But I also had to admit, if everything worked out right…
Well, some things I wasn’t willing to admit, not yet at least.
We peeled out of the neighborhood, Lilly’s arms tightening around me as we sped up. She screamed when we made a couple of turns, leading me to believe that she did not have a ton, or perhaps even any, experience riding on the back of a chopper. If that was the case, perhaps it gave some credence to the idea that she was more sheltered and controlled than I had assumed.
When we got on the other side of downtown, I pulled into an abandoned parking lot and turned off the bike. I had one thing I needed to take care of that I should have done earlier, but at least if I did it before I got home, it would provide some measure of safety.
“What are you doing?” Lilly asked.
“Your cell phone,” I said. “I need it.”
“Are you going to destroy it?”
I shook my head.
“Disable it temporarily.”
“No—”
“You get off here and fend for yourself with your cell phone, or you give me your phone, have food and shelter, and you get a plane ticket to anywhere in the States. Your choice.”
I didn’t like playing the bad guy. But I’d grown to learn its necessity over the last year and a half.
Lilly reached into her backpack, fiddled around, and handed me her phone. I wedged it open, found the chip, pried it out, then handed it back to her.
“That better be fixable,” she said.
“It is,” I said.
I didn’t give her a chance to argue further. I reignited my bike and sped out of the lot, speeding toward my place.
Every moment since I had rescued Lilly from the other two Fallen Saints had felt surreal, but there was a new level of absurdity when I pulled up to my apartment. The daughter of my greatest enemy, about to enter my home? I felt like I wasn’t just tempting fate; I felt like I was giving it the middle finger and asking it to suck me off.
But, again, if it worked…
I led her upstairs, keeping my head on a swivel to make sure no one had followed us or was watching us. I led her inside and pointed her to the couch.
“You can sleep here,” I said. “I’ll give you some blankets and pillows. If you hear anything or anyone trying to get in, just scream. I’ll be in my bedroom.”
“Got it,” she said.
For just the briefest of moments, the two of us exchanged a look that left me wondering if this is where we would leave things. She was so damn attractive, and the temptation…
I walked to my room. I couldn’t let myself get distracted. Yes, she was beautiful.
But beauty, as it was well known, could be fatal sometimes.
