Page 56 of Their Diamond Ring Ruse

And if anyone understood how much freedom meant, it was her.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

BUCKLED AGAIN INTO the cream leather seat, Lily caught up on the news on Julian’s tablet. After reading through article after article, she finally reached the society section.

A headline caught her attention and she froze.

Heart racing, she opened the article and began reading.

‘What is it?’ she heard Julian ask.

But she couldn’t form a response. Not even when he came over to read over her shoulder.

On the screen, in a big close-up photo, was Lincoln with a tall blonde on his arm. Lily recognised her face. She was the daughter of one of her father’s business associates, who obviously would have been one of Arthur’s too.

There were several pictures, all taken on different days while Lily and Julian had been in France. The article stated that they were in a committed relationship. Lily didn’t care if that was true or not, because now everyone would know that she and Lincoln were not in any way expected to be together and he had very clearly moved on.

‘How does it feel to be a free woman?’ asked Julian.

‘I don’t know...’ She laughed nervously. Her family no longer controlled her destiny. It no longer mattered that she couldn’t trust them, that they didn’t protect her. ‘I’m just hoping I’m not dreaming.’

‘You’re not, Sunshine.’

She was free. Really, truly free. She could live her life as she wanted to now. There was nothing holding her back. And it was all thanks to the man beside her. The one who had liberated her.

‘Thank you, Julian. I’ll never be able to say it enough.’

‘You never have to at all.’

When she looked up at him she saw he had the strangest expression. Pleasant, but closed off. Was it because part of their agreement had come to an end? She was more than willing to help him still, and it wasn’t just because that was the deal.

She wanted him to get the Arum contract because she knew that he was the best at what he did. That he cared. She wanted the old money businessmen to accept him because of who he was. To her, he was perfect. It didn’t matter what he thought of this arrangement any more, because what they’d shared in France had been the most real thing she had ever experienced. It had for him too. If he needed time to see that she would give it to him, but she wasn’t going to let him think that she was willing to leave.

Getting off her seat, she stood before him, curling her fingers in the lapels of his jacket. ‘I am grateful, Julian, but Lincoln doesn’t matter. None of them do.’

Not any more. Not when she felt so deeply for the man in front of her.

‘What does matter?’

There was an apprehension in his eyes that he either couldn’t mask or didn’t bother to. Lily hoped it was the latter.

‘This.’

She placed a soft kiss on his lips that had the strong bands of his arms wrapping around her. He took her with him as he sat down, on his lap, with her arms around his neck and their lips connected, and that was where she stayed for the rest of the flight.

* * *

The sun was only just going down when they returned home. And the fact that Lily now considered this house ‘home’ was testament to her growing feelings for Julian.

Not wanting to say goodbye to this time they had to themselves just yet, they spent most of the afternoon in bed, tangled in the soft sheets. But despite this she could see that whatever had been bothering Julian on the plane had not gone away.

She wanted to help him, but even though he had opened up to her, she didn’t think he would tell her what was wrong now. She had been trying to process everything he’d told her in that bedroom. It crushed her that he blamed himself. That part of him hated himself.

He needed to come to terms with the abuse. See that none of it was his fault. Maybe then he could finally start healing. He deserved that. Deserved peace and love and acceptance.

And Lily wanted to be the one to give him those things.

Love...

---