Chapter 14

Lillian

"No," Keir repeated himself for the sixth time this morning.

"You're not being fair, Keir," Nicholas attempted to reason with him on my behalf. "She needs friends."

"She has you two."

Aiden spoke this time. "She needs girl friends."

The morning after our sparring session, I approached him about seeing Mavis. The twins were with me; it was Keir's turn to get on board.

He was upset—scratch that, infuriated , immediately chewing the twins up one side and down the other for telling me they knew about the sneaking out. I tried to defend them, but he wouldn't have it.

"You're not to blame, Lillian. The twins are the ones who couldn't keep their mouths shut," was his reply.

When I brought up that I wasn't angry, at least not that angry, and I understood the reasoning behind their choices, he seemed to calm down a bit. Unfortunately, that didn't mean he agreed, and the twins and I had been chipping away at him every morning since. Three days later, we still hadn't made any headway.

"She has Ida," Keir countered the twins. "She's a girl."

I rolled my eyes at his stubbornness, unsurprised he was making us fight so hard for this.

"Ida is great, she is, but Mavis and I clicked, Keir," I implored. I waited until he turned to face me before I continued. "She kind of… Well…" A lump formed in my throat.

Keir took a single step toward me, looking a bit concerned. "What is it?"

I took a breath then whispered, "She reminds me of Katie."

I refused to look away as remorse and pity colored his face. The connection between us, whatever we had, had been getting stronger and more intense. I didn't just watch his demeanor change; I felt it. The air between us had mutated instantly, from charged and heated to sympathetic.

"Lillian…"

I shook my head at him. "Don't agree to this out of pity; do it because you want to. Do you really want to trap me here forever? Never let me see Hell for what it is? Watch me fade into nothing as the life is sucked from me one day at a time?"

"I never meant—"

"I know you didn't," I cut in. "I know, but that doesn't change anything. I'm not in danger of being found out anymore. I don't have to hide."

"But—"

"But nothing. I've been your dutiful little offering since I stepped foot in Hell. I have stayed locked up here, away from everything, per your wishes. I stayed up here when I wanted to be out there." I pointed out the windows. "Now, I'm asking you to let me out."

This time, he didn't have a rebuttal. He studied me thoughtfully, and neither of us moved or spoke for several seconds. The twins were shifting awkwardly on the other side of the kitchen island behind Keir.

I'm so fucking sorry, princess .

I fought the victorious smile that threatened to form, knowing I'd finally broken through to him.

I know you are. I forgive you.

His shoulders relaxed, the corners of his mouth twitching. I didn't miss him sticking his tongue in his cheek to keep from smiling. My heart beat a little faster in my chest, wishing he'd smile at me, and I hated that I wanted it so badly.

Bastard . I rolled my eyes.

His eyebrows came up in response, and I swallowed. I hadn't meant to think that to him. Why was it so hard to keep my head to myself when he was around?

Watch it, princess. I can make your life miserable if you decide to keep behaving like a brat.

Heat rushed to my cheeks immediately. Oh yeah? And just how are you, you big, bad demon prince, going to make my life miserable?

His nostrils flared, and I swear, his breathing faltered for a second. What I wouldn't have given in that moment to feel his breath against my skin. That thought alone made my heart flutter, along with something else.

Stop that , he growled warningly.

I was already blushing, but I'm sure my face turned four shades redder.

Sorry.

You're not sorry.

I batted my eyelashes innocently.

"You two done flirting?" Aiden patronized us.

The laugh I'd been holding busted out at that moment, louder than I intended, and I snorted. My hand immediately covered my mouth as embarrassment overtook me.

All three of them just stared at me, bewildered. Seconds later, everyone cracked up along with me, laughter filling the air and easing the rest of the tension.

Once the laughter faded, Keir said, "I will be the one to take you to see Mavis. How does tomorrow sound?"

At first, I couldn't speak, stunned not only by his agreeing to let me go but also by his offer to take me himself.

"Yes! That sounds amazing!" I yelled, and before I knew it, I was standing in front of him, throwing my arms around him in a hug.

He tensed up the moment our bodies touched, but he wrapped his arms around me a second later, giving me the softest hug ever.

"Are you sure, Keir? We don't mind taking her," Nicholas offered.

Keir shook his head as he released me, a thoughtful expression on his face as he watched me be all excited. "I'm due for a day off anyway, and I need to talk to Ida."

"A day off?" Aiden spoke everyone's shock out loud. "Are you sure you're okay? Not sick or anything? Should we be worried? Do we need to call the doctor? I'm sure we can get you som—"

"Would you shut the fuck up?" Keir barked, fed up with the teasing as he turned to face the twins. "I said I'm taking her. End of story."

I'm not sure if it was his words, or maybe he gave them a look I couldn't see, but they both nodded with their hands up in fake surrender. He was no longer smiling by the time he turned back to me.

"We will go between your trainings tomorrow. I can't promise a lot of time, but I can give you as much as—"

"Thank you," I blurted out. His eyes widened at my outburst. "Just… Thank you. I know it's hard for you to let this happen." He started to open his mouth, but I kept going. "I know you just want to keep me safe, but you have no idea how much this means to me." My cheeks were starting to hurt from the huge smile I was sporting.

He chuckled and grinned— actually grinned—at me. "Good to hear."

Fuck, she's adorable.

I don't know if he knew I'd heard him, but as he left the kitchen, saying he had a few things to take care of, he stole a sideways glance at me, a pondering look in his eyes.

The twins were both giving me ‘you gonna tell us what that was about?' looks, and I shifted under their eyes.

I giggled nervously. "He called me adorable."