For Everything (16 page)

“You are sure?” the officer asked.

“Yes,” Melissa wrapped her fingers around her husbands, “Clay intercepted him.”

“Thank you,” the officer said then walked away joining the other officer. They walked Jason out of the restaurant.

“Lizzy,” Jason yelled, “you will pay for this.”

Lily stood still. Clay’s hands on her waist flexed at Jason’s words, but her eyes were on the detective who was staring at her, a frown on his face.

“Hello, Lily,” Detective Martin said.

“Hello, Detective Martin.” Lily smiled softly.

The detective shook his head, a grin quickly replacing his frown. He placed his hands on her cheeks giving her a kiss.

“I am so happy to see you,” Detective Martin brushed her cheek, checking her over, trying to determine how she was doing. “I have been looking for you.”

“You have,” she tilted her head, confused, “why?”

“Why?” Detective Martin answered, surprised. Didn’t she know, understand? He quickly realized she didn’t. “Lily, we have searched for three years for you, concerned Jason may have murdered you. When Jacob called today about the case, it was one of the happiest moments of my life, I have been afraid someday I would find your body.”

Lily flinched, she hadn’t realized. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think anyone would try to find me.”

“Because of the letter you sent,” Detective Martin asked.

Her brows drew together. “What letter?”

Clay’s fingers tightened on her waist. “The letter saying you didn’t want to press charges.”

Lily glanced up at Clay then over at Detective Martin, her eyes filled with confusion. “I didn’t send a letter.”

Detective Martin grimaced slightly. “I didn’t think you did, but someone did and we couldn’t verify the handwriting.”

Lily looked down at the floor, embarrassed to have so many people listening to her story. It was private, personal. She didn’t like people to know because they judged assuming she had done something to deserve what happened.  

“Did you think we wouldn’t try to find you?” Detective Martin asked, noticing her embarrassment.

She leaned against Clay, her legs shaking. “Yes.”

Detective Martin caught her chin, guiding her face up so he could see her eyes, “What did you think was going to happen?”

She shrugged, swallowing hard. “I… I… just thought it would be over, if he couldn’t find me, he couldn’t…”

“Finish what he started, threatened?” Clay asked, looking down at her then over at the detective.

Lily glanced up at Clay, nodding, her lips quivering.

“Threatened?” Detective Martin asked.

Clay met the detective’s eyes. “Jason confronted Lily two days before the trial and threatened to kill her if she testified against him.”

“What! You never said anything, Lily. So you left – went into hiding.” Detective Martin couldn’t be angry with her, he understood more than anyone else did. He had seen what Jason did to her. Knew she had been all alone, she had no family left, and Jason had stolen all her friends.

She swallowed, looking down at the floor again.

“Lily, you have a new ID, and you live in Florida which is far from LA, how did you manage all that?” Detective Martin questioned.

“One of the girls helped me,” she whispered, not looking up.

“One of the girls,” the Detective stared startled, “considering what Jason had going on in your house, I am surprised one of them helped you.”

Lily glanced up at the detective then back down to the floor. “It was Jessica.”

“Ah, I see,” Detective Martin smiled.

“You do?” Clay’s voice laced with confusion.

“Jessica wasn’t like the other girls,” Lily whispered, shifting against Clay.

“How was she different?” Clay asked.

Detective Martin shifted to his right, trying to see Lily’s face. “Jessica wasn’t one of the groupies. She was a friend of Steven's. She agreed to testify against Jason. When, Lily?”

She pushed her hair behind her ear, her fingers trembling, “The day after I saw Jason, she told me if I ever needed anything to ask her, so I did.”

“She helped you get a new ID,” Clay asked, entwining his fingers with her trembling ones.

Lily nodded.

“How did you get a job?” Jacob asked.

Lily blushed, shifting her feet.

Detective Martin smiled noticing her movements, “not on the books?”

“She was only trying to help me,” she bit her cheek, glancing at the detective.

He grinned. She was worried over getting those who helped her in trouble. “Don’t worry, Lily, I am not going to get anyone in trouble. They helped you and that is good enough for me.”

“For me as well,” Clay squeezed Lily. Everyone who was listening agreed.

“How did you end up where you are?” Detective Martin asked.

Lily hesitated. Detective Martin added, “I promise, no one who helped you will get into trouble, but I do need to figure all this out. It is important.”

She looked up. “The café owner is Jessica’s aunt. She agreed to help me. I stayed with her for a month before I found my own place.”

“Jessica made the arrangements?” Detective Martin asked, shaking his head.

Lily nodded. “I used the advance the trustees gave me to get an apartment and some furniture. I walked to work so I didn’t need a car.”

Detective Martin looked at Clay, then back down at Lily. “Jessica never said a word. I asked her, many times. What about your therapy, you had months left when you disappeared?”

“I worked on the therapy in my apartment,” she whispered softly, “I had the information.”

“Have you been to a doctor, Lily?” Clay asked, “to check on the injuries?”

She glanced up at him, hesitated, “I couldn’t risk it.”

“So, how did you end up here?” Detective Martin motioned to the others.

“I met Clay a few times through my neighbor Don. Clay asked me to join him for the week and I agreed,” Lily whispered, her cheeks getting hot, because that wasn’t exactly the truth. “I didn’t realize when I did Clay might know Jason.”

Detective Martin could see the strain on Lily’s face, her embarrassment over others listening to her story. “I understand it has been a long day, and we have much to discuss yet.”

Lily grimaced, shifting her feet again.

“But it can wait until tomorrow,” Detective Martin nodded toward Clay. “Jason will not make bail tonight. He will be charged with violating the restraining order and I think we can finish this talk tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Lily relaxed a little against Clay.

“You and Clay will meet me for lunch, and we will talk.” Detective Martin said sternly. “We will make arrangements, decisions, do you understand? We must move forward with the trial, Lily, no more hiding.”

She stared at the Detective, unsure.

Clay’s fingers squeezed hers. “I agree with Detective Martin, Lily, no more hiding.”

“I will see you tomorrow.” Detective Martin kissed her cheek, shaking Clay’s hand.

She watched the detective leave, glanced up at Clay then over at his friends. “I’m sorry for everything that happened tonight.”

“Don’t be sorry.” Kevin hid a smile as Clay rolled his eyes.

Amy smiled at her. “Lily, what happened tonight wasn’t your fault.”

Lily offered her a small smile.

“Melissa never liked Jason.” Scott looked down at his wife, “or the stories he told about Lizzy, she said he was lying.”

“I did, and he was.” Melissa smiled at Lily. “There was just something about him that made my skin crawl. Lily, don’t you worry. We know who is at fault. I hope you will tell me everything when you are ready.”

Melissa kissed her cheek. “We will see you tomorrow after your lunch with the detective.”

Clay smiled looking over at Scott, “That is fine, how about we all meet at my suite around 3, before we go to dinner.”

They all agreed, said good night and everyone headed out.

Chapter 23

Lily and Clay waked into the suite. They had not spoken since they left the restaurant.

“Clay,” she stopped in the living room, looked hesitantly at him. “I am sorry.”

“For what?” He asked, walking over to stand in front of her.

“For everything,” she whispered, “I never meant to involve you in my problems.”

“Your problems,” he croaked, staring at her, “Lily, they are our problems.”

Her eyes jerked to his, her hand shaking as she brushed hair off her face. “Our problems, you still want… I mean… you didn’t change… I….”

He laughed softly stroking her cheek. “Lily, what Jason did, who he is, doesn’t change how I feel about you. I am not going to walk away, nor am I going to let you disappear again. I told you, I love you, and I meant those words. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Really?” She stared into his eyes.

He smiled, brushing her face with his fingers. “Really. When you love someone, you stand by them, care for them, and let them care for you.”

“I…,” she stuttered.

“Have never been in love,” he entwined their fingers, “not sure if you are.”

She nodded.

“Do you remember how your parents were together, Lily?” he asked, “Did they love one another.”

“Yes,” she smiled remembering her parents.

Clay pulled her over to the couch, sitting. “Tell me how they showed each other.”

“They kissed, held hands, hugged, laughed… they didn’t care where,” she laughed softly, “even in the grocery store, my dad would kiss my mom.”

He smiled. “So, you have seen love. You just need to accept the love is for you, you have to believe. Believe someone will love you.”

She whispered, “like you do.”

“Yes, like I do.” Clay knew Lily understood, but was still afraid, her dusky eyes revealing the truth.

“Clay,” she looked down at the floor. “You said you wanted children, I can never give you those.”

“Maybe not.” He brushed hair away from her face. “But not being able to have a child doesn’t make me love you any less.”

“Doesn’t it,” she murmured, “what happens when you want one.”

The ball dropped for Clay, in that moment, the tone of her voice, one of her biggest fears revealed. “When we are ready, Lily, we can look into adoption, because the only woman I want to raise a child with is you.”

Lily slipped her hand up his cheek, stroking with her thumb, searching his eyes she smiled. “I do love you, Clay.”

Clay closed his eyes letting her words flow over him, opening his eyes. “And I love you.”

She leaned forward, kissing him softly. “Show me.”

He pulled her tightly into his arms, rolling her beneath him. He crushed her mouth as his tongue plunged deep.

She wrapped her arms tightly around him, arching her body into his. Her hands worked his shirt loose from his jeans, pulling the shirt over his head. Frantic, she needed him and now.

She needed to feel, to understand this was real. That Clay was real and when she woke up, she wouldn’t realize this had all been a dream.

“Slow down,” he whispered against her lips.

“No, I can’t.” She surged against him. “Now!”

He growled deeply had her dress off in a few seconds his mouth tugging at her nipple.

He groaned. “Take your underwear off, but leave your garters and stockings on.”

She stripped out of everything but her garters and stockings. She stood in front of him, her eyes on his, her breathing heavy.

“Take them off,” she motioned to his pants.

He stood stripped his jeans off. She wrapped her arms around him pushing her body against his, “now.”

Clay groaned. Her need was evident. He turned her around. “Kneel on the couch, Lily.”

She did, her hands on the back of the couch, watching him over her shoulder.

He knelt behind her, shoving himself deep inside of her in one swift fluid motion.

Her whole body reacted, surging back against him. Her fingers clutching the couch as he began to move, his strokes hard, swift and deep.

She pushed her knees up against the back of the couch, leaning back against him. She grabbed his hands, guiding them to her breasts as she slammed back against him, pushing his cock deeper inside of her.

“Harder, Clay,” she cried.

He growled pushing her forward, her stomach against the couch. His hands gripped the back of the couch as he pounded into her.

She moaned loving the need he showed for her. She began spiraling. “Clay,” she screamed, her pussy clenching on his cock. Her head arched back, her fingers convulsing on the couch.

He exploded inside of her, his groan vibrating along her neck. She closed her eyes, lost in the wonder of the moment.

****

Clay picked Lily up carried her to his room. He lay down on the bed with her wrapped in his arms. What an emotional, frightening day for Lily. She openly expressed her need to him, had shown him, shared with him and Clay was thankful. They had overcome some of her obstacles and now they would work on putting Jason behind them and starting a future together. He lay watching her, holding her. He laughed softly as a blush burned its way up her cheeks. “Don’t be embarrassed, it was wonderful.”