Chapter 36
~~ MICHAEL ~~
“Lily?”
“I’m fine. Please don’t worry about me. Yes, it was a shock seeing my ex like that, but I can hardly complain, considering what I just did to you,” she licked her lips, “you tasted so delicious and hot.”
I groaned. “If you’re sure you’re okay, then let’s go on up to the house and see my parents before we head back to my place.”
“I’d like that.” I took her hand into mine and after a chaste kiss, we walked up the back porch of my parents ranch house.
I opened the door for her then ushered her into the lounge, where my four brothers were lounging around. Lily was about to sit down when she spotted a cluster of photographs sitting on the piano by the window. My mother loved to look at our photographs on nearly a daily basis.
“You don’t want to miss those, Lily,” Sebastian advised while I tried to pull her into a chair.
I groaned. “Yes, she really does.”
“Okay, now I’m really curious.” She winked at me and walked over to have a look at them.
The photographs were of me and my brother’s from childhood straight through to adulthood. My brothers snickered in the background until they saw mother standing in the doorway watching Lily. She had an odd look on her face.
“Do you like my photograph gallery?” she asked Lily.
“Yes I do, although when they were younger, it’s hard to decide which one’s Michael.”
“Don’t worry, Lily. I had that trouble when they were running around. In fact, sometimes I’d put them in different colored shirts. Anyway, Michael said you would like a coffee, so get comfortable and Michael can come collect your coffee for you.”
“Oh, that’s fine. I’ll come and get it myself.” She followed my mother out of the lounge and I collapsed on the chair opposite Lucien.
Sebastian, Ruben and Ramon stood and started to walk out of the room. “Just remember, Lily’s mine.”
“Yeah, we know,” Sebastian grumbled.
I looked back to Lucien. “Was there a departure planned?”
“What do you think, brother?”
“Get on with it then because I’m presuming they have gone to distract Lily in the kitchen while we have this chat.”
“Have you told Lily?” Lucien asked me.
I could play dumb and pretend I had no idea what he was talking about, but if I did, eventually I’d have to give him the same answer. “No,” I whispered. “You do not tell her, it’s up to me.”
“She needs to know, Michael. I’m not blind. I can see the way she looks at you and I’ve seen the way you look at her. Whatever is between you both is more than just a passing fancy. It isn’t fare to keep something this important from her.”
My temper started to rise. The last thing I needed was a lecture from my big brother. “This has nothing to do with you Lucien.”
“I know that, but I like her.”
I started to rise.
“That’s all Michael. She’s more like a sister. I can talk to her and she listens. All I want from her is friendship and so you don’t get the wrong idea, I’ll tell you, that the next time I’m in town, I plan on taking her out for coffee, during lunch. I figured you would go mental if I suggested after work.”
I trusted my brother and realistically I’d started to trust Lily. She was nothing like Viv, so I could handle Lily being friends with my brothers. But there was no way I was going to have the conversation with Lily that Lucien wanted me to.
“I’ll tell her when I’m ready and not before, and certainly not when you order me to.”
“Is it safe to come in here? Sebastian told me you two were having a discussion.”
I was still pissed at Lucien and couldn’t quite rid my face of the scowl.
“Lily, ignore Michael, he’s a bit out of sorts. Come and sit here.” Lucien patted the seat to the side of him.
She walked over to the sofa where Lucien was sitting and hesitated slightly before taking a seat. I realized I should have sat somewhere that she could join me.
Not liking the look on Lucien’s face, I stood up, walked over and sat beside her, pulling her to my chest, just before my other three brothers walked back into the room, followed by my mom.
“Where’s Dad?” I asked.
“He’s outside, insisting on supervising the supervisors.”
That was my dad, he always had to have control. Probably where me and my brothers got it from.
My mother sat in the seat by the window and every now and again I would catch her looking over to me and Lily. I knew what she was doing. She wanted me to admit Lily was more than a colleague. She’d seen how I reacted when I brought Lily here a couple of weeks before. I couldn’t claim her as my woman back then.
I kissed Lily on the back of her head then faced my mom. “Lily’s with me now.”
My mother burst into tears. Well, I sure as hell hadn’t expected that. Lily started to stand to go to her, but my mother waved her back down.
“I’m sorry. I’m not sure where that came from. After all these years of worrying about him, he finally has a lovely girl.”
“Mom, Lily’s a bit bigger than a girl,” Sebastian pointed out, only to have Lucien kick him. He was sitting the closest.
“Sebastian Elias McKenzie, you will not embarrass Lily. She is a guest in the house and Michael’s girlfriend. I don’t want her frightened away by you.”
“Yes ma’am.” My brothers laughed until mother glared at them.
“Well, on that note, I think Lily and I will head off. The security people know what they have to do, so tell Dad to leave them to it. That’s what they are getting paid for.”
Lucien stood and held his hand out for Lily. She placed her hand in his as he pulled her up from the sofa. I joined them and pulled her back to me.
She grinned up at me. “Stop acting jealous,” she whispered.
“I’m not acting. I am!” She rolled her eyes.
“Now that we have established Lily’s your woman, do you think we could hug her goodbye without you throwing punches?”
“God, just get it over with.” I just wanted Lily to myself.
She hugged my brothers, but when she got to Lucien, they hugged and Lucien gave her a card with his phone numbers on it.
“If you ever have a problem or just want to talk, my cell number is on there,” he said to her.
“Thank you. I’ll see you soon for a coffee,” Lily replied.
“You sure will.”
At that point, I just took hold of Lily’s hand and practically dragged her out of the house to my car.