Seeing Danger (Sinclair and Raven #2)(68)
She was lifted then, high in the air, and twirled. Laughing, she wrapped her arms around his neck as he lowered her down his body, his arms holding her tight.
“You will not regret it, my love.”
“I'm sure I will,” she said, smiling down into his face. “Yet, I doubt I can live without you now.”
“I know I cannot live without you,” he said gently.
“I am used to being alone, Dev, but now... now I no longer wish for that. In the space of a few days, I want to be part of this, part of your family.”
“Our family,” he amended. “I will call upon your brother tomorrow.”
“I need you to understand something, Devon.” Lilly tried to sort through the words that she wanted to say.
“Tell me then, and I will try.”
“My children, the house in Temple Street, I will not give them up.”
He cupped her face, lifting it so they looked at each other.
“I would never ask you to, but what I would ask is that you let me help you with them.”
She nodded, daring to believe that he actually meant those words.
“Trust me.”
“I do.” She raised her chin for the brief kiss he brushed over her lips. “I am going home this afternoon, Devon, and in this I will stand firm. I need to see Aunt Vi, and it is not right for me to stay here.”
His expression darkened, and she knew this was the first of many battles they would wage.
“I want you safe.”
“And I will be. I will take no more risks, and go nowhere without alerting you or James if I believe there is danger involved.”
“And that is supposed to appease me?” He was scowling now.
She kissed him this time, softly, their lips lingering.
“I won't let you go now, Lilly. You are mine forever.”
“I-I don't want you to let me go... ever.”
“Do you know what my first thought was when those men abducted me?”
He led her to a chair, then sat and pulled her down onto his lap.
“Tell me.”
“I wanted you. I had never turned to anyone before, but at that moment I needed you so much.”
“And that scares you?”
“Yes, it scares me because I don't like to rely on people anymore.”
“You can rely on me, Lilly, because I will try to never willingly let you down. There may be times when I make you angry because I can be a bit overprotective and.... Did you just snort?”
She smiled. “A bit overprotective?”
“I am the head of my family now, love. It is not always an easy job keeping them all safe.”
Lilly brushed the pad of her thumb over his lips. “And yet you have, Dev. And now I will keep you safe and help you chase away those demons that you keep locked inside you.”
She watched the unease gather in his eyes as his body stiffened.
“What do you know of my demons?”
“I know you carry the pain of every soldier who died while they fought beside you, and I know that any pain your family suffered, you blame yourself for not shielding them from.”
“I believe you said I thought I was a god?”
She smiled. “It is not a fault to put others before you, Devon. But you cannot blame yourself for things that are not in your control. You are a protector, it is in your nature, I understand that, and it will be my job to ensure you do not take the role too seriously.”
“I do have demons, love, it comes with my nurturing nature, so my mother always told me,” he said with a wry smile. “Our father was not a good man, and I did not realize how bad he was until he died, yet part of me still worries that I should have known what he was doing—”
“No, Dev.” Lilly pressed her fingers to his lips. “I know you will tell me what he did when you are ready, but I also know that you are the most honorable, wonderful man I have ever known and that you did everything you possibly could to make your siblings happy and that is enough. Now, take some of your own advice and leave the past behind you.”
Resting his forehead on hers, he said, “How have I lived without you for so long? I love you, Lilliana Braithwaite, more than I ever believed possible.”
“And will you let me share your burdens?”
“I will.”
“I love you, Devonshire Sinclair.”
He kissed her, a thorough meeting of lips that Lilly felt to her toes. Slowly the flames of passion licked at her as he deepened the contact. She needed this man so much it terrified her. Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him back.
“We have to stop, Lilly,” Dev groaned, pulling back.
“Why?”
“Because if this continues I will throw you on top of your cousin's desk and ravish you, and it is too soon. Not to mention that it is your cousin's desk.”
Lilly looked at James's desk and nodded.
“Perhaps that would not be wise.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“Hello, Lilly.”
“Hello, Samantha, you look very pretty today.” Lilly had arrived to visit with Eden, but the woman had been delayed as she was tending to a staff member who had fallen ill. Lilly had decided to sit in the library with a tray of tea and wait for her.