Finding Lily

by Emma Shade

  Grabbing my purse and cell phone, I inquired, “Paige, where are you staying?”

  I prayed for her to be staying in an apartment, or a nice hotel. My hopes deflated when she said, “Probably Revive’s guest room for a few days. Then locate a nice penthouse suite, if money will allow and Jeremy hasn’t cut us off from our funds.”

  “You can’t find a suite now? Why would he cut you off?” I asked, swinging my duffle bag over my shoulder.

  “Because we left without finishing an assignment. Not only that, but the only card and identification I have on me is the one under my fake name,” she replied.

  Well, hell. I hadn’t thought much into how I was going to use my own money to buy anything. My ID was back in San Diego with Jinx. Once this whole mess was over, I was flying back to pick up my little fluff ball and the stuff in my real name.

  Come hell or high water, I was not going to be known as Miya Butreaks for very much longer.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  ASHTON

  We were finally back in Indianapolis. I had hoped to only return with Lily and Sam, but the rest of the crowd would have to do. I wasn’t going to get very far without Blake, Alistair, or Paige anyway.

  Gary, my head of security, greeted me next to a sleek, crimson limo. “Ashton, so glad to have you back. I take it that everyone arrived safely?”

  I nodded towards the plane as Lily descended the staircase. “As good as to be expected.”

  “Ah,” Gary said, “I take it things didn’t go too well. Give it time, sir. She’ll come around.”

  “Thanks, Gary,” I replied, and patted his back. “Can you take care of the Lear jet from here?”

  Nodding in assent, he bid his farewell and relieved the other security detail from the aircraft. Assured that task was taken care of, I turned to grab Liliana’s bag from her shoulders as she reached the tarmac.

  “I can do it. I don’t need help,” she snapped.

  “Liliana, I wasn’t implying that you needed help. Carrying your bag is one way a gentleman treats a lady,” I countered.

  A nervous ball of tension, Liliana eyed me up and down. She removed the duffle bag from her shoulder and held it in front of her. Her arm shook from the weight of her belongings inside the bag. The thing weighed a ton, and I had to give her props for not dropping it.

  After handing me her bag, she loaded into the limo without a word. Sam strolled up behind her, eyes brimming with laughter.

  “Are you going to carry my bags too, Ashton?” Sam wisecracked, batting his eyelashes. “They’re so heavy.”

  “Shut up, Sam,” I warned, but it held little meaning with my smile.

  He sniggered and got inside the car. Shaking my head with a grin, my face fell when Alistair and Blake sauntered up.

  Alistair, wound tighter than a top, swiveled to the jet’s staircase. Paige, cussing out my security guard Gary, dragged her bag behind her. The heavy duffle bag scuffed the concrete with a swooshing sound. Her brown eyes scrutinized each of us, until they landed on Alistair, and then they dwindled to near slits.

  At any other time, I would’ve felt sorry for my brother for putting up with Paige, but Liliana’s less than warm greeting was borderline to Paige’s disposition. Since reuniting with Liliana, I often wondered how much of her cold shoulder was because of Paige and how much was due to what she’d been through. I was betting it was a little bit of both. Either way, I wasn’t going to give up so easily.

  Paige shouldered past Alistair and Blake, tossed her duffel bag in the trunk, and got inside the limo.

  Alistair sighed as he reached me. “It’s going to be a long trip.”

  I chuckled. “You aren’t kidding. It’ll get better, though.”

  Shaking his head, Alistair said, “Then you don’t know Paige very well.”

  At that, he left me beside Blake. The lying bastard.

  Blake was a conundrum if I ever saw one. One minute, he acted like my friend. In the next, he was out to cut my throat. The two-faced act wasn’t going to get him very far in life. Yet, at the same time, I questioned his evolvement with the Enforcers. His sister must be high up on the conjurer food chain, so had that meant he was too? If that was the case, why did they apprehend and harm him? The facts hadn’t added up.

  With a smirk, Blake remarked, “With the way you’re staring at me, one would assume you loved me.”

  I snorted, “Far from it. In fact, I was just pondering what your involvement with the Enforcers and conjurers were. With your sister’s standing with the Enforcers, enough that she had control over the ‘army’, what would your position be?”

  “I’m nobody,” he answered with a shrug. “She may very well be able to control them, but I don’t have any sway in the matter. Trust me.”

  “I don’t believe you,” I retorted. Mostly because I hadn’t believed him, but there was more to the story. It pestered me, this not knowing.

  Blake snorted, and before he set foot in the backseat of the limo, he retorted, “Yeah, well, you’re going to have to for now. You don’t have any other choice.”

  Once he was inside, I slammed the trunk closed, and muttered, “Everyone has a choice, Blake. Yours better not bite us all on the ass.”

  *****

  The trip back to my club, Revive, was awkward at best. I tried to figure out the sleeping arrangements, but to my chagrin, an argument began. Lily hadn’t wanted to stay in my club apartment, Paige refused to inhabit the same room as Alistair, Sam wanted to stay in my house, and Blake offered up his penthouse in the city. Blake’s offer was snubbed as soon as it came out of his mouth. There was no way Lily was bunking with Blake. We all knew how that ended last time.

  “Why don’t we all just stay at Ashton’s house?” Sam suggested. “It’ll be much easier in case we need to meet up again. Instead of phone calls, we just have to yell.”

  “Which one?” Alistair grunted.

  “The one in Carmel would work just fine,” I stated.

  Sure, it was the place Sam and I stayed after he was transitioning. But with seven bedrooms and eleven bathrooms, the sprawling estate allowed enough room without crowding everyone together.

  “You have more than one?” Sam asked, eyes wide.

  “Yeah, I do. But not anywhere near Indianapolis,” I hedged.

  I hadn’t allowed many people in to my private residences. Vacation really actually meant what it was supposed to. That was if I actually took one. I was long overdue for a break.

  “Fine, as long as I’m far enough away from Alistair that I don’t fucking murder him in his sleep, we’re good,” Paige blurted, and filed away on her nails.

  Rolling his eyes, Alistair retorted, “Trust me, princess, I’ll stay as far away from you as possible.”

  “Is this how this whole stay is going to go?” Sam whined, slapping his forehead. “You’d think the PMS fairy was sprinkling bitch dust all over the place.”

  Lily and Paige, gasped, and said, “What did you just say?” at the same time.

  Of course the rest of the men all laughed, until they realized he also meant them as well. The mood swings between all of us were flying around like a runway at an airport. The stress of everything was starting to take its toll.

  “We’re almost there,” I said, taking a calming breath. “Once we arrive, we can all rest and relax for a bit. Then reevaluate the sleeping arrangements.”

  “Fine,” Lily bit out. “But I’m not staying in the same room as you, Ashton. Don’t even think about it.”

  “I didn’t, Lily. But you’ll be sleeping in the master suite. I’ll be sure to leave snacks, chocolate, and some of Carlotta’s wine for you,” I replied.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, surprised by my generosity.

  Sure, what she said stung. But what had I expected? It was going to be a long road to make up for my mistakes, but she was worth it. I’d do anything to show how much I truly loved her. Even if it meant giving her up in the long run.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
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br />   LILY

  Ashton’s opulent house was a sprawling estate behind a long, winding driveway. The stone expanse of the building welcomed us as the limo parked in front of the entrance. The two story gothic revival home full of tall, narrow windows, pitched roof, and an arched doorway, was accented with several acres of extensive, manicured lawns.

  To my surprise, no butler greeted us and took our bags. No security guards stood watch, except for at the gated entrance. We were left to our own devices, or at least the men were as they carried our bags into the house.

  The inside was just as impressive. Marble floors in taupe led up to an enormous grand staircase with wrought iron spindles, light oak handrails, and ended in a T, heading to either landing of the second floor. A large window at the top of the stairs lit the room with natural light.

  My mouth hung open in shock. Not that I expected Ashton to live in a hovel, but a mansion of this magnitude was a surprise. His apartment above Revive was conventional, nothing even hinting at the lavishness of his actual home.

  “Would you like a tour of the place?” Ashton’s soft voice asked beside me.

  I wanted to say yes, yearned for it actually, but I reigned it in at the last minute. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

  “Well, you know I’m not going to pass up checking out this ginormous house,” Paige said. “Ashton, if you don’t have a top-secret slide leading to another place in the house, you’re wasting your fucking money.”

  Ashton blinked at first, probably unsure if she was kidding. Then he laughed, “Sorry, no slide except for the pool, but I have a home theater and a nice gym.”

  “Eh, the slide in the house would’ve been so much better. But I’ll take a theater. Plus, it’s warm enough to swim in Indiana this time of year,” she decided. “Now, let’s go on this tour and then you can show me to my room.”

  Ashton twisted towards me, meeting my eyes with those aquamarine, enthralling ones. He placed his hand on my arm and I quivered. Goosebumps cascaded over my skin with a single touch. Reluctantly I drew away, my body roaring its displeasure. Ashton’s skin, a magnet, tugged at my insides, leaving me longing to sink into him. But I couldn’t. It wasn’t right. Not until I knew what my vision meant.

  “Lily?” Ashton questioned, concern blazoned on his face.

  “Sorry,” I answered, shaking my head and face flaming in embarrassment. “What did you say?”

  As if he knew what his touch did to me, he smirked. “I asked if you wanted to join the rest of the group as we took a tour. You know, to better acquaint yourself to the grounds.”

  “Oh, okay. Sure,” I muttered, face transforming to a deeper shade of crimson.

  Sam chuckled, enfolding his arm with mine. He skipped forward, dragging me along with him.

  The house was even more remarkable the further we went along. Carved, white crown molding, large chandeliers, luxurious but comfortable looking furniture, and lofty ceilings that would put any castle to shame. The home had a hot tub big enough to fit an entire basketball team, a library filled floor to ceiling with books, a home theater with soft comfortable lounge chairs, and an adjacent building held an indoor basketball court and massive home gym.

  The courtyard, full of manicured gardens, held a colossal lagoon shaped swimming pool. A waterfall cascaded over a rock wall, leading into a grotto which must have been a hot tub or just a private escape. The slide Paige requested, began at the top of the hollowed out rock wall and warped to the left. Lush plants with wide leaves towered the area so you felt like you were on your own private island. All that was missing was the palm trees.

  Paige strolled around the pool, inspecting the area and practically drooling. She called across the water, “I’m ready to see my room and change into a swimsuit. This water is begging me to jump in.”

  *****

  The master suite was amazing. Sweeping dark hardwood floors, massive king size four-poster bed, and a sitting room off the left. It was a room fit for a king, including the mahogany, antique looking bed.

  The walls were painted a stormy gray and accented with a royal blue bed linens and throw pillows. The pictures on the walls were black and white abstract paintings, which tied in the gray wall and blue linens.

  “Do you like it?” Ashton asked, bringing my attention back to him.

  “It’s really nice,” I whispered.

  “Wait until you see the bathroom and closet. I’ve been told they would be the envy of women everywhere.” He shrugged as if he didn’t care about either room.

  Ashton led me to a white door on the right side of the room, near the bed. Inside held the most amazing bathroom I’d ever seen. It was envy of any five star classy resort. Brown marbled tile lined the floors, a vanity with double bowled sinks lined the wall on the left, a massive circular jetted tub tucked into the corner, and next to the tub was a glass enclosed shower decorated with mosaic tiles. There appeared to be a hundred jets and dials inside the shower.

  “You read to see a woman’s best friend?” Alistair chuckled and opened a door on the far wall.

  “Oh. My. God.” I gasped.

  The walk in closet was the size of my entire apartment. Shelves after shelves lined the walls to the right, which would have more room for shoes than I would ever be able to fill. The left wall had clothing rods in separate sections on both top and bottom. Directly in front of me was a huge dresser of sorts, with tons of drawers on each side.

  Even though each section of the house and master suite, and, oh, the closet, was spectacular, I wasn’t impressed by Ashton’s money. That’s not why I fell in love with him, but it seemed as if his goal was boasting his riches.

  I turned on him, pointing my finger. “You aren’t going to win me over with money.”

  Holding up his hands in surrender, Ashton said, “Woah! I would never expect you to be won over monetary extravagance.”

  “I just wanted to make sure,” I replied, hand on hip.

  Coming forward, Ashton ran his knuckles down my cheek. “Liliana, this house and everything in it are material things. A true person, like yourself, doesn’t care about that. Material things can all be replaced. You can’t. Love can’t. If you wanted me to burn this house to the ground, I’d do it in a heartbeat. If giving up everything would make you happy, I wouldn’t hesitate. You matter more to me than anything else in the world. More than money, cars, or even my club.”

  I swallowed, nervous and unsure how to react. My heart skipped a beat and butterflies swam in my gut. This was why I hesitated being alone with Ashton. Because his declarations of love floated on the air and sunk into my soul.

  I stepped back and away from him. It was more challenging than I had expected. “I would never ask you to give anything up for me, Ashton.”

  “I know. But the offer stands. I just want you to open up to me again. I miss you,” he murmured.

  It killed me not to open up, to sink into his arms. But I had to figure out what I wanted before I jumped back in headfirst. I cleared my throat and thoughts. “If my bags are in my room, I’d like to shower and rest for a bit.”

  Ashton’s face changed, his whole demeanor deteriorating as though a brick wall dropped between us. “As you wish. Your bags should be up soon, if not, I’ll send Sam or Paige up to bring it to you.”

  And with that, he stormed out of the closet, through the bathroom, and the bedroom door slammed, echoing in the space. The slam of the door was like a smack to the face.

  My hand went to my throat as a lump formed. Tears formed along my lashes and I tried my best to blink them away. When the sniffles started, I propped myself against the ginormous dresser, hands behind me, holding me upright. I swore I’d be stronger, that I’d not break down.

  And that’s how Sam found me a few minutes later. On the verge of tears, alone in the walk in closet.

  “Girlie, what happened?” he fretted, wrapping his arms around me.

  “I can’t do this cold natured stuff, Sam. I’m no good at it. I keep hurting everyone a
round me,” I confessed, sniveling.

  “Don’t be frosty anymore then,” he instructed, kissing me on the cheek.

  “But you said...”

  “Lily, I know what I said. But, if it’s killing you inside then it’s not very good advice, now is it?” he said, tucking a stray hair behind my ear. “Just be yourself. I should’ve never meddled in your business, but you know me.” Sam winked. “I can’t keep my mouth shut and nose out of drama.”

  I chuckled through my unshed tears. “I still love you, Sam.”

  “You better. You know, I said I’d strangle for leaving me like you did.”

  “Go for it. Maybe it’ll get rid of these tears,” I offered.

  Laughing, Sam winked. “You know what I think you need? A nice hot shower, a sexy bikini, and some chicken fights in the pool will help cheer you up. Maybe a couple trips down the slide.”

  “You know what? I think you’re right. Will you lock the door on the way out? I don’t want any surprise visitors.”

  “Uh huh, I’m sure you wouldn’t complain too much,” he jested.

  Yeah, I probably wouldn’t, but I wasn’t going to test that theory any time soon. Well, at least not tonight.

  *****

  Clad in a bikini, I felt uncomfortable as I made my way through the winding hallways and down to the pool. Embarrassed and self-conscious, I had a towel wrapped around me tighter than Fort Knox.

  Sam’s choice in swim apparel was a little much for my taste. He ixnayed the modest tankini the moment he saw it. Nevertheless, I’m not sure what happened to my trusty suit. The red string bikini he left in its place was held together by carefully tied bows at my hips, back, and neck. I felt it would fly off with a carefully placed tug. Although I’d kill anyone who attempted it.

  Down the grand staircase, and out the back door to the courtyard, I encountered the sound of laughter and splashes. Alistair sat on a lounge chair, reading a book while Paige and Sam had a splash-a-thon. Blake sat on the edge of the pool, swishing his feet back and forth in the water, Celtic tattoo visible on his muscular back. Ashton was nowhere to be seen.