Holding on to you

“You’re not coming.”

I frowned and pushed passed him, there’s just no way I’m letting him go where he could possibly get himself killed without me.

I grabbed the gun on the table and put it into my waistband, I made sure that my jacket was fully covering the weapon before I turned to face him again.

“I’m not letting you go there alone.”

He glared at me and opened his mouth to talk but I cut him off, I was determined and there’s no way he could stop me.

“Forget it, Killian, even if you forced me to stay, I’ll just leave me when you’re gone.”

We stared at each other for a while, neither of us backing down. He sighed and grabbed the bag of weapons beside him, moving towards the door.

“Fine, but you do as I say and never leave my side, do you understand me, Lilly?”

I grinned like an idiot before wiping it off of my face and giving him a brisk nod. With his free hand, he reached for me, and we made our way out of the house and into the car.

When we arrived at the location where JD and Mik’s ex-were staying, I saw that we weren’t the only one there. I looked at Killian as he parked the car, but his face held that hard edge as he eyed the cars in front of us.

He opened his door and got out and so did I. I saw him reach for his gun as he came around the car to grab my hand. The short walk to whoever was in the car was done in silence and I couldn’t help but feel like we were walking into the dragon’s den with no light to lead our way.

The car doors open just as we approached them, and out came my family. I stared at them in horror and excitement. I was happy that they were there, but I was horrified that they were about to get themselves killed for me.

“What the hell is she doing here?!”

Those were my father’s word as he glared at Killian, his dislike for my husband showing all over his face.

Killian just looked at him, not letting his harsh looks get to him. “She insisted on coming, and I much rather have her where I can see her.”

I started fidgeting beside Killian and he let go of my hand, sensing that I need to go to my parents. As soon as my hands were free, I rushed over and threw myself into my dad’s arms and hugged him. He returned the hug with just as much longing and passion.

“Daddy!” I cried.

“Oh, baby bear.”

His voice cracked and my hands tightened around him, I inhaled his scent, he always smelled the same, like old books and fresh soap.

He kissed the top of my head then pulled back, a smile lit up his face that looked like it’s been through hell. I glance at my mother who was waiting patiently for her turn and I broke away from my day to run to her, she captured me and hugged me just as my father did.

“Oh, Lilly. Oh, baby, I missed having you home with me.”

She started to cry and I held onto her, comforting her and taking comfort myself. I didn’t realise how much I missed her until I held her. When she was last at the house, her attitude towards me was a little void of emotion, but holding her now, made me realise that she was just trying to get through the day without completely falling apart.NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

“I’ve missed you too, mom.”

After holding each other for a while two voice broke us apart and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hey, brat, what about our hugs?”

“Come on, mom, stop hogging our baby sister.”

I turned to see Liam and Max standing with their arms wide and I wasted no time throwing myself into their arms. Not long after, I felt another two pairs of arms around me and I turned to see Zack and Mike.

I looked around for Oliver and Brandon but they were nowhere to be seen, Zack read the question in my eyes and answered,

“They’re not old enough for any of this, so mom made them stay home.”

That brought me back to reality and the reason we were all standing not too far from the place that housed the people that wanted me and my family dead. My earlier fear took over again and I started to panic.

“You guys can’t be here, it’s too dangerous!”

“Relax, Lil, we’ve been preparing for this, we know what we’re doing.”

I shook my head from side to side, I didn’t want them to get hurt or worst, get killed. I started to tell them exactly that when Killian’s voice cut me off.

“Red, come on baby, it’s too dangerous for us to be standing here this long, we’ve got to go, now.”

I took a step back from my brothers and smiled sadly at them, they returned it but not before casting Killian death glares. I felt my heart broke a tiny bit, my husband and my family hated each other.

I walked back over to Killian and he slipped his hand around my waist, pulling me flat against his chest. His hold on me was like he was afraid that someone was going to take me away from him.

I didn’t understand his behaviour at first, but looking at my family, I realised that he didn’t trust them not to take me and run, and then something dawned on me… I didn’t trust them either.

“Everything’s ready Boss.”

Mik came to stand next to us. Killian didn’t reply to him, his eyes were focused on my parents and I could see that he was having a hard time letting me go to go do what he needed to do.

I got on my tip-toes and kissed his lips, it was just a kiss of reassurance, I pulled away and smiled at him, but his eyes darkened and he grabbed me up against him, crushing his lips down on mine.

When he was fully satisfied and back in control, he pulled away. He rested his head against mine, closing his eyes for a bit. When he opened them up again they were filled with determination.

“Remember what I said, Lilly, I’ll find you no matter where you go…”

His eyes moved to my parents then back to mine.

“… no one can hide you from me.”

I nodded my head, I didn’t have any intention of ever running from him again.

“I’m not going to run, no one can make me, and besides, Mik would never let anyone take me.”

Mik chuckled next to me, “Damn straight!”

Killian smoothed the hair away from my face and palmed it with both hands, he looked into my eyes and said,

“I’m going to check the perimeters to make sure that it is safe for us to enter then I’m coming back for you, if I’m not back in ten minutes, you leave with Mik and I’ll find you after, do you hear me?”

I started to shake my head but he growled my name out in the primal way that he does.

“RED!”

I looked at him, tears running down my face, he used his thumb to wipe them away. His voice was softer, but it held no room for disobedience.

“You are going to do as I say, am I making myself clear?”

I finally nodded and he kissed my lips before turning to walk away. I quickly cupped my hands over my mouth to stop the terrifying scream from escaping. I watched as he walked out of sight, then when I couldn’t take it anymore, I dropped to the ground and screamed into my hands.

Mik was closest to me, so he scooped me up into his arms and sat on the floor rocking me back and forth.

“Shh, it’s okay, Lil, Killian knows how to take care of himself.”

I nodded my head against his chest and tried my best to calm myself. I had to be strong for Killian, or when he comes back he’ll be too busy worrying about me to concentrate on doing what he’s good at.

I push to my feet with Mik’s help and thanked him, I wasn’t sure I trusted him at first but, over the months, I’ve come to see him as one of my brothers.

“Thanks for letting me cry all over you.”

He smiled, “What are brothers for if not to get cried on by their annoying little sisters.”

I gasped, faking offence, “I am not annoying.”

He snorted, “Keep telling yourself that and one day you might actually believe it.”

I glared at him and punched his arm playfully. “Asshole.”

“Brat.” He countered.

We both started laughing but stopped when four lots of somebodies cleared their throats. I turned, forgetting that my brothers were there watching on. They looked at Mik with clear hatred and jealousy, and I felt bad like I betrayed them somehow.

“Who’s this, Lilly?” Mike asked.

I grabbed Mik’s hand, pulling him over to meet my brothers, he resisted at first but soon give in when I kept tugging on his arm.

“Liam, Max, Zack, Mike, this is Mik, he’s Killian’s best friend and my adopted brother.”

I turned to Mik, “Mik, meet my brothers.”

The men just nod at each other coldly, but made no effort to become friendly, I was about to protest when Mik’s phone rang and he excused himself to answer it.

“Yep, she’s here.”

He paused, his eyes never straying too far from where I was standing.

“Come on, Killian, I’d die before I let anything happen to her.”

I turned my full attention on him, and the conversation that he was having with Killian.

“F**k you, bro, you don’t have to threaten to me, I know what my f**king job is!”

Everyone was on full alert; all eyes were on Mik who looked like he was about to blow a gasket. My brothers pulled me closer to them as if they were afraid that Mik might hurt me.

Killian said something to Mik, causing his body to tense up, and the anger radiating from him was enough to build an atom bomb.

“You seriously want me to repeat the oath that I took?”

The words were said through clenched teeth. Killian must have said yes because Mik hold on the phone got tighter as he started talking again through clenched teeth.

“I swear to protect Lilly at all cost, nothing and no one is above her, and if I should fail to do so, I automatically forfeit my life.”

I stood there gawking at him, my mouth almost touching the ground. My family was giving each other weird looks, but I didn’t care my ears couldn’t believe what they just heard. Killian said something else and Mik growled at him,

“F**k you, Killer, if you’re so damn f**king afraid that I won’t be able to do my job right then come back here and protect her your damn self!”

He ended the call and stalked over to me, the look he had on his face reminded me of Killian, but I wasn’t afraid of him because I knew that he’s never hurt me. My family, on the other hand, didn’t know that, so they all surrounded me with gun raised.

Mik rolled his eyes and glanced at the heavens as if to say ‘why me?’. He looked back at me and my family, irritation clearly written on his face.

“Help me out here, Lilly, I don’t want to have to hurt your family, but I will if it means my life for theirs. Killian is on his way back, and if he sees this it would mean that I was unable to protect you, and friend or no friend, he’ll put a bullet in me because there’s only one thing Killian Black would kill his closest friend for, and that’s you.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and took a step away from my brothers.

“It’s ok, Mik’s not going to hurt me.”

I pleaded with my family to put the guns away, my father was the first to do so, saying, “No, I don’t think he will.”

Just as all the guns were put away, Kilian came into view. I tried to run to him, but Mik held me back. I waited patiently for him to get closer and when he was close enough and it was safe, Mik let me go and I ran straight into Killian’s arms.

He caught me and pulled me close, I buried my face in his shirt and he kissed the top of my head, sniffing my hair. He pulled away and give me a once over, his eyes roaming my body as if looking for any injury.

I smiled at him, “I’m ok, Killian, I’m safe.”

He nodded his head, but he didn’t look too convinced. He looked up and his eyes landed on Mik, I swear his eyes glazed over and filled with rage. He gently moved me out of the way and started stalking Mik like a lion sizing up its prey.

Mik didn’t look scared, he stood his ground against Killian even as the tension built between them. His eyes were cold and just as stormy as Killian’s.

“They are her family, Killian.”

Mik was the first to talk, but Killian wasn’t having any of it, he grunted and glared harder at Mik.

“I don’t give a f**k who they are, I give you a f**king job, you do it without question.”

Mik glared right back at him, “You’re too f**king paranoid, not everyone is out to hurt your wife.”

I saw that they weren’t going to stop so I got in front of the two of them, my arms stretched out between them.

“Stop this!”

They both forgot their anger at each and glared at me.

Well, at least they’re not trying to kill each other anymore.

“Lilly, what the hell are you doing?” Killian growled.

“What is it with your wife and jumping into dangerous situations?” Mik also growled.

Satisfied that the tension between them was gone, I dropped my hands. Killian pulled me to him and turned to address the others.

“There’s not a lot of men guarding the place, he’s got two on the east entrance, three on the west and about five patrolling the grounds. If you ask me that’s suspicious, something doesn’t feel right about this, but this is our only chance to get at JD.”

My dad stepped forward, “If it doesn’t feel right then maybe we should back down just in case it’s a setup.”

My mother and brothers were nodding their agreement but Killian and Mik weren’t agreeing to anything.

“I’ve got a score to settle with JD and my bitch of an ex, so I’m going in there whether you guys follow or not.”

Mik took his gun out, ready to storm the place.

“JD has been a ghost these past few months, this is the only place that we’ve been given that he’s actually in, I’m not willing to let him be a ghost again unless it’s in death. He wants Red, I took his golden ticket away from him and he wants her back. I’d be damn if I just sit back and wait from him to find some way to take her away from me, he needs to die today!”

I shiver run down my spine hearing Killian talk, it was all so surreal. I was standing with my husband and my parents as they talk about killing a guy in cold blood. I know that I should be freaked out, but strangely enough, I wasn’t.