Page 16 of The Beast's Obsession

"Sweetheart..." The endearment slips out before I can stop it.

Her eyes flash, a spark of anger cutting through the haze of exhaustion and grief. "Don't call me that. You don't get to comfort me, Grayson. Not now."

I swallow hard, nodding. "Okay. But please, eat something. Drink this." I hold out the water and granola bar, careful not to touch her as she takes them.

Lily slides down the wall until she's sitting on the floor, knees pulled up to her chest. She sips the water mechanically, not looking at me. The silence stretches between us, thick and uncomfortable.

Finally, she speaks, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't lose her."

My chest aches. I want nothing more than to wrap her in my arms, to promise her everything will be okay. But I can't. So I do the only thing I can—I sit down next to her, careful to leave space between us, as much as it fucking kills me.

"I know," I say softly. "I'm sorry, Lily. I'm so fucking sorry."

She turns her head, really looking at me for the first time. Her eyes are full of pain and confusion. "Why are you still here?"

The question catches me off guard. Why am I here? Because the thought of leaving her alone in this sterile hellhole makes me want to put my fist through a wall. Because seeing her in pain is slowly killing me. Because...

"Because I care about you," I admit, the words feeling foreign on my tongue. "Because I can’t fucking leave you, Lily. Ever."

Lily's breath catches. For a moment, I think she might reach for me. But then her face crumples, and she buries it in her hands, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Fuck. I can't take this.

I shift closer, not quite touching her, but close enough that she can feel my presence. "Lily," I murmur, "I know you're angry with me. You have every right to be. But please, let me help you. Tell me what you need."

She lifts her head, eyes red and swollen. "I need my mom to be okay," she whispers brokenly. "I need to go back in time andnever leave her. I need—" Her voice cracks, and she presses her fist to her mouth, stifling another sob.

Without thinking, I reach out and gently pry her hand away from her face, lacing our fingers together. She doesn't pull away this time, and I count it as a small victory.

"I can't give you that," I admit, my throat tight. "But I can make sure she gets the best care possible. I can handle everything else so you can focus on being here with her. Just...let me do this for you, Lily."

She stares at our joined hands for a long moment, then looks up at me. The raw vulnerability in her eyes makes my chest ache. "Why?" she asks softly. "Why do you care so much?"

I swallow hard, searching for the right words. How do I explain this all-consuming need I have for her? This urge to protect her, to possess her, to make her mine in every way possible?

"Because you're everything," I finally say, my voice rough with emotion. "You've gotten under my skin, Lily. Into my blood. I can't...I can't imagine my life without you in it anymore."

Her eyes widen, and for a moment, I see a flicker of something—hope? desire?—before exhaustion overtakes her again. She slumps against me, her head coming to rest on my shoulder.

"I'm so tired, Grayson," she mumbles.

I press a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair. "I know, sweetheart. Why don't you try to get some sleep? I'll wake you if anything changes with your mom."

She nods weakly, and I help her to her feet. We make our way back into her mother's room, where I settle her into the recliner next to the bed. I drape my suit jacket over her like a blanket, then pull up a chair next to her.

As Lily drifts off to sleep, her hand finds mine again. I squeeze it gently, a silent promise.

I'm not going anywhere.

epilogue

. . .

One year later

Lily

I waketo the weight of Grayson's arm draped possessively over my waist, his warmth seeping into my skin. My eyes flutter open, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the smoky glass windows. Carefully, I slide out from under his grip, my feet touching the cool marble floor.

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