Page 93 of Lilly

"I'm sure you will. But by the time you do, it'll be too late." She lets out a laugh.

"What the hell does that mean?" I let my anger come out in my tone, which was not what I intended. Showing my anger means she's won this verbal battle but I couldn't control myself. She confirmed she's planning something and from her cackling laugh I know it's something big.

"Goodbye, Pearce." And then she hangs up.

"Fuck!" I slam the phone on my desk.

There's a short knock on the door and then Rachel walks in.

"What happened?" she asks, closing the door behind her. "What did she say?"

"She admitted she's behind this. She wants Lilly to be part of the organization and doesn't care what she has to do to make that happen."

"Because if Lilly's part of it, Katherine's part of it."

"Yes. She'll have access to the perks. Not necessarily the money, but she'll have their protection should she ever need it, and she'll have access to the Clinic, and she'll be one of us again. She'll have her high society status back. That's all she really wants. Obviously, she'd like the money but knowing she won't be given that, she'll take the status. She wants to be allowed to go to their parties again. Be seen at exclusive events. Be photographed by the papers."

Rachel crosses her arms over her chest. "Katherine would really put Lilly and the rest of us at risk just so she can attend some parties?"

"This shouldn't surprise you. You've known Katherine almost as long as I have."

"Yes, but I thought she'd eventually grow up and not be so selfish. Using her daughter like this? It makes me sick to my stomach. No mother should treat her child this way." Rachel shakes her head. "I feel sorry for Conner."

"Conner?"

"Her son."

I nod. "I forgot his name for a moment. Lilly never talks about him anymore."

"Because she never sees him. Katherine ships him off to boarding school. I don't even know why she had him."

"To force Lyndon to marry her. It was another one of her schemes to be part of the organization, but it didn't work out for her. And this latest scheme of hers won't work either."

"How are you going to stop it?"

"I don't know yet."

"Does William have any ideas?"

"He thinks it's too late. He did some asking around and found out Dean is already approved. It's just not official."

"I don't understand. Why would they be so quick to approve him?"

"He said the committee likes Dean because he has access to people in the underworld. All those years on tour, having to cover up whatever crimes his musicians committed, forced him to make connections with people who are good at circumventing the law and not getting caught."

"Freelancers."

"Yes. We have a shortage right now and our members don't want to have to expend the time and energy recruiting people. Dean already has the contacts and he has a relationship with them, which is extremely valuable."

"Then what are you going to do? How are you going to stop this?"

"I won't allow Lilly to marry Reed. It's as simple as that."

"Pearce, if she wants to marry him, she will. She'll find a way. And if you tell her no, she'll do it in secret."

"Not if she knows what he's part of and finds out what he has to do."

"You're going to tell her?"

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