Dominic held her tighter. "Watch it, Vandergriff. You're on my last fucking nerve."
"You're as crazy as her," he shouted.
The siren was closer now. Then it stopped. Lily looked over her shoulder to find two officers climbing out of their car. They hurried forward. She hadn't seen either one of them before.
"What seems to be the problem here?" They climbed the steps and positioned themselves between Luke and the rest of them.
Everyone spoke at once, everyone but Lily. She set her hands on her ears and tried to block out the noise. Something wasn't right. She dipped her head and tried to breathe. It seemed like she wasn't getting enough oxygen. She was going to hyperventilate.
Dominic spoke close to her ear. "Lily? Babe?"
Ava must have sensed her struggle because she stepped in front of Lily, cupped the back of her head, and lifted the front of Lily's blouse over her mouth and nose. "Breathe, honey. You're not getting oxygen."
Lily took a deep breath in and nearly choked. She yanked free of Ava and Dominic and stepped aside. She wanted to gag. Lifting up a hand, she tried to think. Then she froze. When she jerked her face up to meet everyone's gaze, she knew.
The officer was talking to Luke, who leaned against the door with one hand flat on the surface as if he were afraid someone might try to get past him.
Ava and Stephan eyed Lily with narrowed eyes. The second officer stared at her from the other side.
Dominic reached for her and tipped her chin up. "What is it?"
"Holy shit." Lily ignored Dominic and turned toward Luke. "It wasn't you." She stepped closer.
Luke groaned. "How many goddamn times have I told you that?"
Lily pointed at the door. "Who is she, Luke? Who's the new girlfriend?"
"What are you talking about? None of your goddamn business. Leave her out of this!"
"You mean like Dominic got left out of this? I don't think so. What's her name, Luke?" She waited. Everyone grew quiet. "What's her name, you son of a bitch?"
"Lily?" Dominic held on to her from behind, snaking an arm around to make sure she didn't move any closer.
Luke pursed his lips.
"Is it Valerie?" she screamed.
Dominic froze, his grip tighter.
Luke's eyes went wide. He jerked his gaze toward the officer in front of him. "I don't know what the hell she's talking about, but if she knows my girlfriend's name, then she's the one who you need to arrest. Not me."
"Ma'am?" the officer asked, staring at Lily.
Lily jerked free of Dominic again, slammed her body into the door beside Luke, and lunged for the handle, managing to turn it before anyone could stop her. Fury made her shove through the entrance. She screamed into the foyer. "Valerie?" She paused. When there was no response, she took several steps farther into Luke's house.
"Hey, get her out of here. She can't bust into my home. She's insane."
"You can't be serious," Dominic stated. "Your new girlfriend is Valerie? Tall? Skinny? Red hair? Too much perfume?"
Lily spun around in time to see Dominic sniffing the air and scowling. She glared at Luke. "Are you an accomplice? Because if you are, you can go to jail with her. If not, then I suggest you bring your psychotic girlfriend to the front of the house right now."
"Ma'am, what's going on?" the officer asked again.
Lily jerked around to face the house again and screamed. "Valerie, or whatever your name is, it's over. You can make it easy, or you can make it hard, but unless you intend to run out the back, you're out of options."
Ava stepped inside next to Lily. "Lily, what's this about?"
"It wasn't Luke. He might be in on it or protecting her, but it's his girlfriend."
"Why?" Ava asked. "Do you know her?"
"Nope. Never met her. Dominic does."
The officer stepped inside too.
Another police car pulled up, and Lily spun around to see Detective Wright jogging toward the house. Thank God.
"What happened?"
"It's his girlfriend," Lily told him. "He may or may not have been aware of her antics, but she's been using him to get to Dominic."
Dominic snaked an arm around Lily yet again, looser this time. Her adrenaline was pumping so hard he couldn't stop her from much of anything anyway.
Wright nodded and glanced at Luke. "Is she here?"
"Yes. But I don't know what this crazy woman's talking about. Valerie wouldn't harm a flea. She's the kindest person I've ever met."
"Did you see her?" Wright asked Lily. "How do you know this?"