Chapter 199 Agree

Chapter 199 Agree
\[Jeremiah’s POV\]

I stare at Collin, shock rushing through me over what it is that he is asking me. It was an insane plan that could turn out horribly, but it could keep Lilah safe from a world that she didn’t know anything about.

There was no question whether or not I would put my life on the line for Lilah and now was no different.

“I’ll make sure to compensate you for your trouble.” Collin says, taking my silence as disagreement. “Name your price.”

“You sound like a true billionaire saying that.” I point out. “I thought you cut ties.”

“That doesn’t mean that I don’t have money.” Collin huffs. “I was smart and invested.”

“Fair,” I chuckle. “But what if I say I want a billion?”

Growing quiet, I wait while Collin stares at me clearly trying to determine whether or not I’m joking.

“Maybe I should ask Oliver,” he mumbles.

Oliver? Who the hell was Oliver? No. Forget that. That didn’t matter right now.

“I’ll do it, but there’s something I need you to do for me.”

“What’s that?”

For a moment, I don’t speak as I picture Lilah sitting there on that couch looking out of sorts and like she was suffering.

“Make sure she knows nothing but happiness.”

There was really nothing else in this world that I wanted aside from Lilah’s happiness. That was my goal since we met and even if she didn’t pick me and would be starting a family with this man in front of me, I still wanted her to be the happiest.

“That’s a given,” Collin tells me and I feel a bit of relief. “After everything she has gone through, I will make it my life’s mission to make sure that she doesn’t suffer anymore.”

“Then that is enough repayment.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Collin counters. “You’re putting your neck on the line and your families business. How can you say that is enough?”

“Because that’s all that truly matters.”

At my words, a look of annoyance crosses Collin’s features, but he doesn’t say anything, instead, he just stares at me.

A long moment passes as neither of us speak and when things start to get awkward, I hear movement from within the apartment beside us and when the door opens and Rika pops her head out, I feel a bit of relief.

“Sorry for interrupting.” She says. “But I just got a call.”

“A call,” I repeat, eyeing her. “Something important?”

“Some business to take care of.” She admits. “It seems that we should get going.”

I’m not sure if Rika somehow understood that I needed an out since I already agreed to what Collin wanted or if she really did get a call, but I feel a wave of relief.

“You heard her,” I announce to Collin. “It looks like we should get going.”

“Sure,” Collin chuckles. “I should probably get Lilah fed anyway. She’s eating for three, you know.”

“I’m aware,” I tell him and try to ignore the pang of pain that shoots through me. “Right, remember what you promised me.”

“I got it.” He tells me before clapping me on the shoulder and after Rika steps out into the hall, he heads back inside while I’m left watching.

I remain in place, staring in the direction he disappeared, at the door separating me from the little world that he and Lilah have created, and when a hand touches my shoulder, I slowly drag my gaze to the woman beside me.

“Wanna at least go tell her bye?” She asks, clearly pitying me. “I mean, it isn’t like it is forever, but you look like a dog who just lost it’s owner.”

“Don’t compare me to a dog.” I tell her. “And there’s no reason to go and say anything. She’s fine without me.”

I don’t want to believe it after everything and always being the one beside her helping, being the one that she depended on, but now, things were different.

“Come on,” I continue, not wanting to seem pathetic. “You said that you had business to take care of, right?”

At my words, a sheepish look crosses Rika’s features and my assumption from earlier is confirmed.

“I may have been asked to free you from Collin.”

Lilah. Even now she knows me better than anyone and knew that I wouldn’t want to be stuck with Collin for very long.

“She’s a nice girl,” Rika continues. “I can see why you love her.”

“Yeah,” I agree, my heart squeezing. “Come on.”

I don’t want to talk about this any longer and I also don’t just want to stand here. Honestly, I want a way to forget everything, but drinking my sorrows away wouldn’t fix anything.

“Hey,” I say as Rika and I get into the elevator. “You want to go somewhere with me?”

Rika gives me a look and I can tell that she is clearly trying to determine what it is that I want.

“Depends,” she says.

“On?”

“Where it is that you want to go.” She responds. “I’m not going to agree to going and doing something shady with you.”

“Do you take me as that type of person?”

Honestly, I understood that I looked intimidating. With my over six foot height, my large build, and my gangster face as everyone always told me, I guess I did look like the type of guy to get into something sketchy, but that wasn’t me.

“Don’t worry,’ I tell her. “It isn’t anything like that.”

It was just a place I liked to frequent when the pressures of the world were really getting to me and since Rika came here with me as moral support, I could at least introduce her to it.

“Well?” I push, breaking the silence that has fallen around us. “Do you want to go or should I go on my own?”

I wait while Rika considers my question and when she gives a shrug, I know that she is agreeing.

“Alright,” she says. “Just don’t make me regret my choice.”

“You won’t,” I assure her, smirking. “If anything, I may introduce you to your newest favorite thing.”

“I highly doubt that.” She laughs and we exit the elevator. “But I’ll humor you for now.”