Page 60 of The Devil's Heir

Liliana

When Jarek left, I was livid. Why wouldn't he take me with him? It happened to me—I should at least be there when he hands out Heath's punishment.

A thought sprung to my mind… Jarek's going to kill Heath!

I didn't hesitate. I went to Jarek's side of the bed, where I knew he kept one of his guns, and grabbed it.

I hated what I was about to do, but I figured I'd just ask Jackson for forgiveness afterward.

Thankfully, Fran and Heidi were nowhere around because although Fran would have cheered me on, she would have been pissed that I held Jackson at gunpoint.

We all love Jackson; of course, I could never hurt him. I had removed the bullets, making sure the chamber was clear as well before I pointed it at him. I have a lot of makeup to do because I don't blame Jackson one bit for the silent treatment I've received since we left.

No matter what Heath had done, I just didn't know if I could allow Jarek to kill him. He was my best friend at one time, and he had gone through some shit. I know what he was going to do to me, and what he did to me is unforgivable, but is it worth his life?

Standing here in the cell now, studying the man I once knew inside and out, I just don't see that person anymore. Heath's mocking grin grates on my nerves as he stares back, and he doesn't look sorry in the least.

I was worried that I was too late when I saw the blood all over Jarek once he told me it wasn't his. Now, I'm wishing it was Heath's. I didn't know the other guy well at all, and although I feel bad that he lost his life, I can breathe a little easier knowing he won't come after me again .

The heated words between Jarek and Heath don't faze me as I keep my eyes on Heath. I know he's pissing Jarek off, but there isn't much I can do about it. He's making his own bed. It isn't until I hear Heath's callous words about our child that I push away from the wall.

I don't move any further, but I am readying myself for whatever Jarek has planned. I hold my breath when he holds up a long, sharp knife.

"Stop!" I call out just before Jarek plunges it into Heath's gut.

Jackson tries grabbing for me but one glare from me has my friend stepping back. I walk over to Jarek and take the knife from his hand.

"What are you doing, Lily?"

"Why must everything end in killing?" I gaze into his dark, brooding eyes.

"When someone touches my possessions and threatens the people I love, they will not live to see another day or get the chance to try again. This is the world I live in, and it's now the world you live in. Let me protect you, pauper. If your life means nothing to you, then think of our child."

My hand automatically comes to my stomach, and I feel the roundness of it. He's correct, but it's still not right. I let my eyes wander to Heath, who's still smirking, but I know it's a front. At least, I think it is.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you take his life…"

"That's right. We have a special relationship, Falcon. Your brat she carries means nothing to her," Heath sneers, arrogance dripping from every word. He then returns his attention to me and adds, "Let me go, baby, and we can get rid of the brat and be together."

I work on autopilot as I plunge the blade into Heath's stomach myself. Yanking it out, I stab him again.

"You will never lay your hands on my baby or me ever again!" I state through gritted teeth.

"Lily!" I hear Jarek's voice call out to me, but I ignore it as I make a few more holes in Heath's upper body.

It's not until I'm being pulled back do I let his words sink in.

"It's okay, baby. He's gone; he can't hurt you anymore." Jarek's voice is soft in my ear, and when I realize what I've just done, the knife clatters to the floor as I begin to shake.

"Oh God! I killed someone…"

"Shh, it's okay. He wasn't a good person…" Jarek states, but his words only have me whipping around to stare at him.

"You're not a good man either. Does that mean it's okay to kill you?" I ask Jarek.

There's a flash of something in his eyes. Was it hurt? No, it couldn't be—could it?

"By all means. If you think I'm a danger to you and our child, then do it. Kill me, Lily, because I will never let you go, and I will always kill anyone who hurts you." His eyes lower to the bloody knife on the floor. "Go ahead. Pick it up and do what you feel needs to be done."

My eyes burn, and I blink, but I feel a tear streak down my face when I do. Jarek's face softens, and he raises his hand to wipe the tear away, which only makes more of them fall.

"Do what you need to do, Liliana," he says again, softer this time.

My head shakes vigorously.

"Why not? If I'm hurting you, then you need to do what you must…"

"No, I can't," I tell him.

My stomach churns at the thought of no longer having Jarek in my life. The devil, himself, has burrowed his way deep inside my very soul and has latched on. I'm afraid I won't be getting it back anytime too soon.

"Why, pauper? If I'm such a bad person, why can't you rid this world of me?"

"Because you love me, and…"

"And what, pauper?" he asks as I reach out and fist the lapel of his suit jacket.

"And I love you," I whisper back, not believing my own ears.

It's the truth. I've fought it for a while now, but I can't any longer. I'm not happy that I do, but I can't ignore these feelings like I have been. I'm afraid to look Jarek in the eye, so I stare unblinking at his chest.

However, Jarek has other plans as he lifts my chin. When I see him grinning, I get irate thinking he's mocking me, but then he says, "Say it again."

"What?" I ask, confused.

"Repeat what you just told me, but louder this time."

My pulse races, not knowing what this will all mean, but I do it anyway. "I love you, too, Jarek. "

Cupping the back of my head, Jarek pulls me in and crushes his mouth against mine. I hang on to his jacket with all I've got when my knees start to give out. We've kissed many times, but this is different. This kiss is literally making me weak in the knees.

I feel his hands at my waist, pushing my pants down, and it isn't until I feel the cool air against my ass that I remember we're not alone.

I break from the kiss, grabbing at my pants, but then I look around.

Jackson is gone, and so is the other guy who was here with Jarek.

We're the only two in the room, aside from Heath's corpse.

"Jarek…"

"I need inside you, Lily. Don't deny me…"

"Never…" I breathe and kiss him again as I bring my hands to his belt and open his pants.

This is wrong, so, so wrong, but I crave him. I pull his cock out and stroke him as I work one leg from my bottoms. As soon as it's free, Jarek lifts me and I have no choice but to release him and wrap my arms around his neck while locking my feet together behind his back.

Jarek slides into me, the stretch making me moan as he pushes all the way through.

"Oh God, Jarek…"

"Fuck you feel good, pauper, but if you call out to your God one more time while I fuck you, I will deny you the pleasure this greedy pussy desperately seeks. Remember, I'm not a good man."

"No, you're not, but you're my man…"

"Damn straight I am."

We move until I feel a wall against my back, and Jarek starts thrusting into me harder. I don't dare look over his shoulder because I don't want to see my former foster brother's lifeless body as I fuck the father of my child.

My actions today have finalized my decision. I'm not going anywhere. For some unfathomable reason, I'm choosing the devil himself over my freedom, and believe it or not, it feels so right.

"I'm so sorry, Jackson. Please forgive me! We both know that I had no choice but to take drastic measures. You never would have taken me to The Reformatory, and you know it," I plead with my friend.

"You held a fucking gun at me, Lily!" Jackson exclaims wildly.

"An unloaded gun…"

"How the hell was I supposed to know that, huh?"

"You should know better than to think I could ever hurt you," I reply.

It's been a full week since the whole incident with the gun and me taking a life. Jackson has barely said two words to me unless it had to do with work. I knew the consequences of my actions, but I didn't think it would take this long for Jackson to forgive me. I miss my friend.

Fran and Heidi are still talking to me, but there's tension all around us.

I need to find a way to make it right again.

I'm sorry that it came down to that, but I'll do it again if I have to.

Hopefully, it will never come to that again.

I think Jarek knows better than to leave me out of business that pertains to me.

I cannot and will not allow others to take care of my problems. I don't care if they are the Mafia Boss; it's still my problem, and I need to be included in making the decisions.

Of course, I don't like how Jarek handles things, but I was telling the truth that day.

I love Jarek, and I'll stand by him for better or for worse.

My life will forever be in danger now that people know who I am and that I'm carrying his heir, so I can either stay where I can be protected and be able to be with the man I love, or I will forever be in hiding. I choose the former.

I pull two tickets out of my back pocket for the most anticipated baseball game of the season and hold them up in front of Jackson's face.

"So, I guess I should find someone else to take these tickets?" I ask with a raised brow.

Jackson does a double take when he sees what I'm holding and tries to snatch them from my fingers. I'm faster, though. I shake my head, grinning.

Jackson rolls his eyes. "You know damn well that I'm going to forgive you, Lily. I just needed to make you sweat. You made me piss my pants, for fuck's sake. "

I giggle even though I do feel bad about that. I never thought I'd make a grown man pee his pants.

"Well, why do you think I got you two tickets? And I made sure you and Seth both have the night off."

"Me and Seth? So, you're not going?" he asks, confused.

"God, no, I'm not a sports fan."

Jackson then shows me his pearly whites and hugs me. "You are forgiven, and thank you for the tickets."

"Well, that was easy enough," I say softly, then chuckle. "Now I know how to win you over each time I hold you at gunpoint."

Jackson releases me quickly and glares down at me. "Don't ever do that again, Lily. Otherwise, it's going to take you more than two baseball tickets to win me back."

I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to hide my amusement. "Then I guess it's a good thing that I have Jarek's credit card," I say.

Jackson scoffs before turning and walking away, leaving me smiling after his retreating form. I have a feeling I'm going to be apologizing a lot to my friend and spending a lot of Jarek's money to make up for whatever fuck up I'm apologizing for.