Tiny's Sweet Obsession

50: Day One

Tiny POV

I could tell the sleeping arrangement made Lily nervous, and I don't blame her.

"How about this? I will sleep on the couch or the floor. Not in the bed. The only way that happens is when you are 1,000% sure and feel safe with me and everyone here," I said, wanting to take away the pressure.

"I don't mind if you sleep on the floor. I haven't slept well for a while. Especially when I'm alone," Lily commented.

"Of course, Sunshine," I smiled.

I grabbed my bag and Lily's hand and headed to the room opposite Tiger's. Placing my bag in the corner, I asked Lily, "Do you want the door open or closed?"

"Um, can we crack it?" Lily asked.

Smiling, I kept the door open a few inches and returned to my bag, pulling out an extra shirt and a pair of sweats. I handed them to Lily, who changed in the bathroom. While she got ready for bed, I changed into basketball shorts and a clean white shirt. I took an extra pillow and blanket from the closet and laid them out on the left side of the bed and straight in front of the door without blocking it completely.

I heard the sink turning off and on several times, meaning Lily was washing herself in the sink. When Hawk booked the hotel, I told him I didn't care where, as long as there was a bathtub for Lily. One room did, and it isn't ours. After several minutes, Lily reappeared in my clothes with her short brown hair tied up in a low ponytail with some strands that fell out framing her face.

"That asshole was wrong," I said, walking towards Lily. "You are perfect exactly the way you are. Short hair and all."

Lily blushed and played with a strand of her hair. "Come on," I said, holding out my hand. I helped her into the bed, and sat with her, unable to let her go yet.

She rolled over, laying on her side to face me, and played with the comforter. "Thank you for not giving up on me. I never thought I would become a user, becoming exactly what Sean wanted," she breathed, looking up at me.

"No, Sunshine. No. You are the complete opposite of what Sean wanted, and that's why he hurt you. You went against his 'rules' and demands, showing he no longer has a hold on you. Sean realized you wouldn't conform to what he wanted, ever. So he took matters into his own hands. You are stronger than he will ever be, and he could never love a girl like that," I assured Lily, taking her face into my hands.

"But I do. I love everything about you and who you are."

Tears fell from Lily's blue eyes, and I kissed each of them away, wanting her to know I meant every word I said. Lily is perfect, exactly as is.

Pulling the covers over Lily, I held her until her eyes closed. I slipped out of the bed and took my place on the floor. Sleep hasn't come easily in weeks, and tonight would be no different. Although Lily was safe and with me, her words still rang in my head.

"It was cocaine."

"Unfit and dismissed."

"Retrain me for my disobedience."

My heart broke the more she talked, and eventually, it turned to anger. No one should ever be used, abused, or sold. Lily hinted at sexual notions but didn't explain further. However, that doesn't make her trauma or what she went through any less than someone else.

Lily has led a life of nothing but heartbreak and abuse, and it is something I want to change. The first step is being open about my past and hers and letting her decide what she wants to do. Lily didn't say anything about Chains or knowing who he is to her, and part of me doesn't want to tell her. I don't want to tell her that her father betrayed her and sold his daughter for God knows what reason.

As I lay on the floor, a scary thought went through my mind.

How much more can Lily handle before she breaks? She is the strongest person I know, but everyone has a breaking point.

*****

By 8 a.m., Lily was still sound asleep, so I checked in with Hawk to see how things were going. He sat hunched over a desk, staring at something on his laptop, and he hadn't heard me come in.

"How's it going?" I asked, causing Hawk to jump.

"Shit! Fuck you. You know I hate it when you scare me," he huffed, glaring at me.

"Yeah, but it's too fun not to do. Anyway, did Killer and Ace find them?" I asked, walking behind him, leaning against the wall.

"They landed safely and checked out the King's New York home, but they weren't there. As far as we can tell, they are still in the state. They are following a few leads, and it's only a matter of time before we get them. How is Lily?" Hawk asked.

"How would you be if you were working through cocaine withdrawals, sold out by a father you've never met, and told you were not good enough for rape?" I angrily spit back.

Hawk stared at me, eyebrows raised, and returned to his computer. "I was just trying to be nice, for fucks sake," he mumbled.

I dragged my hands over my face, sighing. "Sorry man. I didn't sleep again, and this whole situation has me fucked up," I breathed.

Hawk nodded but said nothing else. "With everything going on I forgot to ask," I said. "Do you know how the cell phone got under my mattress?"

"I'm still working out a few things, but best theory suggests a lower-level Disciple goon broke in and put it there. I found footage of one of their guys pulling off the road about a mile from the clubhouse and appeared again about forty minutes later. When we get back I think you should give the clubhouse another run and find the holes," Hawk suggested.

I nodded in agreement. "Until then make sure we have more guys around the perimeter. I don't want another to slip in with Lily and the other girls there. When are we heading back?" I asked.

"Not sure. I'm hoping Killer finds them in the next day or two, and we can all head back together. If not, I guess, ask the girls?" Hawk shrugged.

Gears popped in and said the girls were up. In the living room, I found my sleepy Sunshine sitting on the couch with Tiger. She got up, wrapped her arms around my waist, and rested her head on my chest.

"Good morning, Sunshine," I whispered, inhaling her scent and letting it wash over me.

"Good morning. Did you sleep at all?" Lily asked, worried.

"A little," I lied, pulling away, brushing her hair behind her hair.

"I'm starving. Are we ready to go?" Gears said, interrupting us.

Lily smiled and nodded before changing, and we all headed out.