Page 42 of Keeping Lilith
Julian chuckled. “Uh huh. But seriously, Lil. Don’t make me worry even more than I’m going to while I’m away. Swear to me you won’t answer this advert. That you’ll let me get the guys at the Agency to look into it.”
If the idea of leaving her was stressing him, he was even more worried now and wished he could push the issue of her staying with Cass again. But he wouldn’t, because he needed to trust her. Trust she knew that doing so could lead to something bad happening.
“Okay. I won’t. It was just a fleeting idea anyway.”
“Thank you.” There was something else he needed to broach with her, and that was her wearing a tracker that he’d picked up from Cass the day after their date. The necklace was sitting in its box on his dresser. He would’ve preferred she wear earrings, but her ears weren’t pierced so a necklace was the next best thing. The chain was super strong, after Ox’s Eveline had had her necklace ripped from around her neck after she’d been kidnapped by her former boss.
“You’re worrying again. I promise I won’t answer the ad, if you’re still worried,” she said softly as she ran her finger along the flesh between his eyes.
“I know. Come with me.” Julian entwined his fingers with hers, loving the way hers curled around his, giving him a gentle squeeze.
The trip to his bedroom didn’t take long, but the second they crossed the threshold, Lilith tensed. “What are we doing here?”
Julian wasn’t offended by her reaction. Before Rose had called, the kisses they’d shared on the couch were some of the hottest they’d shared. He definitely wanted to take what they were doing further, but he also knew that Lilith may not be ready for it, regardless of how she softened in his arms. Her reaction, right this moment, confirmed his thoughts. "I've got something for you. I'm not trying to force you to do something you’re not ready for.”
“I thought I was.” Her admission surprised him, but he was pleased that she was feeling comfortable enough to be honest and open with him.
“I will not deny that I want you in my bed, Lil. But when you’re ready. I can wait.”
She sighed, her attention wandering to the bed before coming back to him. “I want it, too. I’m not sure why I had a mini freak out the moment we walked in.”
Julian pulled her close and bussed her cheek. “You’ve been through so much in your life. What’s normal for someone, isn’t normal for you, and that’s okay. Just know that I’m always going to be here for you.”
“Thank you, I know that.” She hugged him tight, then dropped her arms, and he did the same, even though he wanted to keep holding her. “So, why are we here?”
Julian reached out for the square box resting on the dresser. “Let’s go back to the living room, and I’ll explain.”
“You can’t tell me here?”
He may have said he was good with waiting until Lilith was ready, and he totally was, but having the bed so close was a temptation. No way would he force her to do something she didn’t want to do. “I think it will be better if we don’t. Come on.”
He held out his hand and a second later, she slid her palm against his. He loved she was so open to holding his hand. It was such a simple gesture. Nothing special about it all, but for him, it was symbolic of the trust growing between them.
Once they were seated on the couch, he placed the box on the table. He would have to form his words carefully, and in a way that wouldn’t cause Lilith to think he wanted to take her control away. Problem was, he had no idea how to explain it. “I need you to hear me out before you say anything. Can you do that?”
Weariness entered her green eyes, and he hated seeing it. “Okay. I can do that.”
“Good.” He reached for the box and opened it. The simple heart necklace winked up at him. An innocuous and plain charm, but there was so much more to it. While the heart looked delicate, it was anything but. It was a lot thicker than one would expect it to be. He extracted the chain and held it up. “I’ve seen a lot of things in my job with the FBI. Seen the way people can be mistreated. People disappear off the streets all the time, and families wonder what happens to them. Sometimes they come back, but most times they don’t because they’ve been sold.”
“If you’re trying to scare me, it’s working. What has people disappearing got to do with the necklace you’re holding?”
He didn’t mind that she’d interrupted him. Even he hated how he started the conversation. He hadn’t wanted to scare her into wearing it, but maybe it was better that he had. Now he needed to be blunt and to the point. “This isn’t just a simple necklace. It’s a tracker. Inside the heart is a device that can tell me where you are at all times. I want you to wear it.”
“What!? No! No!” Lilith scrambled off the couch and rushed over to the window, as though she was looking to escape through it.
He stayed where he was, even though he wanted to go over to her and reassure that it wasn’t as bad as she was thinking. Which really wasn’t a surprise to him. He’d been expecting a reaction like this from her. “This isn’t about controlling you. It isn’t about taking away your ability to think and do what you want. It’s a tool to keep you safe. To make sure that nothing happens to you.”
“If that’s what you need to tell yourself to help you sleep at night, then go right ahead. But I won’t wear it. I won’t have my freedom taken from me.”
“I’m not expecting you to stay a prisoner in this house. That’s not the purpose of this device. You should call Cass about it. She’s the one who came up with it. She wears one. In fact, all the wives of the married guys from Alliez have them as well.”
At the mention of Cass and the other women, her shoulders lost a little tension, and her fists relaxed as well. “What do you mean?” she asked, her voice a little calmer than it had been a few seconds ago.
Julian stood and walked over to where she stood, getting close but not close as to spook her. “Exactly what I said. They all wear trackers. Teresa has earrings. Eveline has a necklace, same as Cass and Astrid. After what they went through, they were more than happy to wear them. And when the guys go on their missions with the FBI, or if they do one for someone else, they all have one on them. Cass is constantly monitoring them while they’re away.”
“And you, will you wear one when you go away with them on this trip you were telling me about?”
Julian was pleased that she was talking to him. That she hadn’t shut herself completely down. “I don’t normally becausethey’re for the Alliez guys, but if you want me to have one, then I’ll ask Cass for it.”