Page 35 of Flames of Desire

"Yes," I said, my gaze locking with his. "I love her more than anything. And I would never do anything to jeopardize our relationship. I know my past isn't spotless, but I've changed because of her."

Lily looked up at me, her eyes softening with emotion. Colton, on the other hand, was still struggling to process my words.

"Colton," I said, my tone serious. “I know you want to protect her. But she doesn't need protection from me. She needs your support and your trust. Because I'm not going anywhere."

For a moment, there was silence. Colton's face softened, the anger draining away, replaced by uncertainty.

"I just don't want to see her hurt," he said quietly, looking at his sister.

"I know," I replied. "And I don't either. But you need to trust us."

Colton sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. But if you ever—"

"I won’t," I promised, cutting him off. "You have my word."

Lily crossed her arms, still glaring at Colton. "You might accept his apology, but I’m still pissed at you. How dare you interfere in my life again, Colton? And hitting Alex? Really?"

Colton’s shoulders slumped, guilt washing over his features. "I’m sorry, Lily. I just... I wanted to protect you. And I was wrong. About everything. I should have supported you, especially with the bookstore."

Lily's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, you should have. But it's too late for apologies now."

She grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door. "Come on, Alex. We’ve had enough drama for one night."

As she dragged me inside, I heard the door slam behind us, the sound echoing through the apartment. I followed her to the living room, my mind still reeling from the confrontation.

"Lily," I began, but she silenced me with a look.

"Don’t," she said, her voice softening. "You don’t have to say anything. I’m just glad you're here."

I nodded, pulling her into my arms. We stood there for a moment, holding each other, the tension of the evening slowly melting away.

"I can't believe he punched you," she muttered, shaking her head. "I mean, he's always been overprotective, but this..."

"I know," I said softly. "But he just wants what's best for you. He'll come around."

She sighed, leaning into me. "I hope so." Then she held my hand and led me to the bathroom.

She rummaged through the cabinet, finding a first aid kit. As she began to clean the cut on my lip, the sting made me wince, but her careful touch and focused expression made me smile, making the pain bearable.

"Hold still," she said softly, her brows furrowed in concentration. She dabbed at my lip with a cotton ball soaked in antiseptic, her movements surprisingly gentle.

I couldn’t help but chuckle despite the pain. "You know, you're really good at this."

She looked up, her eyes meeting mine with amusement. "I've had practice. Colton used to get into a lot of fights when we were younger."

"Guess it's a family tradition, then," I quipped, getting a soft chuckle from her.

Lily finished cleaning the wound and applied a small bandage. "There, all done. You should be more careful, though."

"I'll try," I promised, taking her hand in mine. "But you know, you did call me your boyfriend in front of Colton."

Her cheeks reddened, a giggle escaping her lips. "Well, you called me your girlfriend first when we met your father."

"Touché," I said, grinning. "But still, I like the sound of it. Boyfriend, girlfriend."

"Me too," she admitted, her eyes sparkling. "It feels...right."

We moved to the couch, sitting close together, our fingers intertwined. I couldn’t stop looking at her, marveling at how she managed to be both strong and tender, fierce and loving.

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