Chapter 25

Lily's POV

The week had been an eternity. Every day I looked at Margaret's keys, at the offer of partnership, and at the life that could all be mine in New York. And every evening I’d video chat with Aiden and feel my heart shatter a bit more.

We danced around the subject. We discussed everything except the choice facing us. Both terrified that if we admitted it, it would be true.

This was everything I'd wanted. Recognition. Success. A partnership with one of the world’s most prestigious galleries. But it would have meant a commitment to New York. To a life without Aiden’s tangible being.

Hannah called from Chicago. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know."

You just know what you’re going to do. And you’re not taking achieving partnership because oh, great, I’m really smart and now it’s my turn — you're getting the partnership because you’ve worked your ass off your whole life for this. The big question is whether Aiden can handle it.

"He says he supports me."

“It’s one thing to say it; it’s another thing to live it.” She paused. “Lily, you cannot sacrifice this to a man. Even a man you love."

“But, I can’t imagine my life without him either.”

“Then he’s got to figure it out.”

Two days before the decision was due I’d decided. I was taking the partnership. This was my career. My dream. It was one gift I had that I could not leave behind, not even for Aiden.

I would tell him that night. Tell him I was hoping we could make long distance work but I’d understand if he couldn’t do it indefinitely.

My phone rang at six. Marcus is an old friend of mine from art school.

"Turn on the news. Channel seven."

I grabbed the remote. A reporter outside a psychiatric facility in Illinois.

"In breaking news tonight, patient Victoria Sinclair has escaped from County Psychiatric Hospital where she was being held since a violent altercation three months ago. Sinclair is considered potentially dangerous—"

I dropped the phone. Victoria. Escaped.

I immediately called Aiden. He picked up on the first ring.

"I just heard. I'm booking a flight. I’ll be there in three hours.”

"Aiden, you don't have to—"

"Yes, I do. Victoria is unstable. And if she’s going anywhere, it’s to you. Lock your doors."

After we hung up, I secured locks, shut curtains. My phone rang again. The building's front desk.

"Ms. Monroe? Someone attempted to enter the building with an outdated key code. Your old code. They made three efforts before they dropped out.”

My blood ran cold. "When?"

"Twenty minutes ago. The cameras caught her but she was wearing a hood.”

"Call the police. I’ll tell them that Victoria Sinclair attempted to get into my building.”

I opened the building’s security app on Aiden’s tablet. There. Let me see that pad. Trying codes. Getting frustrated. Walking away.

Victoria.

Aiden showed up two hours later with two guards.

"This is Marcus and Daniel. Former Secret Service. It will stay on your floor until Victoria is found.”

"Aiden, this is too much—"

"No, it's not. Victoria tried to have you killed once. I’m not taking her back for a second time.” He pulled me into his arms. "I can't lose you."

The police showed up to take statements. They had an alert out for Victoria. But that didn't help us now. She was out there somewhere.

Aiden hardly let me out of his sight that night. The security guards maintained shifts outside my door.

“I can’t live like this,” I said as we prepared for bed. "Always looking over my shoulder."

"You won't have to. They'll find her."

"Will they? She's smart. Resourceful. And completely unhinged." I sat on the bed. “What if they don’t find her?”

"Then we deal with it. Together."

I looked at him. Really looked at him. He was tired from traveling out here. From worrying. From attempting to keep me safe while running a company.

And suddenly, clarity hit me.

“I’ll take the partnership,” I said.

He went still. "What?"

"The gallery partnership. I'm accepting it. This is my career. My dream. I can't give it up."

"Okay. I understand."

"No, you don't. Only I have not told the rest.” I took his hands. "I'm taking the partnership. You have to determine if you can deal with that. If seeing me in person for the time being will pan out at all. I’m not letting go of it, Aiden. Not for anyone. Not even for you."

He stared at me for a long moment. Then he smiled. "Good."

"Good?"

"Good. You shouldn't give it up." He cupped my face. “And I already know how to make it work.”

"What do you mean?"

"I've been restructuring the company. Working with my mother. Cole Tech can run with me as CEO in the cloud. I can do things from New York. Fly back when you have to, but make your home here most of the time.”

I stared at him. "You're moving to New York?"

"If you'll have me. I'm not giving up my company. But I’m also not delivering you up. So I'm choosing both."

Aiden, you can’t just up and move your whole life —”

"Why not? You were prepared to." He smiled. "Success means nothing without you. I’d rather have a company I do from afar, and a life with you, than all the power in the world, all by myself in an empty apartment.”

Tears streamed down my face. "Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure."

He rose, took something from his pocket. A small velvet box. My breath caught.

"I had a whole plan for this. A fancy dinner tomorrow. Flowers. A speech." Inside the box, he opened it up to a gorgeous diamond ring. "But I can't wait. Each second we are apart, it feels like such a loss.”

He knelt and I covered my mouth.

“Lily Monroe, you make my world hot from the very second that I saw your painting. You pushed me, you changed me, made me want to be better.” He took my hand. "I love you. More than I thought possible. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," I sobbed. "Yes, yes, yes."

He put the ring in my finger and I pulled him up, kissing him greedily. We finally pulled apart, and we were both crying.

“I can’t believe they’re making you go to New York.”

“You ever doubted I would?”

We collapsed on the bed, hands desperate. We had made love dozens of times, but this felt different. This was us engaged. Committed.

Aiden undressed me like it was his religion, every inch of skin worshipped. He just stared at me when I was naked on the floor beneath him.

"My fiancée," he said. "My future wife."

"Say it again."

"My fiancée. Mine."

As soon as his mouth got between my legs, I sucked in a breath. He did not rush but built me up. Then he moved up and entered me in one sweep.

“I love you,” he murmured over my mouth.

"I love you too."

We were in sync, slow and deep. The ring on my finger glittered in the light, a sign of our vows.

“I want to try something,” Aiden said, withdrawing.

He laid me on my hands and knees. He was up behind me, his hands lovingly caressing my body.

"You're so beautiful like this."

Then he fucked me from behind and I moaned. That angle allowed him to go so damn deep. And his hands were on my hips as he pressed on.

"Touch yourself. I want to feel you come all over me.”

I reached down and began to stroke myself in time with his thrusts. The dual sensation was overwhelming. Within a few minutes I was calling for help. He came directly after that, groaning my name.

We collapsed on the bed. Then we made love again. Slower. More tender. Celebrating what we'd committed to.

It’s hours later and we’re lying twisted up.

“We are actually doing this,” I said, gazing at my ring.

"We're really doing this."

“Your mother is going to think we’re crazy.”

“My mother is going to be so excited. She’s been on me to move back to New York for weeks.”

"What?"

“She was way ahead of me that this is the only answer. She’s smarter than both of us.”

My phone buzzed on the nightstand. Three in the morning. I grabbed it, anxiety spiking.

Marcus. My friend from art school.

"Hello?"

“Lily, I’m so sorry to call you this late. But I figured you should hear about it. Victoria fled from the mental hospital. They've issued a warning. She is believed to be dangerous and may be traveling to New York. The last thing she told her doctors was your name.”

I sat up, heart pounding. "When did she escape?"

"Two days ago. They did not bring attention to it, hoping to locate her. But now they're going public. They believe she’s obsessed with you.”

Aiden was already on the move, snatching up his tablet. He pushed up the security feed from my building. There, on the lobby camera from 10 minutes earlier was a person in a dark coat.

Trying to access the building.

Using my old key code.

The feed cut to security approaching her. Showed her running. Disappearing into the night.

"She was right here," Aiden's words were eerily calm. "Ten minutes ago."

My eyes traveled to the ring on my finger. At Aiden beside me. At the life we’d just vowed to create together.

And I knew Victoria wasn’t going to let us have that. Not without a fight.

The nightmare wasn't over. It was just beginning.