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Chapter Sixteen
- Sebastian -
What the fuck?
Where had that come from? She was pulling away from me because she thought I was the bastard who had killed her father?
I knew she’d believe me if I was direct with her. I tried to hold her gaze as she looked away. I lifted her chin, forcing her eyes back to mine.
“Listen to me.”
Lilly tried to avert her eyes, but I ducked my head to meet her gaze wherever she tried to move it.
“Lookat me,” I ordered harshly.
Her eyes snapped to mine with that hint of defiance flashing through them, but she did as she was told. The only control I had over her was the bits she allowed me.
“Now, keep those gorgeous brown eyes on mine and don’t look away. I. Did.Not. Kill. Your. Father. Did you hear me?”
She nodded, the tears falling down her cheeks.
“I wouldn’t fucking lie to you about that. I didn’t do it, Princess. I had nothing to do with your father’s death. I promise you that.”
She blinked, wet droplets hitting her cheekbones with the motion, but she said nothing.
“Princess,” I dragged the word out in a warning. “You said you believed in me. Then you damn well better believe me when I tell you I didn’t do that. I know someone murdered your father, but it wasn’t me. Or anyone who works for me. Or anyone I could have hired.” My mind raced to think of any cryptic words that could have hidden meanings, so I could say the exact opposite and leave no doubts in her mind. “I had nothing to do with your father’s murder, Lilly. I don’t know who was responsible. I swear on my father’s grave, sweetheart. I don’t know anything about your father’s death.”
I held her gaze, giving her time to digest my words, watching as her expression changed from one of fear to relief. Her tears didn’t stop, but her body language shifted. She softened in my grasp.
“I believe you,” she whispered as she whimpered. “I want to believe you and I do.”
“Do you? I need to know, Lilly. I’m capable of a lot of shit. I’vedonea lot of shit. I won’t say I don’t have blood on my hands, but not his, Princess.Not his.”
“I believe everything you said,” she whispered.
Why do people kiss during those moments when their minds should be on other things? For the comfort. For the physical release of emotion. Because they have to find some tangible way to express with their bodies what their words failed at expressing.
Hard. Soft. Ever-changing. Tenderness mixed with pressure. I wanted to devour her at the same time. I wanted to wrap her in my arms and protect her from bastards like me.
I broke the contact. We had passed one hurdle, but the worst was still to come. I couldn’t say it without her prompt, without her permission. I knew I needed to reveal everything, but I needed her faith to guide me through it.
“Ask me, Princess,” I groaned, burying my lips in her hair. “I need you to ask me why.” I didn’t need to explain more.
Her arms tightened around my neck as she angled her head. “Why?” She breathed the word into my ear.
I closed my eyes. “Sixteen years ago, Alessandro Calegari killed Marcus St. Valentine. Marcus St. Valentine was my father.” I opened my eyes as Lilly straightened in my arms. She looked confused.
“I was there, too, Lilly. The day my father was murdered behind Lowell’s Theater. I was in the car, waiting for him to check the time the movie was going to start. It should have been me that got out of the car that day but I was on the phone with a girl. I didn’t notice the men who approached him until it was too late. The shots rang out, and do you know what I did, Lilly?”
She shook her head as the tears started again.
“I hid. I ducked like a fucking coward.”
“You were young—”
“I wasscared.I wasn’t involved in my father’s business. He wanted it that way. I had no fucking clue he was involved with the mafia.None. When the shooting was over, I finally raised my head in time to see four men running from the alley.”
“How do you know then? How do you know my father was involved?” She didn’t insist it was impossible because she knew her father was fully capable of murder. She just wanted to know why I was so certain he was the guilty party.
