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Chapter Twenty-Two
- Sebastian -
How bizarre that aman can feel so comfortable with a change in his routine within hours of starting it after having spent a decade carving out his old one. Treating Lilly as if she were my queen was an easy adjustment.
Accepting that Gabriel Calegari came with the deal...
I tried. I tried very hard.
He was perfectly cordial when I dropped her off. He allowed me to cross his precious threshold and even offered me a brandy, despite looking like he’d rather have thrown me out. I wanted to say hello to his mother, but she had already retired for the evening. I asked how she was doing out of genuine concern. He shrugged and said, “Tired, but she’s fine.”
“You never told me how you found out about her diagnosis,” Lilly said under her breath when Gabriel went to refill my snifter after I tried to bolster my congeniality by downing the first glass in a series of classless guzzles.
“Later,” I promised, and received an eye roll for a response.
“Did you ever find what you were looking for?” Gabriel asked when he returned and handed me the snifter.
He seemed genuinely concerned, but I understood that the Calegari men weren’t always what they appeared to be. I couldn’t fault them for that. But I didn’t trust them either.
“I have not,” I answered him. “But it’s only been four days.” I tried to act like Darion’s disappearance didn’t bother me. “Perhaps it will turn up.” And I didn’t want to alarm Lilly. Who was, as usual, too perceptive?
“What are you missing?” she asked, looking up at me with a curious frown.
“Trying to locate a friend.” Fuck. I hadn’t told her anything about Darion. I had to make a fucking list of all the things I needed to come clean about. Or not. Fuck, I didn’t know. I haven’t been in an actual relationship with a woman since my freshman year of college. I didn’t think I had it in me to become a completely open book, not that quickly. She’d have to give me some time. And even then, there was a lot of shit she’d never need to know.
“Let me know if I can help,” Gabriel offered.
“I’ll do that.” Like hell I would.
I tossed back the last drop of brandy and rose to my feet. I looked at Noemi, who was trying to be strong, but I could tell she was losing the fight. I took Lilly’s hand in mine. “Noemi looks exhausted. It’s been a difficult day. We should go.”
Lilly smiled tentatively and rose to her feet.
We’d been here before. Lilly would either walk out the door with me, or she’d stay in the Calegari mansion and return to her family and her gilded tower. I knew it wouldn’t be an easy decision for her. She wanted to be there for her mother. She wanted to be there for Noemi. Her beloved older brother had pulled yet another disappearing act and left the woman he professed to love behind. Lilly needed to know - I would never do that. She wanted to care for her mother - I’d be right there to help her. She wanted to ease her best friend’s pain - I’d do whatever I could. I had already assured her while Noemi was napping during the drive home that I had no intention of coming between her and her family. She could see her mother every day, for as long as she liked. I wouldn’t try to stop her from that or any other involvement with her family, but at the end of the day—
“You’re mine. And it will be my bed you sleep in.”
Lilly’s eyes had glazed over. If Noemi hadn’t been reclining on the seat behind us....
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed when we stood up to leave.
“She’s not leaving with you.”
I told him to fuck off, but Lilly stepped in between us. “That’s not up to you, Gabriel. And yes, I am leaving... with him.”
Gabriel’s fist clenched at his side. I was ready to pull Lilly out of the way before the first punch was thrown, until Gabriel’s phone vibrated in his pocket.
Always the head of the business.
His jaw tightened as he pulled it out and looked down at the display. He stared at it for a moment before looking back at us.
“I have to take this,” he said through clenched teeth. “If you’ll excuse me.”
Then he just walked out of the room like he hadn’t wanted to beat the shit out of me just moments before. Fuck the Calegari men. Every one of them walked away from the women they were supposed to protect.
“Say goodnight to Noemi before we have to find out which one of us would win the fight.”
Lilly smiled wickedly and kissed me on the cheek. “My money’s on you, Master.”
