Chapter 22

A little zing of anticipation raced through my chest, and I stabbed the button to summon the elevator, eager to get up to our room and see Lily.

I didn't encounter a single soul on the way, and I let myself into the room. Lily was sitting on the couch, watching TV, and her head swiveled my way as I stepped inside. I threw the deadbolt just in case, then crossed over to her.

Leaning over the back of the couch, I cupped her face and took her mouth in a hard kiss. She melted into me, her tongue tangling with my own, her fingers clutching at my shirt. I wanted to strip off every stitch of fabric, lay her back and make love to her. But there was one thing I had to do first.

"I'm going to clean up," I told her. "I'll be right back."

With one more kiss, I headed into the bathroom and quickly showered. I still had Lily's cell phone, and my heart raced as I pulled it from the back pocket of my jeans. If there was any chance of Lily and me being together, I had to figure out what had happened with Ara?a.

Pulling up the internet search bar, I typed in Eva's name. Nothing came up, and my stomach swooped violently. More than likely, she would never be found. Bile rose in the back of my throat as my heart twisted painfully. She and I hadn't always gotten along, but I knew that she'd loved Fox unconditionally for the brief time they were together.

Recalling the events of that day, I typed in a new name. Though I wasn't positive of the woman's involvement, I suspected she was the person we'd been searching for. A sick sensation roiled in my belly when a news article popped up, and I read the details of the car accident that had occurred just a few weeks ago just outside of Chicago.

Was it truly an accident, or had something far more nefarious taken place? It was possible someone higher up had ordered a hit on her. Maybe I'd been wrong about Ara?a's identity all along, and the woman had merely been a pawn. One thing was certain, though—without the woman to provide any insight, we would never know what had happened to Eva.

Any hope I'd harbored for staying in Pine Ridge evaporated like a plume of smoke. I wouldn't be safe here, and I was already putting Lily's life in jeopardy by searching their names. The criminal organization had a seemingly endless reach, and there was no doubt in my mind that they would be watching internet searches and would soon be notified.

There was no other option. I had to leave so Lily would be safe.

One day, she would find another man, a better man, to take my place. He would love her and care for her, give her the family she deserved. My heart twisted painfully. The thought of her with another man, of having their children, ripped me apart.

My heart felt heavy as I cleared the browser history and left the bathroom. Without a word, I scooped Lily into my arms, then carried her to the bedroom. For the rest of the night, she was mine.

I had to feel her next to me just one more time before I left her forever.