Page 96 of Lilies from Hell

“My father is on his way,” I murmur, pursing my lips.

“Well, that’s not so bad,” he says softly, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

“Just thinking about it makes me nervous.”

“Don’t worry about that, just try to eat something. I need you to get well as soon as possible.” I snort, turning my face away from the spoon he brings to my lips.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” I purse my lips and furrow my brow.

“Yes, I am. It’s just a simple wound.” He tries to hide a smile, his eyes fixed on my face.

“What?” I ask, raising both eyebrows. He shakes his head.

“I’ll talk to him myself, is that okay?” I nod my head, not entirely convinced. Something tells me that conversation could end in broken bones and black eyes.

He brings the spoon back to my lips, and this time I have no choice but to swallow the thick soup until there is nothing left in the bowl. Then I settle into bed with a groan as I feel a sharp pain in my injured arm.

“Does it hurt?” I nod my head, pressing my lips tightly together.

“I think the anesthesia is wearing off,” I whisper hoarsely, feeling his hands caressing my scalp.

“I’ll get you some painkillers.”

“No. Stay here,” I whisper, clinging to his arm. He hesitates, but then sits down beside me. Almost immediately, his fingers are back on my hair, leaving sweet caresses in my scalp. I surrender to the exhaustion and fall into a deep sleep.

When I wake up, I am completely alone in the room. The pain in my arm subsides, although that doesn’t stop me from feeling uncomfortable moving around because of the stitches.

“Come in,” I say when I hear a knock on the door. “Oh, it’s you.” Sergei looks at me, raising an eyebrow at me.

“I saved your life. You should be more grateful.”

“I don’t think I should thank you for doing something you get paid for, should I?”

“You’re right, but my salary isn’t that high,” he says with a long sigh, shaking his head. “You could tell your boyfriend to pay me more. I think I deserve it.”

“What do you want?” I ask.

“Your father wants to see you.” I feel my face pale slightly. He laughs in my face, guiding me into the room they are in after.

The room is large, with a Victorian decor and those weird creepy vibes the whole house gives. Maybe because of the tinted windows or the peculiar paintings and sculptures. Never losing its true essence. My eyes fall on my father. He is talking to Alek, and from the serious look on his face, it doesn’t seem to be anything pleasant.

“Hello,” I say, getting their attention. When I’m alone with my father, he comes over to me, focusing his gaze on my arm.

“It’s not too serious,” he murmurs with a hint of relief. “Come, sit down. You and I have a lot to talk about.” His words carry a warning tone his eyes causing a tingling sensation on my forehead. “How long have you liked that boy?” I almost want to laugh because he calls someone who is over 6’5“, tattooed, pierced even in his penis, and has so many muscles that I didn’t even know could exist a “boy,” but my lips remain in a thin line.

“I don’t know,” I reply, playing with my lower lip. Actually, I do know. That day is so deeply engraved in my mind that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget it. Not even if a thousand years went by.

“You don’t know? Do you have any idea how dangerous he is? This is serious, Lena, it’s not just an adventure to entertain you in the summer.”

“I know, but I’m not playing around, Dad. It’s not an adventure. I love him.” I whisper the last part, feeling a lump in my throat.

“To fall in love with someone, first you have to spend time with that person and get to know them.” He pauses. His mouth falls open in disbelief. “Have you been seeing him behind my back?” I shake my head.

“We just ran into each other a few times, and well. I don’t know. It just happened.” He lets out an exasperated sigh as he gets up from beside me.

“Don’t you understand? He’s not good. He’s going to hurt you. Look what happened to you today,” he argues, pointing to my arm.