Harrison
“You’re being ridiculous, Harry!”
Tammy had never lost that unique ability to see things so differently to me. In the beginning, it had been refreshing. Unlike most other women that had, in one way or another, been a part of my life, Tammy had never once bowed down to me. Most would somewhat agree with me than face me off in an argument. But Tammy refused that. And that’s why we had become friends from an early age. I admired her grit and determination, and the self-confidence that had luckily never retreated. Now, though, it got on my goddam tits.
“I’m not being ridiculous, I’m being realistic.”
Philly occasionally glanced up from where she sat colouring at the other end of the table. She was only half interested in us. Her face was down, and her tiny tongue poked through her sealed lips while she concentrated on the picture of a giant elephant she had partially filled with a mass of grey crayon.
“We all have pasts, Harry. I’m positive Lily has. Why should yours be the reason neither of you should be happy?” She quirked an eyebrow and stared straight at me. “And, besides, it’s never usually bothered you before where women are concerned.”
“This is different. For one, she’s my client. I can’t go there. And, two, Lily’s already been through too much. She would never handle me. You and I both know that I’d eventually chew her up until she’s unrecognisable as the woman she is now.”
I was already halfway to fucking her up. The image of Lily’s crestfallen face as I’d left her stood naked and shamed had plagued my dreams, and I’d woken like a bear with a sore head. It had been my shift to detail Lily, but I just couldn’t face her. Or, rather, I hadn’t wanted to put her through more humiliation by having to face me. So, I left her with Liam – again.
Anger poured through me again when, for the hundredth time, I pictured a very different conclusion to Lily’s come-on. I’d had to restrain myself like I never had before. All I had wanted to do was lift her in my arms, take her to bed, and spend hours exploring her incredible little body. Her tits were perky, her nipples full and swollen with desire. I had so wanted to run my tongue over the expanse of her soft stomach until my lips met the sweet flesh between her legs. I’d wanted to hear her come apart while my greedy mouth devoured every drop of her orgasm.
“Harry!”
I blinked, Tammy’s voice breaking into my daydream.
“Your phone!”
Shaking myself, I pulled my phone from my pocket and stared down at Liam’s name on the screen. I knew before I’d even accepted his call that I wasn’t going to like what he had to say.
Little did I know then that his short but rushed sentence would kill the promise I had made to stay away from Lily Cooper. The resolve to leave her alone disintegrated alongside my heart.
The bear with a sore head became a bull in a china shop as I tore out of Tammy’s house with a wide-eyed Philly the last thing I saw in the rear-view.
***
“How is she?” I asked quietly when I entered the hospital room. I was pleased to see Lily had been placed in a private side room and a guard put on sentry duty outside her door.
I didn’t need Liam to answer my question. I could see from the bruising around her mouth and neck that Lily was far from okay. Her face was pale, and large bags hung below her eyes.
“She’ll survive.”
I turned on him, the vitriol simmering away inside me aimed directly at him. “What the hell happened? You were supposed to be fucking glued to her!”
“In the frigging changing room? Yeah, sure she’d have appreciated that, Harry!”
Shit, he had a point!
“We’re lucky the shop assistant went in at that moment, or…” He didn’t need to finish that sentence.
“Where is he?”
Liam sighed and rose from the chair beside Lily’s bed, gesturing for me to take his place. Cracking his knuckles, he groaned and then stretched his long arms in the air. “Duty officer took him. The police were informed as soon as I called for an ambulance. Couldn’t do it any other way, mate.”
Disappointment and rage blistered my veins, but I bit my lip and forced my temper back. “I’ll ring my mate at The Yard and see if he can get me an in.” I needed that fucker’s life in my hands, his airway restricted under my fist. Turn the tables on the bastard.
He nodded, focussing back on Lily. “Wanted to snap the prick’s neck but I knew we’d need him if we’re ever gonna get to the real fucker.”
“You think he was just an ordered hit?”
“No doubt,” he confirmed with another nod. “Fucker was too complacent. Sloppy. And with minimal regard. This cunt who is after Lily is much cleverer than to risk himself out in the open like that.”
Agreeing with a snort, I made myself look back to Lily. The sight of such severe bruising made my fists clench. The force of the pressure he’d used to strangle her was blindly visible. I was surprised he hadn’t snapped her neck or dislocated her jaw for that matter.
Slowly, Lily’s eyes fluttered open, and when she focussed on me, she frowned. “Harrison?” Her voice was husky, her throat understandably sore.
“How are you feeling?”
She blinked and stretched, assessing her body. “I’m okay. Just a little bruised, I think.”
The calm she radiated didn’t shock me. Lily was one tough little cookie and I knew she wouldn’t let this faze her in any way. Lily Cooper wouldn’t allow anyone to intimidate her. She would bounce back from this.
“Did he say anything?”
Twisting her lips in thought, she nodded. “He said that he said I’d put up a fight.”
Liam looked at me with his brows elevated. “So, it’s definitely a guy then,” he mused.
“And someone who knows how gutsy you are,” I added with a proud smile.
Lily narrowed her eyes at me but held back what she was thinking. Whether that was because her throat was too sore or that she was confused by my compliment, I wasn’t sure.
The door opened and we all turned to look when a policewoman entered the room. She smiled openly at Lily, but, strangely, she completely blanked Liam and me. “Good afternoon, Lily. I’m Superintendent Sally Greaves. Are you up to answering a few questions?” She quickly flashed her badge at Lily, who wisely made sure she took it from her and made a show of inspecting it thoroughly.
This kind of incident was typically attended to initially by a standard Police Constable. So why send such a high-ranking officer out for a routine first statement?
As if she sensed the change in my demeanour, Lily squeezed my hand twice. I wasn’t even aware I had her hand clasped tightly in mine. I didn’t markedly acknowledge Lily’s indication that she had also noticed Sally’s weird behaviour, but I returned her tight grasp to let her know I had understood.
Finally, the Superintendent had no other choice than to address Liam and me when she asked us for some privacy.
“I’d like them both to stay,” Lily tried but was shot down almost immediately.
“I’m afraid the line of questioning is sensitive. I’ll try not to keep you longer than is necessary.”
“How is it sensitive?” I asked, more sceptical now.
Once again, I was completely ignored. I may as well have been dressed as a chair and hidden in a shaded corner for all the notice Sally took of me.
Liam frowned and twisted his lips, as aware as I was that something wasn’t quite right.
However, Lily gave my hand another squeeze when she said, “It’s fine. I’ll be ready for home when I’ve finished with WPC Reeves.”
I wanted to hug her when Sally visibly stiffened at Lily’s incorrect name and ranking title.
Trying to contain his laughter, Liam failed miserably and snorted loudly. “We’ll be right outside the door, Lily.”
Lily nodded, giving us both a smile as she slid up the bed and settled back against the headboard, adjusting her covers as if to make herself comfortable. I shouldn’t have been worried about leaving Lily alone with the Superintendent; she was more than capable of putting the bitch in her place.
“What the fuck is going on?” Liam grumbled when we shut the door behind us.
“I think it’s safe to say this goes way above what we originally thought.”
“No shit, Sherlock.”
Liam was angry, that much was obvious. But what wasn’t so clear was just how much Lily meant to him. Liam had taken this personally, and I had to wonder why. I’d noticed their association had gone beyond that of bodyguard and client, the laidback rapport they shared one I couldn’t help but be envious of. They had a relationship. What kind of relationship that was wasn’t so discernible yet.
But it would be. I’d make sure to find out just how Liam felt about Lily. And whether or not I would need to terminate our friendship.