“No,” she whispered.
She didn’t want Dennis to know who she was with. There was no telling what he would do. It was the worst possible scenario. Dennis put his mobile next to his ear, and a moment later hers rang. Lily’s hands shook, and it took her two tries just to answer it.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“You know what I want.”
“I’m returning today.”
“Hmm. I see you’ve moved on. Who’s the bloke?”
Lily glowered at him from across the expanse. “I’ll get you what you want.”
“I’ve no doubt.”
“Then leave me alone.”
“I think you need proper motivation,” Dennis said, a smile in his voice. “Here I thought threatening one of those pretty women was the key. Looks like I should’ve been threatening to kill your new lover. Does he know how to make you scream, Lily?”
She was still shaking, but it now was from anger, not fear. She glanced down at her arm and read the tattoo. It reminded her of the courage she possessed. “I’ll do what you want.”
Dennis laughed, the sound grating on her nerves. “They’ll know it’s you when this is all over. Surely you’re not stupid enough to know you can’t stay there.”
Lily disconnected the call and spun around to hurry inside. She closed the door and jerked the curtains closed so Dennis could no longer see in. Her hands hung on the curtains as she felt tears beginning to fall. If she gave in now, the dam would break and she would cry a river.
*
Rhys stood in the doorway of the bathroom and watched Lily. Her distress was evident by the way her shoulders shook. He heard her sniff, and knew she was crying. It was the silence of her tears that cut through him as nothing else could.
She was in trouble, and she was desperately attempting to handle it on her own. The fact was, she was failing. He could help if she but let him. It wasn’t just that he could aid her, he wanted to help. The night they’d had was … spectacular, mind-blowing. Utterly incredible.
After little hints he dropped throughout the morning, it was obvious Lily was the one who was going to get Dennis onto Dreagan. But she wasn’t happy about it. Their solitude and happiness had been shattered as completely as if Dennis was standing in the room with them. Rhys was in turns furious and distressed by what Lily was being put through. He never thought to find a woman like her, and yet here she was. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. It was too soon to let her know of his love. He would show her in other ways though.
She thought she hid her emotions well, and for the most part she did. However he was looking for the slightest chink, and he had found it.
Lily was being forced. It was the same thing Rhys told Con on his mobile when he’d walked into the bathroom earlier and turned on the shower. Rhys was willing to stake his life on it. Constantine wasn’t so sure, but he was willing to allow Rhys’s plan to play out after much convincing by Rhys.
He wanted to peel the skin from Dennis’s body over what he put Lily through—and for what was being done to her now. It wasn’t fair that Lily had to suffer so much. Rhys hated that she was going to endure it alone for a little longer, but there was no other way. What Lily didn’t know was that she would never be by herself. There would always be a King watching over her. Most times it was going to be Rhys.
The question was whether he could refrain from killing Dennis when he saw the asshole. It was Con’s concern as well.
Frankly, it was a valid one.
“Lily.”
She jerked upright and released the curtains, though she kept her back to him. “I didn’t hear you. Are you ready to leave?”
If he had his way, Rhys would never let her out of the room. “Almost.”
“I’ve got something in my eye,” she lied. “The wind is beginning to pick up. I’m afraid it’ll be raining on the drive back.”
“I’ll get you to Dreagan safely.”
She finally faced him. The only evidence of her tears were her spikey lashes and watery eyes. “I’ve no doubt.”
Rhys finished buttoning his dress shirt from the night before and tucked it in. Then he grabbed his jacket and slipped it on. “What?” he asked when he caught her staring at him with an odd expression on her face.
She smiled shyly. “I’m putting you to memory in that suit.”
“You keep talking like that and I may begin to mimic Con and wear the things every day.”
“A well-fitted suit is to a woman what lingerie is to men.”
Rhys walked to her and gave her a soft kiss. “Looks like I need to go shopping then.”
“Just because I think you look good in a suit?” she asked with an astonished expression on her face.
“Is that so implausible?”