Page 48 of Killian's Vengeance

He blew out a sigh. “Yes, but only if I’m with you.”

I smiled happily. “Deal.”

He kissed my stomach and continued to make me even happier.

Chapter 20

Killian

As I trudged down the hall pulling Willa behind me, I knew I was making a mistake. Letting her see Lily was only going to crush her, sadden her, maybe break her. The thought of it made me irritable and frustrated. There was something fragile and innocent about Willa and letting her see her sister felt like throwing a newborn baby into a nest of vipers.

I shook my head, hoping to dispel all the foreign emotions Willa had stirred up in me in the short time I’d known her. I barely recognized my own behavior. Since when did I cave into a woman’s overly sentimental pleas when they were in direct opposition to my own better judgement?

Never, that’s when.

I unlocked the cell door and walked in, Willa trailing behind me. We hadn’t left Lily in here long, so she looked much the same as when we left her— sitting, chained to the chair Cullen had put her in.

She shot me a bored look, which was either due to true boredom or her desire to make me believe she was unaffected by her current situation. Or both. A small part of me admired her self-containment. If I’d met Lily under different circumstances, I might have recruited her.

Her expression changed drastically when she saw Willa. Her apathetic stare transformed into a vicious scowl. Was she actually concerned about Willa or angry that she hadn’t been killed in her place?

“Willa? What the fuck are you still doing here?”

Willa stepped forward tentatively, already looking intimidated by her older sister’s questions. I wanted to put a reassuring hand on her back, but I knew Lily’s razor-sharp eyes would miss nothing.

“I-I was worried about you.” That wasn’t exactly accurate, but I didn’t refute her words.

Lily gave her a speculative look, then broke out in a chilling smile. “It was you, wasn’t it? You fucking told them where to find me. You fucking bitch. What kind of sister are you?” Her tone was nasty and accusing, giving Willa a look meant to melt her into a puddle of shame.

Instead of being cowed, Willa’s spine stiffened. “What kind of sister am I? What kind of sister are you? You set me up to die!”

Lily cocked her head, her angry expression sliding into one of remorse. Her brow puckered and her lips quivered, as her eyes filled with tears. “You know what, Will? You’re right. I’m sorry, what I did was wrong. I was just so afraid of what these guys would do to me, I panicked. I didn’t mean it. You have to help me convince these guys that I’m innocent. I had nothing to do with whatever they’re accusing me of. You have to get me out of here.”

I had to admit. Lily was good. Her wide, liquid blue eyes, so similar to Willa’s, shined with sincerity and contrition. This is the exact plea I feared she would make, playing on Willa’s big heart and compassion. Making her feel guilty and responsible for Lily’s safety. Fucking bitch.

Willa took a step toward her sister. “Look, Lily, you have to tell them what you know,” she pleaded.

“I don’t know anything. I have no idea what happened to Mac. I had nothing to do with it.” Again, her eyes were wide and guileless, but I knew for a fact she was lying. My eyes darted to Willa to gauge her reaction to her sister’s pleas, praying she didn’t fall for her bullshit. Was she buying this? I feared she was.

“Willa.” I needed her to know that we had irrefutable evidence that Lily was complicit in Mac’s death. I couldn’t let any possible doubt fester.

Willa surprised me. She held up her hand to me, stilling further words, still staring at her sister. “Seriously, Lily? You need to be honest. Tell us about what happened to Mac.”

Lily shrugged. “What can I possibly say? I didn’t have anything to do with it. It wasn't my fault. Get me out of here, Willa.” She ended her last sentence with less of a plea, and more of a command, staring Willa down as if mentally compelling her to obey.

Willa’s shoulders stiffened. “No. You need to tell them what you know. I can’t do anything for you unless you help.”

Lily’s remorseful expression fell away as quickly as it had appeared, her brow smoothing out, tears drying up. A fucking chameleon. “Are you crazy? I’m not admitting to anything. The minute I tell them anything, they’ll kill me.”

Hope flared in Willa’s eyes. “No, Lily, if you help, they'll be more likely to let you go. They want your boyfriend, or accomplice, or whatever.” Willa’s speech was getting faster as she made her pitch to Lily. First of all, what she said wasn’t even true. There was no way Cullen was just going to let Lily go, but I wasn’t sure if Willa realized that.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Grow up, Willa. They aren’t letting me go anywhere. God, you are so fucking stupid.”

My fists tightened at Lily’s comment and Willa’s shoulders dropped. “You’re guilty, Lily. Why shouldn’t you pay for what you did? What you did to Mac, what you tried to do to me.”

Lily’s eyes flashed. “It was you or me, who the fuck did you think I was going to pick?”

Willa's eyes widened at the extent of Lily’s ruthlessness. “You’re unbelievable,” she said in disgust.

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