The salty tears from Lillie still lingered on my lips. It killed me that this was happening to both of us. I held her tightly in my arms, not wanting to let go, not knowing when she would be in my arms again.

The pain on my side made me flinch. I glanced at the wound and grimaced. I should've known better to trust Big Ben. The bastard never played fair. But I had to give it a go. I was at least thankful the bleeding had slightly subsided. Lillie held my wound, her gentle touch already making me feel better.

The sirens were looming closer, engulfing us in. The cops would probably be here any minute. Lillie and I only had a few precious moments together.

Her eyes were swollen from all the pained tears.

"Did Big Ben do this to you?" she said, wincing at my wound.

"Nah... one of his men did." I answered.

"There was nobody in the club." She said weakly. "Won't they come back?"

I thought about this, but I knew better about how Big Ben worked and his men. "No, they must have fled by now. They wouldn't want the cops on their back and risk getting arrested, since Big Ben had some illegal businesses on the side." I said re-assuring.

Lillie looked up at me. "Are you sure?" she asked nervously.

Fuck, I hated seeing Lillie like this.

I nodded. "They won't bother us again. I doubt Gunner won't bother us either. Big Ben is dead now. The debt is gone. The contract is no more. Big Ben was a businessman that wanted control over everything, including me."

I just hoped that placed Lillie's troubled mind at ease a little. She didn't have to live in fear anymore, neither did I. It was all over... finally. Even if it had to come to this.

"Maybe this was the only way for us to be free." I breathed. "These things happen for a reason."

She frowned and shook her head.

I sighed deeply as she sunk into my arms one more time. I inhaled her perfume, keeping every sweet note of it. The smell of her hair. I ran my fingers through her brown curls one last time and brought her lips to mine in one last kiss.

Lillie's lips slightly quivered against mine.

I broke the kiss unwillingly. I reached for the pistol on the floor next to me and held it in my right hand. Lillie followed my movements with somber eyes. I gently pushed her to the side, near the door, and I walked over to Big Ben, crouching near his body.

"Head back to Ashfield, possibly tomorrow if you can... and we'll take it from there." I said to her. I watched her eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. She held her hands together tight against her chest. And a pang of guilt shot through me. I so badly wanted to go to her and hold in my arms and tell her everything would be okay. But I couldn't right now. I needed to protect her.

I heard commotion outside coming from downstairs. We were about to face the unknown.

"Lillie, listen to me. The cops might take you in for questioning. Remember what I said and stick to that... okay?" I said sternly. "What did I say?"

"I came after the shooting and saw Big Ben already... dead on the floor, with the... gun in your hand." she said slowly.

I nodded approvingly. "Tell them everything leading up beforehand. That's the truth, anyway. I'll do the same."

She nodded solemnly.

Our eyes met for a long gaze, it was filled with remorse, guilt, and longing. Sensing Lillie's raw emotions stung my eyes. I smiled at her; she returned a weak one. The air was warm between us, despite a cold dead body in the room.

We heard the echo of frantic boots from the cops coming up the stairs, becoming louder and louder.

"I love you Lillie." I said, swallowing hard.

"I love you too, Dimitri." she said, a tear rolling down her cheek. I so badly wanted to wipe away.

Four blue and black uniforms burst through the open doorway; guns raised in the air.

"Lower you weapon and get down on the floor!" One cop yelled; a gun aimed at me.

I glanced at Lillie, but a cop was speaking to her, blocking her from my view. I lowered my weapon slowly on the ground, placed my hands behind my head, and lowered myself to the floor.

The cop circled around me, kicked the gun to the side, and handcuffed me. I groaned.

Fuck! Here we go again. But for a worthy cause.

He noticed my wound bleeding but didn't take it easy on me, as he dispatched an ambulance on his radio, attached to his shoulder.

I strained to look up. The cop was still with Lillie. Another one crouched down and expected Big Ben's body lying on the floor.

The cop that arrested me pulled me up, helped by another bigger cop, and dragged me out of the office. Lillie was left behind still talking to the cops. I focused my thoughts only on her and praying everything will turn out the way it was supposed to.

My side seared with pain again, with my hands handcuffed behind my back. Blood started to seep out.

The sun was blinding as we stepped outside; the heat burning my skin. The red lights of the ambulance flashed before me. People were standing outside, gathered to see the spectacle surrounding the club. Coroners pushing a wheeled stretcher brushed past me, entering the building.

Everything felt like a blur. It happened so quickly, my mind racing to catch up with the events. Losing this much blood just made my mind clouded.

The cops ushered me inside the ambulance. I glanced left as I stepped in the van and saw one of Big Ben's goons, the knife guy who stabbed me, sitting in handcuffs on the sidewalk. He looked at me suspiciously and I glowered at him. An unspoken knowing passed between us.

I sat on the gurney, holding my side, feeling slightly dizzy from all the drama and losing blood. The last twenty minutes rushed through my brain, like a head on train collision. A throb starting to form in my head.

One cop stepped in with me, loosened my handcuffs from my hands and re-cuffed me to the iron bars on the gurney. I strained to look outside, to catch a glimpse of Lillie before we left. But she wasn't in sight. Before the double doors of the ambulance closed, I saw her escorted by a cop out of the club.

I blew out a hard breath, relieved she looked okay. But it hurt not knowing when I'll see her again. I said that I will do anything for Lillie, and I meant it. That was my consolation.

I laid back onto the gurney, feeling every brutal bump as the ambulance drove out into the street.

Damn, this was going to be a long ride, and I wasn't talking about the ambulance.