Page 75 of Rampage

"Hello?"

"Hi," I manage, my throat suddenly dry. "Is this Eleanor Chambers?"

"Yes, this is Eleanor."

I take a deep breath. "This is Lily. Lily Chambers. Your… your niece."

The silence that follows feels endless, broken only by a soft gasp.

"Lily?" Her voice wavers. "Oh my God. Is it really you?"

"It's me," I confirm, tears welling in my eyes at the naked emotion in her voice.

"I've been waiting for this call for so long," she says, her words catching on what sounds like a sob. "They told me they found you, but I was afraid to hope too much. How are you? Are you safe?"

The genuine concern in her voice unleashes something inside me. "I'm safe now," I tell her, looking at Reid who watches me with tender eyes. "I have good people around me."

We talk for nearly an hour. Eleanor tells me about my mother—her kindness, her laugh, how much I look like her in the photo Tiffany shared. She tells me about their childhood together, about how devastated she was when my mother died and I disappeared into the system.

"I never stopped looking," she says fiercely. "They kept telling me you'd been placed with a good family, that you were happy, but they wouldn't let me see you. I hired private investigators, filed petitions with the court—nothing worked."

"Frank had connections," I explain, keeping the details vague. "He made sure no one could find me."

"I wish I could have saved you from whatever you went through," she says, regret heavy in her voice. "I'm so sorry, Lily."

"It wasn't your fault," I assure her, wiping away tears.

"I want to see you," Eleanor says suddenly, her voice firm with determination. "I can be on a plane to Texas tomorrow, if that's all right with you. I've waited years to hug my niece, I don't want to wait another day if I don't have to."

My breath catches in my throat. "You'd come here? All the way from Seattle?"

"In a heartbeat," she replies without hesitation. "Unless it's too soon? I don't want to overwhelm you."

I look at Reid, whose eyes reflect nothing but support. He gives my hand a squeeze and nods slightly.

"I'd love that," I whisper, a new kind of hope unfurling in my chest. "I want to meet you too."

"I'll book the flight tonight," Eleanor says, excitement brightening her voice. "Just tell me where to go, and I'll be there."

After we work out the details—she'll arrive tomorrow evening at the small regional airport—I hang up, feeling both terrified and elated. Family. Real family coming to see me.

"You okay?" Reid asks, pulling me against his chest where I can hear the steady rhythm of his heart.

"I think so," I reply, looking up at him. "It's just… a lot. Yesterday I was alone in the world, and today I have an aunt who's been searching for me for years."

Reid brushes a strand of hair from my face, his touch gentle. "You were never alone, Lily. Not really. Not since the moment you walked into my life."

The simple truth of his words settles over me like a warm blanket. "I know," I whisper. "But having a blood relative… it's different. It's…"

"A connection to your past," he finishes for me. "To your mother. To who you were before Frank."

I nod, grateful for his understanding. "What if she doesn't like me?" The fear slips out before I can stop it. "What if I'm not what she expected?"

Reid's expression softens. "Lily, she's been searching for you for years. She already loves you. And anyone who spends five minutes with you falls in love with the amazing woman you are."

Heat rises to my cheeks at his words. "Will you come with me? To meet her at the airport?"

"Wild horses couldn't keep me away," he promises, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "The whole club would be there, if you wanted them."

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