Fierce Love

Chapter 17: Nate

Nate's POV:

"Nate.." Lilly's voice was strained as she softly mumbled.

Trying to do my best at encouraging her to continue, I held her gaze intensely, nothing showed in my eyes but sincerity and mild worry.

"I-I've been having a lot of things on my plate lately, I was just kind of frustrated and I needed to cool off so I went to the gym and in a daze I kept punching the bag without wrapping up my knuckles so they got busted. Its nothing you need to worry about, Nate." She said, her voice didn't waver much, I searched her eyes for any lie but I couldn't find any so I decided to let it slide, at least for now.

"Lilly, what kind of problems are you facing? You know I can help." I voiced my thoughts unable to keep them locked up inside my head.

"J-Just problems, Nate." She said, dismissively.

I gave her a pleading look, making her heave a sigh. "Financial problems." She mumbled.

I was shocked to say the least. "Is it major?" I asked.

"Yes, Nate. It is, the land loaner said that if we didn't pay the rent on time then he's going to have to kick us out." She explained, her voice was pained like she felt helpless, unable to do anything to solve her problems.

"I can pay your rent, Lils. I could give you a loan until your conditions get better." I suggested.

Lilly suddenly ripped her hands out of my grip, rather harshly.

"I'm not a charity case, Nathaniel." She spat, angrily.

I knew that Lilly has so much self pride to accept something like that, but I couldn't help but try to do anything in my power to help her.

"Of course not, Lilly. I don't see you as a charity case." I said, running a hand over my face. "I just want to help you, I know you have so much self pride to accept something like that, that's why I told you consider it a loan, you can pay me back when you get the money, its better than taking a loan from the bank, I wont give you a dead line, you can pay me whenever you want." I continued.

Lilly stayed silent, and I think I could hear the gears in her head turning, she was thinking deeply.

"N-" I didn't allow her to complete this two letter word that she loves oh so dearly.

"Think about it. Please." I whispered, softly placing a hand on her cheek, her eyes closed on their own accord. "Fine. I'll think about it." She whispered back, trying to nestle her face in my hand, to say the least it was bliss and I wasn't going to stop her.

Lilly has a thing for affection, I could see it sometimes in her eyes, how much she craves it but at the same time the ferocity in her eyes always over powers it. So in moments like that, when she's openly willing to let her guard down, I can't help but let mine down completely, to leave me exposed to her.

I never understood the power that Lilly has over me, how she is the only person in this world who can make my behaviour take a complete 360 degrees turn, I feel like a completely different person around this feisty girl, a part of me loves this feeling, but another part of me is terrified, its terrified because I don't know what might happen or how she can use that power that she has over me, even though she might not know about it.

"Nate.." She whispered, pulling me out of my trance of thoughts.

"Mhmm."

"We should go play with Rosie, before she comes here." she said, softly opening her eyes.

"You really like my sister, don't you?" I asked, with a little playful smile.

"How can I not? She's an adorable little thing, nothing like her brother." She said, nudging my shoulder.