Tiger Lily: Part Two Read online

  TIGER LILY

  Part Two

  Amélie S. Duncan

  Published by Amélie S. Duncan

  Visit Amélie S. Duncan’s official website at

  www.AmelieSDuncan.com

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  Copyright © Amélie S. Duncan, 2015

  Cover Design by Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations. Copyright © 2015 Sarah Hansen.

  Development Editing by Leah Campbell

  Line Editing by Amanda Lawson

  Proofreading by Donna Rich

  Ebook Formatting by Guido Henkel

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior permission of the author or publisher.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real people or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All songs, song titles, mentioned in the novel Tiger Lily are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.

  Also by Amélie S. Duncan

  Little Wolf

  Tiger Lily Part One

  To Alan

  “I know.”

  CHAPTER 1

  “Lily,” Dani whispered.

  I snuggled against her warmth as Dani’s fingers traced a circular pattern on my back. My tears had dried up a while ago, yet I couldn’t bring myself to let her go. She held me well past what would have been considered polite. My need for touch and assurance outweighed my embarrassment.

  We were only acquaintances at best. She was the ex-wife of my now ex-lover, Jonas Crane, making everything bizarre. Nevertheless, I clung to her as she continued to provide the comfort I needed, even if I didn’t deserve it. The circumstances that brought her to my bedside in Jersey City hadn’t disappeared. She had more she wanted to discuss with me, but if I had my way, that conversation would never happen.

  I released my hands from around Dani’s slender waist and pulled away from her, allowing the emptiness to fill the absence of her arms. I steadied myself. This was what was left, and what I needed to get used to—feeling empty.

  Loneliness was what lured me into accepting Jonas’s offer of companionship in the first place. It had been a chance to spend time with him as friends with benefits. But in a relatively short period of time, I had fallen for his company, his attention, and all that was part of his companionship. Still, my falling hadn’t been all my fault. His actions had blurred the distance he’d so wanted to maintain between us. It had left me with a deep longing for more.

  For Jonas, being with me had been way to assuage his own loneliness after the end of his marriage. His packed schedule as a leader in the business world came at a cost. Dani was now engaged to their friend Alan. His son Paul, now a teenager, grew more interested in spending time with his friends than his father. Jonas went as far as to tell me once he felt like a failure—as though his family had moved on without him.

  Looking at Dani, I realized the profound difference between my loneliness and Jonas’s. He may have felt lonely, but he wasn’t alone. Jonas had what I truly and deeply envied, what I had coveted since the death of my parents. He had a family.

  “Your attack….” Dani was saying, interrupting my thoughts.

  The words were a jolt to my senses. My eyes widened as they connected with hers. The warmth and empathy I found there touched me, but my conscience chimed in with the painful reminder as to why she was here, rather than back in her luxury apartment on the Upper Westside. My head dropped. I looked at my hands trembling in my lap—too overwhelmed to still them. The guilt of my lies and deception was laid out before us.

  I lied to Jonas and told him I was sick to cover up what happened to me. He, in turn, contacted Dani to check up on me, as he was out of town. She sent me a care basket for a speedy recovery.

  A lie that “led to other lies” as my father would have put it. He warned me that as a Salomé, his only daughter, I should never lie. I should hold myself to a higher standard because, eventually, you always got caught up and caught out.

  But I didn’t listen. Instead, I’d told another lie, texting Dani that I wasn’t sick but had merely fallen down, as that was the only explanation that came to mind. Dani proved to be too keen, showing up unannounced and forcing the lie to collapse. There was no hiding the bruises across my face.

  I wasn’t sick and I hadn’t fallen down. I had met up with my ex-fiancé Declan for lunch. He’d taken me to the West Village and hurt me. Declan Gilroy, the same man that I loved, who had cradled my head in his hands when my parent’s died, battered me.

  I wished I could say that this was an isolated incident, but I would only be lying to myself again. Truthfully, though, I hadn’t anticipated his aggression this time. His violence had been sporadic over the course of our three-year relationship, but we were over now. Had been for quite some time. I should have been safe from his outbursts.

  While I didn’t want to keep in contact with him, he’d made an offer we both knew I couldn’t refuse. He told me he had found missing videos and photos of my parents. I searched for years for the treasure he was offering now. I’d been sure it had all perished along with them in the mangled four-door sedan when a drunk driving accident had snatched everything away from me.

  Sure, I had other videos and photos. But the ones he promised were the most recent and held the most important memories. They were the remnants of the life in our colonial home on Franklin Street in Quincy, Massachusetts. They captured a time and place when I was utterly and completely happy. I was loved and cherished. I had family.

  Declan not only bruised my face, but my heart, leaving me completely empty handed. He told me he had “forgotten” to bring what he promised. When I’d tried to leave, he snapped. Shattering my hopes, I had collected myself and left—silent and empty. I had refused to tell anyone about what occurred and made excuses for him. The bruises would disappear. But the scar in my heart would remain. Protecting him had cost me the possibility of a future with Jonas.

  Deep down, I knew it wasn’t just my lies and protecting Declan that made me break things off with Jonas. My needs outweighed the perimeters of his companionship. He awakened within me forgotten feelings of happiness and of being cherished. He lavished attention on me, gave me the comfort and touch that I missed, and left me wanting more from him. I’d fallen in love with him, utterly and completely. The pain and finality of his moving out of my life made fresh tears seep down my cheeks.

  “But I think it necessary that we at least document what has happened here in order to protect you, should anything—” Dani reached out and squeezed my hands.

  “Declan,” I murmured. I cleared my throat and said. “He wouldn’t hurt me again. I’m fine. Truly, Dani. Thank you for…‌everything. But I just want to put this all behind me.”

  It was my automatic response. One I had told myself for years. But now doubt stabbed its needle into my broken heart as I tried my best to convince her. Another lie. A wave of nausea, followed by a dose of self-loathing, took hold of me. Yet I wasn’t ready to press charges against him, especially since Declan assured me this time he was going for anger management classes and rehabilitation.

  “Okay, Lily, but I need you to do a couple of things before I go,” Dani said, calling my attention back to her.

  She released my hands and I immediately missed the warmth and strength that seeped through the connection.

  “I still think it’s necessary that we ha
ve some documentation, just in case you change your mind.” She held up her hand against the “I won’t” I was preparing to provide, standing up instead. “First, a lawyer friend of ours will take your statement and get a few photos of your bruises tonight.” She paced a short path along the length of my queen-sized bed. “I’ll call Ian.”

  “Ian Unger?” I blurted.

  “Yes.” Dani nodded in emphasis. “He’s in Tribeca. He’ll come over.”

  I shook my head. “No. I met him with…‌Jonas, he’s his friend….” I let the words die as my stomach turned over. “I don’t want to involve more of Jonas’s friends in what I just wanted to put behind me. Please. I’ll speak to someone on my own.”

  I swallowed against the lump in my throat.

  Dani’s arched brows knitted. “Ian is trustworthy and discreet. It has to be him.” She went back to pacing, as if the discussion was over. “Gregor would need to know,” she said.

  My pulse pounded hard in my chest. “My boss Gregor? Why?”

  Dani stopped and stared down at me. “Gregor should be notified just in case Declan comes to your job. So you can be safe. David will drive you to work and—”

  “Wait, no, I didn’t agree to this, Dani,” I said, my voice raising. “I don’t need David to take me around. I’m not with Jonas….”

  “Even so, Jonas would lose his mind if he knew you were hurt. I know he would agree with me in making sure you are safe.” She pushed her blonde bobbed hair back from her shoulders. “As for Ian, he is the only person I know, besides Alan, who wouldn’t report it back to Jonas. He has friends in the district attorney’s office. He would be good to have in your corner if you change your mind.” She lifted her crepe-grey slacks and knelt in front of me. Her brown eyes shone as her tone softened to just above a whisper. “While you still think this man is the person you fell in love with….”

  “I know he’s not the man I fell in love with,” I said, wiping my cheek. “But I still can’t do that to Jonas. I can’t have his best friends, who he cares for and trusts, keeping things from him.”

  Lines appeared on her forehead and the corners of her mouth turned down. “You’re right. Jonas and I don’t keep secrets. So the only way I can make this work, and keep my promise to you, is to have Ian and Gregor involved.” She exhaled. “Do those things, and I’ll assure you some space.”

  I folded my arms. I wasn’t as sure of her certainty what Jonas might do. But I also noted from the set in her shoulders and the silence that followed, my options were limited. Involving the police could ruin Declan’s career and send him to jail. I didn’t want to do that to him.

  But what about me? My conscience chimed in. I wasn’t ready to make any choices right now.

  “It’s all happening too fast. You’re putting too much pressure on me.”

  “I’m not doing this to hurt you, Lily. I’m doing this to protect you. Even if you’re not ready to protect yourself, I am. Me or Jonas. I have no doubt in my mind that Jonas would have this Declan thrown in a hole if he saw your face. He wouldn’t be sitting here discussing anything with you. If he knew you were hurt, he would not only act, but completely take over.”

  I turned my head away, fearful she might have seen the light in my eyes at the thought of being taken over by Jonas. Having the weight and decisions lifted by him didn’t bother me. In fact, it sent a thrill up my spine to imagine him taking care of me.

  “I see you like that idea,” Dani said in a soft tone, drawing me back to her.

  My cheeks warmed. I forgot sometimes that Jonas was her ex-husband. Their level of comfort with each other went well beyond anything I ever encountered before, and I wasn’t comfortable speaking about my feelings for Jonas with her.

  “It’s not…‌I don’t know.”

  “Don’t be afraid of asking for what you need.” Dani pressed. “Jonas would give you that and so much more. If you let me call him. If you let him he’d move his world for you.”

  I stared at Dani and sighed. She may have been trying to convince me to change my mind and embrace the possibility of what I could have with Jonas. However, the difference between us expanded critically. Dani was exceedingly wealthy and socially established, which made her not only an attractive partner for Jonas, but also one that fit his world. On the other hand, there was me, surrounded by Star Wars and Star Trek posters, old collegiate books, and CD towers, my most treasured possessions. No social or monetary connections, all of which put me well out of his league.

  And even if I was willing to convince myself that it didn’t matter, in that moment, I saw in Dani what I would probably never have. Thereby leaving me solely as a companion, never one Jonas would be willing to commit to. Strength. Dani had it in spades. She came in and took over and I quickly acquiesced. I was weak. If I allowed Dani to tell Jonas, he would feel sorry for me and take me out of pity. Until he found another Dani.

  “No. I don’t want Jonas knowing about this. If Ian is able to meet my wishes, I’ll agree to meet with him.” I lifted my chin. “In regards to Gregor, he is my boss and friend. I’ll tell him on my own. Thank you.”

  Dani exhaled long and stood up. “Okay. That will work for now.” She bent down and picked up the dark Burberry coat she’d left on the floor, removing her cellphone. “I’ll call Ian now.”

  She walked out of my bedroom. I returned to my thoughts and replayed all that I wished I had done differently. I wasn’t sure how long I sat there, but before I could decide what I wanted to do next, she opened the door and gave me a small smile.

  “Ian will be over in half an hour,” Dani said. “I also called David to stop by my place and get my housekeeper, Lin, to put a bag together for you. It’ll have some herbal cream to help soothe and heal your face, and a few Chakra cleansing drinks that will help balance you out. There will be sage sticks to burn so you can ward off negativity and…‌a white candle to leave in your window to guide back those that are lost to you.”

  I plastered on a smile. Even though I didn’t necessarily agree with Dani’s beliefs, nor did I understand why she was so willing to help me, I was truly moved by her kindness and support.

  “Thank you so much.” It popped into my mind how rude it had been of me to not have offered even a glass of water. “Dani, I’m so sorry. Would you like something to drink? I can get you—”

  “Don’t worry about me, Lily,” Dani said, interrupting me and waving her hand. “I can get it myself. You just take a little time for yourself, and I’ll come get you when he arrives.”

  I started to protest, but she walked over and gave me another hug, which I readily accepted. Letting me go, she smoothed my hair with her hands.

  “It doesn’t end tonight. I want to hear from you, See how you’re getting on. Jonas would want the same if you would give him a chance.”

  I dipped my head down. “Thank you, Dani. But I don’t think….”

  “Don’t right now,” she said. “Just know he’d come whenever you’re ready.”

  CHAPTER 2

  A warmth went through me as I contemplated Dani’s kindness. She didn’t even know me, but here she was, being nothing but kind and supportive. There wasn’t a hint of jealousy at my companionship with Jonas. In fact, she seemed to be encouraging me toward him, though, the thought of being Jonas’s friend and watching him with someone else wasn’t something I could ever imagine myself being able to do. She was truly extraordinary.

  Climbing off my bed, I walked over to the mirrored doors of my closet and pushed the sliding doors back, taking the brush off the top of my dresser. I raked through my long, dark hair, placing it in a high ponytail, though it still fell just past my shoulders.

  It was then that I took notice of my appearance. Beyond simply needing a shower after my impromptu workout, I was a complete mess. I decided to get myself at least somewhat cleaned up and presentable before Ian’s arrival.

  I pulled on a T-shirt over my black tank top, noticing that it hung loosely over my black and red Boston Universit
y sweatpants. I was surprised to have found I lost some weight. I crossed the hall to wash my face and brush my teeth, then returned to my bedroom. As I was pulling on a pair of black socks, my bedroom door opened again and Dani poked her head inside.

  “Ian is here. Just come out when you’re ready.”

  “I’ll be right there, thanks,” I said.

  A few minutes later, I opened my bedroom door, but was immediately frozen in place when my ears were accosted by raised voices coming from the living room.

  “Take her to the hospital to get checked out.”

  “But then they will report it. I promised Lily I wouldn’t push her.”

  “Why are we keeping this from Jonas? He would make her do the right thing.”

  And there was my cue.

  When I entered the room, Ian and Dani were standing next to the couch. He was in full Wall Street business attire—dark navy suit with a tie and crisp white shirt. The set of his high cheek bones, full lush mouth, and wide deep blue eyes that gave him a more feminine beauty, though his square jawline, which was clenched from where I stood, made him masculine and handsome. He ran his hand through his layered blonde hair in an achingly familiar way that instantly catapulted my mind back to Jonas. It was something he did that I found incredibly sexy.

  I rubbed my brow to clear my thoughts. “I’m sorry to involve you, Ian. Jonas and I are not together anymore, but I’ll tell him about this fight with Declan when I’m ready.”

  Relief flooded Dani’s face, while Ian’s remained skeptical. He took long strides and closed the distance between the two of us, scowling as his gaze roamed over my face.

  “Hell, no,” Ian said hotly. “This rat bastard goes to jail tonight.”

  I recoiled and stared down at my black socks. “I’m sorry, Ian, but that’s not possible….” I stammered.

  I felt his hand brush my shoulder and I flinched.