CHAPTER 37

Dimitri

My clothes were all packed, ready to move to Lillie's place. I was only taking a bag of clothes and a toolbox. That was all I possessed. I was ecstatic to leave the half-way house and still couldn't fully believe that Lillie offered me to stay at her place for a while. Shock mixed with excitement washed over me. Staying with Lillie was a big deal, and I didn't want to fuck it up.

She offered me to sleep on her couch in the living room. I didn't mind at all. It's still an upgrade from the prison cell bunker bed and staying at the half-way house with a bunch of ex-cons. And besides, I would be with Lillie, in her house... the thought of her just sleeping above me in her bedroom upstairs.

I smirked at the thought, and desire creeped in me.

Fuck! this might be too tempting, the thought of Lillie so close all day and most importantly all night. I just hope I can keep my shit under control, or at least the shit in my trousers.

I blew out a long-suffering breath.

I headed out the door and locked the room. Gave the keys to the landlord and stepped out the half-way house to my truck. The light blue truck was old that I got next to nothing from the garage, but it got me where I needed to be. I tossed my toolbox and bag in the front seat with me.

As I drove, my thoughts snapped to my encounter with Roxanne at Trendy Tavern. Kyle thought it would be a good idea to invite her. He thought wrong! But I couldn't entirely blame him. He didn't know about my relationship with Lillie. Luckily, I decided not to stay longer at the bar and left in time, before Roxanne got all grabby and touchy, like she always did to get me in the mood.

Damn.

I didn't expect to see her. But she looked exactly how I remembered, confident, flirty and sexy as hell. But I couldn't see her in that way any longer. I had no desire for her. All I wanted now was Lillie. She got a hold of me like no other woman could. With Roxanne, it was all about sex. But with Lillie, it was something more, a deeper connection I'd never had with anybody before, and I didn't want to let it go.

I sighed and rubbed a hand over my head.

Staying with Lillie could be a new beginning, a new start in my life. I could build something with her... a future. I didn't know if she felt the same way about me.

Why would she?

I shuddered at the thought. I'm an ex-convict who she met from prison, a good for nothing who can only fight with his fists and has nothing to bring to the table.

But I'll fight for Lillie, I'll fight for her affections the best I can. If it's the last thing I'll do.

***

The warm evening had a clear dark blue sky, a break from all the rain. I grabbed all my bags and toolbox from my old truck and walked to the townhouse. I knocked on Lillie's door. She opened it up immediately after the first knock, anticipating my arrival. She had a gentle smile on her face and her eyes were bright to see me. Her light brown shirt matched her pretty eyes, with a black skirt and dark pantyhose. She was breath-taking beautiful, and I fucking melted inside. I returned her smile and followed her inside to the living room.

Lillie's living room was small and cozy, like the townhouse. There was a 3-piece dark green couch set that looked comfortable. A small wooden table in the middle and a large 3 plasma TV Screen hung on the front wall. I placed my bag of clothes and toolbox at the back of the middle couch, facing the TV.

"Luckily, it's a sleeping couch. So hopefully, you'll be comfortable?" Lillie said awkwardly as she fiddled with her fingers.

I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable with me living here. "It's perfect Lillie, don't worry. I can sleep practically anywhere."

She nodded and smiled.

She showed me around her house. The bathroom that I could use was on the ground floor, next to the living room. The stairs led to the top floor, which had a small study area and a small passage. Finally, she showed me her bedroom.

I walked in after her, my eyes roaming the spacious room. It was completely girlish. Artsy pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn hung on her light pink painted walls. She had a quilt pattern on her lilac bedding. Her wooden dressing table was at the corner, filled with makeup and brushes. Her room smelled of her, a scent I came to know well. My eye caught a perfume bottle on the dressing table, and my mind instantly thought how she used that to drive me crazy in prison. If only she knew that, but I didn't want to freak her out.

My eyes landed on her bed and then slipped to Lillie. Her eyes were fixed on the bed too and then met mine quickly. She looked away shyly. I looked at her closely, as her cheeks became a rosy pink.

Fuck! My imagination was running wild with all the things I wanted to do with her. I had to get out of there. I was feeling aroused and didn't want Lillie to see the surprise in my denim jeans poking out.

"Well! that's all of it." She said flustered, as if she read my mind. "You've seen the whole place."

I nodded quickly, and we got out of there.

We walked out of her bedroom and made our way to the kitchen, where Lillie prepared some sandwiches for us and poured me a glass of soda with ice.

I drank a gulp down when a knock on the door echoed through the house. Lillie stopped dead what she was doing, frozen and looked stunned, as if she didn't expect anyone. The knocks became more intense. Lillie flinched at the sound, biting her lower lip. She hesitated to open, and I didn't know what the fuck was going on. She shook her head and forced a smile as she walked to the door.

I sat in the kitchen drinking my soda, trying to listen to the muffled voices up in front. I heard the slamming of the door and one woman's voice grew louder as she approached.

I turned around to meet a blonde-haired woman, holding her hips, narrowing her eyes at me. Lillie followed behind, a concerned look on her face. Still biting her lower lip.

Who the fuck was this? A friend, a relative, neighbour.

Who the hell knows? She looked at me with daggers in her eyes, and I didn't know what the fuck to do. I placed my drink down, waiting for someone to fucking speak.

"Sassi..." Lillie began, but was ignored by the woman I presumed named Sassi.

The blonde woman came strutting to me. "So, you're inmate 299...something... something?" she said cockily.

Lillie took a breath and face palmed herself.

I stood up from my seat. "Well, I don't go by that anymore. They call me Dimitri now," a hint of sarcasm in my voice.

Lillie came in between the woman and me. "Sassi, this is Dimitri." She looked at me next. "Dimitri, meet Sassi, my best friend."

Sassi eyed me up and down with folded arms. She didn't look impressed. Shit! I just came here and already making a poor impression on people Lillie knew.

Sassi looked around the kitchen. "I see you two are getting cozy, breaking bread together and all... you in her kitchen... in her house?" she said, looking at me with pursed lips.

I didn't know what the fuck to say to that.

Lillie rolled her eyes. "Dimitri is my guest Sassi, and he'll be staying here for a while, until he gets back on his feet." She huffed.

Sassi's eyes widened, a look of bewilderment in them. Fuck, looked like shit was about to hit the fan.

"Lillie, can I speak to you privately in the living room please." Sassi said evenly, looking at Lillie intently.

Sassi left the kitchen and stomped to the living room.

"I'll be right back." Lillie said, giving me a halfhearted smile and followed Sassi.

I sat back on the stool and heard Sassi yelling.

"ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY!?"

I winced at her words, and the conversation was muffled again.

After ten minutes, they both returned to the kitchen.

Sassi walked to me and I stiffened. "Well, it seems I'll be seeing you around Dimitri Hawke, and I'll be watching you very carefully." She said the last words in a deadly whisper.

I gave a firm nod.

"I'm off." She hugged Lillie goodbye. "Look after yourself and call me if you need anything. See you at the concert."

Lillie laughed. "Yes yes, of course."

She walked Sassi out. I was left alone in the kitchen, with the afterthoughts of my first meeting with Lillie's people. And it didn't go all that well. I didn't know how much they knew about me, but if this was the start of things.

Fuck. I was in trouble.