m serious, Marc. This is all just a culmination of your stupid revenge and I want it stopped, now. I love you, damn it, and I don’t want to be alone because you are being a lunkhead.”
“A lunkhead?” he grinned.
“Yes, a lunkhead. I throw a mean crowbar, don’t you forget.”
“Like you’d let me.”
He was taking this way too casually for her peace her mind. “I’m serious, Marc. You scared the crap out of me. I can’t take it.”
Marc tightened his hold with his good hand, and held onto her. “Lily, I swear to you, I’m not taking this lightly. It could have been you she hurt.”
“You act like my life is more important than yours.”
“It is.” Lily could tell Marc was completely serious, but she couldn’t get mad at him, because she felt the exact same way.
“Just think about the way you feel when you imagine me hurt, and then double it, then triple it, because while it’s just a thought for you, I’ve had to live through it twice.” Stepping away from him, Lily took a deep calming breath. If they were going to go on, then Marc needed to really understand what he was asking of her. “I’ve had to sit through ‘what ifs’ twice now, and I don’t think I can do it a third time.”
“If you even say porridge …” Marc growled, slowly standing up.
Holding up her hand to ward him off, Lily continued. “I’m not saying porridge; I’m saying be fair. Put yourself in my shoes, Marc. Your life means as much to me as mine does to you. Think long and hard about your vengeance. Your mom is happy. She’s moved on and has a great life. All that is left is for you to do the same thing. I’m here for you, Marc, when you’re ready to move on, but I won’t sit idly by and watch you court danger. I love you too much to do that. Call me when you’re ready.” With that announcement, Lily kissed him briefly before walking out of the hospital room. A girl could only take so much in one day.
Redemption: Lily’s Surrender
Chapter Eighteen
Marc stood outside Lily’s apartment, contemplating his future. He knew as soon as Lily had walked out of his hospital room that he would be calling her. Hell, not just calling her but pinning her down and making sure there was no way she would ever get away from him again. He briefly wondered if Lily would still be mad at him before he leaned forward and pressed her doorbell.
Lily whipped open the door a few seconds later. “So what are you doing here?”
“Hello to you, too.” Marc chuckled as he stepped into her apartment. He wanted to pull her into his arms and just love her, but he could tell from her expression that this was not going to be one of those times where he just said “sorry, baby” and it would be all over. Marc wasn’t the type to play those sissy boy games.
“Fine then, hello. Now what are you doing here?”
“Still mad, I see.”
“I’m not mad.” Lily sighed. “I just don’t know what else we have left to say.”
“A lot.”
“Like …”
“Like a lot.” This was frustrating as hell. “You could act like you’re happy to see me alive and well.”
“Of course I am, Marc, but I’m not sure I should get my hopes up too far. I mean, what’s the likelihood of you staying that way?”
“Nothing is going to happen to me, Lily.”
“Again?” Lily arched her eyebrow in question.
“Damn it, Lily.”
“Damn it, Marc.” Her voice held a hint of amusement that was annoying and relieving all at the same time. If she was this mad, she still cared, and that’s all that mattered.
“I love you.”
“And I love you, but that has nothing to do with anything.”
“The hell it doesn’t.” Pulling her body in tight, Marc captured her mouth in a bruising kiss, sweeping h
is tongue inside. As usual, Lily immediately responded to him, slipping her arms around his neck and molding her body to his.
It felt like weeks instead of days since he’d felt her touch, and for that alone, Marc wanted to curse. The little vixen had avoided him, not returned any of his calls, and if she thought she was going to get away with it, Lily had another “think” coming.
Breaking away from her tempting mouth, Marc stared down into her lust-filled eyes. Good. At least he wasn’t the only one suffering from their abstinence. “Tell me you can live without that.”
Lips wet, eyes wide, Lily appeared as flustered as he felt. But still she didn’t back down. “Tell me that you’re willing to change.”
And that was the entire problem right there. Lily was asking him to do something Marc didn’t think he was capable of. To give up the thing that had fueled him for the last fifteen years. All for her. “And that’s the only thing keeping you from me, my lust for revenge?”
“No, the fear of losing you.” Caressing his face, Lily peered up into his eyes hopefully. “I can live with you hating them. I can live with you giving them evil glares when we run into them, but I can’t live without you.”
“I’ve lived my life for years knowing that I was going to make them pay.” Marc still wanted to make them pay, even though he could feel all the control slipping from his grasp.
Lily continued to stroke his arm, as if sensing his weakening resolve. “No one is saying you haven’t made them pay, Marc. You just need to realize when it’s okay to let go. And I’m telling you, it’s okay.”
Breaking away from her, Marc began pacing. “I’ve been my own boss, making my own decisions. Why should I start taking orders from some little slip of a woman?”
“’Cause you love me, that’s why. And you know I’ll make it worth your while.” As she spoke she reached for the hem of her sweater and pulled it off, revealing her white, creamy skin. Marc groaned at the sight. Now this was just wrong. She wasn’t playing fair. How was he supposed to stay resolved when she tempted him like this?
“It’s not that easy, Lily.”
