Prisoner of Love

Chapter Eighteen.

"Remember the man, this girl was engaged to? He came by today" Aunt Riddy began.

Danny watched Lili-Rose as Geff struggled to hide his worry as he looked at Aunt Riddy.

"Don't worry, he didn't come inside." Lili-Rose hushed her words as she sighed "just wanted to drop this off." She lowered her gaze to the gift bag.

"For?" Geff asked even though he already knew the answer.

"Me."

Danny watched as Lili-Rose struggled to maintain eye contact with anyone in the kitchen, watching as she struggled to be the woman, he once knew all too well.

"I never understood why you left him. He was such a sweet thing. Quite easy on the eyes too" Aunt Riddy criticized Lili-Rose for leaving the British Gentleman even though the woman didn't know why Lili-Rose did what she did.

Geff held back his opinion as he and his son glared at Aunt Riddy "Do you want me to open it?" Geff asked as he shifted his attention to Lili-Rose.

Lili-Rose shrugged slightly "All I know is I don't want it."

Aunt Riddy snatched it from Lili-Rose's grip "I'll open it for you, my dear."

"Redina." Geff struggled to tame his temper as he took the present from Aunt Riddy's hands "Why don't you see if Betty needs a hand with anything."

Aunt Riddy scowled at Geff, she huffed out of the kitchen.

Lili-Rose slowly moved her gaze to Danny and Geff before she had a chance to speak Geff spoke.

"I don't know how your mum puts up with her" Geff hushed.

"yeah, well. She's dad's sister. So, we just deal with it." Lili-Rose sighed "I don't want it. I want nothing from him."

Geff looked at the gift in his hand's "Just give us a moment, Danny."

Danny lingered his gaze over Lili-Rose before silently leaving the kitchen.

"I'm not going to force you to take this. How did he know you were here?" Geff questioned without authority in his tone.

Lili-Rose shrugged "I didn't tell anyone. I don't have a phone on me, I don't have anything. How?" She breathed as she struggled with keep calm.

"Do you want me to open it?"

"I don't care."

"Do you want me to tell you what's in it?" Geff carefully lingered his gaze over her.

Lili-Rose shook her head "Unless it's him telling me that his going to stay away from me for the rest of my life than I don't want to know."

Geff nodded slightly "I'm going to take this in the hallway."

"Just bin it. Take it outside and bin it." Lili-Rose worked up her courage to say her words.

Geff opened his mouth to say something, he knew whatever words he had wouldn't change her mind, he wasn't going to force her into keeping the gift. He knew how much Lili-Rose feared her ex-fiancé, he knew how much Lili-Rose needed to be heard for a change. She had given him enough to know she was in fear for her life, she had given Geff enough without using so many words.

He closed his mouth, Lili-Rose turned her back on him as she began to dry and put away the dishes.

Geff wondered out to the front of the house to bin the gift bag meant for Lili-Rose.

Lili-Rose softly placed the plate into the cupboard as she tried to keep brave, she tried to remind herself again that she was safe even if she couldn't believe her own thoughts.

Geff stepped back into the kitchen, he noticed Lili-Rose had barely made a dent in putting the dishes away "Are you okay?"

She nodded as she placed down the tea towel, she turned to face him "I just want to say bye to my parents." She half heartedly smiled at Geff.

Geff attempted a reassuring smile in return even if he didn't know what Lili-Rose's plan was.

Lili-Rose didn't say a word as she wrapped her arms around her dad who had gotten comfortable in his reclining chair.

Matthew wrapped his arms around his daughter, he didn't want to let go of her.

"I love you" She whispered in Matthew's ear.

"I love you, princess." Matthew whispered in return. He didn't want to let go of her daughter as he squeezed tight around her.

Lili-Rose slowly worked the courage to pull out of her father's arms as much as he didn't want to let go of her; she wrapped her arms around her mother as Betty rose to her feet.

"I love you, mum." Lili-Rose whispered.

"Sweetheart, whatever it is. We can help." Betty didn't hush her tone as she expressed her worry.

Lili-Rose shook her head against her mother's shoulder "This is something I have to deal with."

"Not alone." Betty expressed in wanting to protect her daughter as much as possible.

Lili-Rose slightly tilted her gaze to her mother's face "I do, I really do."

Geff watched Lili-Rose with her parents, not just was he a family friend but he was also Lili-Rose's godfather and a police officer, Geff felt like he was doing very little at protecting Lili-Rose even though he had attempted to teach her all her life how to keep herself safe.

"I'll keep her safe, Betty and Matthew." Geff tried to sound confident with his words even though he and Lili-Rose both knew she wouldn't stay within Geff's reach.

Lili-Rose slowly pulled out of her mother's arms "I love you" She spoke those three words again, this time to both of her parents.

She didn't give her parents time to speak as she turned her back and walked out of the lounge room.

"Lili-Rose." Betty begged as she followed her daughter.

Lili-Rose stopped; she faced her mother.

"Please be safe. Please." Betty begged.

Lili-Rose knew she couldn't keep that promise, she always struggled to keep her promises to her parents, and this was Lili-Rose knew she wasn't able to keep the promise as she nodded her head.

Lili-Rose grabbed the door handle to the front door before pulling open the door, Betty watched her daughter step out the front door.

"Geff." Betty's tone filled with sadness.

"I'll do my best." Geff gave Betty a reassuring smile "Matthew and Betty, I'll do all I can to keep her safe." He gave a promise he knew he could keep.

"We trust you." Matthew called out from the lounge room.

Geff took his steps out of the house and down to his personal car, seeing Lili-Rose leaning against the side of the car with her head hanging low.

Geff slide his car key out of his pant pocket, he hit the unlock button on the car remote.

Lili-Rose scrambled to attention as she pulled open the door to the passenger side, she allowed herself to fall into the seat before closing the car door. She failed to hold back her tears as she cried in the front seat.

Geff rushed into the driver's seat, he wrapped his arms around Lili-Rose, letting her cry into his shirt.

"This time feels different. This time I actually got to say bye." She breathed.