The Geary Series Boxed Set (41 page)

Lilly was so exhausted she didn’t know her own name and just wanted to relax in her morning room and relive what had happened at the wedding. Walking through her front door she felt immediately on guard. She felt something was out of place but couldn’t see anything amiss. Shrugging off her unease, she carried on through the main living room dumping the post on her kitchen table. When she reached her bedroom and stripped all her clothes off and headed for her shower. It hadn’t been long since she had shared a shower with Elijah but the long journey back had made her feel like she needed another one.

Spending the night at Jack’s home in the middle of nowhere was a real treat. Jack and Olivia’s house was enormous, she could have easily spent weeks there. Refreshed and dressed in an oversized t shirt she walked barefoot to her morning room. It was full of sunshine and her sofa was in the perfect position. She had it that she could see her latest painting and ponder on its progress but also the ceiling windows poured light into the room and drenched the sofa with light and warmth. She smiled when she thought back to the last time she lay on here, beneath Elijah. With a satisfied sigh she sank onto the sofa and laid her head on the cushion as she stretched like a cat and yawned sleepily.

Turning her head to the side she looked at the nearly completed painting of Elizabeth. She adored the woman and was heartbroken when she passed away. She adored Harry too and wanted to give him a present of a portrait. She had been working on it for a long time and didn’t want to finish it because she was worried if Harry wouldn’t want it. Would it be a too painful reminder of his sister? She would finish it and then decide whether to give it to Harry. She gazed at the older lady with the poise of royalty and wished that she had her determination and strive. She had achieved so much in her life and taking in her granddaughter after the horrible death of her son was just the kind of thing she did without thinking.

She took family seriously and treated her close friends like family. It had nothing to do with the fact she was her Godmother. In the early days of Lilly joining the firm she took her under her wing and protected her from the venom that naturally happened in a competitive environment. She loved her like a mother and missed her wisdom and guidance. She longed to talk to her about Elijah and how she was feeling. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with Elijah and had known that from the first time she had met him but felt ludicrous saying that out loud. Elizabeth would have understood it.

Lilly sat upright in one movement, she knew what was missing. The pendent had gone, crawling over the floor she searched for it to see if it had fallen on the floor. In her heart she knew it was gone and she knew who had taken it. There was no forced entry and only William had a key and he knew she was away for the weekend. It didn’t take a genius to work it out. Slumped on the floor she resigned herself that she finally needed to go to the police.

Elijah hammered on the door of the seedy flat until someone let him in, he knew that William had stolen that pendent and he was going to get it back. To see Lilly so upset broke his heart and he wanted to make her happy again.

He started to kick at the door and then it opened, what he saw made him angry. He was looking into the eyes of a drugged up skinny girl. She could barely focus or stand, and she opened the door wide as an invitation to come in. She must have been used to big men hammering on the door because she didn’t flinch at all at Elijah coming into the flat.

Barging past her he strode down the hallway to the first room on the right. Stepping inside the darkened room he looked around to see if he could find William. There were several bodies in different states of dress sleeping. They all looked like they had partied all night. Bottles everywhere, blankets and pillows strewn over the floor. It smelt bad, someone had thrown up in the room and the rancid smell lingered in the air.

Elijah couldn’t see William among the sleeping bodies and made his way through to the kitchen. He stopped dead in his tracks, Steve and Simon stood at the kitchen counter, and they were counting pills into small plastic pouches. Elijah looked at the counter top and back to the pair of them, there wasn’t anyone else in the room. There were in excess of twenty filled packets all with pills in. Elijah had finally caught them red handed and they hadn’t noticed him yet.

Steve continued to count the pills into the bags, he had five more bags to fill and Elijah patiently waited. He wanted to see what Steve did with them next and see if William made an appearance. He didn’t have to wait long, Simon finished the last packet and then stuffed them all into his inside coat pocket. Once he was done he looked up and froze for a few seconds before walking backwards to the door behind him.

Elijah nodded his head, indicating for Simon to go ahead, this confused Simon but he went for the door anyway. It was locked and he couldn’t open it, they looked scared, Elijah was blocking his only other way out. He tried to rattle the handle of the door, but it still wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t going to, Elijah knew this because Mickey was on the other side making sure they couldn’t escape.

Elijah was surprised how calm he was remaining, he couldn’t find William and he knew it had to do with the pieces of shit standing in front of him.

“Where is he?” Elijah asked calmly.

“Who are you talking about?” Simon asked.

“William, where is William?” Elijah asked again.

“How the hell should I know, he hasn’t answered any of my calls in the last day? He has stopped paying for his drugs and I am in desperate need of the cash he owes. Maybe you could tell me where he is?” Simon said.

“I don’t know where he is which is why I am asking you, now tell me where William is?” Elijah asked more impatiently.

Elijah was across the room in seconds and held Simon by the throat, he shook him a few times and released his neck so that he could talk.

“I won’t ask you again, where is William?” Elijah said.

Simon’s eyes had widened with the constricted air to his lungs and he spluttered when Elijah released his throat.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Steve said from across the room, not even trying to come to Simon’s aid. “I thought the fire at your bar was enough not to try anything like this?”

“That was you?  Well thanks for the confession, that will make things a lot easier. Oh, and I am threatening him, what does it look like, now tell me where he is or I will call the police on your little drug party here.” Elijah said.

“You wouldn’t dare call the police with your girlfriend’s brother involved. I don’t think you would do that.” Steve said.

“Try me, you have ten seconds to tell me.” Elijah said.

Elijah began to squeeze Simon’s neck as each second passed, Simon began to struggle and Elijah’s smile widened. Simon had put his hands up in surrender, Elijah loosened his grip enough to let him talk but not enough to get loose.

“OK, ok, William is at Liam’s place on Surry Street, he’s there.” Simon said.

Elijah kept his hand where it was and pulled his phone out from his pocket. Searching the internet for Surry Street and asked Simon for the number of the house. Checking the number existed. It did.

Simon rubbed his neck where Elijah had removed his hand and glared back up at him.

“You’ll regret this when I tell my parents what you did, they will make poor old Lilly pay.” Simon said.

“What is it with you society kids, no one cares who your parents are, least of all Lilly. If your parents want to embarrass her parents then go ahead. No one cares.” Elijah said.

Simon tried the door behind him and it opened, it swung open out into the garden and Elijah grinned at them and nodded over his head. William turned to see what Elijah was looking at and his face paled when he turned back.

“You said you wouldn’t call the police if I told you.” Simon said.

“I lied, sorry, your drug dealing nearly killed Lilly and countless others and that is not acceptable. You deserve to rot in jail.” Elijah said.

The police came through to the kitchen from the front and back and rounded up all the occupants.  Elijah looked at Mickey and smiled, they made a good team and his plan had worked.  Mostly worked, he still needed to find the pendant.

Lilly hadn’t seen Elijah for over a day and she missed him.  He finally got in touch and said that they were all going out for dinner to celebrate Jack and Olivia’s return from their honeymoon.  They had only been away for a week but Olivia missed her Thursday dinner and wanted them all to get together before everyone went their separate ways.

Lilly sat on the edge of the sofa bouncing her knee up and down with nerves, she waited for Elijah to return. Jack and Olivia were doing their best to entertain her with shocking questions aimed at her.

“Do you like anal Lilly? Teasing the starfish, do you like that?” Jack asked.

“Stop trying to embarrass me, it won’t work now, I’m used to your shocking statements. I won’t watch you have sex, you can’t watch me have sex, I don’t want to be whipped or tied up and no you can’t drip wax on me. I am thrilled that you two have such an open sex life but could you stop having your honeymoon right in front of my eyes. Please?” Lilly said.

Lilly looked over at the newlyweds, legs and arms wrapped around each other and they kissed each other. It was quite a turn on for Lilly, she hadn’t met such openly sexual people and their lack of shame allowed her to look and stare and enjoy what she saw. She wasn’t going to admit one word of it out loud. She wouldn’t be able to cope with the shame of them knowing she liked what she saw.

“We don’t mind, do we Olivia, its only skin after all.” Jack said.

“Sure, if Lilly wants to watch I’m all for an audience, I’ve never had one before.” Olivia said.

“Stop teasing me Olivia, I know you would never allow anyone to watch you two.” Lilly said.

“Ok fine, but can we still kiss, is that acceptable?” Jack asked.

“Fine, I just hope Elijah hurries up because I’m reasonably sure Jack’s hand was in your pants just a second ago.” Lilly said.

Jack burst out laughing and army rolled the pair of them off the sofa and onto the floor. He settled himself on top of Olivia and threaded his fingers into her hair above her head and then turned again so that Olivia lay on top.

“See, look no hands in pants, all above board, just kissing.” Jack confirmed and made a demonstration.

“Don’t you two ever give it a break?” Elijah asked from the morning room doorway.

Lilly jumped up and ran to his open arms. He hugged her tight and kissed her soundly on the lips.

“Did you miss me?” Elijah asked.

“Is it done?” Lilly said.

“Yes, it’s done, he got arrested an hour ago, now, tell me, did you miss me?” Elijah said.

“Yes, I missed you, can we get a move on, or we’ll be late.” Lilly said.

“Is everything in place?” Elijah said to Jack and Olivia

“Everything is done Elijah, exactly like you asked.” Jack said and continued to kiss his wife.

“Elijah what are they talking about?” Lilly asked.

“Nothing sweetheart, you’ll see when we get there.” Elijah told her.

“It’s just dinner, what have you organised, I don’t like surprises.” Lilly said.

“What? You don’t like surprises, I don’t believe it, everyone like surprises.” Elijah said.

“I don’t Elijah, what is going on?” Lilly said.

Elijah lifted Lilly up and carried her to the sofa and threw her down, he quickly followed and tickled her ribs until she was in fits of giggles.

“Tell me you like surprises Lilly.” Elijah asked.

“I don’t” she gasped in-between dragging air into her lungs from the onslaught of tickling.

“Wrong answer.” Elijah said.

Elijah started up the tickling until Lilly was in fits of giggles and wriggled under his body. It didn’t help his already semi-hard cock and that Lilly was rubbing against him. With Jack and Olivia in the room giggling away as well, it kept him under control.

“Are you ready to confess Lilly, do you or do you not like surprises?” Elijah asked.

“Ok, ok, I like surprises, anything to stop the tickling I can’t take it anymore.” Lilly said.

“Good, now go and change into jeans and be quick about it, we don’t have all day to hang about here wasting time.” Elijah mock scolded and slapped Lilly’s bottom as she stood up.

“I thought we were going out to dinner?” Lilly said.

“We are, but there is a change of venue, we’re just going to get sausage and mash at the local pub instead. You’re now over-dressed in that skimpy little number, so get in that bedroom and change. Dress into blue jeans and a white t-shirt, you’ve got ten minutes or I’m dragging you out as you are.” Elijah said.

“Ok boss, I’m going.” Lilly said and saluted.

Lilly walked over to Jack and Olivia, who were also wearing jeans and white t-shirts, she thought they looked cute together in matching outfits. Lilly changed quickly and came back to the morning room to rather a lot more people than when she left. Harry had arrived and was admiring his painting with wet cheeks. Ruth and Michael were quietly laughing. Cecily and Mickey were playing thumb wars on the sofa, and Angie and Gareth were discussing a list in Gareth’s hand. Jack and Olivia hadn’t moved and were still wrapped in each other’s arms on the floor. That left Elijah the only person standing on his own. He had a length of blue silk in his hand, and he was playing with it nervously.

He cleared his throat, and the whole room came to quiet and looked over at Lilly. She had complied and dressed in blue jeans and white t-shirt. As were the rest of the group. She couldn’t work out why they were all dressed the same. She wondered if it a stipulation of the restaurant that they were going to.

“Lilly my love, I need to blindfold you, are you ok with that. I want where we are going to be a surprise.” Elijah asked with hesitation.

“Ok, I trust you, let’s get going, I’m starving.” Lilly said.

Elijah smiled and stepped up to her and walked around to her back and placed her blindfold. He moved back to face her and kissed her once on the lips.

“I hope you like where we’re going.” He whispered to her and kissed her again.

In a quick movement, he picked up Lilly in his arms and carried her out of her apartment and down to the waiting cars. She had no idea what was going to happen, but he was still nervous she would work it out before he got her there. The drivers took the entire group on a five minute drive to the centre of the city, and they all jumped out to the cars. The noise was similar to a group of kids going to the seaside for the first time.

They all stood in a row with their backs to Lilly and then when Elijah was happy he took her blindfold off. He cupped her cheeks and looked into her eyes and took a deep breath and let it out while he composed himself. He placed the pendant around her neck.

“We’re here.” He said but didn’t let her go, so she was unable to see where she was. Lilly struggled a bit to let him drop his hands, and she looked at her surroundings. She stood outside a grey two storey building, built in the sixties. Confusion washed over her face. Did they sell sausage and mash at council offices these days? Feeling the pendant around her neck she looked back to Elijah but he was gone.  He’d found it.

Slowly she looked further around her and spotted the row of friends and family and read the backs of the t-shirts. Elijah joined in on the end. Each person had a letter on the back, and it spelt. LET’S GET WED.

She looked up again at the building, and they were at the town hall. He wanted to get married today, right now. The suspense was killing everyone, and they slowly all turned around and waited for Lilly’s response. She was in tears and ran up to Elijah and leaped into his arms.

“Of course, I will, but let’s get a move on as I’m starving, and you promised me sausage and mash.” Lilly said.

With a collective cheer, the assembled group walked into the building.