Page 71 of Lilies from Hell

He nods, then hands me my cell phone. I start dialing my father’s number with his blue eyes fixed on my every move.

“Finally, you’re showing signs of life! We were worried about you.” I bite my lower lip with remorse as I hear his words on the other end of the line.

“I know, I’m sorry. My phone ran out of battery in the middle of the night.”

“Next time, pay more attention to your phone.”

“I will.”

“So, when are you planning to come back? It’s past one o’clock, and we agreed you’d be here in the morning.”

“I know. I’ll stay for lunch at his house and then come back.”

“Do you want me to send Lance to pick you up?”

“No, that’s not necessary. One of Grace’s bodyguards offered to drive me.”

“All right.” And with that, he hangs up.

It was to be expected that he would be upset. I just hope he gets over it soon. The meds his doctor prescribed for his injured leg aren’t doing him any good. My father has always been a very nervous man, and when his nerves are at their peak, he gets easily enraged.

“Thanks,” I murmur, handing him the phone so he can put it in my bag. I smile when he takes me back into his arms.

“I’ve run you a bath,” he says, leading me to a bathroom that’s almost as big as the main room. In the middle is a white bathtub with gold edges, just like the faucet. I think that after green and black, that can be considered his favorite colour.

“A shower would have been fine,” I say in a low voice as I descend into the warm water. My muscles immediately relax around the lavender fresh scent.

“I’ll be downstairs,” he murmurs, kissing me on the side of my head before leaving.

When I think I’ve had enough, I get out of the bathtub and wrap myself in a towel I find nearby, then slip my feet into some slippers and go back to the bedroom. On top of the bed now lies a black summer dress with gold embroidery at the hem and on the sleeves.

Walking down the stairs, I hear him talking to someone else, sounding quite angry. I stop, looking at that blond guy listening to him while wolfing down a plate of food. I always forget his name. When he notices me, he smiles broadly and with his mouth full of half-chewed food.

“Good morning,” I say now closer to them, suppressing a look of disgust.

He stands up, takes me in his arms, and presses his lips against mine. Not caring that his friend is there and can see everything.

“Come on, let’s get something to eat. Denis was already leaving,” he murmurs, glancing at his friend as he puts me down on the floor.

“Yeah, sure,” he says, his words coming out in a rush. I stifle a smile as I watch him almost fall off the stool. “See you around.”

My stomach grumbles as I have a look at the bag of a delivery resting on the island. The logo Shake Shack printed in the middle.

“You got me burgers?” I ask with a small smile slowly appearing on my lips.

“I meant to get them yesterday, but you fell asleep,” he says as he puts down two empty dishes and unpacks the delivery bag.

Okay, I’m definitely head over heels for this man.

I hate going to hospitals. The smell of medicine and illness make me feel sick. Ironic that in the past I had spent more time in them than at the damn military academy. I stop in front of a door and open it abruptly. A couple of pairs of eyes fall on me, but I only notice one in particular.

“Do you realize what a stupid thing you’ve done?” I hiss with an icy stare, causing Polina to burst into tears.

“I’m out of here,” Denis says with Sergei following behind him.

“Is that all you have to say to me? You don’t even care that I almost lost my life for you.” An amused smile graces my lips as I focus my attention on the bandages on her arm.

Today Denis had come to tell me that Polina tried to kill herself after discovering that Lena and I were still together. It isn’t as if we hadn’t been together before anyway, but she didn’t understand that until now. It seems the drugs have finally fucked up her brain.