Catching Lily(25)

       
         
       
        

She went for it. "Someone did see us. They took pictures."

She heard nothing from his end for a few seconds, and then he spoke. "You're shitting me."

"No. Wish I was."

"Oh my God, Lily. Who the fuck was spying on us close enough to take pictures in a vacant parking lot? The paparazzi?"

"My ex-boyfriend."

"Your what?" His voice rose, though she didn't know if he was pissed at her or the situation or just trying to assimilate it all.

"Yeah. I broke up with him for the last time the night I met you. He's been pleading with me ever since. He's a dick, but I didn't know he was capable of something like this."

"So he was following us? Spying on us? And he took pictures?"

"Yes. I'm so sorry. I don't know how to make this right."

"You're sorry? For what? You didn't do it."

"I know, but I brought the problem to your doorstep, and I don't know how to fix it. I'm still trying to figure it out."

"What's to fix? Call the cops. I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"No." She sat up straighter. "We can't do that. If that were a plausible solution, don't you think I would have called them last night?"

"Why the fuck not? He's stalking you."

"He wants me back."

"So? You just said you were done with him. You can't seriously be thinking about getting back together with some asshole who followed you and took pictures of you having sex. Never mind that we weren't actually fucking in your car. I'm sure the pictures paint make it look like we were."

"They do."

"You've seen them."

"Yes. He texted them to me. He has good shots of you too. He must have covered a lot of ground while we remained oblivious." She sucked in a breath. "Don't you see? If these got out … "

"What? He's blackmailing you?" He moaned loudly. "He fucking blackmailed you, didn't he?"

She didn't respond.

"Shit."

"That's why we can't see each other anymore."

"Oh, hell no. You're not going to let some motherfucker blackmail you into not being with me."

"He threatened to put the pictures up on the Internet. He even knows exactly who you are. Your full name. He would ruin your career. My gallery." She fought back tears as she rubbed her temples to ease her growing headache.

"My career?" He chuckled. "Lily, honey. I've had far more incriminating photos taken of me than that. Remember, I told you I was kind of a mess before I got into the lifestyle. So don't worry about me. It's the nature of my job. It happens. When you first said someone took pictures, I assumed it was the paparazzi. I'm used to them. Some jackass ex-boyfriend is not going to get under my skin." 

"Okay, fine. Let's assume you don't give a fuck if your face is plastered all over the Internet. I kinda do. Call me shallow, but I'm running a business. It makes me cringe to think anyone would see this picture of me."

His voice lowered, calmer. "Lily. We'll figure this out together. And I would never do anything that upset you."

"Then that starts with staying in your house and not calling the cops."

He sighed. "You avoided me for the entire day because of this?"

"Yes. I think … " She took a deep breath. "I think he's literally spying on me all the time."

"He told you not to see me anymore." Dominic groaned around the words.

"Exactly."

"Lily …  Hon … "

"I know. I know. But I need more time to think. I didn't want to ruin Zia and Brett's day with this shit."

"I understand. But you should have told me."

"And you would have gone along with my plan to ignore you today? You would have left me alone all day so it wasn't obvious I was totally into you?"

"No. You're right." He sighed again.

"Rest my case."

"You're totally into me, huh?"

She smiled for the first time in over a day. "Shut up."

"Can you come over here, babe? I seriously don't want you to be home alone."

"I'm scared. He's probably sitting outside waiting for me to leave."

"Can you see anyone out front?"

"No. I don't have a house. I live at The Braxton."

"Ah, I know the place. It's after midnight. He has to sleep. He can't watch you twenty-four seven, and he sounds too creepy to have someone else doing it for him."

"What if he does?" He had enough money to hire someone. It was possible.