A few months later...
Lily:
"Are you a hundred percent sure you wanna do this alone, Lily?" Colton asks me for the tenth time since he has parked the car, both his hands fiddling with the ring on my finger in distress.
"Darling, I promise you I will be fine." I smile softly. "This is probably the least dangerous place for me to be."
His eyes snap to me, and he gives me a look that lets me know he doesn't share my belief. "It's fucking prison."
"Yes, where there are a lot of police officers with big guns." I nod. "Luke will be handcuffed too. And even if he wasn't, I know he wouldn't try to hurt me again."
"Tell that to your finally healed shoulder." Colton mumbles grumpily, making me roll my eyes.
"It was an accident, darling. You know that." I gently remind him. "Now let me go, please."
"Fucking never." He glares and I giggle at how cute my fiancé is. "Why can't I come in with you?"
Taking a deep breath, I try to explain. "Because you're too mad at him, and I totally understand why. And he won't be comfortable around you, which I understand as well. It's just something that I have to do alone, darling. It's like unfinished business to me, and I want it done and out of my life for good, and in order to be able to truly move on, I have to face him one last time. Please."
Colton huffs silently before finally nodding his head. "I'll be right here, okay? And don't let him make you feel sad, Lily, because I swear to God---"
"I promise I won't." Leaning over, I decide to sweeten the deal, and I give him a long, sweet kiss that has him melting for me. Pulling back, I rest my forehead against his and caress his cheek with my palm. "If you let me go now, I'll be in there for about fifteen minutes, and when I get back we will go straight back home and I'll show you exactly how appreciative I can be, my darling."
Colton shudders, shutting his eyes. "Fucking hell, Lily. You better be goddamn quick."
"I love you." I quickly remind him, slipping out of his arms and opening my door.
Groaning, Colton holds my arm and pulls me back into him, capturing my lips in another kiss that has me instantly wet and aching for him. After he makes sure that my lips are swollen and puffy enough to let everyone what he did, he pulls back and grins. "Now you can go, baby."
Swallowing, I find it a little hard to concentrate. I shake my head and take a deep breath, blushing when I see his lips just as red as mine certainly are.
With another quick peck, because I couldn't help myself, I finally make it out of the car and into the dreadful building, my visitors tag swaying against my chest.
After going through some paperwork, filling some forms, and letting a nice looking female officer strip search me for anything that shouldn't be brought inside, I finally have an officer walking me into a room full of people, half of whom wearing orange overalls that make my heart clench, because I hate the fact that there will always be evil in this world.
But not everyone wearing an orange overall is evil, because soon enough my eyes find Luke's bright blue ones, and I remember that look in his eyes because I've seen it in the mirror too many times. Regret.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I paint a small smile on my lips as I make my way over to him. He stands up to his full height, showing me that his hands are handcuffed and joined by a long chain that goes to another pair of cuffs around his ankles. I want to say that it's too much, that I no longer fear Luke at all, but I remain silent, because there are rules here that Luke has to follow.
"Hey, Luke." I keep my smile intact, even when my heart begins pounding when his eyes scan my figure a couple of times, as if he either doesn't believe I'm here or he simply wants to save what he's seeing to memory.
"Lillian." He whispers my name out, and I'm eternally grateful that he chose my name and not my sister's, that he has finally chosen to believe the truth and live in reality.
"Yes." I automatically beam at him, quickly taking my seat.
"You're okay." He states with a sigh as he sits across from me.
"Yes, the bullet didn't do much damage, and I'm good as new now, don't worry." I assure him with a nod.
Luke stares at me for a while, the murmurs of the people around us is all I can hear, before he frowns and looks down at his lap. "I'm so fucking sorry."
My eyes begin to water but I quickly blink. "I know you are."
His head snaps up toward me, his eyes wide with whatever thoughts that keep roaming inside his head. "Why the fuck are you here, Lillian?"
Why am I here?
I've asked myself that question too many times. Colton, Ali, Dave, Luke, and even Gabe have asked me the same question.
I couldn't give them an answer because I don't think I actually have one. All I know is that I don't hate him, I don't fear him, and I feel nothing but absolute sadness when I think of him.
Because I understand him. We have both lost so much and spent years trying to learn how to live with that kind of pain. I succeeded. With Colton by my side, I learned what it feels like to have my heart filled to the brim with love and happiness. Luke hasn't.
"I've stalked you, threatened you, kidnapped you, and fucking shot you, Lillian." Luke says with a shake of his head, venom dripping from his lips with every word, and I realize that the hatred shining in his eyes is only directed at himself this time.
And that makes me as sad as I am happy. Because I once knew what it feels like to hate yourself for the things you've done too.
"I know you did, Luke." I sigh, fiddling with the hem of my shirt. "But you weren't well. You weren't thinking straight. You had too much anger and misery because of the life you had to live, and you directed it at me. You needed something to take it out on."
"That doesn't make it fucking okay." He snaps angrily, shaking his head in disbelief.
"No, it doesn't." I agree with a nod of my head. "It wasn't okay, and it will never be. But I understand, Luke, probably more than anyone."
Luke stares at me, and I think for the very first time he actually sees me, not his lost love Anne and not her little sister Lillian, but me. The girl who refused to end his life when he put a gun in her hand and begged her to pull the trigger.
"How are you this good?" He whispers, his eyebrows knotting in confusion.
I automatically smile when the answer brings itself in the form of a picture behind my eyes. A picture of a man, so kind and so pure, smiling at me with dimples in his cheeks and love in his gray eyes.
"I used to believe I wasn't." I tell him honestly, my smile still present. "I used to believe that I deserve everything bad this world had to offer. But not anymore. I got my happy ending, Luke. And so will you."
"You actually believe that." He states, no longer surprised.
"I do." I give him an enthusiastic nod. "And it starts now. Being here isn't a bad thing. Being here will help you get rid of your anger. But I want you to promise me something."
"Anything." Comes his instant reply. "After everything I've done to you, you have every right to ask me any damn thing, Lillian."
"Promise me that you will try your hardest to let go of your guilt too." I say. "I won't ask you to let go of your pain because you honestly can't. But let go of your guilt, Luke. I know what it feels like to live life in guilt, and I don't want that for you. I forgive you for everything. Forgive yourself too and move on. Life has been bad and hard and unfair, but it won't be like this forever. My own life had been one that made me wonder if I was already in hell and just didn't know it. But then it changed. It found its balance. And so will yours. But you have to be better in order to see what good this life has to offer so you'd be able to enjoy it and appreciate it. Okay?"
Luke remained silent, his blue eyes pinned on me for a few seconds before he finally gave me a smile, one that isn't full of malice or mischief. "Colton is a very lucky man to have you by his side, Lillian."
That makes me beam at him. "Thank you."
I don't tell him that I'm the lucky one.
"I promise." Taking a deep breath, Luke finally says. "I promise to get my shit together, to give this therapy thing my absolute hardest, and to work on the whole forgiving thing. And I promise you that when I get out of here, I will never bother you again."
I give him a smile and a soft shrug. "Well, unless you need a friend, of course. My friends and I are the best."
Luke snorts, rolling his eyes. "No, thanks. I don't think that boyfriend of yours will let me anywhere near you. Can't say I blame him either."
I giggle at that. "Fiancé, actually."
Luke's eyes widen for a second, but then they soften, and so do his features. "Congratulations. If anyone deserves happiness it's you."
"And you." I nod my head sternly. "Soon."
"Soon." He recites another promise, a soft smile still painted on his lips before he stands up, his chains swaying at the movement. "Thank you, Lillian. Thank you so very much."
My eyes sting, but I quickly blink because I refuse to cry on a happy day. "You're welcome. Be hopeful, Luke, okay?"
He gives me a nod before turning away. "Goodbye, Lily."
I take a deep breath and let it out, happy and glad and just as hopeful as I wish he will be, while I watch him walk out of the room and into his future that might have a rough start but is full with everything good that little boy who lost his twin brother and the girl he loves deserves.
Getting up, I smile and make my way out of the building, letting go of the final piece of my past, as I hurry my way to the love of my life who is pacing the ground beside his car, eagerly waiting for me to come back into his loving arms.
******
Kinda short, but to the point!
Who's ready for the bonus chapters??? I'll make them as cute as I possibly can because Colt and Lily deserve nothing less outta me!
Love you!
Don't forget to check The Good Within, my new love project!