Chapter Twelve
Lily checked out her reflection in the window of the Sanctuary. Smoothing down the wild waves, she studied her expression. She looked normal, not like she had spent the night having mind-blowing orgasms. It wasn’t like “I fooled around with Julian” was stamped across her face. God, she hoped not—she’d be mortified. Okay, not mortified. Strangely, she wasn’t ashamed by what she did. She knew she should be but couldn’t find an ounce of regret in her.
Maybe orgasms wiped out common sense.
If that was the case, then she had none left considering how many she’d had over the last twelve hours. She was surprised the muscles in her legs still worked. After falling asleep in Julian’s arms, she had been awakened by a deep kiss directed at a very private place. She had protested at first, but he had coaxed her through it.
A rush of heated memories forced her eyes closed. She had things she needed to do, but the way his tongue had teased her…and he had done it over and over. Never once did he enter her, not even when she had begged. Damn, she had begged, too. A lot. She had only pulled herself out of his arms an hour ago. She wasn’t surprised when she found him gone after her quick shower, but the single red rose that had been left on her counter had startled her. Even more shocking was her reaction to it. She’d immediately grabbed an unused vase and filled it with water, placing the rose near a window. The stupid smile spread across her face again.
Sighing, she rushed through the reception hall and greeted Sandy. “Hey, girl.”
“How is your arm?”
Lily glanced down at the bandage. “Ah, it’s doing great.”
Sandy smiled, murmuring her relief. After asking Sandy about her latest boyfriend, she left the reception hall and waited for the underground elevator, not paying attention to the tingle that shifted down her spine. At the Sanctuary, you learned to ignore that feeling since the place was teeming with Nephilim.
Once in the elevator, her nerves made her fidget. She pressed the button for level five, exhaling loudly. Nathaniel wasn’t going to be happy with her disappearing all day, especially since she kind of dumped Michael on Luke. Trying to forget about that, she wondered how his first day at the Sanctuary had been. Hopefully, he believed them now.
If not, she was going to drop-kick him in the face.
The elevator came to a stop, and the heavy doors slid open to reveal Luke. Lily gave a little yelp of surprise and stepped back. “Jeez, Luke.”
“Where have you been all day?” he demanded.
“Aw, did you miss me?”
He snickered. “Nathaniel isn’t too pleased with you.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Like that’s anything new.”
He made a face as he stepped into the small elevator with her. “You’re coming with me.”
She crossed her arms. “Where am I going?”
He pushed the button for the bottom level that led to the subway systems, studying her closely. “We’re going to Michael’s to retrieve some of his personal crap. Micah will be meeting us there.” He stopped, squinting. “You look different. Did you do something with your hair?”
Eyes wide, she self-consciously ran a hand over the loose hair. “No.”
He shrugged. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
She bit back a sigh of relief, happy with the change of subject. “What?”
Luke placed a finger to his lips. She rolled her eyes but remained silent as the elevator doors opened once more. They quickly made their way down the corridor where two guards waited. The door was unlocked, and they stepped into the dimly lit tunnel.
“So what have you been doing that was so important you weren’t here to help us with your cop?”
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “First off, he’s not my cop. I just punched him. That’s all I lay claim to. Secondly, it’s really not any of your freaking business.”
Luke stopped, turning so suddenly that Lily crashed into him. He placed his hands on her shoulders and dipped his head, peering down at her. “I just don’t want to see you do anything stupid.”
She opened her mouth to bite off a scathing remark but stopped. What she had done was stupid, and she had a sinking suspicion Luke somehow knew she didn’t go home and rest all day in bed. Feeling exposed and a little bit like a liar, a burn crawled up her chest as her temper flared. “Luke.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
She let out an exasperated sound. “Everyone keeps saying that, like I’m two. Damn it! I’m stronger than half of the Nephilim here, and I can take care of myself. I’m not that little girl, anymore. You and Nathaniel both need to remember that.”
“We worry about you! You run off half-cocked. Do you remember what happened the last time you disappeared all day?”
She flinched at the reminder of her first run-in with Baal. “Luke, don’t go there. I went back to my place. I needed some time alone.”
“You needed some time to yourself? Did you think about anyone else? Do you want to know what I thought today?” He didn’t give her a chance to respond. “That day eight years ago when the son of a bitch Julian brought you back to us. I kept seeing you lying there, lifeless. And every other night you run off, telling no one where you’re going? I fear I’m going to see you like that again. Half-cocked, Lily. It’s what you are.” He broke off, taking an unsteady breath. “I can’t lose you, too.”
Her shoulders slumped as her anger evaporated, and her heart ached. No. She hadn’t thought of any of that this morning. It didn’t once cross her mind as she lay in Julian’s arms. Guilt gnawed at her stomach. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “You won’t lose me. I’m not her, Luke.”
“Say you won’t do anything stupid, Lily.” His eyes closed briefly, hands dropping to his sides. “I want you to promise me that.”
She heard the strife in his tone, the discord evident all over his handsome face. Knowing she was lying—because she couldn’t take back what she’d done—Lily promised him. Then she stood on the tips of her toes, wrapping her arms around him. Inhaling his familiar scent, she rested her head against his chest. “What would I do without you?” she murmured into the cotton shirt he wore.
He relaxed, holding her close. “I don’t know. Either you’d be running amok through the streets of DC or you’d have Nathaniel eating out of your little hand.”
She pulled back, smiling. “I don’t see anything wrong with either of those.”
“Yeah, you already have Nathaniel eating out of your hand. The damn man is getting too old to fall for your games.” He lightly cuffed her chin. “You trust me, right?”
That was an odd and incredibly stupid question. “With my life,” she affirmed fiercely. “What’s that about?”
He walked to the exit that led to the subway. She stared at his back for a moment, puzzled. Why would he ask that? Glancing around, she hurried after him. “Luke?”
“I know Nathaniel has shared his fear with you,” he said quietly.
She cringed. “Did he tell you?”
He nodded, looking up the empty tunnel that could only be accessed by the Sanctuary. “That’s why I didn’t want to talk about this in the Sanctuary. If Nathaniel is correct, it could be anyone.”
Lily wrapped her arms against the sudden chill of the dark, damp tunnel, wishing she had worn something more than a pair of 5.11 Tactical pants and a thin shirt. “Do you have any idea who it could be?” She followed him down another tunnel. She hated using the tunnel systems. Sure, they were useful and connected to just about every subway platform in the city, but they reminded her of one long cell. Never one to like closed and confined places, she found it difficult to get enough air in her lungs.