Lily's Mistake(21)

I smirk. Drake really does love this dog of his.

He puts him back down on the floor before he wraps his arms around me, smelling my neck. "Now, what would you like for lunch?"

We spend the rest of our Saturday in his house. Kissing, talking and  catching up. By the end of the day, I've bonded with Skull and I think  he favors me more than Drake.

It's most likely because I sneak him a treat or two when Drake isn't watching.





A painful scream comes out of me when I feel someone jerk my hair and arm, dragging me off the bed and onto the floor.

"You, stupid whore. Didn't I warn you to stay away from him? I did,  didn't I? But you didn't fucking listen! He's mine!" Shannon shrieks at  me.

Since I'm on the floor, the closest thing I can reach is her leg. I pull  it hard enough for her to lose her balance and she flops onto the floor  next to me with a loud thud.

Shannon is scrambling to get on top of me when Drake yanks her off, throwing her off where she lands on the bed.

She is hysterically crying. "How dare you bring her here! On our bed!  This was our bed. How fucking dare you, Drake! You're mine. You're  mine … "

"You and I are done, Shannon. I've made that clear already. I have your  key. How the fuck did you get in here?" Drake is glaring at her, eyes  dark, furious.

My heart is sky-rocketing, beating so hard against my chest; it's the  only thing I feel. That is, until I start to feel the pain on my head.  The spot where Shannon pulled my hair is beginning to throb and ache.

"Stupid man, do you think I would hand it over without having it copied?  It's not like you changed your security code, anyway. It was easy.  You're saying that we're over when she's around, but I know you still  want me. You always have. We're about to get married, Drake. You can't  keep hurting me like this." Shannon starts crying again. She tries to  reach out to Drake, but he smacks her hand away.

Drake helps me up and carefully places me on one of the cushioned chairs  that are on the other side of the room. "Are you okay? Fuck, I'm sorry.  Are you hurting?"

"I'm fine. Go take care of that, first." My eyes send daggers to his  deranged ex. Who is still in the process of crying and pleading.

Hell, what the heck did I get myself into?

Drake grabs his cellphone and dials the cops. He reports a home invasion  and illegal trespassing. As he rapidly speaks on the phone, it's hard  to follow.         

     



 

I feel numb.

My body is still tense and I'm afraid to move for some reason-possibly  because the senseless bitch is still on the bed-sending me crazy eyes  when Drake isn't watching her.

When the cops come, Drake takes the reluctant Shannon downstairs. I hear  him ask them to take her to the hospital first to get checked over.  Just in case she's high on something.

I feel something wet on my leg and when I look down, I find Skull  rubbing his nose on me. I bend down and scratch the back of his ears. He  then curls up next to my foot and falls asleep. The adorable fur ball  is giving me comfort.

After what seems to be an hour of answering all the questions the police  have for Drake, he finally comes back upstairs with some Advil and an  icepack.

He finds me, sitting, still in the same position I was in when he left with Shannon. "Are you okay? You don't look well."

I nod and swallow the pills with some water. Drake carefully takes me in  his arms and carries me into one of the guest rooms. We lie on the bed  with Skull leaning on my back, snoring. I'm wrapped around Drake's body  while he holds the icepack to my head.

Drake breaks the silence first. "I didn't think she was crazy. Okay-I  mean towards the end, she started to become off, -but I didn't think for  a second she was capable of pulling something like that. I'm just  thankful that she didn't have a knife …  or a gun. God knows what would've  happened if she did."

I would probably be dead by now, or I would've killed that daft bitch  first. Hell, her crazy eyes are still haunting me. I remember the hate  and scorn in those eyes and I shiver.

When the painkillers work their way into my system, Drake takes the icepack off my head.

He's stroking my arm, softly, as I finally drift off to sleep.





18



"I have to go home and get ready for your mom's lunch party."

We just finished eating breakfast where I nibbled on a toast and had  some coffee. Honestly, the last thing I want to do is eat or go to a  lunch party after last night, but I promised my mom. Today is important  to her and I can't let her down.

"How about you let me shower quickly, then we can drive back to your  house and go to my parents' house together?" Drake asks before taking a  swig of his coffee.

"About that …  I don't want them to get any ideas, yet. I want to keep this between you and me for a while, if you don't mind?"

"I do mind. Why would you want to keep me as your dirty, little secret?"  Drake nods, the answer just dawning on him. "Right, in case this  doesn't work out between us," he says through gritted teeth.

"Don't get angry. I just don't want all the fuss. We barely just  started. I want to keep it that way for now. I did tell you that we'll  be taking it one step at a time."

Drake merely shrugs, and then looks away, hurt.





Drake's car is already parked in his parents' driveway when I get there.  As I'm pulling into an open space in the drive, my ringing phone  distracts me from thoughts of Drake.

"Hey, Masie! What's up?"

"You're still coming for the barbeque this afternoon, right? Just  checkin', that's all." Masie's chirpy demeanor helps ease my tensed  body.

"Yep, I did say I was coming. Gotta go, Hon, I'm going to meet Mom's  boyfriend for the first time." Hopefully, everything will be okay.

"Okay, see you in a few."

After ending the call with Masie, I sit in the car, killing time. I took  a couple of painkillers before I left my house, but it seems that it's  taking forever to kick-in. My head throbs and my arm hurts like it's  strained.

I lean back against the seat, closing my eyes, rubbing the area on my  arm that is aching. Maybe, I have to get something stronger to dull the  pain away, I think.

"Lily?" I hear Drake knock on my window. Without opening my eyes, I unlock my door and open it.

"Give me a minute. I should be out soon," I mumble in response.

"Are you hurting, Babe?" Drake looks worried as he squats down to my level and checks my arm.

I flinch when he touches the sore spot. "Just a little, but I already  took some pain meds before I left the house. I'm still waiting for it to  kick in."

Drake takes off my seatbelt and gathers me in his arms. "I'm taking you in. You need to rest."

"I can walk. Put me down," I protest. "Drake, I will rest, okay? But you  have to let me walk. I can't imagine what they will think if you burst  inside the house with me hanging in your arms."

Drake sighs. "I was only thinking about your welfare, Lil."         

     



 

I give him a quick kiss, which helps his mood. "I know." I smile at him.

We slowly walk towards the entrance. Drake drops his arm off my shoulder  once we enter the foyer. The Tatum's Spanish-style residence is  majestic. It has twelve bedrooms, a crazy amount of bathrooms, two  kitchens, two pools and a huge tennis court.





"Lily, I'm so happy you could make it." Patricia kisses my cheek and  gives me a warm hug before she lets go and kisses my forehead.

"Drake's not being a pain is he, Hon? If he is, you go straight to me." Patricia eyes us with a huge smile.

"Mom, Lily doesn't feel too well. I'm about to take her upstairs and let  her rest for a bit." Drake stands a little closer to me.

"Of course, go say hi to your mom first, so she doesn't worry. Do you  need any medicine?" She doesn't even let me respond to that before she  orders Drake to tell someone in the kitchen to prepare some food for me  and he can take it upstairs with him.

"I already plan on it, Mom," Drake murmurs before walking away.

"Your mother is in the dining room with Colin and Hugh." Patricia  pauses. "You're okay with her dating again, right? Your mom is happy. I  can vouch for that." You can see she is worried that I won't approve of  Mom's new love life; it's written all over her face.

"I am, Pat. I'm glad she did. She needs someone to be there for her,  too. I'm actually pleased that it's with Colin. At least we know the man  already."

Patricia looks radiant. "That is true. It's just been too long for her.  She deserves it." Pat clears her throat and eyes me. "I don't mean to  pry …  but I can't help it. Drake can't take his eyes off you. Please tell  me that he's trying to win you? You know there's nothing in this world  that would please me more …  Drake and you together. It's my only wish."  She looks expectant as she waits for me to speak.

Yes, Patricia. We all know it. I want to say that Drake and I are  actually together, but I don't want to get her hopes up. "All I can tell  you is …  I guess, he's trying."