There was a solid minute of silence as they tried to digest all the information each of them had just laid on the table.
"We need to keep movin' Lily." Jesse finally said, "God's out there somewhere. We have to find him." He puffed from a cigarette and flicked it, the ash landing on the patio floor. Lily pushed an ashtray towards him.
"Even worse," Cassidy chimed in, "There's a psychopath cowboy trackin' us somehow."
It was the middle of the night, and Lily had a lot to think about, but one thing she knew for sure was that leaving suddenly was the worst idea. She swallowed, "I can't leave here, Jesse."
"Why not?" Jesse asked sharply, not looking away from Lily as he flicked his cigarette closer to the ashtray this time, but still missing it by a good foot. Lily groaned, standing up and picking up the ashtray to put it on the armrest beside him, "They won't let me just leave. Not a chance." She said, sitting back down where she had been this entire time and raising her glass to her mouth.
"Who?" Cassidy asked loudly and immediately defensive. She peaked up at him sitting at her side against the arm rest, before putting her face back into her glass, "Beneke." She lowered her eyes as she drank from her glass, "My job, Cassidy."
"Well why th'Hell not?" Cassidy questioned in shock. Jesse looked up at him, his brow scrunched with confusion, his curiosity peaked as he noted Cassidy's defensive behavior, "Y'jus gotta tell 'em yer quittin. If not that, jus stop showing up all together, then." Then, Tulip and Jesse's eyes lowered to Lily at the same time. She looked at each of them before turning her eyes back to Cassidy, "I don't have a choice, Cassidy." She groveled.
"Beneke's got you wrapped up that close, huh?" Jesse said flatly.
"Wot?" Cassidy scrunched his brow.
"If I quit or stop showing up, I might as well slit my own throat." She said flatly. "The Hell y'are!" Cassidy said, the defensiveness turning to straight up anger, "We'll get rid of 'em before they ever had a chance t'look at ye!" He said, pointing a finger at the ground, "Those bastards don't stand a chance. Wot is it y'even do fer 'em?!"
Lily shook her head, as if Cassidy knew who 'those bastards' were at all, and she ignored his question about her occupation, "I just need a little more time." She said very quietly, leaning and placing her head in her hands, "I think I have a plan." She said towards the ground. Lily had been racking her brain since her confrontation with Lorenzo. "You think?" Jesse asked. Lily rolled her eyes faintly, "I think." She repeated sitting back up and looking to Jesse, "Like I said, I need a little more time." Lily stared at her brother and Tulip, who had been zoning out for what seemed to be the entire time with nothing to say. Lily looked back to Jesse, "You guys keep moving. You need to, I get that, but I have to stay."
"Hm," Cassidy hummed, "Then we'll catch up with them later, then? Don't too much like the idea of splittin' up at all. Suppose it's not the worst thing.. " Cassidy went on. Lily looked up at him, "You need to go with them, Cassidy."
Cassidy's neck practically snapped he'd turned to her so quickly, "Yer outta yer mind if y'think ye'll ever be on yer own again." Lily was noticing Jesse's attentiveness towards how Cassidy had been acting, and it made her a little worried. She leaned to Cassidy with a distinct look in her eyes that he'd seen many times now that blatantly said 'shut the fuck up', "Cassidy-" As she was about to rebuttal, he quickly placed his hand on her mouth, "No, ye listen t'me now." He said calmly yet sternly, as if he was scolding a child, "The last time the three of us split from you, a murderous, mantrackin' cowboy suddenly came after us, t'kill for reasons unknown, and an entire bloody city blew up!" Cassidy said dramatically.
Tulip's eye's flickered for a moment at Cassidy's last statement. Lily pulled her face from Cassidy's hand and turned towards Tulip, eager to get the attention away from Cassidy, but also concerned for Tulip's well-being, "Are you alright, Tulip?" Lily asked, watching Tulip as she drank from her glass, swaying a bit now, "Its juss... my uncle." Tulip slurred, as she closed her eyes and shook her head. Jesse hadn't realized just how upset she was, his mind had been wrapped up in all the talking.
He stood up, "C'mon." He cooed at Tulip, helping her as she reluctantly stood up. Lily stood up quickly, grabbing a bottle and putting it in Tulip's arms. "There's a hotel across the highway, right?" Jesse said quietly. Lily crossed her arms and nodded, "Yea, but you guys can stay here, I mean, the couch-" Jesse shook his head, "Don't worry about it." He smiled, "Let's rest up. We'll get a move on in the mornin'."
Lily nodded, looking at Tulip with soft eyes, her heart hurting for her as she was walking them to the door of the patio. "You comin', Cass?" Jesse said, his arm wrapped around Tulip as he guided her. Lily looked from the ground up to Cassidy, who sat on the arm of the patio couch still, "No," Lily sighed, "He can't go anywhere." She said. Jesse shook his head, "Why not?"
With her arms crossed she explained, "Cause Beneke knows way too much about who he is and if he's seen anywhere it's going to be really, really bad."
Jesse arched a brow, "What's that mean?" Cassidy scrunched his face at her as well, "Yea." He agreed. Lily sighed, "We'll need a couple more bottles worth of time for me to explain that part to you." She rubbed her face, "Just-" With a huff she looked at her brother in the eyes, "Trust me. It's not good, for any of us. So lay low out there and don't stand out too much." Jesse looked to Cassidy before turning to walk inside the apartment, "Alright," He said, "Goodnight." "Jesse," Lily said, walking him to the front door, her voice was quiet, "Be really careful, OK?" She said. Jesse smirked, "You've always been the careful one." Lily nodded, "You're welcome for that." Jesse chuckled as he adjusted his grip on Tulip. "Night Tulip." Lily sang, getting ready to open the front door of her apartment for them. Suddenly, noise from down the hall caught her attention. Lily held still and they all noticed it right away.
Lily had forgotten about the loose end that was Lorenzo - she'd left him high and dry and she had no doubt that the person approaching was him.
"Wot?" Cassidy asked - hearing her heart pace a little quicker from way back at the patio door. Lily quickly stepped back from the door and pulled Jesse, Tulip still in his arms, towards her bedroom and opened the door, waving them in. Jesse looked at his sister in confusion a she took Tulip in and laid her on the bed. Lily leaned out the bedroom and waved heavily at Cassidy. He scrunched his face, looking from her to the front door, "Who issit?" He said a little too loudly, and in no rush to run and hide in her bedroom.
Lily groaned in annoyance, holding her finger up to her mouth, "Shh!" She hissed, "Get over here!" She whisper-yelled.
Cassidy had much different planned in his mind, he began walking towards the door and as he did, Lily was reefing on his arm, "Cassidy!" She spat, "You're going to get me killed." He stared into her eyes to see if she was bluffing, but his gut told him she was serious. He gave into her pull and she was relieved to round everyone up in her room. "What's going on?" Jesse asked.
"I'll tell you all about it when he's gone." There was a knock at her front door. "Do you need help?" Jesse asked. "No." Lily said quickly, staring at him in his eyes and making her point clear, "Do not come out of this room. I'll have him leave as soon as I can."
Jesse nodded, and left it alone. Cassidy on the other hand wasn't liking being left in the dark. "Wait a minute-" He said sternly, "If you think I'm gonna just sit 'ere-" Trying to find words to make him shut up, she raised her brow to him, "You either sit here and keep quiet or cause a scene and have me killed. So shut up!" And she couldn't have found words that did the opposite. As she turned to close her bedroom door in his face, he yanked her by her arm, "Lily," He hissed, "Tell us wot the Hell is goin' on!" She breathed in, "Please, I don't have time. Let me deal with this and I'll tell you everything." They stared at each other. "Everything." She repeated.
He reluctantly let go and she closed the door in his face.
Jesse sat on the bed beside Tulip, who laid down with her eyes shut. Cassidy glanced at Jesse who took a deep breath and joined Cassidy at his spot right at the door to listen. There were harder knocks on her front door and Lily had all of 30 seconds to compose herself. Grabbing some papers from a desk nearby, she scattered them on her kitchen counter. When she opened the door, it was exactly who she presumed - Lorenzo.
She opened the door, "Lillian." He stated, helping himself to his way in immediately. Both Jesse and Cassidy scrunched their faces, inching closer to the door at who the stranger's voice was. Lily sighed, "Lorenzo-" She said in a sympathetic manner while walking in towards the kitchen as Lorenzo stepped in, "I'm so sorry." She sounded frazzled, and a bit groggy, "I got back here after we talked and I guess I was in a bit of shock from everything that has happened-" She said honestly, "I came back and began digging into some things - trying to get ahead on some leads-" She lied, waving her hand out to the fake paperwork mess she'd just thrown together on the kitchen counter, "And I guess I passed out." She shook her head at him. "Hm," He said with his hands in his pockets. Expecting him to walk towards her, but instead, he was walking towards the patio. If he saw the mess of bottles and cigarette butts, he would've known that it wasn't just her inside the apartment, and things would get ugly fast.
There was no doubt in her mind that the four of them could kill Lorenzo, Hell, she could do it in an instant herself - but she knew him, and she knew he didn't ever travel alone. There were likely 6 other men outside her front door just there to listen for something to go south. If it came to having to kill him then and there, they'd have to rush to escape. She'd rather not have to leave Worthington running and disorganized, most of her assets were tied into Beneke and she needed time to take out the cash she had.
"Lorenzo," She said, and in efforts to urge him to get away from the patio she walked towards him, "Where'd you come from, or where are you... off to?" She asked, noting the suit he was wearing. He turned to her surprised at her approach, walking towards her again as she backtracked cautiously to the kitchen.
"You told me you were coming." He watched her steps, they were dragging quite a bit, "I said don't be long." His tone suddenly had a much more unnerving tone to it - something both of the men just on the other side of the wall felt immediately. Cassidy felt his cheeks get hot in anger, glancing quickly to notice the redness in Jesse's face. Lily felt her throat dry up a bit as she was backing up into the counter closest to her front door of her kitchen area, "I-"
"I thought you didn't want to be alone." Lorenzo hissed lowly, getting much too close.
Avoiding his eyes, Lily swallowed, "I'm exhausted.." She continued, much quieter and careful, "We have a big day tomorrow, so.." She noted the drawer behind her as being the one she kept her knives in. Her heart was racing and she worried if Lorenzo was about to make a stupid decision. She knew both Jesse and Cassidy would only have so much composure behind that door just several feet away.
There was a stiff pause, and Lorenzo narrowed his eyes down at her, titling his head to the side just slightly, "Are you sure that thing didn't do anything to you?" He whispered. Both Cassidy and Jesse were running out of patience, but they continued to listen, "You're acting very unusual. You don't look like your usual self... and you reek like an ashtray.. that's not like you, Lillian." He noted. She narrowed her brows, as if he knew the first thing about her, "Yea, I've been stressing about how much I need to catch up on." She said. He nodded, "Maybe this isn't about that at all," With a sigh he leaned against the fridge beside her, "Maybe you feel a bit intimidated after you kissed me." He said abruptly. Lily felt her skin tingle as her blood ran cold, feeling as if she was about to faint. She watched her bedroom door in the corner of her eye. It was a miracle it wasn't busted down already, "Lorenzo," She said quietly, her voice a bit shaky as she struggled to find composure in the situation. Now it was taking everything in Lily not to break character and kill him herself. The gut feeling she often had was happening, and it was telling her that shit was going to get ugly.
Cassidy grabbed the doorknob, to which Jesse grabbed his hand, holding his hand over Cassidy's and giving it one last strike before he joined Cassidy on the idea of kicking this guy's ass to the next planet.
Lorenzo dropped his shoulders and shook his head with a nauseating smile, throwing his arms out, "Alright, alright. I get it, I'll go." He said leaning even closer to her, "Just came to make sure everything was alright." She dragged her heavy legs back towards the door, "Great." She choked out, "Goodnight." She said between clenched teeth.
"Goodnight." Lorenzo said. Lily closed the door and waited as she listened to Lorenzo get into the elevator. She kept her eyes closed and took a few deep breaths as she thanked whatever was listening that Lorenzo didn't lay a finger on her.
From her bedroom, Jesse looked at Cassidy, "Give me a minute with her." Cassidy nodded respectfully, while also knowing he'd be able to hear them anywhere they were in the apartment, anyway. Cassidy watched the bedroom door close again and leaned against the wall, looking at Tulip sleeping on Lily's bed, listening attentively as Lily and Jesse stepped out on the patio.
"Who was the prick?" Jesse asked sternly as he stepped outside, as he closed the door behind him, it merely muffled their voices, but Cassidy could still hear everything.
She cringed as she talked quietly, "Technically that prick is my boss, but that's only because he's Beneke's nephew." She groveled. Jesse grabbed a bottle for each of them, and Lily wasn't about to find time to track down a glass. They held the bottle heads up to their mouths simultaneously.
"Beneke's nephew?" Jesse said shockingly. He knew about Beneke from the past. Him and Tulip had done some contract work here and there long ago, but nothing as involved as Lily was.
"Yea," She groaned.
"He's lucky to have left here alive." Jesse stated, lighting a cigarette.
With a nod, Lily helped herself to a smoke from Jesse's pack, "I know." She sparked the cigarette, "I want to kill him too, trust me. But it's not that easy." Her brother nodded, knowing how complicated a business like Beneke was. He knew as well as her that it wouldn't just be dealing with him if they made a move on him tonight. It was quiet for a moment, other than the crackling of Jesse's cigarette in his mouth.
"Did he force anything on you?" Jesse asked, turning his head to her. Lily dragged at the cigarette between her fingers, "He confronted me today after the big meeting I've been prepping for. He knew about Cassidy."
"How?" Jesse asked. Lily raised her shoulder, "The night I found out about Cassidy-" She stopped a moment.
From the bedroom, Cassidy listened eagerly, getting less furious each second and feeling his heart begin to pound in anxiousness as she talked about him. Lily's voice continued, "-About him being a vampire.. I got hurt really bad." She explained, "I got in the middle of something I should'n't have and Cassidy saved my ass, but I ended up in the hospital for some injuries, and Cass signed me out the next day using his real and full name."
Jesse raised his head, "Ah." He groaned. "So I," Lily took a deep breath, "Had to come up with an elaborate cluster fuck of a story that Cassidy had held me captive while I was in Annville, because I knew damn well that Beneke has a plan for me already and for Cassidy. And then here you all are in the middle of it right after I go out of my way, spending hours to try and give me some time." Nodding, Jesse was feeling better and better for not busting down that door.
"You didn't answer my question." He stated, staring at the cigarette in his hand. Lily nodded, getting to the answer but needing to explain first, "I was acting as distressed as I could, trying to sell I was innocent and knew nothing about Cassidy so they wouldn't detain me to try and force anything I knew out. They have a hefty price-tag on him now and I wasn't about to let off that I know him better than any of them. So I was really making the water works run and taking advantage of his sliminess I leaned on him and played him a bit." She took a big swig from her bottle, "But then he played me and went in to kiss me and I had no choice but to go along with the stupid facade I'd created." She dragged at the cigarette heavily again, groaning as she exhaled.
"Hm-" Jesse's face was red again, "What a gentleman." He hissed sarcastically.
He dipped his head at her and flashed his grave eyes, promising so much with one stare, "You tell me if he ever does anything like that again." Lily felt her blood run cold again, "Jesse, I would tell you." She said carefully, "I swear." He nodded, "Good." Lily exhaled, "Thank you for listening to me and staying quiet." He sighed and nodded, "It wasn't easy." He said as he put out his cigarette. "I know." She said to him.
Lily stood at the railing of the patio and stared at the lights of the city below.
"Hefty price-tag, huh?" Jesse said, "How hefty are we talkin'?" He smirked and she looked up at him with dagger eyes, "We're not selling Cass, Jesse." When he chuckled, so did she and it was a major relief for each of them, including Cassidy listening in. Jesse threw his arm around his sister and patted her shoulder, "You're strong, I know that, but we're all that much stronger together."
With a simple nod, Lily leaned into her brother for a moment before he eventually let go.
"I'm gonna check on Tulip and get her ready to get goin' again." Jesse stated. Lily shook her head at him, "You guys really don't have to go. Have my room, even." Jesse shook his head, "It's fine, Lil. Our stuff's all in the vehicle and I need to run out and get some ammunition." "I have tons of ammunition here." Lily insisted. "Lil, it's fine." Jesse smiled, "I just think Tulip and I need some time."
Lily couldn't argue with that. "Alright. Just do me a favour and be careful on your way out. I wouldn't doubt Beneke has people watching this place hoping to get a glimpse of Cassidy."
Turning back to the view in front of her, Lily finished up her cigarette. She hadn't noticed Cassidy already on the patio until he spoke right at her side, "So," Cassidy's voice made her jump out of her skin. She gasped as she turned towards him, her heart racing. "Cassidy! Don't do that." She groaned, turning back to the ledge.
"Yea, obviously I heard everythin' yew n'Jess were jus' goin' on about." He stated. Lily raised her brows, "Yea." She took a swig of her wine, "I figured." She was hoping he'd be expressing his honest remorse for being as stupid as he was
"This Lorenzo arsehole." He said in a new tone Lily hadn't heard before, "He kissed you." Lily saw his brows were narrow above his sunglasses. She shook her head and looked back to the view in front of them, "You said so yourself, Cassidy, you heard the entire conversation Jesse and I just had, so don't worry about it." She said quietly.
Cassidy was very suddenly annoyed at how she could be so short with him. After everything they'd been through, he deserved as much of a decent conversation that her and Jesse had, "I'll worry about wot I wan'ta worry about." He said shortly, "Are y'gonna cross paths with him again before y'get outta 'ere? I'm not leavin' yew 'ere wit someone like that." He stated, leaning a hand on the railing in front of her, giving her little personal space. His intent was to show how loyal and protective he was, but it was coming across as controlling, "Keep your voice down," She warned, looking inside towards Jesse. She looked back up to him, her face flat, "What are you getting at right now, Cassidy?"
She turned to him with her best tough front, for she was truly annoyed that he could possibly feel the right to act the way he was. He blinked and shook his head as if she was an idiot, "So your brother." Cassidy said much too loud for comfort, "It's alright fer 'im t'look out fer ya n'make the call not to kick the shit out of some arsehole who deserves a fokin' face to the concrete, but when your boyfriend tries to show some concern-"
Lily's jaw dropped at his choice of words and the volume he'd said them in, "Cassidy," She hissed, grabbing his arms as she squeezed them in, what she thought was, a warning, "Shh!" He grabbed her arms back, much harder than she was grabbing his. "No, you listen t'me." He growled at her as he lowered his eyes down to look into hers. "No one's gonna be doin' or treatin' y'anyway like that, n'I'm not gonna let you jus tell me to be quiet and sit back and not do anythin' ever again, you understand?" He hissed. From inside, they could hear Jesse shfiting around. "Cassidy," Lily said softly, "Let go of me." Cassidy's eyes flickered as he had a moment of realization of just how harsh he was being, letting go of her and stepping back.
Lily felt herself take a deep breath at his release, turning to walk into where Jesse was. Just as she stepped in, he was practically carrying Tulip. "We're gonna get goin' now." Jesse said. Lily raised her shoulders and breathed in, "OK," She said, trying to seem less shaken up inside that she was, "Let me know when you're checked in safe, please. Be care-" "Careful, yes." Jesse finished with a smile, "Goodnight, Lil. Where's Cass?" Lily pointed a thumb behind her, "He's out on the deck." Jesse nodded, "Alright, night." Lily smiled faintly back at Jesse, the front door closing.
She starred at the closed door for a second before turning to her bedroom door. She opened it and walked in. To her left was her bag, and to her right was her bed, looking like a sign of God itself. Her brow furrowed at the bed, wanting so badly to just fall onto it and hibernate, but she knew now was the opportunity she needed as she rolled her head back to the left - to her bag.
She walked out of her bedroom and back to the patio, Cassidy still outside with a cigarette in his hand. "Hey," Cassidy said with a smile, he stood up and walked towards her, his demeanor suddenly shifted to be much softer and kind. It was clear he had realized how out of line he'd just stepped and he was now desperately backpedaling. With a cigarette between his lips he smiled at her as he walked up to her, as if to make a move.
Lily breathed in, and held her hands out to him. He stopped in his tracks, "Wot?" She pointed her thumb over her shoulder towards inside, "Can I talk to you?"
"Ya," He raised his brows, and watched her make her way inside as he turned back to the patio table, grabbing his bottle of whiskey, moving the smoke from his mouth and, to her pleasure, pressing it out on the tray. He exhaled at trail of smoke as he walked into the apartment. She stood at the kitchen island, "Sit," She said, pointing at the bar stools on the other side. Cassidy arched a brow, but didn't argue as he sat across from her, his hand around his bottle of single-malt, and she continued to stand.
She went to a cabinet behind her and grabbed a glass, sliding it to him as he grabbed it, pouring his whiskey into it. Lily reached to the ground, and pulled up her bag, placing it on the counter, opening it up with her bangle, which was still loose and in her pocket, to bring out a small, white file folder, the top said LILLIAN CUSTER "This," She pushed it out to between them, "Is my record. Criminal, driving, everything. My entire lawful and unlawful existence is in the confines of this folder."
His brows were narrow and he took of his sunglasses. She did her best to avoid direct eye contact until absolutely necessary.
She reached her hand back into her bag, "And this," She said clenching her voice, using both hands to haul out a large accordion file folder, "Is yours." And in front of her, in between the two of them, she dropped the giant accordion file folder with a thud.
