Lily’s heart pounded, her blood turned to ice, and she was unable to move. Years of being terrorized by Dennis returned in an instant. She began to shake uncontrollably, hating herself for the fear that seized her.
“Aren’t you happy to see me?” Dennis asked with a wide grin. He pushed from the chair and stalked toward her with a knowing look in his eyes of just how much she feared him. “I should be angry at you for leaving the way you did.”
“You were the one who broke in and wrecked my flat,” she accused.
He held up his hands and winked. “Guilty. It’s been a lot of fun watching your eyes dart around when you’ve thought you saw or heard me.”
“So it was you.” Lily felt a little better knowing she wasn’t going insane, but it was negligible compared to having Dennis around again.
“It was me,” he confessed and walked around her tiny kitchen. “I’ve been watching you. You’ve done quite well despite not having your parents’ money. And here I thought you’d go rushing back to them. Still feel guilty about that, don’t you?”
How she wanted to scratch that smug smile off his face. Looking at him now, she couldn’t fathom what she ever saw in him. He was marginally good looking, but he had an awful temper and little respect for anyone but himself. He used people, just as he’d used her.
Why hadn’t she listened to her parents? They saw what he was, but Lily thought she knew better. She had four broken bones, a multitude of scars, and nightmares to prove how wrong she had been.
An image of Rhys flashed in her mind. She tried to hold on to it, to his strength, but Dennis intruded once more.
Dennis moved to stand in front of her, the smile gone. His fingers bit into her arms. “I’m back, Lily. I’m back in your life, so you’d best remember your place quickly. Wipe that look off your face before I remove it for you.”
She poured every ounce of hate and loathing through her eyes. Even when she saw his hand coming, she didn’t stop.
Lily hit the door, her head slamming against it with the force of his slap. Her feet came out from underneath her, and she slumped to the ground. The only thing keeping her sitting up was the door. She blinked, the room spinning and her ears ringing. She also tasted blooded, proof that her teeth had cut the inside of her cheek.
“You must think I like hitting you,” Dennis said with a tsking sound.
She wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but her cheek was numb.
Dennis laughed and roughly hauled her to her feet. “Well, in truth, Lily, I enjoy it very much. I told you I’d break you. I thought I’d done it, but you were too good of an actress. This time, you’ll be broken one way or another.”
That last threat wasn’t idle. She could hear it in his voice.
Lily tried to fight him as he dragged her to the sofa and shoved her onto it. She wiped the blood from the corner of her lip and sat up, glaring.
“I’ll be happy to beat you until you can’t stand. I’ve done it before, so you know I’m more than capable, but I need you to go into work tomorrow.”
Work? Why did he care if she went into work?
“Asshole,” she mumbled.
That stopped him as he was turning away. He looked back at her. “What was that?”
“I called you an asshole,” she said loudly.
“I’m so much more than that, darling. Shall I tell you?”
She held his gaze, terrified and nauseated at the same time. Dennis had made life a living hell. It took everything she’d had to leave him, and to have him back in her life now? It didn’t seem fair.
“It’s no accident I’m here,” he said as he resumed his seat in her chair. “I’ve the added benefit of having you again, but that’s not the only reason.”
“What benefit could I be to you?” she asked scornfully.
He lifted a bottle from the table next to him, showing her the double dragon logo. “This is fine whisky.”
Lily touched the cheek he’d hit and felt the heat of it. She looked from the bottle of Dreagan whisky to Dennis. “I only work in the store.”
“That’s all I need.”
“Why? So you can steal whisky?”
Dennis laughed loudly, an evil light coming into his eyes. “You’re going to get me onto Dreagan.”
“Anyone can come to Dreagan.” Lily wasn’t sure if he was that simple, or if hitting her head had rattled her mind a bit.
Dennis poured a splash of whisky in a glass and lifted the glass to the light. “I’m going to want to go places the public isn’t allowed.”
“No.” No way would she be a part of something like that. She liked everyone at Dreagan too much, liked her job there.
Dennis sipped the whisky and licked his lips. “So predictable. I knew you’d say no. It’s why I’ve got insurance.”
She really was going to throw up, because there was only one thing that could make her agree to do anything—her family.