Page 21

Chapter Nineteen

L ily's entire body was ablaze with sensation as Colin's fingers caressed her most intimate place.

Each touch sent jolts of pleasure coursing through her nerves.

She had never known anything could feel this incredible.

Gasping and panting, she rocked her hips against his hand, desperate for more of his touch.

"Colin," she moaned wantonly, barely recognizing her voice. "Oh, don't stop..."

He growled low in his throat, the sound sending delicious shivers down her spine.

His fingers moved with greater purpose, stroking, swirling, and pressing in just the right way to make her see stars.

Lily felt like she was climbing higher and higher towards some unknown peak, chasing the tension coiling tighter in her core.

Lost to this man she could hardly believe had any interest in her, she tangled her fingers in his hair, holding him close as he continued his ministrations.

His lips and teeth and tongue worked magic on her neck and collarbones, surely leaving marks she would have to hide later.

But Lily couldn't bring herself to care.

All that mattered was this moment, this man, and how he made her feel.

Colin must have sensed how close she was to shattering.

He redoubled his efforts, rubbing faster, pressing harder, sealing his mouth over hers to swallow her cries.

Lily squeezed her eyes shut as elation overtook her, wave after wave crashing through her body.

She clung to Colin desperately, certain she would fly apart if not for his strong arms anchoring her.

Gradually, slowly, she floated back down from the heights she hadn’t known were possible. Colin gentled his touch, drawing out her pleasure until she was limp and sated beneath him. He pressed tender kisses to her face – her eyelids, her cheeks, her quivering lips.

"Ah, Lily," he murmured reverently. "I don’t think I have ever seen anything more breathtaking than you coming apart in my arms."

She blushed and buried her face against his neck, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable that she had lost all sense of control.

But his praise warmed her to her toes. Colin held her close, his large hands stroking soothingly up and down her back as their breathing slowed and hearts calmed.

Lily had never felt so cherished, so safe and content, even while in a place where they had put themselves at such risk.

After long moments, Colin shifted, gently disentangling their bodies despite her cry of protest. He rearranged her skirts to protect her modesty before gathering her back into his arms. Lily curled willingly into his embrace, pillowing her head on his broad chest. Drowsiness tugged at her now as the excitement ebbed away.

"Thank you, Lily," Colin whispered, pressing a kiss to her hair, even as she wondered what on earth he had to thank her for. "Sleep, now. I'll keep watch over you. You're safe with me, always."

“What about you?” she asked, pushing away from him, moving her hand toward his trousers. “I want to?—”

“Not here. Not now. That was for you,” he said before a grin lit his cheeks. “We can save that for next time.”

Buoyed by the thought of being with him again, surrounded by his warmth and strength and lulled by the steady beat of his heart, Lily’s eyes closed, and she drifted to sleep.

She was more comfortable than in the safety of her own bed.

And all because of this man — the one man she couldn’t have and the only one she had ever wanted.

Colin had been so sure that he wouldn’t fall asleep again.

He was usually vigilant and watchful when he needed to be. Tonight, he had vowed that he would do everything in his power to keep Lily protected and safe from any dangers or discovery.

But he had been so warm, peaceful, and comfortable wrapped up with her that his eyes must have drifted closed.

Until now.

Light flooded in and he pried his eyes open, drawing Lily close, as though his arms could offer her the protection she so needed.

But nothing could protect her from this.

“Well, well, what do we have here?”

Colin felt rather than heard Lily’s gasp as he bit back a groan, sitting up straight as he prepared to do battle.

For that’s what this would be.

Lord Nathaniel stood in front of them, leaning against the door jamb with a smile on his face. The spider who had captured prey in its web.

Colin wasn’t sure this could be any worse.

“Lord Nathaniel,” he said, standing, needing to be on equal footing as this man. “Good morning.”

Lord Nathaniel’s eyebrows rose as a diabolical smile spread over his face. “Good? Nothing about this is good for you, Thornton.”

“We were waiting for someone to come release us. I will see Miss Evans home to her parents now.”

Lily fell in behind him as Colin moved to the doorway, but Lord Nathaniel took a step forward, blocking his way.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” he said, wagging a finger back and forth in front of Colin’s face. “I have so many questions. Questions that you are going to answer before you go anywhere.”

“You will let us go, Lord Nathaniel,” Lily said, stepping forward boldly. Her nose lifted high in the air, and half of her hair floated around her face like a halo. “We have information of our own to share.”

His eyes flicked over to the ledger, sitting open on the table next to the lantern that had failed them.

“Do tell.”

“We know that you are sabotaging Manchester Central. We will not hesitate to bring that information forward.”

“So, what you are suggesting,” Lord Nathaniel said, placing his hands on his hips, “is that we keep one another’s secrets under the prospect of our joint downfall?”

It grated on Colin to think that people like Lord Montgomery and his son could get away with taking advantage of good people—people like his teammates, like Joey, who now couldn’t work and support his family—all for their own monetary gain.

But what was the other option? To destroy Lily and her reputation? To lose all that he had built for himself and his family?

“Something like that,” Colin reluctantly agreed. “I propose this. You do not tell anyone that you found us together – and we will keep what we found in the ledger to ourselves.”

Such a promise would mean they would have to find another way to prove Lord Montgomery’s malevolence, but at least it wouldn’t prevent them from sharing it if they made further discovery.

Lord Nathaniel looked from Colin to Lily and back again. They were both disheveled, of course, but that could be explained by a night of sleeping on a sofa. They had, however, been found in an embrace that would be hard to explain away – although it could have been much worse.

“The two of you looked awfully comfortable together,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “Tell me, Lily, does your father know of this little… liaison?” He waved his finger back and forth from one of them to the other.

“There is nothing between us but offering comfort when we were locked in here,” Colin said with confidence. “You should be more concerned about what we discovered.”

“What you discovered when you broke into my father’s warehouse,” Lord Nathaniel said, stepping forward. “I believe you are the most in the wrong here, Thornton. You could be charged with breaking and entering. Theft. Kidnapping.”

“Kidnapping!” Lily exclaimed. “I led him here.”

“I’m sure a jury wouldn’t see it quite that way,” Lord Nathaniel said, smiling evilly at her.

“It seems to me we are at a crossroads,” Colin said quietly.

“Instead of acting like children, I would suggest we keep clear minds and determine the best outcome for all of us. Yes, we broke in here to prove our suspicions that your father was using underhanded methods to bring down our club. Do you care if your father and all he has worked for is brought down? For while Lord Harcourt might not listen to me, he will listen to his daughter, and if he feels he has been wronged, he will not stop until he brings about justice. It is not only the club. I know your father has also been disrupting Lord Harcourt’s mill. ”

Lily went rigid next to him. Colin hadn’t shared that with her nor had he any proof, but his suspicions were significant enough to be confident in voicing it aloud. If he believed it, then Lord Nathaniel would have no reason to doubt his words.

“If you think your father’s football club and mill are worth risking, then so be it. Tell everyone what you saw here,” he said, waving his hand between him and Lily, attempting nonchalance even as his heart was beating nearly as fast as it had been when he touched Lily most intimately.

A flicker of unease passed over Lord Nathaniel’s face, telling Colin they almost had him. They just had to press a little more.

“It’s your choice,” Colin said with a shrug. “From what I see, you have much farther to fall than I do.”

He was silent then, waiting, allowing his words to hover in the air, for Lord Nathaniel to realize that he was sincere in what he said.

Finally, Lord Nathaniel took a breath, set his shoulders, and clasped his hands behind his back.

“Very well. Keep what you know to yourself, and – for now – I will not say anything about what I saw here,” he finally relented. “But understand this. If I hear a hint of a rumor that my father has any scandal attached to him, I will bring you down. Both of you.”

Colin was fine in defending himself, but when the man’s eyes narrowed on Lily with such hatred, he had to restrain himself from lashing out and showing him how this would have been handled in his neighborhood.

“Very well,” Colin said. “You have a deal.” He hated that he had to trust this man’s word, for he didn’t think it would be one that amounted to much. “Now, let us pass.”

Lord Nathaniel nodded and stepped out of the way, although he kept his eyes on Lily as she passed him. Colin wanted to wrap his arms around her, holding her close against him to shield her from the man, but he knew to do so would only add more fuel to Lord Nathaniel’s case against him.

And so, he had to allow her to walk on her own will, reminding him that, as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t protect her from all that threatened.

For there was no way for him to be by her side with every step she took.

Not here.

Not ever.

The minute they were out of the door and Lord Nathaniel’s sight, Lily couldn’t stop herself.

She turned and threw herself into Colin’s arms, wrapping her own around his waist as she breathed in deeply.

She was drawing more from him than he should have been able to give, but he tightened his arms for just a moment.

“Oh, Colin, I am so sorry,” she said, her voice muffled as her face pressed into his chest. “This is all my fault. I never should have asked you to come here. Or help me. Or?—”

“Lily,” he said, leaning back and gently cradling her face. “I wanted to be here. With you. Helping the football club. I never do anything that I don’t want to, including this. I am glad I was there with you, that you were not left alone overnight or discovered by Lord Nathaniel.”

He shuddered at the thought of how the man would have acted if he had found Lily in his father’s offices instead of the two of them.

“What are we going to do now?” she asked, biting her bottom lip.

“Right now, we are going to get you home, safely into your bed before your parents realize you are gone,” he said.

“And what about the club? If anyone else is injured because we didn’t say anything just to protect my reputation, I would never forgive myself.”

“We are going to have to determine who we can trust,” he said, setting his jaw in determination. “And then find a way forward together.”

He needed to protect her, but she was right. There were so many others who were affected by this.

That would have to be a problem for later, however. Right now, he had to return her home.

Away from him.

Where she was safe.